Best Literature & Fiction
The #1 New York Times Bestseller from the author of The Da Vinci Code Bilbao, Spain Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend a major announcement—the unveiling of a discovery that “will change the face of science forever.” The evening’s host is Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old billionaire and futurist whose dazzling high-tech inventions and audacious predictions have made him a renowned global figure. Navigating the dark corridors of hidden history and extreme religion, Langdon and Vidal must evade a tormented enemy whose all-knowing power seems to emanate from Spain’s Royal Palace itself . On a trail marked by modern art and enigmatic symbols, Langdon and Vidal uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-to-face with Kirsch’s shocking discovery . Dan Brown is the author of numerous #1 international bestsellers, including The Da Vinci Code, Inferno , The Lost Symbol , Angels & Demons , Deception Point, and Digital Fortress .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I love Dan Brown's novels, his writing style, and his extensive use of history/tech in most of them, and I always learn something when I read his books. Brown has a plug and play format that he follows, and as I read this book, it's basically Robert Langdon at some educational/art venue where a friend/colleague, etc. There was supposed suspense, in that you want to find out what in the world Langdon's friend had to say before his murder--and of course, you have to wait until the end to find out."
"Racing through Spain with Robert Langdon and a captivating young woman named Ambra Vidal is an intriguing way to get us into this world of symbols, artwork and religious extremism. I’d still love to see Dan get back into the Templars someday, like he did in "The Da Vinci Code," but at least some good nonfiction books do that now. Moving from a secret, mountain-top meeting at Montserrat just outside Barcelona to a huge public affair at the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, we are teased with the idea that a revelation will be made which shakes all known religions to their core."
"After the first few chapters the book hits a road block - it stops being a DaVinci code knock off and becomes something else. I also realized that the small passage of time directly related to the lengthy descriptions of art, books, etc. The early chapters describe the museum at Bilbo and I went online while I was reading to see pictures."
The count’s refinement and genteel nature are exactly what we’re longing for.” — Ann Patchett “How delightful that in an era as crude as ours this finely composed novel stretches out with old-World elegance.” —The Washington Post He can’t leave his hotel. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. [ A Gentleman in Moscow ] is laced with sparkling threads (they will tie up) and tokens (they will matter): special keys, secret compartments, gold coins, vials of coveted liquid, old-fashioned pistols, duels and scars, hidden assignations (discreet and smoky), stolen passports, a ruby necklace, mysterious letters on elegant hotel stationery . “Marvelous.” — Chicago Tribune “The novel buzzes with the energy of numerous adventures, love affairs, twists of fate and silly antics.” — The Wall Street Journal “A winning, stylish novel.” —NPR.org “Enjoyable, elegant.” — Seattle Times. In the end, Towles’s greatest narrative effect is not the moments of wonder and synchronicity but the generous transformation of these peripheral workers, over the course of decades, into confidants, equals and, finally, friends. With them around, a life sentence in these gilded halls might make Rostov the luckiest man in Russia.” — The New York Times Book Review “This is an old fashioned sort of romance, filled with delicious detail. Towles’s tale, as lavishly filigreed as a Fabergé egg, gleams with nostalgia for the golden age of Tolstoy and Turgenev.” — O, The Oprah Magazine “‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ and ‘Eloise’ meets all the Bond villains.” —TheSkimm. an imaginative and unforgettable historical portrait.” — Booklist “House arrest has never been so charming as in Towles’s second novel, an engaging 30-year saga set almost entirely inside the Metropol, Moscow’s most luxurious hotel. “An irresistible and astonishingly assured debut about working class-women and world-weary WASPs in 1930s New York…in the crisp, noirish prose of the era, Towles portrays complex relationships in a city that is at once melting pot and elitist enclave – and a thoroughly modern heroine who fearlessly claims her place in it.” — O, the Oprah Magazine “With this snappy period piece, Towles resurrects the cinematic black-and-white Manhattan of the golden age…[his] characters are youthful Americans in tricky times, trying to create authentic lives.” — The New York Times Book Review “This very good first novel about striving and surviving in Depression-era Manhattan deserves attention…The great strength of Rules of Civility is in the sharp, sure-handed evocation of Manhattan in the late ‘30s.” — Wall Street Journal “Put on some Billie Holiday, pour a dry martini and immerse yourself in the eventful life of Katey Kontent…[Towles] clearly knows the privileged world he’s writing about, as well as the vivid, sometimes reckless characters who inhabit it.” — People “[A] wonderful debut novel…Towles [plays] with some of the great themes of love and class, luck and fated encounters that animated Wharton’s novels.” — The Chicago Tribune “Glittering…filled with snappy dialogue, sharp observations and an array of terrifically drawn characters…Towles writes with grace and verve about the mores and manners of a society on the cusp of radical change.” —NPR.org.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The relationships he forms with staff and guests, his handling of twists of fate, his moral rectitude and his perseverance to go on in the face of his lifelong imprisonment for being a Former Person make for a compelling tale, told beautifully by Towles. I literally sat and stared into space for an hour after I finished A Gentleman In Moscow, contemplating it and wishing it hadn’t ended."
"I had such an emotionally fulfilled feeling at the end of this novel that when I finished the last page, I closed the book, sat back, sighed deeply, and thought, "well, what now? It seems convoluted to start a review with the ending of a book, but this novel is actually a rather long tale, spanning 30+ years, so before I get into the journey, allow me this one break with decorum. But A Gentleman in Moscow, if not completely upsetting Sara Gruen's work, at least pulls level with it, because it is such a satisfying end to this novel, and I'll say no more than that for fear of ruining the experience for anyone else. It feels like such a universal fantasy that, despite the fact that we are not (probably) an aristocrat, a connoisseur of multiple tastes, exceedingly cultured, and currently exiled within our own country, we somehow connect with Count Rostov immediately. Towles writes with such sophistication and beauty in every carefully chosen word that it manages to feel effortless. At times it's witty and funny in that perfectly refined way, and in the next moment it's incredibly astute and insightful. I could ramble on about the the delightful and stunning setting of this book as well as the cast of characters that weave in and out and in again, but it might actually be overkill. I'll revisit often and always with a perfectly paired glass of wine in my hand, as Count Rostov would approve."
"This second novel is as enjoyable and engaging as his first, “Rules of Civility.”. In 1922, the Emergency Committee of the People’s Commissariat For Internal Affairs sentences Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov to spend the rest of his life inside the Hotel Metropol for writing the poem “Where Is It Now?”, which brashly asked the question, “where is our purpose now?” In imposing the sentence, the prosecutor pronounced that the Count “has succumbed irrevocably to the corruptions of his class – and now poses a threat to the very ideals he once espoused. In trying to adjust to his new circumstances, the Count tells himself that “if a man does not master his circumstances then he is bound to be mastered by them” and that “imagining what might happen if one’s circumstances were different was the only sure route to madness.” And so the Count adjusts to the 30 or more years that he ultimately spends in the Hotel. The Count befriends a nine-year-old girl, Nina Kulikova, who is temporarily living in the hotel with her father and who introduces the Count to all of the secrets the Hotel has to offer. While living at the Metropol, the Count meets people from all over the world, begins a love affair with a famous actress, spends many years tutoring a former red Army Colonel about the west, works as the head waiter at the Boyarsky and makes friends and enemies with the various people who lead their lives either in or through the Metropol. Asking for the restaurant manager, the Count is taken to the Hotel’s wine cellar, housing more than 100,000 bottles."
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Lee Child returns with a gripping new powerhouse thriller featuring Jack Reacher, “one of this century’s most original, tantalizing pop-fiction heroes” ( The Washington Post ). Reacher takes a stroll through a small Wisconsin town and sees a class ring in a pawn shop window: West Point 2005. Reacher wonders what unlucky circumstance made her give up something she earned over four hard years. So begins a harrowing journey that takes Reacher through the upper Midwest, from a lowlife bar on the sad side of small town to a dirt-blown crossroads in the middle of nowhere, encountering bikers, cops, crooks, muscle, and a missing persons PI who wears a suit and a tie in the Wyoming wilderness. Powerful forces are guarding a vast criminal enterprise. Praise for The Midnight Line “Puts Reacher just where we want him.” — The. New York Times Book Review. “A gem.” — Chicago Tribune “A timely, suspenseful, morally complex thriller, one of the best I’ve read this year . Child weaves in a passionately told history of opioids in American life. I don’t know another author so skilled at making me turn the page, at putting me in the thick of it all.” — The Times “Reacher is the purest distillation of the white knight in contemporary mystery fiction. As always in a Child novel, pace is fast, twists and turns surprise, characters are well-developed, dialogue is exactly right, and the plot is very plausible. One of the best thrillers I’ve read this year.” — The Washington Post “Jack Reacher has become arguably the most iconic fictional hero we have.” — Men’s Health “Compelling and moving . bold and mysterious.” — Associated Press “This, Child’s twenty-second book in the series, has heart to spare, and it proves the franchise has plenty of gas left in its tank.” — Minneapolis Star-Tribune. It’s automatic: Reacher gets off a bus, and Child lands on the New York Times bestseller list.” — Booklist “The book is very smart . [and] suggests something that has not been visible in the series’ previous entries: a creeping sadness in Reacher’s wanderings that, set here among the vast and empty landscapes of Wyoming, resembles the peculiarly solitary loneliness of the classic American hero. “Child does a stellar job this time by not following his customary formula; his usually stoic hero who rarely displays softness and compassion is hit hard emotionally by this case.”’ — Library Journal (starred review).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Even though the movie rights belong to Tom Cruise, Lee Child has no reason to reduce the size and presence of his star character. The longest journey begins with but a single step and Mr. Child takes his readers on what appears to be a simple quest to make things right. This novel is a perfect example of how someone's imagination has allowed them to create an interesting, insightful, and enjoyable read while informing us about two major problems affecting today's society. When you finish reading it, and I'll bet that you won't want it to end, the artistry with which Mr. Child tied all of his subplots together will be wonderfully apparent."
"Instead, Reacher, a former Army MP major, puts on his Military Police cap and does some serious sleuthing from the opening scene where he finds a West Point class ring in a pawn shot in Rapid City South Dakota to his search to find the rightful owner of the ring in Wyoming. He decides that maybe he can help the owner of the ring and immediately starts gathering clues to identify this fellow West Pointer. Of course, as the story develops, a simple lost and found case becomes dangerous as Reacher creates enemies in the oxycodone and fentanyl drug trafficking business. I am guessing some readers are going to be unhappy that there is less violent action in The Midnight Line than in a typical Reacher story. Update 2: I wrote this review two months ago and predicted this new Reacher novel would go right to the top of the best seller list, which is where it stands on this first day of publication."
Best Classics
Enter into The Hiding Place to relive Corrie ten Boom's heart-pounding account as a leader in the Dutch Underground during World War II.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is the remarkable story of a remarkable family that literally laid their lives out to save Jews in Holland during WWII. I only wish that I could do something good for any person that would give respect for the wonderful people in this story."
"Inspiring to say the least."
"I read this book many, many years ago."
"What a story."
"I started this book with curiosity about how they hid people during this time and became quickly humbled by their faith and lives."
"This is a book that everyone should read."
"Spellbinding, heartbreaking, spiritual, heartwarming."
"I have known about this book for many years, but put off reading it - mistakenly thinking it would be too depressing."
Best Drama
Enter into The Hiding Place to relive Corrie ten Boom's heart-pounding account as a leader in the Dutch Underground during World War II.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is the remarkable story of a remarkable family that literally laid their lives out to save Jews in Holland during WWII. I only wish that I could do something good for any person that would give respect for the wonderful people in this story."
"Inspiring to say the least."
"I read this book many, many years ago."
"What a story."
"I started this book with curiosity about how they hid people during this time and became quickly humbled by their faith and lives."
"This is a book that everyone should read."
"Spellbinding, heartbreaking, spiritual, heartwarming."
"I have known about this book for many years, but put off reading it - mistakenly thinking it would be too depressing."
Best General
The count’s refinement and genteel nature are exactly what we’re longing for.” — Ann Patchett “How delightful that in an era as crude as ours this finely composed novel stretches out with old-World elegance.” —The Washington Post He can’t leave his hotel. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. [ A Gentleman in Moscow ] is laced with sparkling threads (they will tie up) and tokens (they will matter): special keys, secret compartments, gold coins, vials of coveted liquid, old-fashioned pistols, duels and scars, hidden assignations (discreet and smoky), stolen passports, a ruby necklace, mysterious letters on elegant hotel stationery . “Marvelous.” — Chicago Tribune “The novel buzzes with the energy of numerous adventures, love affairs, twists of fate and silly antics.” — The Wall Street Journal “A winning, stylish novel.” —NPR.org “Enjoyable, elegant.” — Seattle Times. In the end, Towles’s greatest narrative effect is not the moments of wonder and synchronicity but the generous transformation of these peripheral workers, over the course of decades, into confidants, equals and, finally, friends. With them around, a life sentence in these gilded halls might make Rostov the luckiest man in Russia.” — The New York Times Book Review “This is an old fashioned sort of romance, filled with delicious detail. Towles’s tale, as lavishly filigreed as a Fabergé egg, gleams with nostalgia for the golden age of Tolstoy and Turgenev.” — O, The Oprah Magazine “‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ and ‘Eloise’ meets all the Bond villains.” —TheSkimm. an imaginative and unforgettable historical portrait.” — Booklist “House arrest has never been so charming as in Towles’s second novel, an engaging 30-year saga set almost entirely inside the Metropol, Moscow’s most luxurious hotel. “An irresistible and astonishingly assured debut about working class-women and world-weary WASPs in 1930s New York…in the crisp, noirish prose of the era, Towles portrays complex relationships in a city that is at once melting pot and elitist enclave – and a thoroughly modern heroine who fearlessly claims her place in it.” — O, the Oprah Magazine “With this snappy period piece, Towles resurrects the cinematic black-and-white Manhattan of the golden age…[his] characters are youthful Americans in tricky times, trying to create authentic lives.” — The New York Times Book Review “This very good first novel about striving and surviving in Depression-era Manhattan deserves attention…The great strength of Rules of Civility is in the sharp, sure-handed evocation of Manhattan in the late ‘30s.” — Wall Street Journal “Put on some Billie Holiday, pour a dry martini and immerse yourself in the eventful life of Katey Kontent…[Towles] clearly knows the privileged world he’s writing about, as well as the vivid, sometimes reckless characters who inhabit it.” — People “[A] wonderful debut novel…Towles [plays] with some of the great themes of love and class, luck and fated encounters that animated Wharton’s novels.” — The Chicago Tribune “Glittering…filled with snappy dialogue, sharp observations and an array of terrifically drawn characters…Towles writes with grace and verve about the mores and manners of a society on the cusp of radical change.” —NPR.org.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The relationships he forms with staff and guests, his handling of twists of fate, his moral rectitude and his perseverance to go on in the face of his lifelong imprisonment for being a Former Person make for a compelling tale, told beautifully by Towles. I literally sat and stared into space for an hour after I finished A Gentleman In Moscow, contemplating it and wishing it hadn’t ended."
"I had such an emotionally fulfilled feeling at the end of this novel that when I finished the last page, I closed the book, sat back, sighed deeply, and thought, "well, what now? It seems convoluted to start a review with the ending of a book, but this novel is actually a rather long tale, spanning 30+ years, so before I get into the journey, allow me this one break with decorum. But A Gentleman in Moscow, if not completely upsetting Sara Gruen's work, at least pulls level with it, because it is such a satisfying end to this novel, and I'll say no more than that for fear of ruining the experience for anyone else. It feels like such a universal fantasy that, despite the fact that we are not (probably) an aristocrat, a connoisseur of multiple tastes, exceedingly cultured, and currently exiled within our own country, we somehow connect with Count Rostov immediately. Towles writes with such sophistication and beauty in every carefully chosen word that it manages to feel effortless. At times it's witty and funny in that perfectly refined way, and in the next moment it's incredibly astute and insightful. I could ramble on about the the delightful and stunning setting of this book as well as the cast of characters that weave in and out and in again, but it might actually be overkill. I'll revisit often and always with a perfectly paired glass of wine in my hand, as Count Rostov would approve."
"This second novel is as enjoyable and engaging as his first, “Rules of Civility.”. In 1922, the Emergency Committee of the People’s Commissariat For Internal Affairs sentences Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov to spend the rest of his life inside the Hotel Metropol for writing the poem “Where Is It Now?”, which brashly asked the question, “where is our purpose now?” In imposing the sentence, the prosecutor pronounced that the Count “has succumbed irrevocably to the corruptions of his class – and now poses a threat to the very ideals he once espoused. In trying to adjust to his new circumstances, the Count tells himself that “if a man does not master his circumstances then he is bound to be mastered by them” and that “imagining what might happen if one’s circumstances were different was the only sure route to madness.” And so the Count adjusts to the 30 or more years that he ultimately spends in the Hotel. The Count befriends a nine-year-old girl, Nina Kulikova, who is temporarily living in the hotel with her father and who introduces the Count to all of the secrets the Hotel has to offer. While living at the Metropol, the Count meets people from all over the world, begins a love affair with a famous actress, spends many years tutoring a former red Army Colonel about the west, works as the head waiter at the Boyarsky and makes friends and enemies with the various people who lead their lives either in or through the Metropol. Asking for the restaurant manager, the Count is taken to the Hotel’s wine cellar, housing more than 100,000 bottles."
Best Poetry
Poet, author and internationally acclaimed speaker David Whyte looks at the fruitful discipline of finding and asking ever keener and more beautiful questions throughout our lives. An Associate Fellow at Templeton College and Said Business School at the University of Oxford, he is one of the few poets to take his perspectives on creativity into the field of organizational development, where he works with many European, American and international companies.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"as always...poignant, beautiful and thought provoking."
"Great reflections on life."
"No need to describe - it's David Whyte, and he is profound and touches the heart."
"This is one of my favorite recordings."
"All I need to say is that I listen over and over again to this presentation by David Whyte, along with reading his books."
"David Whyte lectures are always inspiring and comforting... as well, it's a pleasure to hear him read poetry."
Best Religious
Enter into The Hiding Place to relive Corrie ten Boom's heart-pounding account as a leader in the Dutch Underground during World War II.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is the remarkable story of a remarkable family that literally laid their lives out to save Jews in Holland during WWII. I only wish that I could do something good for any person that would give respect for the wonderful people in this story."
"Inspiring to say the least."
"I read this book many, many years ago."
"What a story."
"I started this book with curiosity about how they hid people during this time and became quickly humbled by their faith and lives."
"This is a book that everyone should read."
"Spellbinding, heartbreaking, spiritual, heartwarming."
"I have known about this book for many years, but put off reading it - mistakenly thinking it would be too depressing."
Best Short Stories
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove returns with a dazzling, profound novel about a small town with a big dream—and the price required to make it come true. Beartown explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain. “Lest readers think hockey is the star here, it’s Backman’s rich characters that steal the show, and his deft handling of tragedy and its effects on an insular town. While the story is dark at times, love, sacrifice, and the bonds of friendship and family shine through ultimately offering hope and even redemption.” ( Publishers Weekly ). “The sentimentally savvy Backman...takes a sobering and solemn look at the ways alienation and acceptance, ethics and emotions nearly destroy a small town and young people.” ( Booklist ). Backman cements his standing as a writer of astonishing depth and proves that he also has very broad range plus the remarkable ability to make you understand the feelings of each of a dozen different characters. The story is fully packed with wise insights into the human experience causing characters and readers to ponder life’s great question of who we are, what we hope to be and how we should lead our lives.” ( The Washington Times ).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The happenings and how the personalities bounce off each other in such human ways (hatefully and lovingly) makes this a fascinating and unforgettable book. This book is not at all like the Ove book except that it is written by a genius of human understanding."
"It begins with a cliffhanger: "Late one evening...a teenager picked up a shotgun, walked into the forest, put the gun to someone else's forehead and pulled the trigger. Fiction is a way to enter into an age-old discussion framed so beautifully by one of the characters: "This town doesn't always know the difference between right and wrong...but we know the difference between good and evil." What is the right thing to do when things go very wrong?"
"Don't be sidelined about it either being set in Sweden, written by a Swedish author, (sometimes some translations don't play out too well) or is about hockey. Even though hockey appears the premise of the story, it is just the background noise that keeps the book and its characters moving forward."
"However, the emotional reading was like being in a rollercoaster, as a parent myself I was put through the whole scale of going from shock, to mad, to sad, to scared, to happy, to whatever... too many emotions to track. I found myself often reading parts out loud to my husband."
"Starts a little slow (a lot of hockey culture) but builds to conversations and settings in which questions are raised, some answered and some unanswered, similar to those many of us are asking ourselves in light of current Hollywood scandals."
"The author is showing how important hockey is to this town!"
"This book speaks of community, passion, and commitment all through the eyes of a hockey team and the town that loves them."
"Draining."
Best Unabridged
NOW THE ACCLAIMED HBO SERIES GAME OF THRONES Here is the first volume in George R. R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords . Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones. Whenever he's allowed to leave, he returns to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he lives with the lovely Parris, a big white dog called Mischa, and two cats named Augustus and Caligula, who think they run the place.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This review is primarily to give a feedback on the sizes of leather bound and paperback printed books."
"Going into these books (I read them after the show began but before I'd seen the show...), I enjoyed my share of sci-fi/fantasy along the lines of Harry Potter, Buffy the Vampire Slayer... fairly light-hearted stuff (in comparison, at least) that always felt grounded in the same world I live in. So when I first saw articles and clips from the HBO Game of Thrones series, I thought it looked like the one type of fantasy series that I would never enjoy. I held out for a looong time, until 3 different friends of mine with similar tastes in books/shows/films promised me that, while they too disliked this sub-genre of fantasty, this series was different, and I HAD to read the books or start the show."
"Extremely pleased with this leather edition."
"I was under the impression it would be the "size of a pocket bible" and the pages were so thin u could see through them like bible paper. All of my pages are here (from what I can tell) and although I doubt the quality of the "leather" it still feel great in hand and is just stunning to look at. I've included pictures to show its beauty and also compare the size to an actual pocket bible and its paper."
"I can't tell if this is the case for the rest of the books, but I'm certainly dissatisfied with the product."
"I'm really glad I've already read these books, because I had the book in my back seat while driving one day, and decided I should put the windows down."
Best Westerns
The collection includes:Riding for the Brand, The Black Rock Coffin Makers, Dutchman's Flat, The Nester and the Piute, Mistakes Can Kill You, Trail to Pie Town, and Big Medicine. Some equally famous friends--Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson--perform cameos in a well-produced multicast adaptation of RIDING FOR THE BRAND, complete with jingling spurs, war whoops, and gunshots.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"We listened on our vacation."
"Bought as a gift for a friend."
"Good audio of the stories."
"Terrific gift for my nephew that is traveling these days."
"Got it for my Mom."
"Received this audio collection as a gift and am enjoying listening to it on my computer while I perform other tasks."