Koncocoo

Best Antiquarian & Rare Books

Camino Island: A Novel
A generous offer of money convinces Mercer to go undercover and infiltrate Bruce Cable’s circle of literary friends, ideally getting close enough to him to learn his secrets. a fresh, fun departure . a most agreeable summer destination.” — USA Today “Tasty . a most agreeable summer destination.” — USA Today.
Reviews
"I was originally expecting a few more "thriller" elements, but I'm actually glad that Grisham did not include chases or high suspense, because I think they would have weakened the story in the end."
"Another issue with the book was the basic unbelievability of the idea that an insurance company would consider a young, underachieving woman potentially valuable in uncovering a master thief who was hiding extremely valuable manuscripts that had been stolen from Princeton University - enough so that they would invest heavily in her as an undercover agent. I had no desire to stay up all night finishing the book, but I don't think it was meant to be an all night thriller - just a very pleasant read for lovers of books and book business."
"I like John Grisham novels enough to buy them without downloading a sample first but this one was kind of "meh" compared to his other ones."
"Great book by Grisham."
"JOHN ALWAYS WRITES REALLY WELL.. AND THIS STORY CERTAINLY WILL EDUCATE YOU ABOUT THE RARE BOOK INDUSTRY."
"If John Grishams name was not on this book,it would have never been published.It is banal ,trite and dull.Save your money and time,it isn't worthy of either one.."
"It starts out with some promisingly interesting characters pulling off a heist, 4 F Scott Fitzgerald manuscript, from the Princeton U library."
"I'd gotten to the point where I thought I knew what to expect from him, so I automatically buy his new books the day they're first available."
Find Best Price at Amazon
News of the World: A Novel
In the aftermath of the Civil War, an aging itinerant news reader agrees to transport a young captive of the Kiowa back to her people in this exquisitely rendered, morally complex, multilayered novel of historical fiction from the author of Enemy Women that explores the boundaries of family, responsibility, honor, and trust. Johanna has forgotten the English language, tries to escape at every opportunity, throws away her shoes, and refuses to act “civilized.” Yet as the miles pass, the two lonely survivors tentatively begin to trust each other, forming a bond that marks the difference between life and death in this treacherous land. It’s a post-Civil War western, the good guys are good, the bad guys are bad, and you can be sure the former will ride off into the sunset at the story’s end (Womp, Womp). And that’s what News of the World is: Pure and good.
Reviews
"I loved Captain Kidd and the depth of his heart and his mind; and young Johanna was an incredibly clever and touching child. This tale of these two making their way through perils both natural (swollen rivers) and human (Indians and male predators) on the lengthy trip from Wichita Falls to San Antonio is completely absorbing."
"The grizzled former Army Captain Jefferson Kidd has raised his two daughters, and now is passing time until he can convince them to move from the ruins of the post Civil War south to Texas. The former printer turned news reader makes his living and tries to save against the family's future travel costs and expenses by going from one remote community in Texas to another, reading to awe struck residents from the newspapers, telling them about faraway countries and doings there, from the difficulty of taking a census in countries where social and religious mores forbid women from uttering the names of their husbands to scientific experiments and explorations. Indeed, the young Johanna now sees herself as Kiowa, not white, and can't grasp what is happening to her, much less the logic behind such rules as not stripping down in public to bathe in the river..."
"Her newest offering is News of the World. As Jiles reveals it though, the white world and the Indian worlds are in a constant battle for a way of life. In News of the World, the Captain wanders from town to town, holding town halls where he reads the latest news."
Find Best Price at Amazon
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore: A Novel
The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a San Francisco Web-design drone—and serendipity, sheer curiosity, and the ability to climb a ladder like a monkey has landed him a new gig working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. Amazon Best Books of the Month, October 2012 (Debut Spotlight) : Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore is an old school mystery set firmly in tech-loving, modern day San Francisco. As Clay and company unravel the puzzles of Mr. Penumbra's book shop, the story turns into a sort of nerdy heist, with real-life gadgets, secret societies, and a lot of things to say about the past, present, and future of reading. Sloan originally self-published Mr. Penumbra as a short story through Kindle Direct Publishing, before expanding it to its current form with a traditional print publisher--a fitting trajectory for a fast, fun story that has so wholly and enthusiastically embraced the tension between the digital and analog books. “Part love letter to books, part technological meditation, part thrilling adventure, part requiem... Eminently enjoyable, full of warmth and intelligence.” ― The New York Times Book Review. “A book about passion--for books, for history, for the future...There is nothing about Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore that I didn't love.” ― Cory Doctorow. “A jaunty, surprisingly old-fashioned fantasy about the places where old and new ways of accessing knowledge meet...[ Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore ] cleverly uses the technological age in the service of its fantasy...Sloan's ultimate answer to the mystery of what keeps people solving Penumbra's puzzle is worth turning pages to find out.” ― Tess Taylor, San Francisco Chronicle. While the influence of Neal Stephenson and William Gibson is present, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore is something all its own: a technocratic adventure where every riddle and puzzle is solved with very real gadgets, a humanizing reflection on technology that evokes the tone of a fairy tale, a brisk and brainy story imbued with such confidence that it will leave you with nothing but excitement about the things to come.” ― Kevin Nguyen, Grantland. “In a time when actual books are filling up tag-sale dollar boxes, along with VHS tapes and old beepers, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore reminds us that there is an intimate, adventurous joy in the palpable papery things called novels, and in the warm little secret societies we used to call ‘bookstores.'.
Reviews
"I enjoyed the book, which was one of the books selected for our book club. I was surprised at Clay's depth of feeling for Mr. Penumbra a little way into the book when Penumbra was previously portrayed as rather strange, mysterious, and a bit remote."
"Great read."
"I just read this for my book club - our last book was Cleopatra so we needed something light!"
"After reading the reviews here, I selected "Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore" for my book club, knowing something "bookish" would be a great start to 2013."
"Loved the book and would recommend it."
"Moreover, most elements of the story do a nice job of staying realistic within the domain of today's world; additionally, the book does a nice job of straddling the line between technical depth and accuracy of some our latest technologies and their possibilities without over analysis or extrapolation of their capabilities."
"I googled the Unbroken Spine and I found a picture of the author, Robin Sloan, peeking out of a door with books all over it. Clay Jannon and Kat Potente interacted fairly often, but Ajax Penumbra was a very unusual guy."
"I really enjoyed reading Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, it was one of the few "can't put down" books I've read this year."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Literary History & Criticism

Camino Island: A Novel
A generous offer of money convinces Mercer to go undercover and infiltrate Bruce Cable’s circle of literary friends, ideally getting close enough to him to learn his secrets. a fresh, fun departure . a most agreeable summer destination.” — USA Today “Tasty . a most agreeable summer destination.” — USA Today.
Reviews
"I was originally expecting a few more "thriller" elements, but I'm actually glad that Grisham did not include chases or high suspense, because I think they would have weakened the story in the end."
"Another issue with the book was the basic unbelievability of the idea that an insurance company would consider a young, underachieving woman potentially valuable in uncovering a master thief who was hiding extremely valuable manuscripts that had been stolen from Princeton University - enough so that they would invest heavily in her as an undercover agent. I had no desire to stay up all night finishing the book, but I don't think it was meant to be an all night thriller - just a very pleasant read for lovers of books and book business."
"I’ve gotten several books recently that were a waste of effort (mine and the author’s), but I am happy to report this was nto the case."
"Not one of Grisham's best but still entertaining."
"If John Grishams name was not on this book,it would have never been published.It is banal ,trite and dull.Save your money and time,it isn't worthy of either one.."
"I'd gotten to the point where I thought I knew what to expect from him, so I automatically buy his new books the day they're first available."
"It starts out with some promisingly interesting characters pulling off a heist, 4 F Scott Fitzgerald manuscript, from the Princeton U library."
"I guess I am one of those kind of readers looking for entertainment that wraps everything up in a neat little package and the bad guys pay for their crimes."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Westerns

News of the World
In the aftermath of the Civil War, an aging itinerant news reader agrees to transport a young captive of the Kiowa back to her people in this exquisitely rendered, morally complex, multilayered novel of historical fiction from the author of Enemy Women that explores the boundaries of family, responsibility, honor, and trust. Johanna has forgotten the English language, tries to escape at every opportunity, throws away her shoes, and refuses to act “civilized.” Yet as the miles pass, the two lonely survivors tentatively begin to trust each other, forming a bond that marks the difference between life and death in this treacherous land. In one such town he is given a $50 dollar gold piece to ferry a kidnapped girl back to what’s left of her family--her parents and sister having been murdered by members of the Kiowa tribe--who spare the then 6-year-old and raise her as one of their own. Thus begins a seemingly ill-advised but transformative road trip where the mismatched pair eventually form and uneasy truce, then a not-so begrudging alliance, and finally something more wonderful that neither Captain nor kid could have imagined.
Reviews
"I loved Captain Kidd and the depth of his heart and his mind; and young Johanna was an incredibly clever and touching child. This tale of these two making their way through perils both natural (swollen rivers) and human (Indians and male predators) on the lengthy trip from Wichita Falls to San Antonio is completely absorbing."
"The grizzled former Army Captain Jefferson Kidd has raised his two daughters, and now is passing time until he can convince them to move from the ruins of the post Civil War south to Texas. The former printer turned news reader makes his living and tries to save against the family's future travel costs and expenses by going from one remote community in Texas to another, reading to awe struck residents from the newspapers, telling them about faraway countries and doings there, from the difficulty of taking a census in countries where social and religious mores forbid women from uttering the names of their husbands to scientific experiments and explorations. Indeed, the young Johanna now sees herself as Kiowa, not white, and can't grasp what is happening to her, much less the logic behind such rules as not stripping down in public to bathe in the river..."
"Her newest offering is News of the World. As Jiles reveals it though, the white world and the Indian worlds are in a constant battle for a way of life. In News of the World, the Captain wanders from town to town, holding town halls where he reads the latest news."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Heist Thrillers

Camino Island: A Novel
A generous offer of money convinces Mercer to go undercover and infiltrate Bruce Cable’s circle of literary friends, ideally getting close enough to him to learn his secrets. John Grisham is the author of thirty novels, one work of nonfiction, a collection of stories, and six novels for young readers.
Reviews
"I was originally expecting a few more "thriller" elements, but I'm actually glad that Grisham did not include chases or high suspense, because I think they would have weakened the story in the end."
"Another issue with the book was the basic unbelievability of the idea that an insurance company would consider a young, underachieving woman potentially valuable in uncovering a master thief who was hiding extremely valuable manuscripts that had been stolen from Princeton University - enough so that they would invest heavily in her as an undercover agent. I had no desire to stay up all night finishing the book, but I don't think it was meant to be an all night thriller - just a very pleasant read for lovers of books and book business."
"I’ve gotten several books recently that were a waste of effort (mine and the author’s), but I am happy to report this was nto the case."
"Not one of Grisham's best but still entertaining."
"If John Grishams name was not on this book,it would have never been published.It is banal ,trite and dull.Save your money and time,it isn't worthy of either one.."
"I'd gotten to the point where I thought I knew what to expect from him, so I automatically buy his new books the day they're first available."
"It starts out with some promisingly interesting characters pulling off a heist, 4 F Scott Fitzgerald manuscript, from the Princeton U library."
"I guess I am one of those kind of readers looking for entertainment that wraps everything up in a neat little package and the bad guys pay for their crimes."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Spanish & Portuguese Literature

The Shadow of the Wind
"Gabriel García Márquez meets Umberto Eco meets Jorge Luis Borges for a sprawling magic show." Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer’s son who mourns the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julián Carax. Call it the "book book" genre: this international sensation (it has sold in more than 20 countries and been number one on the Spanish best-seller list), newly translated into English, has books and storytelling--and a single, physical book--at its heart. In post-World War II Barcelona, young Daniel is taken by his bookseller father to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a massive sanctuary where books are guarded from oblivion.
Reviews
"It's one that I couldn't put down, would stay up until 4am reading, and happily shared with family and friends when I finished it to find that they, too, loved it."
"A well written story with colorful characters woven through the story."
"All the characters' names are Spanish, and it took some effort to keep them straight at first."
"I just visited Spain for the first time and stayed on La Rambla near where the character Daniel lived."
"Beautifully written and read."
"This story is like nothing you've ever read before."
"(One can love extremely rich food, but a chef who puts every spice in his cabinet into the stew will choke the most adventureous palate.). The reader starts to suspend disbelief and thinks about the author's method: His immagination is in overdrive and he seems to throw every outrageous idea that comes to his mind onto the page."
"This book tell an excellent story and has a good historical background."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Organized Crime Thrillers

Camino Island: A Novel
A generous offer of money convinces Mercer to go undercover and infiltrate Bruce Cable’s circle of literary friends, ideally getting close enough to him to learn his secrets. John Grisham is the author of thirty novels, one work of nonfiction, a collection of stories, and six novels for young readers.
Reviews
"I was originally expecting a few more "thriller" elements, but I'm actually glad that Grisham did not include chases or high suspense, because I think they would have weakened the story in the end."
"Another issue with the book was the basic unbelievability of the idea that an insurance company would consider a young, underachieving woman potentially valuable in uncovering a master thief who was hiding extremely valuable manuscripts that had been stolen from Princeton University - enough so that they would invest heavily in her as an undercover agent. I had no desire to stay up all night finishing the book, but I don't think it was meant to be an all night thriller - just a very pleasant read for lovers of books and book business."
"I like John Grisham novels enough to buy them without downloading a sample first but this one was kind of "meh" compared to his other ones."
"Great book by Grisham."
"JOHN ALWAYS WRITES REALLY WELL.. AND THIS STORY CERTAINLY WILL EDUCATE YOU ABOUT THE RARE BOOK INDUSTRY."
"If John Grishams name was not on this book,it would have never been published.It is banal ,trite and dull.Save your money and time,it isn't worthy of either one.."
"I'd gotten to the point where I thought I knew what to expect from him, so I automatically buy his new books the day they're first available."
"It starts out with some promisingly interesting characters pulling off a heist, 4 F Scott Fitzgerald manuscript, from the Princeton U library."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Literary Fiction

The Art Forger: A Novel
Almost twenty-five years after the infamous art heist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum—still the largest unsolved art theft in history—one of the stolen Degas paintings is delivered to the Boston studio of a young artist. Some writers sit down and begin a novel without knowing where it will end, trusting the process to bring their story to a satisfying conclusion. The first time I encountered art collector and museum founder Isabella Stewart Gardner in 1983, I fell in love. I wanted to hang out with her, walk lions down Boston streets with her, buy famous paintings, and do all kinds of outrageous things that would scandalize the stuffed shirts around us. Then in 1990, she burst on the scene, or at least her namesake, Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, did, when two men dressed as police officers bound and gagged two guards and stole thirteen pieces of art, including Rembrandt's Storm on the Sea of Galilee , Vermeer's The Concert , and works by Degas and Manet from the collection. But despite the media taking the theft international, suspects who ran the gamut from the Mafia to the Vatican, and the lack of any arrests, I just couldn't find my story. I was thinking I might do something like Irving Stone or Gore Vidal would, writers whose books I loved, and considered a fictionalized biography. But embracing the entirety of Isabella Gardner's action-packed life was too daunting--some things never change--so, once again, Belle was shelved. Around this time I began taking a series of art courses that toured galleries and museums with a well-known artist for a guide. She opened my eyes, not just to the wonder of what we were seeing, but to the complicated worlds of creating, collecting, curating, and selling works of art. One day, as I was ruminating on how difficult life was for anyone in the arts and feeling more than a bit sorry for myself, my missing link appeared in the form of a question: What would any of us be willing to do to secure our ambitions? So I expanded my cast of characters and gave each one a temptation their egos couldn't resist, including a struggling artist willing to make the ultimate Faustian bargain, and then I added them to the mix of art theft, art forgery, the Gardner Museum heist, and, of course, my buddy Belle. Shapiro convincingly depicts the rarefied art world that lionizes a chosen few and ignores the talented, scrabbling outsiders on the fringe. She knows art history, painting techniques, and how forgers have managed through the centuries to dupe buyers into paying for fakes .
Reviews
"Interesting on so many levels: culturally, historically and politically."
"Claire Roth, the book's intelligent and talented protagonist, lets the reader into her contemporary artist's world, and lets the reader feel the pressure of preparing for a gallery show."
"If you're interested in art you'll find this book very well done."
"Intriguing story with many twists and turns that gives insight to the world of art collecting and dealing."
"Delightful ditty about (obviously) art forgery, its history, and a modern take on the ancient practice."
"I'm not completely through the book yet but I am enjoying it so much that I wanted to tell people who are interested in art and the artworld, it's a great story."
"If you are interested in the art world of galleries, agents, and competition between artists, this is a very compelling read."
"This book is about a talented artist trying to find her way out from under being shunned from the art world from a previous scandal... only to find herself being mixed up in a new one."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best History of Books

Out of Africa: and Shadows on the Grass (Vintage International)
With classic simplicity and a painter's feeling for atmosphere and detail, Isak Dinesen tells of the years she spent from 1914 to 1931 managing a coffee plantation in Kenya. Out of Africa is Karin Blixen's love letter to the country she called home for nearly 20 years. simplicity and a painter's feeling for atmosphere and detail, Isak Dinesen tells of the years she spent from 1914 to 1931 managing a coffee plantation in Kenya.
Reviews
"A great memoir of the interaction and changes that happened between white colonialists and Native Africans in the early 1900s.. Isak's understanding of the Natives she knew and loved in Africa is a treasured historical perspective well worth reading."
"The excellent biography by Judith Thurman. adds much to the understanding of all Isak Dinesen's writings and shows Karen Blixen to be a most interesting and intriguing person, even apart from her literary accomplishments."
"Friends: The Hollywood movie " Out of Africa " with Robert Redford is one of my favorites but the book mentions some things that you would never have guessed from watching the movie so it is well worth reading the book."
"A touching account written with some depth about others, but superficially when she was discussing her own life."
"Intriguing story and lots of detail about life in Africa."
"If you don't think Isak Dinesen is the finest author, in at least one hundred years, then you simply don't understand."
"It is plenty of lovely pictures of life in Africa: flowers, plants, bugs, animals and some "native" designs, don't know if genuine or an artistic recreation, but very nice."
"The book not only offers sensitive portraits of a range of characters who played a role in the daily life of Blixen (Dinesen)when she lived on her famous farm (at the foot of the Ngong Hills), but it also reveals, thereby, the surprising depth of Blixen's empathy with the people around her."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Literary Movements & Periods

The Outlandish Companion (Revised and Updated): Companion to Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn
In this beautifully illustrated compendium of all things Outlandish, Gabaldon covers the first four novels of the main series, including: • full synopses of Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn • a complete listing of the characters (fictional and historical) in the first four novels in the series, as well as family trees and genealogical notes. • a comprehensive glossary and pronunciation guide to Gaelic terms and usage. • The Gabaldon Theory of Time Travel, explained. • frequently asked questions to the author and her (sometimes surprising) answers. • an annotated bibliography. • essays about medicine and magic in the eighteenth century, researching historical fiction, creating characters, and more. • professionally cast horoscopes for Jamie and Claire. • the making of the TV series: how we got there from here, and what happened next (including “My Brief Career as a TV Actor”). • behind-the-scenes photos from the Outlander TV series set. For anyone who wants to spend more time with the Outlander characters and the world they inhabit, Diana Gabaldon here opens a door through the standing stones and offers a guided tour of what lies within. Part crib notes and part trivia guide, this essential handbook includes synopses of the first four novels, a character guide, notes on plot development and research, answers to frequently asked questions, and teasers for the upcoming novels--there're even horoscope charts of the central characters, a list of fan Web sites, and choice recipes for the truly devoted. Readers looking for a fix of Gabaldon's humorous voice or insight into her writing processes and characters will certainly be more than satisfied, but those looking for the next installment of Jamie and Claire's adventures will have to wait for The Fiery Cross , the fifth book in this bestselling series, expected sometime in late 1999 to early 2000. As with the guides to the Hobbit tetralogy and the fiction of Stephen King, Gabaldon offers a companion volume to her Outlander Seriess four time-travel historical romances, Drums of Autumn (1997), etc., in which she tells us much is revealed regarding Claire and Jamie Fraser, their lives and times, antecedents, adventures, companions and progeny, with learned commentary (and many footnotes) by their humble creator.
Reviews
"Diana explains how she became a writer and makes things I normally would skip over in any other book fun to read and a fascinating journey to help inspire others to embrace their hidden Author, consider writing and never give up."
"I try to just read to the book I am on so there are no spoiler."
"As I started the 8th book, I realized that I may need to brush up on the history of Claire and Jamie."
"As with all of Diana's books there is a huge amount of information."
"Perfect for when you want to jog your memory without having to read the whole book over."
"Love her books, every one, read them over and over again and still can't get enough of them."
"This book helps put all of the marvelous characters together in an easy to use edition."
"A must have for the Outlander series of books by the same author."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Literature Criticism & Theory

Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit
During his twenty-five year career with the Investigative Support Unit, Special Agent John Douglas became a legendary figure in law enforcement, pursuing some of the most notorious and sadistic serial killers of our time: the man who hunted prostitutes for sport in the woods of Alaska, the Atlanta child murderer, and Seattle's Green River killer, the case that nearly cost Douglas his life. Douglas, who developed criminal profiling techniques for the FBI, teams up with novelist Olshaker to tell of his 25-year career tracking down serial killers.
Reviews
"A great book for all those out there who are fascinated by criminal psychology, and how these detectives come to their seemingly uncanny and precise criminal profiles."
"I applaud the TV guys who wrote the series - they took a somewhat over-detailed and under-detailed memoir and turned it into a great series - that was brilliant job, but kudos to Mr. Douglas for his perseverance in life and book!"
"I love this book!"
"Interesting Point of View and Lively Storytelling."
"Very interesting and informative book written with a bit of memoir meets history of mass murderers."
"It was pretty fascinating, though it started to drag 3/4 of the way through."
"The cases are interesting."
Find Best Price at Amazon