July 26, 2012
Hello
Here's the latest issue of our free twice-monthly newsletter to keep you up to date with some of the new books and authors featured at BookBrowse.
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Davina,
BookBrowse Editor
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Readers Recommend
Each month we give away 200-300 books to members to read and review (or discuss). Here are their opinions on three just published books they read a few months back:  Shine Shine Shine by Lydia Netzer
Publisher: St. Martin's Press Publication Date: 07/17/2012 Novels, 320 pages Number of reader reviews: 15 Readers' consensus:  BookBrowse Members Say "The power of this debut novel comes, ultimately, from the unique and often startling voice of the author. I loved this book, and am anxiously waiting for Netzer's next." - Jan Z. (Jefferson, SD) "I highly recommend this book. It takes a few chapters to settle into this unusual love story, but believe me, you will be rewarded. It is a tale where being different is the norm. I love brave bald Sunny, her autistic son Bubber, her astronaut husband Maxim who also shows signs of autism. Sounds odd doesn't it? Well it works! You will be so glad that you were allowed into the lives of these extraordinary people. I for one cannot wait for more from Ms Netzer." - Carm D. (Omaha, NE) "This is different from any book have read for review. At first I thought what is this? But as I got more into it I discovered it could be very much today's society. I recommend this book to book clubs as it is something different than normal reading and very interesting." - Sherrill B. (Columbia City, IN) "Lydia Netzer has written a smart, imaginative book. I don't ever remember reading anything like it although there were moments that works of John Irving came to mind. I highly recommend it." - Shelby L. (Hamden, CT) Read all the Reviews Buy at Amazon |
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Readers Recommend
 Have Mother, Will Travel: A Mother and Daughter Discover Themselves, Each Other, and the World by Claire & Mia Fontaine
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: 07/17/2012
Travel & Adventure, 288 pages
Number of reader reviews: 20
Readers' consensus:
BookBrowse Members Say
"Continuing their joint memoir, Come Back, Claire and Mia travel to Asia with a scavenger hunt and then spend time in Avignon and Budapest, visiting old memories for both of them. Told in two voices this is a study of the connections between mothers and daughters. This is a very moving account of their relationship as well as a guide for other mothers and daughters facing questions of their own." - Margaret H. (Springfield, VA)
"A great read! I now plan to read their earlier book." - Ann S. (Shenandoah, Iowa)
"This book is outstanding. It was at times funny, at times insightful, at times a travel guide, and above all it was always a worthwhile reading experience. I recommend it to all women, even if (like me) you are not the mother of a daughter!" - Donna W. (Wauwatosa, WI)
"I loved this book, and I do not often say that. The relationship between mother and daughter is so finely drawn, and so natural, I felt as though I knew them. Having lost my mother young I could live through Mia as she grew to know her Mother as a person and a woman , as well as a Mom. Great , great read!" - Eileen L. (Danvers, MA)
"I think it would make for terrific book club discussions, and am definitely recommending it to friends." - Joan V. (Miller Place, NY)
Read all the Reviews
Buy at Amazon
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Readers Recommend
 The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fryby Rachel Joyce
Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: 07/24/2012
Novels, 336 pages
Number of reader reviews: 21
Readers' consensus: 
BookBrowse Members Say
"Harold Fry randomly opts to go for a walk one day to visit an old friend 600 miles away dying of cancer. He is no Forrest Gump, nor is he a Frodo Baggins, he's just Harold. Follow Harold for awhile and his troubles will lay themselves on the road ahead during the length of his trip." - Ame H. (Richmond, VA)
"Well-written with convincingly flawed characters and a compelling theme, this was a GREAT book!" - Wendy E. (Mechanicsville, VA)
"Harold may be ordinary but to everyone he meets, he makes an impact. This novel is uplifting, spiritual, emotional and sad. It is a GREAT novel. I predict it will be remembered as one of the best books in 2012." - Colleen L. (Casco, ME)
"There are not enough superlative adjectives in the English language to describe this book adequately. Rachel Joyce has masterfully captured the essence of the human condition, and I recommend this book to anyone who has a heart." - Mary M. (Beverly Hills, FL)
"I loved this book. It is not my usual style of reading, but it was immeasurably rewarding to follow Harold Fry across England. I had to often stop and hug my family as I came across yet another poignant moment." - Kim E. (Warrenton, VA)
"Rachel Joyce expresses eloquently the hope and faith in life we all hold close inside. I highly recommend it to book clubs. I loved it." - Zonetta G. (Winter Springs, FL)
Read all the Reviews
Buy at Amazon
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Featured Review
Below is part of BookBrowse's review of The Names of Things. Read the review in full here  The Names of Things
by John Colman Wood
Hardcover (Apr 2012), 276 pages. Publisher: Ashland Creek Press ISBN 9781618220059 BookBrowse Rating:  Critics' Consensus: Review
John Colman Wood's fieldwork on the Gabra nomads of the Chalbi Desert (see "beyond the book") - particularly his knowledge of their death rites - forms the foundation for the anthropologist's first novel, The Names of Things. Like the author, the novel's protagonist (never identified beyond "he") is also an anthropologist who has studied the Gabra. The plot traces his reflections as he returns to the desert looking for solace following the death of his wife from an unnamed disease she contracted in the Kenyan outback. The book is an exploration of grief, love, and the roles ritual and community can play in coping with overwhelming loss. The Names of Things is a beautifully written book permeated with a sense of sadness and regret, set against the backdrop of the desolate Kenyan landscape. There are two main reasons why I find myself recommending this novel. First, the author's ability to vividly describe a setting is among the finest I've encountered. It takes a great deal of skill to pull readers into an unfamiliar landscape and make them feel like they've truly been there -- and Wood has that talent in abundance. The Names of Things is a feast for all the senses; the author describes not only the sights of Kenya but the sounds, smells and feel of the place as well..... Continued Reviewed by Kim Kovacs Above is part of BookBrowse's review of The Names of Things. Read the review in full here
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Beyond The Book
At BookBrowse, we don't just review books, we go 'beyond the book' to explore interesting aspects relating to the story.
Track Racing & Velodromes
The first velodrome was built around 1870 in Brighton, England. The word velodrome derives from velocipede (Latin: fast foot), which is the term used to describe any human-powered land vehicle with one or more wheels; and drome, from the Latin dromus meaning racecourse.
There are thousands of velodromes in the world, both indoor and outdoor, located everywhere from Europe to Tahiti which vary in shape, size and materials used - inexpensive tracks are usually made out of concrete, tarmac or even cinder, while world class tracks tend to be made out of timber or synthetics; but to be considered an Olympic or World Championship velodrome the track must be 250m, consisting of two steeply banked semi-circular bends connected by two straight stretches. The banks aim to match the natural lean of the bicycle through the curve, so that the bikes stay more or less perpendicular (i.e. at 90�) to the track even when curving at speeds of 50+ mph.
Track bikes have only one gear and no brakes, adding both to the thrill and the danger of the sport. The International Cycling Union (UCI, French acronym) controls all aspects of track bike specifications. Speed is arguably the goal and attraction of track cycling but strategy plays a large part. In fact some races, such as the sprint, tend to start very slowly with bicyclists vying for the optimum position, as explained by Gold medalist Victoria Pendleton. Track racing requires superior athletic ability and strength in order to reach and maintain the speeds necessary to essentially fling oneself around the track. Team and individual track racing require different skill sets and strategies. Needless to say, all forms of the sport require intensive training.
Track Racing at the Olympic Games
- Track Racing is one of four bicycle sports in the Olympics. Road and track racing were both present at the first modern Olympic games in Athens in 1896. Mountain bike racing debuted in Atlanta in 1996 and BMX was added in 2008 at the Beijing Olympics.
- In the 2008 Olympics there were ten track events - seven for men, three for women. In the 2012 Olympics there will still be ten events but split equally between men and women. The events are for teams and individuals, with a mix of sprint and endurance events.
- In 2012 the Omnimum will make its Olympic debut. The Omnium features individual riders competing against each other across six different elements on the track. In a controversial decision, it has replaced three previously held events - the individual pursuit, the points race and the Madison.
- Finished in early 2011, the London velodrome (pictured below) was the first completed, purpose-built structure for the 2012 Olympic Games. The structure is an ultra-modern mixture of treated red cedar (exterior), glass and steel with a treated pine floor for the interior track. Six thousand spectators will be able to root on their team inside this building.
From above the structure resembles a nickel, after it's been put on a railroad track, stretched oval and then bent upward slightly at the ends. An attractive, modern design, the building is easily recognizable from the air, its style blending in nicely with the surrounding landscape of East London. Once the Games are over the velodrome will become part of a larger complex dedicated to bicycle sports, including BMX.
Reviewed by Lisa Guidarini
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Blog
How Sam Wanamaker rebuilt Shakespeare's Globe, with a little help from Joe McCarthy
 A few weeks ago, while visiting family in England, we took a long overdue visit to see a production at London's new Globe Theatre. Located in the heart of London's South Bank close to the Thames (just 750 feet away from the location of the original Globe), the Globe plays to a capacity crowd of 1600 twice a day and has, in the fifteen years since it opened, become one of London's most popular tourist destinations. Considering the pride that the British have in Shakespeare you might have thought that a reconstruction of the Globe would have been a "no brainer" project supported by people across the United Kingdom - but that was far from the case. In fact, I hope it will warm the cockles of BookBrowse's mostly American readers to know that the modern-day Globe Theatre would not exist if it wasn't for the vision and determination of one singular American - Sam Wanamaker.
 But before getting to that, let's step back in time to the original Globe Theatre, built in 1599 on London's Bankside, in the heart of what is now known as The South Bank. The first Globe was constructed mainly from timbers dismantled from a previous theatre that was built in Shoreditch (North of the Thames), and would likely have stayed there if it wasn't for a greedy landlord who, when the 21-year-lease on the land expired, refused to extend the lease and claimed the building as his own saying that he would put the wood and timber of the building "to better use." The landlord did not have the upper hand for long - he left London for a few days in late December 1598 and while he was away the theatre's carpenter, supported by the players and friends, dismantled the building piece by piece and transported the entire structure to a nearby warehouse! The following Spring, when the weather improved, the beams from the original building were used in the construction of the Globe in the borough of Southwark, on marshy land close to both open fields and the congested south bank of the River Thames. Some scholars think that The Globe was completed in the Summer of 1599 in time for the first production of Henry V, but it would seem that the majority think it was more likely completed by the Autumn, in time for the opening performance of Julius Caesar.
The Globe, said to be the most magnificent theatre that London had ever seen, welcomed crowds of theatre goers (who, it is also said, had the opportunity to avail themselves of other attractions such as the in-house brothel) until the summer of 1613 when a theatrical cannon misfired setting alight the wooden beams and thatching. Miraculously, it seems no one was hurt except for one man whose breaches caught on fire, but he was saved from further injury by the judicious application of a bottle of ale that put out the flames. The modern Globe has copious fire safety features but, based on the liberal quantities of beer among the audience the night we visited, the crowd was clearly ready to tackle a sizeable blaze if the need arose...
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Win
 And When She Was Good by Laura Lippman
Publication Date: Aug 14, 2012 Enter the Giveaway
From the Jacket A brilliant new stand alone novel from New York Times Bestselling author Laura Lippman. A suburban madam, a convicted murderer whose sentence is about to be overturned, and the child who they will both do anything to keep.
Reviews: "Shifting smoothly from Heloise's past to her present, Lippman delivers an intense character study about a strong, complex woman whose love for her son compels her to make some desperate choices." - Publishers Weekly
5 people will each win a hardcover copy of And When She Was Good.
This giveaway is open to residents of the USA & Canada only, unless you are a BookBrowse member, in which case you are eligible to win wherever you might live. Enter the giveaway here |
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Featured Reading List: UK & Ireland
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Wordplay
Solve this clue "H H N F Like A W S" and be entered to win the book of your choice from a wide selection Enter NowAll winners are contacted by email. View list |
Answer to the Last Wordplay
Go With the Flow Meaning:
To do what other people are doing, or agree with the opinion of the majority, because it is the easiest thing to do
Background: While the expression "go with the flow" is thought to have originated in the 1960s, some say that 2nd century Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus expressed the sentiment when he wrote:
"Time is a sort of river of passing events, and strong is its current; no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by and another takes its place, and this too will be swept away."
Continued
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Author Interviews
Alethea Kontis, author of Enchanted
Alice LaPlante, author of Turn of Mind
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News
Jul 25 2012:
The Booker Prize longlist has been announced including four first novelists ... (more)
Jul 23 2012:
Despite 92% of the 868 received comments opposing the settlement, and most of those against appearing to be very similar to an online form letter, the Department of Justice are not budging on their decision regarding the proposed settlement with Simon & Schuster, Hachette and HarperCollins in its...(more)
Jul 19 2012:
In the first significant investment by a major trade publisher in self-publishing, Pearson announced Thursday morning that it has acquired self-publishing service Author Solutions from Bertram Capital for $116 million in cash (or a little more than one times sales). ASI, formed in 2007 from the...(more)
Jul 18 2012:
Digital books are now "the dominant single format" in the adult fiction category, according to a new BookStats joint report from the Association of American Publishers and the Book Industry Study Group. eBooks exploded in the adult fiction category last year, accounting for 30 percent of net...(more)
Jul 17 2012:
Else Holmelund Minarik, a writer for children whose Little Bear picture-book series - which simply, gently and evocatively tells the story of an anthropomorphized cub's forays into the wider world - has been a mainstay of childhood for more than half a century, died on Thursday at her home in...(more)
Jul 16 2012:
Motivational author Stephen Covey, who wrote the best-selling The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, has died at the age of...(more)
Read these news stories, and many others, in full.
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