The January/February 2002 Book Sense 76

1. THE PASSION OF ARTEMISIA, by Susan Vreeland (Viking, $24.95, 0670894494; in stores Jan. 14) "The incredibly touching and dramatic story of the life of Artemisia Gentileschi. Set in Renaissance Italy, this novel plunges you into her constant struggle to succeed in personal and public life. In spite of many obstacles, she was the first woman elected to the Accademia in Florence. And Artemisia was not only a painter, she was a remarkable woman and mother."-Amy Loewy, Garden District Book Shop, New Orleans, LA Also a Penguin Audio (1565115252)

2. SHOOTING DR. JACK, by Norman Green (HarperCollins $25, 0060188227) "A first novel and a gritty, realistic portrait of lowlife Brooklyn that will keep you up late. These are not the Sopranos, nor even people who dream that high, but you care about them quickly in spite of themselves. The only book that comes to mind as a comparison is Motherless Brooklyn. This is that good."-Anne Whelan, Brookline Booksmith, Brookline, MA

3. DON'T LET'S GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT: An African Childhood, by Alexandra Fuller (Random House, $24.95, 0375507507) "This is the witty, sad, and powerful story of a young white girl caught in the web of the Rhodesian Civil War. I am amazed at her survival skills, the family's constant movement of locality, an alcoholic mother, and much more. It is one of those books where you find yourself saying: 'I must reread this.' "-Elly Smith, Madison Park Bookstore, Seattle, WA

4. THE JAZZ BIRD, by Craig Holden (Simon & Schuster, $25, 0743212967) "A murder mystery where you know who the killer is and why he did it, but all of your assumptions will be challenged by the book's end. Based on a true sensational trial of one of America's most famous bootleggers, the Jazz Age and its excesses are magnificently captured. This terrific book is perfect for all who loved The Alienist or Ragtime."-Mary McCarthy, Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops, Shorewood, WI Also S&S Audio (0743520351)

5. HELL'S BOTTOM, COLORADO: Stories, by Laura Pritchett (Milkweed, $14.95 paper, 1571310363) "This book exudes the kind of brutal honesty that its title suggests. Pritchett has taken 10 linked stories and created a small masterpiece about a ranching family in the Rocky Mountains. Searingly harsh and beautiful."-Amanda Tobier, Third Place Books, Lake Forest, WA

6. SERVANTS OF THE MAP: Stories, by Andrea Barrett, (Norton, $24.95, 0393043487; in stores early Jan.) "Barrett's newest collection of stories is, happily, more of her unique melding of issues concerning scientific curiosity and featuring richly drawn, complex characters you won't soon forget."-Ann Prewitt, Midsummer Books, Galveston, TX

7. THE LAKE OF DEAD LANGUAGES, by Carol Goodman (Ballantine, $23.95, 0345450884; in stores Jan. 2) "A teacher returns to the boarding school that she attended 20 years before as a student, and it is not long before the tragedies she faced back then begin to plague her again. This story haunts the reader from its first pages through the slow unfolding of its mysteries. A terrific first novel."-Lois Powers, The Toadstool Bookshop, Milford, NH

8. BLACKWATER SOUND, by James Hall (St. Martin's/ Minotaur, $24.95, 0312203845) "I've been a big James Hall thriller fan for a long time, and I really love this new one. It's a little longer and more complex than his others...which is all the better!"-Jeanne Michael, Odyssey Books, Grass Valley, CA Also a Nova Audio (1587888947)

9. FAST FOOD NATION: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, by Eric Schlosser (Perennial, $13.95 paper, 0060938455; in stores Jan. 8) "This is shocking, comprehensive, and carefully reasoned, and it explains how the fast food industry impacts our health, our culture, our land and the people who work it. It is an important book and has changed me completely."-Kay Marcotte, Page One Books, Albuquerque, NM

10. WHEN THE ELEPHANTS DANCE: A Novel, by Tess Uriza Holthe (Crown, $24.95, 0609609521; in stores Jan. 9) "A fabulous novel with wonderful characters. In addition to being mesmerizing, the history is fascinating. We were taught about MacArthur 'liberating' the Philippines, but this book takes us right there, searching for food and hiding from the fighting. It's an amazing novel, a winner. I can't wait to start selling it."-Elaine Petrocelli, Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA

EVERY TONGUE GOT TO CONFESS: Negro Folktales from the Gulf States, by Zora Neale Hurston (HarperCollins, $25, 0060188936) "This compilation of early African-American folktales, gathered and transcribed by Hurston in the early 20th century, brings us beauty, humor, insight, and voices unique to the world. An important book for every home library."-Rahsan Cruz, Cody's, Berkeley, CA Also a Harper Audio (0694526452)

JUMP START YOUR BUSINESS BRAIN: Win More, Lose Less, and Make More Money, by Doug Hall (F&W, $24.99, 1558706070) "A book that will trigger a hundred 'a-ha!' brainstorms. Crucial factors for success have already been tracked in the marketplace, so you know they work. Hall is a visionary, a compulsive compiler of data, and a small business Robin Hood, and thank goodness for all three. He's a true hero to small businesses and independent minds everywhere." -Katie Parker, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, OH

BREAKING THROUGH, by Francisco Jimenez (Houghton Mifflin, $15, 0618011730) For teen readers. "A great memoir about an immigrant who seizes his chance for success and runs with it. Jimenez is never bitter in describing his hardworking childhood."-Joyce Peters, Giant Steps, Fremont, CA

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LARRY, by Janet Tashjian (Holt, $16.95, 0805063781) "Wow, this has to be one of best teen reads of recent months. Josh, an unpopular senior, creates a web-site that spouts his anti-consumerism philosophy. I can't wait to recommend this book to, well, everyone!" -Carolyn Harrington, Great Horned Owl Bookstore, Louisville, CO

JOURNEY TO THE RIVER SEA, by Eva Ibbotson; illus. by Kevin Hawkes (Dutton, $17.99, 0525467394; in stores early Jan.) For ages 9-12. "A great adventure story set in England and Brazil that includes all the classic elements: an orphan heiress, repellent relatives, a stern but good-hearted governess, and friends in unexpected places. Yet they are woven together in fresh and delightful ways."-Rachel King, Little Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, NY

TERRORISM AND KIDS: Comforting Your Child, by Fern Reiss (Peanut Butter & Jelly Press, $14.95 paper, 1893290093) "What a fabulous resource to have at this time; good, solid, pragmatic ideas for comforting your child and yourself!"-Jan McKeag, Journeys of Life, Pittsburgh, PA

AUNTIE MAME, by Patrick Dennis; intro. by Paul Rudnick (Broadway, $12.95 paper, 0767908198) "This 1955 classic is a scream! Just reissued, this delightfully shocking novel kept me smiling with each and every madcap adventure. I love Mame and her zest for life!"-Katie Abbott, Scott's Bookstore, Mount Vernon, WA

THE LAST CONVERTIBLE, by Anton Myrer (Harper- Collins, $7.50 paper, 0380819597) "This 1978 gem is my favorite book of all time, and it's finally been reprinted. Six boys head off to Harvard, become friends, and are thrust into World War II. This incredible story will take you to a nostalgic yet difficult time in our history."-Beth Henkes, University Bookstore, Seattle, WA

AMONG THE MISSING, by Dan Chaon (Ballantine, $12.95 paper, 0345441613; in stores Jan. 29) "Lovers of the short story, take note. Chaon takes ordinary people--your grandmother, leaning against the stove in her kitchen smoking; the awkward young guy in the next cubicle at your office--and with a smart, sure voice excavates their depth, dignity, even their mystery. He writes about small towns, but his terrain is the heart and all of its shady cul-de-sacs."-Jane Love, Copperfield's Books, Sonoma County, CA A National Book Award Finalist.

BLUE RIDGE, by T.R. Pearson (Penguin, $13 paper, 0141002166) "The best of two worlds: the detective story and the literary novel. Loner-out-of-town-detective, small-town-full-of-secrets meets big-city-underworld The two stories blend into a fine piece of literature."-Joyce Gray Little Professor Book Company Ft. Wayne, IN (And just out in hardcover, Pearson's new novel, POLAR.)

A CERTAIN SLANT OF LIGHT, by Cynthia Thayer (Griffin, $12.95 paper, 0312275641) "This beautiful novel takes place off the coast of Maine, and Thayer's gift of describing its effect on people reveal a powerful writer."-Joci Tilsen, The Valley Bookseller, Stillwater, MN

THE DEATH OF VISHNU, by Manil Suri (Perennial, $13.95 paper, 006000438X) "This elegantly written first novel is set in Bombay, where the lives of very diverse occupants of an apartment block are interwoven with stories of Hindu gods, goddesses and heroes. As the novel progresses, the net tightens until the layers become enmeshed in a surreal comedy." -Louise Blake, Deerleap Books, Bristol, VT

A HEART OF STONE, by Renate Dorrestein (Penguin, $13, 014200023X; due in Jan.) "Ellen Van Bemmel lives with her parents and four siblings in Holland, and just before her 12th birthday, tragedy strikes. Years later, she goes back to confront the past. Compulsive reading, this is the first of Dutch novelist Dorrestein's works to be translated into English."
-Barbara Theroux, Fact & Fiction, Missoula, MT

THE HIDING PLACE, by Trezza Azzopardi (Grove, $13 paper, 0802138594) "What a debut novel! The author takes us to Wales and tells us the story of the Gauci family through the eyes of the youngest daughter. Part one is completely captivating, but just wait until you get to part two; it's absolutely brilliant!"-Linda Johnson, Books at Stonehenge, Raleigh, NC

IN OUR STRANGE GARDENS, by Michel Quint (Riverheard, $12.95 paper, 1573229164) "A small but mighty book. Quint has created a miracle with mere words. Embarrassed by his father, a young boy is told by his uncle about two brothers and their small act of resistance at the end of World War II. This is a slim but complete book that I want to give to everyone I care about."-Susan Avery, Ariel Booksellers, New Paltz, NY

LA CUCINA: A Novel of Rapture, by Lily Prior (Ecco, $13 paper, 0060953691) "Set in Sicily, this wonderful novel of love, sex, murder, and food is a feast for the senses. The 'food scenes' are as erotically charged as any sex scene!"-Megan Brady, Hawley-Cooke Booksellers, Louisville, KY

MARTYR'S CROSSING, by Amy Wilentz (Ballantine, $14 paper, 0345449835; in stores Jan. 2) "By the former Jerusalem correspondent for The New Yorker, this novel brings into focus the scope of the dilemma that is Jerusalem today. The writing is vivid and the pace kept me riveted. I recommended it for book clubs."-Roberta Rubin, The Book Stall at Chestnut Court, Winnetka, IL

THE LUCKY GOURD SHOP, by Joanna Catherine Scott (Washington Square Press, $13 paper, 0743437357) "This is a gentle telling of a turbulent time in recent history. The Korean voice of the narrator carried me into the past to a place I'd never been and made Mi Sook's story one I could relate to as a woman and a mother."-Kim Piper, Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, VT

THE MINERAL PALACE, by Heidi Julavits (Berkley, $14 paper, 0425179826) "A risky, intense first novel of great heft and vision. Set in the 1930s Dust Bowl plains, this is an intricate accomplishment, a moving depiction of the fine line that divides the redeemed and the abandoned." -Dean Bakopoulos, Canterbury Booksellers, Madison, WI

MONEY, LOVE: A Novel, by Brad Barkley (Norton, $13 paper, 0393322181) "What bizarre characters and plot! Yet it is all very real, very hometown, very close, very believable. What kids do to make things right, to try to keep it all together." -Karen Wendler, World Eye Bookshop, Greenfield, MA

PRINCE OF THE CLOUDS, by Gianni Riotta (Picador, $13 paper, 0312420153) "Riotta's lushly detailed novel shifts from postwar Sicily to ancient battles, offering a stunning tale of a man whose passion for history and military battles leads those he touches--and us--to an understanding of how to live fully and thoughtfully."-Alaine Borgias, Village Books, Bellingham, WA

SOMETIMES I DREAM IN ITALIAN, by Rita Ciresi (Delta, $ 12.95 paper, 038533494X) "Each of these twelve connected and engrossing stories set in the 60s and 70s are about a daughter of Italian-American immigrants and her colorful family. A definite must for any book club!"-Emery Pinter, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cleveland, OH

SOUL MOUNTAIN, by Gao Xingjian (Perennial, $15 paper, 0060936231) "It is pretty safe to say good things about a Nobel Prize winner, but this really is good. It is like being inside Gao's head as he travels through China, describing what he sees, thinks, imagines, and fears."-Don Muller, Old Harbor Books, Sitka, AK

TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG, by Peter Carey (Vintage, $14 paper, 0375724672) "Ned Kelly was an infamous 19th century Australian outlaw best known for his metal armor and bloody shoot-outs with police. A gripping read, full of adventure, tragedy, and characters living their lives as best they can."-Avril Dirga, Bookshelf, Truckee, CA The 2001 Booker Prize Winner.

THE WHITE MAN IN THE TREE: And Other Stories, by Mark Kurlansky (Washington Square Press, $13 paper, 0671036068) "A wonderful short story collection you'll want to read again and again. From the politician whose obsession with a shoe clouds his survival to the man who won't marry a woman who loves him, each of these stories is a jewel."-Marian Fleischman, Sedalia Books, Sedalia, MO

Gregory Maguire

• LOST (Regan Books, $26, 0060393823) "This combines the substance of Maguire's first book and the fun style of his second. I got completely immersed in the main character's drama and was kept on the edge of my seat as it unfolded, as the ghost story augments the 'real life' trials of the protagonist."-Crissa Cummings, Books Inc., San Francisco, CA

  And those first 2 books? Both in paper and both building a VERY big following: CONFESSIONS OF AN UGLY STEPSISTER (Regan, $15 paper, 0060987529) and WICKED: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (Regan, $15 paper, 0060987103).

Diana Gabaldon

• THE OUTLANDER SAGA: "Diana Gabaldon writes the best historical novels you can find. Set between two centuries and several countries, they feature a savvy, funny heroine. Gabaldon's careful research is bested only by her character studies."-Heather Beckett, Cody's, Berkley, CA
  Books 1-4, all $14.95 paperbacks from Delta: OUTLANDER (0385319959), DRAGONFLY IN AMBER (0385335970), VOYAGER (0385335997), DRUMS OF AUTUMN (0385335989). All available on cassette and CD from Random House Audiobooks.
  
  
• THE FIERY CROSS, by Diana Gabaldon (Delacorte, $27.95, 0385315279) "The love story of Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall continues amidst turbulent events that transcend geographical and historical boundaries. It's 1771 in the British colony of North Carolina: War is approaching, and Jamie and Claire are in the center of unfolding revolution and family drama that will keep you in suspense from the first page to the last. Diana Gabaldon fans rejoice!"-Mira Spalatin, The Little Read Book, Wauwatosa, WI Also Random House Audio (0553528610: CD, 0553714473)

CAPTAIN SATURDAY, by Robert Inman (Little Brown, $24.95, 0316415022; in stores Jan.) "Brilliant. Inman's books have always been a favorite for our store, but Captain Saturday has blown us away. It's a comic tale of a male midlife crisis with universal appeal for both men and women."-Sally Brewster, Little Professor Bookstore, Charlotte, NC

CONFESSIONS OF A PAGAN NUN: A Novel, by Kate Horsley (Shambhala, $19.95, 1570627193) "The telling is simple, but Gwynneve, our storyteller and a practicing druid, is decidedly not. The novel is presented as though her manuscripts were found and published hundreds of years after her death. It's a quick read, but memorable."-Brandy Whitten-Klaw, Book People Bookstore, Austin, TX

THE DEVIL'S LARDER, Jim Crace (Farrar, $20, 0374138591) "You'll want to savor each of these 65 gastronomical tales, from the speculations on a can with a missing label to the man who warms himself holding a sun-ripened orange on a winter night. Sometimes sensual and sometimes plain scary, Crace takes our relationships with food and releases the angels and demons of desire. A rich feast; dig in." -Jasmine Valandani, Village Books, Bellingham, WA

ERASURE, by Percival Everett (University Press of New England, $24.95, 1584650907) "Everett successfully challenges notions about the place of a black intellectual in society today. This is confrontational, ironic, revealing and compelling, and I would be the first to enroll in a literature or African-American studies class that required reading and discussing this little bomb of a novel."-Lisa Howorth, Square Books, Oxford, MS

GOOD AS ANY: Stories, by Timothy Westmoreland (Harcourt, $24, 0151008523; in stores early Jan.) "Not since Tom Franklin's Poachers have I read anything that packs as staggering a wallop as this debut collection. With prose both eloquent and spare, and dialogue that rings utterly true, Westmoreland's stories call up characters struggling to reach beyond physical and spiritual limitations. These stories sparkle with poignancy and clarity."-Herman Fong, The Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley, MA

HIGHWIRE MOON, by Susan Straight (Houghton Mifflin, $24, 0618056149) "Straight holds her own with the likes of Kingsolver with this timely and unforgettable novel about a Mexican Indian girl who crosses the California border illegally, and her daughter. Straight has made vividly real the experience of those who live on the artificial margins of countries."-Kris Kleindienst, Left Bank Books, St. Louis, MO

HIMALAYAN DHABA, by Craig Joseph Danner (Crispin/Hammer Pub., $24, 0970640595) "Following in the footsteps of her dead husband, a physician's assistant journeys to a remote Indian village, where she reluctantly assumes responsibility for a rudimentary hospital. An uncommonly satisfying first novel sparkling with remarkably accurate descriptions of everything from sky and sounds to the innermost thoughts of a Himalayan villager."-Scott Foley, Grass Roots Books & Music, Corvallis, OR

LA TOUR DREAMS OF THE WOLF GIRL, by David Huddle (Houghton Mifflin, $24, 0618081739; in stores Jan. 4) "The imagery of this book is written with a painter's brush, with many layers and a vivid portrayal of the human experience. Just enough information, with just enough restraint." -Naomi McEneely, Lake Forest Bookstore, Lake Forest, IL

THE LAST CANYON, by John Vernon (Houghton Mifflin, $24, 0618109404) "Vernon compels you into the heart of the Grand Canyon and the junction of two interwoven stories: John Wesley Powell's perilous exploration of the Colorado River and the harrowing journey of six Paiute Indians. Vernon reveals the contradictions of America's frontier exploration, and his finely-nuanced storytelling makes you care. A great book by a wonderful writer."-Marjorie Darraugh, Pegasus Books, Berkeley, CA

A LIFE WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES, by Stephen Elliott (MacAdam/Cage, $25, 0967370175) "A gripping semi-autobiographical novel about the realities of homeless life and the ineffectiveness of government-run group homes. An emerging author with great potential."-Dave Dreckschmidt, Little Professor Book Center, Green Bay, WI

THE LOVE OF STONES, by Tobias Hill (Picador, $25, 0312287739; in stores Jan.) "Rich in historical detail, this is a literary novel as well as a compelling thriller. I was fascinated with the characters and their obsession with stones and precious gems. It's fabulous!"-Susan Wasson, Bookworks, Albuquerque, NM

PRETTY IS AS PRETTY DOES, by Alison Clement (MacAdam/Cage, $25, 0967370191) "Lucy is young, pretty, newly married to a rich farmer…and obsessed with handsome Billy, new guy in town with no future. She's also bright, funny, and mean, and there's snappy writing about good ol' boys, strange family members, and bigotry. An outstanding first novel."-Cheryl Maze, OSU Bookstore, Corvalis, OR

THE SAVAGE GIRL, by Alex Shakar (HarperCollins, $26, 0066209870) "This novel is weird all right, with the real truth taking on a disguise in the modern world's quest for the new, the exciting, the marketed."-Virginia Hobson Hicks, Books on the Bluff, Townsend, GA

THE SIEGE, by Helen Dunmore (Grove, $24, 0802117007; in stores Jan. 9) "A novel set in 1941 Leningrad about the anguish of people trying to do the right thing under harrowing circumstances, with starvation always hovering and lurking. I shall handsell this for its descriptive detail, the beautiful writing, and its message of hope: that the human spirit can indeed survive what seems to be utter disaster."-Nicola Rooney, Nicola's Books, Ann Arbor, MI

SILENT WOMEN, by Susan Dodd (Morrow, $25, 0688170005) "A novel of war, love, art, society and obsession. Dodd has a way of getting into your mind through the magic of words. If you read to learn new things and experience new places and people, this is the book for you."-Steve Brumfield, Manteo Booksellers, Manteo, NC

SPARROWHAWK: Book One: Jack Frake, by Edward Cline (MacAdam/Cage, $25, 1931561001) "This novel is the first in a series with a fresh perspective on the American Revolution. Frake is a Cornishman sentenced to 8 years of servitude in the Colonies, embarking on the Sparrowhawk as it sails for Virginia. The author's unsparing and unsentimental style makes the events he describes more horrible; his unsensational prose is very effective and will keep you turning the pages."-Barbara Peters, Poisoned Pen, Scottsdale, AZ

SPILLING CLARENCE by Anne Ursu (Theia, $22.95, 0786867787) "I was profoundly affected by this debut novel. The small town of Clarence has a spill from their psycho-pharmaceuticals plant, causing old memories to run rampant among the townspeople. It was deeply stirring, yet told with masterful touches of levity."-Vicki Garland, Tome on the Range, Las Vegas, NM

UNDRESSING THE MOON, by T. Greenwood (St. Martin's, $23.95, 031228473X) "Piper was abandoned by her mother at 14, and now, at 30, is dealing with breast cancer. Sounds like the ingredients for a sentimental bath of a novel, right? Wrong! This is a lyrical and poetic novel about regret and realization; sad, yes, but it's an engrossing and ultimately satisfying reading experience from a novelist who is one of our favorites."-Donna Urey, White Birch Books, North Conway, NH

Inspiration

BIRDBATHS AND PAPER CRANES: A Family Tale, by Sharon Randall (Sleeping Bear Press, $18.95, 1585360775) "Randall's collection of newspaper column essays is lyrical in its eloquence about family and motherhood. Like Bombeck, her short essays are funny and often touching, and almost every one of them had at least one a-ha moment that left me with goose bumps. This could be a huge hit!"-Bob Spear, The Book Barn, Leavenworth, KS

BRUNELLESCHI'S DOME, by Ross King (Penguin, $13 paper, 0142000159) "This is the fascinating story of the dome on the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral in Florence, the engineering marvels involved, and the inventiveness and perseverance of the man behind it. I thoroughly enjoyed this account of an amazing feat."-Deal Safrit, Literary Bookpost, Salisbury, NC The 2001 Book Sense Nonfiction Book of the Year in hardcover.

DEATH AT THE PRIORY: Sex, Love, and Murder in Victorian England, by James Ruddick (Atlantic Monthly, $24, 0871138328) "The story of Charles Bravo's murder in 1875 is a window onto Victorian England, with all its hypocrisy and oppression of women. This was the O.J. Simpson case of its time; all of England was in an uproar over the case and the multiple suspects and illicit sex. A book with wide appeal." -Carla Cohen, Politics & Prose, Washington, DC

MRS. KENNEDY: The Missing History of the Kennedy Years, by Barbara Leaming (Free Press, $25, 0684862093) "Leaming combines her meticulous research with respect for the Kennedys, as well as a commitment to the reality of their personalities and frailties. I was mesmerized! What a delight to put this book in many of our readers' hands, confident it will educate them, surprise them, and fascinate them." -Roxanne Coady, R. J. Julia's, Madison, CT

THE PEDDLER'S GRANDSON: Growing Up Jewish in Mississippi, by Edward Cohen (Delta, $12.95 paper, 0385335911; in stores Jan. 2) "This is an engrossing, funny, and very entertaining book. The author's objective and sensitive approach to the history of his family, from Romania in the late 1880s to life in the Deep South up to the 1980s, draws you in completely."-Marie du Vaure, Small World Books, Venice, CA

SALT: A World History, by Mark Kurlansky (Walker, $28, 0802713734) "I loved this book. From start to finish, this is a fantastic read. As implausible as it may seem for those who haven't read the book, there's never been a dull moment in the world of salt, and Kurlansky's love and fascination for the subject comes through clearly in every chapter."-Steven Fidel, Powell's Books, Portland, OR

THE SECRET PARTS OF FORTUNE: Three Decades of Intense Investigations and Edgy Enthusiasms, by Ron Rosenbaum (Perennial, $18 paper, 0060934468) "This collection of essays ranges across many subjects, from Lee Harvey Oswald to the suspicious 'suicide' of a journalist who was convinced he had discovered a conspiracy that explained every shadowy action of the late 20th Century. Entertaining, yet full of substance, Rosenbaum's writing can make you see the world through different eyes."-Jim Cornelius, Paulina Springs Bookstore, Sisters, OR

SPREZZATURA: 50 Ways Italian Genius Shaped the World, by Peter D'Epiro and Mary Desmond Pinkowish (Anchor, $14 paper, 038572019X) "Great history and great fun. Sprezzatura means the art of effortless mastery and here are 50 informative and very readable essays concerning the Italians' many world-changing inventions, providing us with magnificent art while building roads, aqueducts, and cars, developing innovative childhood education, and pioneering in electricity--just to name a few."-Anna Reager, Carytown Books, Richmond, VA

STILL WATERS, by Jennifer Lauck (Pocket, $24, 0743439651) "Following her stunning debut memoir, Blackbird, Lauck continues with the unadorned story of her harrowing childhood. Like Mary Karr's writing, Lauck's shimmers with a scathing simplicity, self-effacing objectivity, and wry humor."-Joan Barberich, Food for Thought Books, Amherst, MA Also an S&S audio (0743509951)

WITTGENSTEIN'S POKER: The Story of a Ten-Minute Argument Between Two Great Philosophers, by David Edmonds and John Eidinow (Ecco, $24, 0066212448) "Around a brief, stormy 1946 meeting between Wittgenstein and Karl Popper, the authors spin a fascinating narrative of history, biography, and ideas. This short book presents many complex subjects well, including a portrait of Vienna between the wars and outlines of the philosophies of Wittgenstein, Popper, Bertrand Russell, and their Cambridge colleagues."-Laurie Greer, Olsson's Books & Records, Bethesda, MD

THE FALLS: An Inspector Rebus Novel, by Ian Rankin (St. Martin's, $24.95, 0312206100) "Rankin's books sneak up on you, since at first they seem like 'just' really smart police procedurals. But they are also about complicated people and beautiful and scary places. This is one of his very best, partly because you get to go into the Scottish countryside and partly because the characters and their issues are so recognizably contemporary."-Pat Kehde, Raven Bookstore, Lawrence, KS

E=Mc2: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation, by David Bodanis (Berkley, $14 paper, 0425181642) "This book is a joy. In much the same vein as Longitude, this books tells a great story and describes scientific concepts along the way."-Jane Stroh, The Bookstore, Glen Ellyn, IL

MEMOIRS: A Twentieth Century Journey in Science and Politics, by Edward Teller (Perseus, $25, 073820532X) "Loved it! A fascinating read by and about a brilliant man who has been involved in some of the most important events of this century."-Joanne Crenshaw, Front Street Books, Alpine, TX

THE NEPTUNE FILE: A Story of Astronomic Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting, by Tom Standage (Berkley, $14 paper, 0425181731) "A fine history of scientific discovery and rivalry, reminiscent of Fermat's Enigma. The planet Neptune was discovered by a remarkable mathematical deduction, and the quest to get credit for the find created an international scandal. Enjoyable and informative."-Tom Allen, Stacey's, San Francisco, CA

BROOKLYN: A State of Mind, ed. by Michael Robbins and Wendy Palitz (Workman, $19.95 paper, 0761116354) "A real gem of a book. This book has a character all its own, much like the place and people for whom it is written."-Brendan Crain, Village Bookstore, Menomonee Falls, WI

FOOD FOR THE DEAD: On the Trail of New England's Vampires, by Michael Bell (Carroll & Graf, $26, 0786708999) "Bell tempts us with morsels that are purely fiction, some that are presumed to be real, and even some that may indeed be real. His exhaustive research provides an enriching serious study."-Phil Smith, Brace Books & More, Ponca City, OK

HIPPOLYTE'S ISLAND, by Barbara Hodgson (Chronicle, $24.95, 0811828921) "Do these islands really exist? Read this odd, entertaining, and wonderfully illustrated novel and find out. Terrific!"-Kathy Ashton, King's English Bookshop, Salt Lake City, UT

LOOKING FOR ALASKA, by Peter Jenkins (St. Martin's, $25.95, 0312261780) "Jenkins' best book since Walk Across America. His description of scenery and characterizations of the Alaskans made me feel like I was there."-Linda Vinstra, Great Northern Bookstore, Oscoda, MI

ROWING TO LATITUDE: Journeys Along the Arctic's Edge, by Jill Fredston (North Point, $24, 0374281807) "In elegant prose, Fredston talks about the 15 years of rowing in the Arctic she and her husband have done. Her descriptions of the land are superb, her insights into the risk of this type of travel are deeply thoughtful, and her adventures are downright incredible. The book you can recommend to anyone, but especially to women looking for a well-written wilderness/adventure book."-Barb Wieser, Amazon Bookstore Cooperative, Minneapolis, MN