The August 2008 Indie Next List & Notables Preview

Here's a preview of the August Indie Next List now on its way to ABA member stores in the IndieBound movement.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (Dial, $22, 9780385340991 / 0385340990)
"Just after WWII a writer is contacted by a fan on the British island of Guernsey. As events unfold and she goes to Guernsey, the writer learns of the misery, bravery, and ingenuity of the locals when Guernsey was captured by the Germans. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society is like no other book I've ever read, and it's outstanding." --Elaine Petrocelli, Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA

The Lace Reader: A Novel by Brunonia Barry (Morrow, $24.95, 9780061624766 / 0061624764)
"Set in past and present Salem, Massachusetts, the story takes off immediately, interspersing splendid detail about the history of lace makers, as well as the famous witch trials, with the modern story of a family's intricate history. The novel is packed with interesting characters (including modern witches) and many plot lines, which come together magnificently at the conclusion. A truly amazing and riveting read." --Karen M. Frank, Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, VT

The Gargoyle: A Novel by Andrew Davidson (Doubleday, $25.95, 9780385524940 / 0385524943)
"Andrew Davidson immerses you in a different reality and takes you on quite a roller-coaster ride. This is an unusual story about the power of love to transcend physical limitations and to transform ugliness into beauty. As we are often told, love is all in the eye of the beholder. This book makes you believe that simple truth." --Miriam Sontz, Powell's Books, Portland, OR

The 19th Wife: A Novel by David Ebershoff (Random House, $26, 9781400063970 / 1400063973)
"The 19th Wife brilliantly combines two stories: one, historical fiction about Ann Eliza Young, who defies her church and husband, Brigham Young, the other story a modern-day murder mystery set in Utah. Ebershoff adroitly gives the reader an understanding of a world of faith and love most of us cannot comprehend, and he stunningly writes with great depth and feeling for his characters." --Jane Dawson, Porter Square Books, Cambridge, MA

The Seamstress: A Novel by Frances De Pontes Peebles (HarperCollins, $25.95, 9780060738877 / 0060738871)
"An epic saga from a talented new writer that will definitely keep you reading. Emilia and Luzia dos Santos are orphaned sisters who are separated by twists of fate, but throughout life they remain connected by heart and mind. This is a brilliant Brazilian 'western,' a great surprise, and, now, one of my all-time favorites." --Lillian Kinsey, Bohannons' Books With a Past, Georgetown, KY

What Happened to Anna K.: A Novel by Irina Reyn (Touchstone, $24, 9781416558934 / 1416558934)
"Irina Reyn's contemporary take on Anna Karenina is not a remake or a parody or even an homage, but its own story, twice-told, you might say. Filled like a blintz with references to all things Russian, this fast-paced yet ever-atmospheric tale of love and illusion (and disillusion) has the weight of a novel with things on its mind. You will be happy to entertain this second story." --Stephen F. Shapiro, Rainy Day Books, Fairway, KS

Iodine: A Novel by Haven Kimmel (Free Press, $24, 9781416572848 / 1416572848)
"Trace -- or Ianthe, depending on her level of clarity -- is a brilliant college senior with a very troubling past, which begins to manifest itself as she begins writing a 'dream journal' for a class. Is Trace descending into madness, or clawing her way out of it? I could not put this book down!" --Piper Richmond, Inklings Bookshop, Yakima, WA

The Likeness: A Novel by Tana French (Viking, $25.95, 9780670018864 / 0670018864)
"Cassie Maddox is a former undercover detective working in domestic violence when she is called to the scene of a murder of a girl who bears an uncanny resemblance to Cassie herself. Stranger still, the victim's name is apparently Lexie Madison, an identity fabricated by Cassie years ago. As layers of secrets are revealed, this mesmerizing novel will keep the reader riveted!" --Tova Beiser, Brown University Bookstore, Providence, RI

Awesome by Jack Pendarvis (MacAdam/Cage, $18, 9781596922402 / 1596922400)
"Never has a voice been as original as the giant named Awesome in Pendarvis' magnificent modern fairy tale. Take one part Chuck Palahniuk, one part Hans Christian Andersen, and one part Stephen Hawking, and you may come close to getting it right. Laughing so hard never felt so good!" --Katie Glasgow, Mitchell Books, Fort Wayne, IN

Bikeman: An Epic Poem by Thomas F. Flynn (Andrews McMeel, $12.99, 9780740775598 / 0740775596)
"Thomas Flynn has captured succinctly and poignantly the 'forever September morning' we all remember -- 9/11. As the epic poem it is, Bikeman should be remembered for years to come." --Dorothy Dickerson, Books & More, Albion, MI

The Little Book: A Novel by Selden Edwards (Dutton, $25.95, 9780525950615 / 0525950613)
"Incorporating time travel and historical fiction with a life-altering love story, Selden Edwards' The Little Book magically weaves a believable tale of one family's multigenerational visit to 1897 Vienna. You will want to read this one slowly, savoring every elegantly crafted sentence." --Kathleen Caldwell, A Great Good Place for Books, Oakland, CA

The Spirit of the Place by Samuel Shem (Kent State University Press, $28.95, 9780873389426 / 0873389425)
"The Spirit of the Place is certainly a book about the changing practice of medicine (not unexpected from the author The House of God), but it also explores the issues a practitioner must face outside of the office: difficult or doomed relationships, family matters of life and death, and the inevitable struggles of small town America." --Roni K. Devlin, Literary Life Bookstore & More, Grand Rapids, MI

The Mercy Rule: A Novel by Perri Klass (Houghton, $24, 9780618555963 / 061855596X)
"In this arresting novel about marriage, parenting, working, and finding balance, Perri Klass tells the story of Lucy Weiss, a pediatrician working in a clinic that serves families who are just barely getting by. The novel is strong, poignant, and, often, funny." --Betsey Detwiler, Buttonwood Books & Toys, Cohasset, MA

Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip -- Confessions of a Cynical Waiter by The Waiter (Ecco, $24.95, 9780061256684 / 0061256684)
"Reading this entertaining front-of-house answer to Kitchen Confidential reminded me of all the summers I spent waiting tables -- and reminded me to tip more generously." --Cheryl Patton, Eclipse Coffee & Books, Montevallo, AL

Books: A Memoir by Larry McMurtry (Simon & Schuster, $24, 9781416583349 / 1416583343)
"Larry McMurtry's memoir of his life in books -- buying, selling, bidding, and lusting after -- is full of characters and delights that may never have been seen by the 'average' bookseller, but what many of us wouldn't give for the chance! McMurtry is generous with specifics and musings, personal history, whimsy, and speculations." --Becky Milner, Vintage Books, Vancouver, WA

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running: A Memoir by Haruki Murakami (Knopf, $21, 9780307269195 / 0307269191)
"Focus. Endurance. Will. Murakami argues that these traits are at least as important as talent in both running and writing -- probably even more important. Whether you're a writer or a runner (or both), or just someone who wants an entertaining read, you'll find a lot to love in this marvelous book." --Dave Mallmann, Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop, Brookfield, WI

Cooking With All Things Trader Joe's by Deana Gunn and Wona Miniati (Brown Bag Publishing, $29.95, 9780979938412 / 0979938414)
"If you have a Trader Joe's in your area, you need this book! Chock full of pictures and recipes, this is a great cookbook. Who even knew there was such a thing as green chickpeas?" --Kathy World, The Gothic Bookshop, Durham, NC

Land of a Hundred Wonders: A Novel by Lesley Kagen (NAL, $14 paper, 9780451224095 / 0451224094)
"Gibby is what her grandpa calls NQR (Not Quite Right). But she is an investigative reporter and is determined to solve the murder mystery of the future governor of Kentucky so that she can become Quite Right again. You get the privilege of discovering the truth right along with this wonderful heroine." --Michelle Burcky, Cover to Cover Bookstore, Arlington, TN

Good People: A Novel by Marcus Sakey (Dutton, $24.95, 9780525950844 / 0525950842)
"This thriller about a young couple struggling to have a baby is a primer on what not to do when you find your surly tenant has died in his sleep and left $370,000 in cash stashed in his kitchen. A great read!" --Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, OH

The Fourth Watcher: A Novel of Bangkok by Timothy Hallinan (Morrow, $24.95, 9780061257254 / 0061257257)
"Bangkok-based travel writer Poke Rafferty has a new family and is deliriously happy. Of course, that's when he gets caught up in a jumble of counterfeiting charges and assassination attempts in this lively, scary, and richly textured thriller." --James Tremlett, Schuler Books & Music, Lansing, MI

Fiction

Closer to Fine by Meri Weiss (Kensington, $14 paper, 9780758226907 / 075822690X)

The Grift by Debra Ginsberg (Shaye Areheart, $23.95, 9780307382726 / 0307382729)

Homespun by Nilita Vachani (Other Press, $24.95, 9781590512852 / 1590512855)

My Name Is Will: A Novel of Sex, Drugs, and Shakespeare by Jess Winfield (Twelve, $23.99, 9780446508858 / 0446508853)

My Sister, My Love: The Intimate Story of Skyler Rampike by Joyce Carol Oates (Ecco, $25.95, 9780061547485 / 0061547484)

The Queen's Lady by Barbara Kyle (Kensington, $15 paper, 9780758225443 / 075822544X)

Requiem, Mass. by John Dufresne (Norton, $24.95, 9780393057904 / 0393057909)

Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan (Little Brown, $23.99, 9780316113786 / 0316113786)

Stormy Weather by Paulette Jiles (Harper Perennial, $13.95 paper, 9780060537333 / 0060537337)

Undiscovered Country by Lin Enger (Little Brown, $23.99, 9780316006941 / 0316006947)

Where the River Ends by Charles Martin (Broadway, $19.95, 9780767926980 / 0767926986)

Nonfiction

A Few Seconds of Panic: A 5-Foot-8, 170-Pound, 43-Year-Old Sportswriter Plays in the NFL by Stefan Fatsis (Penguin Press, $25.95, 9781594201783 / 1594201781)

Forget Me Not: A Memoir by Jennifer Lowe-Anker (Mountaineers Books, $24.95, 9781594850820 / 1594850828)

The Geography of Love: A Memoir by Glenda Burgess (Broadway, $22.95, 9780767928595 / 0767928598)

Kick the Balls: An Offensive Suburban Odyssey by Alan Black (Hudson Street Press, $23.95, 9781594630477 / 159463047X)

A Spring Without Bees: How Colony Collapse Disorder Has Endangered Our Food Supply by Michael Schacker (Lyons Press, $24.95, 9781599214320 / 1599214326)

Mystery/Suspense

Breaking Cover by J.D. Rhoades (St. Martin's Minotaur, $25.95, 9780312371555 / 0312371551)

Don't Tell a Soul: A Thriller by David Rosenfelt (St. Martin's Minotaur, $24.95, 9780312373955 / 0312373953)