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December 1, 2009
This week is our first annual Self Evident issue of The Weekly Top 2, in which we select big new releases whose natures are so established that there is no need to individually annotate them, not because I don't have time to annotate them in December, but because it would be redundant to do so, which would be frightful. One thing that has been strikingly self evident to anyone who has been to the store this week is that long time friend of the store, Melanie Taylor, is a design genius. The magical hoops of light, and giant size cardboard Constructable she made for our windows are just stunning. Stop by in the evening and see for yourself!
In terms of our self evident new titles, you'll find below none other than the new Sue Grafton, the new J.A. Jance, and the new Greg Mortenson, of Three Cups of Tea fame. You'll also note as self evident that a giant new history of The Vikings is worth checking out, as is a hefty new anthology of Greek Poetry. We look forward to seeing you at the store this Holiday season!
Here they are! Our weekly picks for the two best: two hardcover, two paperback, and two children's books. The very best new arrivals to leap out of the box and onto our shelves this week. Call or email us if you want more information on any of these titles, or to have us hold you a copy. Or stop in and check them out in person. We'd love to see you. Thanks as always for sharing your reading with us!
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Stones Into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan
By Mortenson, Greg
2009-12 - Viking Books
9780670021154 - Hardcover
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List Price $26.95 - Your Price: $21.56
The author of the #1 bestseller" Three Cups of Tea" offers the continuing story of this determined humanitarian's efforts to promote peace through education. Filled with rich, personal stories and insights into the Middle East, this book is an inspiration--and a call to action. ...More
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Trial by Fire: A Novel of Suspense
By Jance, J. A.
2009-12 - Touchstone Books
9781416563808 - Hardcover
List Price $25.99 - Your Price: $20.79
Ali Reynolds returns in the newest adventure in the "New York Times"-bestselling series by Jance. ...More
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U Is for Undertow
By Grafton, Sue
2009-12 - Putnam Adult
9780399155970 - Hardcover
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List Price $27.95 - Your Price: $22.36
Through 20 excursions into the dark side of the human soul, Grafton has never written the same book twice. Once again, she breaks genre formulas, creating a twisting, complex, surprise-filled, and totally satisfying thriller. Kinsey Millhone agrees to help Michael Sutton locate a grave he discovered 21 years earlier, but as the investigation unfolds, Kinsey discovers Michael has an uneasy relationship with the truth. ...More
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The Vikings: A History
By Ferguson, Robert
2009-11 - Viking Books
9780670020799 - Hardcover
List Price $32.95 - Your Price: $26.36
The emergence of the Viking age at the end of the eighth century would usher in a new era in the history of Europe. In this definitive history, Ferguson presents the extraordinary story of the Nordic warriors and explorers. ...More
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The Greek Poets: Homer to the Present
By Constantine, Peter
2009-12 - W. W. Norton & Company
9780393060836 - Hardcover
List Price $39.95 - Your Price: $31.96
Constantine has collected 3,000 years of the greatest Greek poetry, all exquisitely translated and assembled in a handsome volume that is sure to be a modern classic. ...More
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The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America's Favorite Planet
By Degrasse Tyson, Neil
2009-12 - W. W. Norton & Company
9780393337327 - Paperback
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List Price $15.95 - Your Price: $12.76
Okay so it may not be self evident why The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America's Favorite Planet is here. Yes, you may need to read this delightful book, now in paperback, before seeing why it's so much fun. Tyson, the director of The Hayden Planetarium, was integral in the reclassification of Pluto from 'Planet' to icy 'comet' orbiting around Neptune, and ultimately to 'dwarf planet'. I must admit that I numbered myself among the group of Pluto's defenders, and felt that it was ungallant to take away Pluto's planetary status. The Pluto Files is so full of life and an appreciation for human foibles, however, that one can't help seeing both sides of the debate with an appreciation of Pluto's story not as a question of right and wrong, but as a splendid illustration of human nature. ...More
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