Jul 02

Podcast, Episode 8: Half-Year Faves

By Michael Kindness Podcasts Add comments


Books on the Nightstand, Episode 8 (19:58)

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In episode 8 of the Books on the Nightstand Podcast:

We usually break our podcasts up into three “segments.” For this episode, we deviate from our usual format and forgo segment one (where we usually discuss a general topic relating to books or reading, without getting into specific titles) and segment three (where we look ahead at two books due out soon).

The end of every calendar year sees many newspapers, magazines, radio shows etc. choose their best books of the year. If we waited until December, our list would be way too long. Since we’re halfway through the year, we thought we’d pick our faves for the year so far.

Many of Michael’s favorites for the year aren’t out just yet, so he cheats a bit and chooses some books that came out last year but were released in paperback this year. And Ann narrows down her huge list of favorites and tells you about four, including one that is impossible to describe but is definitely worth your time.

Many of our favorites have been talked about on previous episodes of Books on the Nightstand, so be sure to check the list of books below to see all of our favorites in one place.

__________________________

We encourage you to write down or print out the title information and shop at your local bookstore. Titles link to LibraryThing, a social networking site that allows you to catalog your home library. LibraryThing also links to various online purchasing options. Here are the books from this post:

Finn by Jon Clinch, Random House Trade Paperback, $14.00, 9780812977141
Plenty by Alisa Smith & J.B. MacKinnon, Three Rivers Press trade paperback, $13.95, 9780307347336
City of the Sun by David Levien, Doubleday hardcover, $24.95, 9780385523660

The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz, Doubleday hardcover, $24.95, 9780385515719
Gardens of Water by Alan Drew, Random House hardcover, $25.00, 9781400066872
Away by Amy Bloom, Random House trade paperback, $14.00, 9780812977790
Netherland by Joseph O’Neill, Knopf hardcover, $23.95, 9780307377043
A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz, Spiegel & Grau hardcover, $24.95, 9780385521727

Our Favorites Featured on previous episodes:

Michael:

Tigerheart by Peter David, Del Rey hardcover, $22.00, 9780345501592
Mudbound by Hilary Jordan, Algonquin hardcover, $22.95, 9781565125698

Ann:

Our Story Begins by Tobias Wolff, Knopf hardcover, $26.95, 9781400044597
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri, Knopf hardcover, $25.00, 9780307265739
Peace by Richard Bausch, Knopf hardcover, $19.95, 9780307268334
The Boat by Nam Le, Knopf hardcover, $22.95, 9780307268082
The End of Manners by Francesca Marciano, Knopf hardcover, $23.95, 9780375425103


(all information is for the U.S. editions).
  • Chris

    Hmm, this is a hard one. I’ve been trying to catch up on books I missed while in grad school and haven’t been reading much that’s been published in 2008. One I liked was “From Dead to Worse” by Charlaine Harris. It’s a fun and fast read. I also enjoyed the latest Lynn Flewelling book “Shadows Return”. A good YA book is “Hero” by Perry Moore. Technically it came out last year, but I only just got to it earlier this year. I’ve been reading a lot of good things about “Tigerheart”. It received a good review in the latest issue of Locus.

  • Chris

    Hmm, this is a hard one. I’ve been trying to catch up on books I missed while in grad school and haven’t been reading much that’s been published in 2008. One I liked was “From Dead to Worse” by Charlaine Harris. It’s a fun and fast read. I also enjoyed the latest Lynn Flewelling book “Shadows Return”. A good YA book is “Hero” by Perry Moore. Technically it came out last year, but I only just got to it earlier this year. I’ve been reading a lot of good things about “Tigerheart”. It received a good review in the latest issue of Locus.

  • http://rycrafty.com rycrafty

    I’ve recently subscribed to your podcast, and have been catching up on episodes.

    I stopped in mid-laundry sorting when I listened to your recommendation of ‘Away’ by Amy Bloom, because I’ve heard a very similar story before.

    I work in theatre myself (stage managing), and this past August I got to be part of a workshop for new operas that are in development. One of them tells the story of Lillian Alling, who came arrived in New York from Russia, and ended up walking back to Russia via Canada and the panhandle.

    The opera though, is based on fact, or as much fact as the librettist could find (Google Lillian Alling!). I haven’t read Bloom’s book, but from the sound of it, I think I know where she got the inspiration. The Lillian Alling story is said to have taken place in the 1920s.

    We workshopped 3 different operas that week, and I don’t have my papers with me so I might be wrong, but I think that one will be premiered by Vancouver Opera in 2010 or so.

  • http://rycrafty.com rycrafty

    I’ve recently subscribed to your podcast, and have been catching up on episodes.

    I stopped in mid-laundry sorting when I listened to your recommendation of ‘Away’ by Amy Bloom, because I’ve heard a very similar story before.

    I work in theatre myself (stage managing), and this past August I got to be part of a workshop for new operas that are in development. One of them tells the story of Lillian Alling, who came arrived in New York from Russia, and ended up walking back to Russia via Canada and the panhandle.

    The opera though, is based on fact, or as much fact as the librettist could find (Google Lillian Alling!). I haven’t read Bloom’s book, but from the sound of it, I think I know where she got the inspiration. The Lillian Alling story is said to have taken place in the 1920s.

    We workshopped 3 different operas that week, and I don’t have my papers with me so I might be wrong, but I think that one will be premiered by Vancouver Opera in 2010 or so.

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Michael

    Rycrafty-

    Yup, Amy Bloom’s story was definitely based in truth… there were newspaper headlines about the Woman Who Walked to Russia. And the main character in Bloom’s book is named Lillian Leyb.

    Thanks for finding us and for listening!

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Michael

    Rycrafty-

    Yup, Amy Bloom’s story was definitely based in truth… there were newspaper headlines about the Woman Who Walked to Russia. And the main character in Bloom’s book is named Lillian Leyb.

    Thanks for finding us and for listening!

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