Dec 31

Books on the Nightstand Podcast, Episode #21: A Peek Into 2009

By Michael Kindness Podcasts Add comments

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Books on the Nightstand, Episode 21 (18:48)

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headphonesToday we start with a conversation about the many year-end best-of lists that have come out recently. How much attention do you pay to them and do they make you want to run out and buy more books?

Next, we offer a glimpse into the first four months of 2009, which are filled with books we’re excited about. Many of these are titles you’ll hear much more about on future episodes, so we’re keeping it short here… just whetting your appetite! [A note about the title links below: usually we link to LibraryThing, where you can get general info to take to your local bookstore. Since some of these books don't come out for four months, we've decided to link to the publishers' websites instead. We'll return to our normal format next time.]

Lastly, we present our usual “Two Books We Can’t Wait For You to Read.” Michael helps you keep your “eat healthy” resolution by talking about Whole Grains for Busy People by Lorna Sass. Ann tells us about Elsewhere USA by Dalton Conley, which looks at how the cultures of work and home life have changed over the last several decades.

Photo credit: Jay Heaviside
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We encourage you to write down or print out the title information and shop at your local bookstore. Titles link to the publisher’s websites. Here are the books from this post:
Lark and Termite by Jayne Anne Phillips, Knopf hardcover
The Associate by John Grisham, Doubleday hardcover
Brothers by Yu Hua, Pantheon hardcover
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, Knopf hardcover
Gardens of Water by Alan Drew, Random House trade paperback
Shannon by Frank Delaney, Random House hardcover
Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy, Knopf hardcover
Pictures at an Exhibition by Sara Houghteling, Knopf hardcover
A Mad Desire to Dance by Elie Wiesel, Knopf hardcover
The Winter Vault by Anne Michaels, Knopf hardcover
Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg, Random House hardcover
The First Person by Ali Smith, Pantheon hardcover
Th
e Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys, Delacorte Press hardcover
Spade & Archer by Joe Gores, Knopf hardcover
The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl, Random House hardcover
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley, Delacorte Press hardcover
In Lincoln’s Hand edited by Harold Holzer and Joshua Wolf Shenk, Bantam hardcover
Pauline Bonaparte: Venus of Empire by Flora Fraser, Knopf hardcover
The Lost City of Z by David Grann, Doubleday hardcover
The Brother Gardeners by Andrea Wulf, Knopf hardcover
Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts by Martha Stewart, Potter Craft hardcover
Red Orchestra by Anne Nelson, Random House hardcover
Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul by Deepak Chopra, Harmony hardcover
Hands of my Father by Myron Uhlberg, Bantam hardcover
Cheever by Blake Bailey, Knopf hardcover
W.C. Handy by David Robertson, Knopf hardcover
08 by Michael Crowley and Dan Goldman, Three Rivers Press trade paperback
Batman R.I.P. by Grant Morrison, DC Comics hardcover
Whole Grains for Busy People by Lorna Sass, Clarkson Potter trade paperback
Elsewhere, U.S.A. by Dalton Conley, Pantheon hardcover
(all information is for the U.S. editions).
  • Dottie R.

    I’m going down for the count here! Just kidding — well, halfway kidding. The lists, shelves, piles are too long, too full, too deep and I find myself back at that old line “so many vs so little regarding books and time.

    But then here you are with upcoming books by two of my favorite authors for light but still toothsome (like that description?) writing — Binchy and Berg and the new Anne Michaels reminding me that I still haven’t read Fugitive Pieces after all this time. Ann, your last one really started bells and whistles and gongs going in my head — and I’m done with the child raising while working phase — but something tells me this one is one I need as soon as it’s out so Mr. Conley is on my radar.

    Great one! Happy New Year and happy growing.

  • Dottie R.

    I’m going down for the count here! Just kidding — well, halfway kidding. The lists, shelves, piles are too long, too full, too deep and I find myself back at that old line “so many vs so little regarding books and time.

    But then here you are with upcoming books by two of my favorite authors for light but still toothsome (like that description?) writing — Binchy and Berg and the new Anne Michaels reminding me that I still haven’t read Fugitive Pieces after all this time. Ann, your last one really started bells and whistles and gongs going in my head — and I’m done with the child raising while working phase — but something tells me this one is one I need as soon as it’s out so Mr. Conley is on my radar.

    Great one! Happy New Year and happy growing.

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

    LOL, Dottie — thank you! Glad we can help you down to the mat … 10, 9, 8 …

    Sorry, but there is just too much good stuff not to share!

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

    LOL, Dottie — thank you! Glad we can help you down to the mat … 10, 9, 8 …

    Sorry, but there is just too much good stuff not to share!

  • Thomas

    I love End of the Year Best of Books Lists!!

    With so many books coming out each year, the best of lists can sometimes point one to an undiscovered gem of a book.

    The thing that also never fails to stop me dead in my tracks is when I see the words “This is my favorite book of the year.”

    One of the things that I like the most about your pod cast is the “Two Books We Can’t Wait For You To Read” section, because they are like (mini) end of the year book lists.

    Well Happy New (Reading) Year to you both,

  • Thomas

    I love End of the Year Best of Books Lists!!

    With so many books coming out each year, the best of lists can sometimes point one to an undiscovered gem of a book.

    The thing that also never fails to stop me dead in my tracks is when I see the words “This is my favorite book of the year.”

    One of the things that I like the most about your pod cast is the “Two Books We Can’t Wait For You To Read” section, because they are like (mini) end of the year book lists.

    Well Happy New (Reading) Year to you both,

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann

    Thomas, thank you!! We’re happy to have met you this year, and we so appreciate your comments and very kind words.

    We also love the “Two Books” section, so I’m happy to hear that it is a favorite of yours.

    All the best for a Happy New Year!

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann

    Thomas, thank you!! We’re happy to have met you this year, and we so appreciate your comments and very kind words.

    We also love the “Two Books” section, so I’m happy to hear that it is a favorite of yours.

    All the best for a Happy New Year!

  • http://www.subliminalintervention.blogspot.com Dreamybee

    The end-of-year lists do seem a bit overwhelming, but I like seeing all the different books from bloggers who each have their own individual tastes. I definitely find books there that I don’t think I would find in the standard “Top 100 Books of the Year” lists.

  • http://www.subliminalintervention.blogspot.com Dreamybee

    The end-of-year lists do seem a bit overwhelming, but I like seeing all the different books from bloggers who each have their own individual tastes. I definitely find books there that I don’t think I would find in the standard “Top 100 Books of the Year” lists.

  • Chris

    I do think there are too many Best Of lists so I pretty much ignore them. I will look at some of the SciFi/Fantasy ones. Then I feel like Michael does because I haven’t read and/or heard of many of the titles. The same thing happens when I read the Hugo or World Fantasy Award ballots.

    Too many books, not enough time! :)

    Another great and informative podcast.

  • Chris

    I do think there are too many Best Of lists so I pretty much ignore them. I will look at some of the SciFi/Fantasy ones. Then I feel like Michael does because I haven’t read and/or heard of many of the titles. The same thing happens when I read the Hugo or World Fantasy Award ballots.

    Too many books, not enough time! :)

    Another great and informative podcast.

  • Suzanne

    I just listened to this podcast — I cannot wait to read some of these books!
    I am so glad that Anne Michaels is finally releasing a new book — I loved Fugitive Pieces.

  • Suzanne

    I just listened to this podcast — I cannot wait to read some of these books!
    I am so glad that Anne Michaels is finally releasing a new book — I loved Fugitive Pieces.

  • http://www.kidica.com/kids-entertainment/kids-activities/outdoor-activ Outdoor Activity

    A great collection of books. Happy to see Martha stewart book in the collection.

    Thanks for posting.
    Melisaa

  • http://www.kidica.com/kids-entertainment/kids-activities/outdoor-activ Outdoor Activity

    A great collection of books. Happy to see Martha stewart book in the collection.

    Thanks for posting.
    Melisaa

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