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Books on the Nightstand, Episode 33 (25:51)

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Ann’s back and gives us her impression of Book Expo America, where she saw several educational panels (and was even part of one!). Social Media, blogs and vlogs were the talk of the show as booksellers and publishers were educated by some of the best in these endeavors, including Chris Brogan, author of the forthcoming Trust Agents, and Gary Vaynerchuk, author of the forthcoming Crush It!

In segment two, we talk about great books for your summer vacation plans (when you’re not reading classics for the Beowulf on the Beach Reading Challenge, of course!). We’ve already talked about most of our recent faves, so we go back a little further. Michael recommends The Alienist by Caleb Carr, a thrilling, gruesome historical mystery, first published fifteen years ago, and ripe for rediscovery! Michael also raves about His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik, the first book in the Temeraire series which re-imagines the Napoleonic Wars as fought by pilots on dragons. This series has a wonderful Patrick O’Brian feel about it, and is perfect for anyone who wants a little fantasy with their history. Ann Recommends The Summer Guest by Justin Cronin, the perfect summer novel, which examines the meaning of family and the stories that make up a person’s past. Set at a remote fishing camp in Maine, this is a book that you will want to read in the hammock with a cool glass of lemonade in your hand. Ann also loves The Giant’s House by Elizabeth McCracken, a love story starring a lonely, curmudgeonly librarian and the tallest boy in the world. One of Ann’s favorite books ever, the story of these two misfits who find each other is a smart, funny and poignant choice for a summer novel.

As always, we finish with two books we can’t wait for you to read. Ann tells us about Trouble by Kate Christensen, an edgy summer read that some have compared to a darker Thelma & Louise, and Michael describes Fragment as “Jurassic Park meets The Ruins.” For more information on Fragment, check out the author’s website, which features concept sketches, field journal art from the characters and 3 creepy short videos.

and speaking of videos, here’s another from Jack Murnighan, this time reading his favorite line from Beowulf itself:

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