BOTNS Books Podcast #59: We Hereby Resolve…

Jan 05

BOTNS Books Podcast #59: We Hereby Resolve…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (13.9MB)

Actually, the first resolution is to try and use words other than “fantastic” to describe the books we love. Michelle Kerns at Examiner.com wrote an article titled, “The top 20 most annoying book reviewer cliches and how to use them all in one meaningless review“. It’s a funny article, but also one that we take caution from. We’ll try to watch what we say, and make it meaningful.

By now you’ve likely noticed the changes here at the Books on the Nightstand website. One of the changes that we are most excited about is the Index of all of the books we’ve talked about or written about since the blog was founded. The index is the most-frequently requested feature from our readers and listeners, and I’m thrilled that we have been able to put it together. This would not have been possible without our team of volunteers at the Books on the Nightstand Goodreads group — a huge thank you to Eric, Linda, Sidweena, Suzanne, Tanya and Trish.

If you have anything you’d like to see here at Books on the Nightstand, please let us know. We can’t promise we’ll be able to do everything, but we will try where possible. As always, you can contact us through the commenting here on the blog, through our voicemail number, or via email.

If your New Year’s resolution is to save money, we can help with that: in segment 2 we focus on great books that will be published in paperback this month. Some of our favorites are here, but also one or two books that you haven’t yet heard us talk about. The dates we’ve listed below are the dates the books will be in US bookstores, and I’m sure that your favorite local bookstore will happily take a pre-order now.

Mistress of the Monarchy by Alison Weir (January 5th)
The Unwritten by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (January 12th)
Lark and Termite by Jayne Anne Phillips (January 12th)
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (January 19th)
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (January 26th)
The Lost City of Z by David Grann (January 26th)

Today’s episode marks the return of one of your favorite segments, Two Books We Can’t Wait For You to Read. Ann talks about Noah’s Compass, the new novel from Anne Tyler, a novel about the connections between people and the strange relationships that we often have with those around us. Michael tells us about The Privileges by Jonathan Dee, a wonderfully-written novel with very real characters that Michael could not stop reading.

_________ __________

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:

Mistress of the Monarchy by Alison Weir, Ballantine trade paperback
The Unwritten by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (illustrator), Vertigo trade paperback
Lark and Termite by Jayne Anne Phillips, Vintage trade paperback
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley, Bantam trade paperback
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, Vintage trade paperback
The Lost City of Z by David Grann, Vintage trade paperback
Noah’s Compass by Anne Tyler, Knopf hardcover
The Privileges by Jonathan Dee, Random House hardcover

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

photo credit: An exercise in gratitude #6 :: Moleskine Desk Calendar by Headphonaught

http://www.melissabookwormblogger.blogspot.com Melissa.

Yay! I can’t wait to listen to it tomorrow morning on my way to work. It’ll start the day off right (Well, as long as I don’t oversleep and start off wrong by running late).
http://www.melissabookwormblogger.blogspot.com Melissa.

Yay! I can’t wait to listen to it tomorrow morning on my way to work. It’ll start the day off right (Well, as long as I don’t oversleep and start off wrong by running late).
http://www.subliminalintervention.blogspot.com Dreamybee

Yay for the book index! I will admit that this is one thing that I thought was lacking-now your blog is perfect!
http://www.subliminalintervention.blogspot.com Dreamybee

Yay for the book index! I will admit that this is one thing that I thought was lacking-now your blog is perfect!
Connie

Love the index……I had often wished but thought it might be guilding the lily…..

listened to #59, while on my treadmill contemplating my resolution to exercise more………and all i can say is you guys are well……err…..FANTASTIC……

your conversational tone is what makes you great – i love the catching up on whats new feel……dear friends sometimes have to have those little heart to heart chats, be it your new hairstyle, that fav orange shirt of yours or ekes an overused phrase…..but at the end of the day…..your the best!!!
Connie

Love the index……I had often wished but thought it might be guilding the lily…..

listened to #59, while on my treadmill contemplating my resolution to exercise more………and all i can say is you guys are well……err…..FANTASTIC……

your conversational tone is what makes you great – i love the catching up on whats new feel……dear friends sometimes have to have those little heart to heart chats, be it your new hairstyle, that fav orange shirt of yours or ekes an overused phrase…..but at the end of the day…..your the best!!!
http://carolinebyline.blogspot.com Caroline Starr Rose

Hi Ann and Michael,
Stop by my blog sometime tomorrow. I have a little something for you there…
Caroline
http://carolinebyline.blogspot.com Caroline Starr Rose

Hi Ann and Michael,
Stop by my blog sometime tomorrow. I have a little something for you there…
Caroline
Chris

Great podcast. I like the new look of the website. Thanks for talking about Alison Weir. I love her books. I haven’t read Mistress of the Monarchy yet, but I’m looking forward to it.
Chris

Great podcast. I like the new look of the website. Thanks for talking about Alison Weir. I love her books. I haven’t read Mistress of the Monarchy yet, but I’m looking forward to it.
http://www.butterflyconfidential.com Kalanna

If you guys write a drinking game for BOTNS, be sure to include this rule:

Drink when Michael says “If you haven’t read a graphic novel yet…”

lol

Joking around with ya, M. I started reading graphics this year because of Watchmen and Buffy and Persepolis and was so surprisingly pleased to enjoy them. So I went on to read most of what my library has in that section. Going to pick up Stitches soon.
http://www.butterflyconfidential.com Kalanna

If you guys write a drinking game for BOTNS, be sure to include this rule:

Drink when Michael says “If you haven’t read a graphic novel yet…”

lol

Joking around with ya, M. I started reading graphics this year because of Watchmen and Buffy and Persepolis and was so surprisingly pleased to enjoy them. So I went on to read most of what my library has in that section. Going to pick up Stitches soon.
Melissa W.

My big resolution this year is to read books in my own personal collection and then find new homes for some of them. I am also resolving to make sure that I am not signing out as many books as I have in the past and then not reading them. And I also plan on reading a fantasy book that isn’t Harry Potter (probably The Hobbit) and some graphic novels (I probably will re-read Maus and pick up something like Road to Perdition or the like).

I think I saw a paperback of The Sweetness of the Bottom of the Pie at a Chapters store here in BC prior to Christmas. So if people are really want the paperback version, they can order it through the ChaptersIndigo site or through Amazon.ca.
Melissa W.

My big resolution this year is to read books in my own personal collection and then find new homes for some of them. I am also resolving to make sure that I am not signing out as many books as I have in the past and then not reading them. And I also plan on reading a fantasy book that isn’t Harry Potter (probably The Hobbit) and some graphic novels (I probably will re-read Maus and pick up something like Road to Perdition or the like).

I think I saw a paperback of The Sweetness of the Bottom of the Pie at a Chapters store here in BC prior to Christmas. So if people are really want the paperback version, they can order it through the ChaptersIndigo site or through Amazon.ca.
http://jaynesbooks.blogspot.com/ Melissa W.

I am still catching up on podcasts and haven’t listened to the most current on, but eventually I will get to it. Keep up the great work
http://jaynesbooks.blogspot.com/ Melissa W.

I am still catching up on podcasts and haven’t listened to the most current on, but eventually I will get to it. Keep up the great work
http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

Melissa, no hurry to catch up — all of the podcasts will be here when you need them! Thanks for listening and for your comments. They make us so happy to know that you care enough to take the time to talk with us!
http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

Melissa, no hurry to catch up — all of the podcasts will be here when you need them! Thanks for listening and for your comments. They make us so happy to know that you care enough to take the time to talk with us!
Christine

Your language is fine. I listen religiously, and I’ve never thought your descriptions were too repetitive or unimaginative. I like the fact that your discussions aren’t stilted or scripted. I feel like I’m listening in on a conversation the two of you are having at a coffee shop–that’s what I like most about the episodes.

You’re both great at the podcast, and I think your reviews and recommendations are…fantastic. There. I said it.
Christine

Your language is fine. I listen religiously, and I’ve never thought your descriptions were too repetitive or unimaginative. I like the fact that your discussions aren’t stilted or scripted. I feel like I’m listening in on a conversation the two of you are having at a coffee shop–that’s what I like most about the episodes.

You’re both great at the podcast, and I think your reviews and recommendations are…fantastic. There. I said it.
http://bookbybook.blogspot.com Sue Jackson

Thanks for the link to the article on reviewing cliches – I read it with trepidation, afraid to find that I use all of 20 of them! Well, I do sometimes use compelling – how else to explain when you couldn’t put a book down (which is also a cliche)? And I may have used haunting and powerful a few times in the past. Otherwise, I didn’t do too bad – I do try to avoid cliches in my reviews. Great article – thanks!

Sue

P.S. I have no idea how to subscribe to a podcast, but I’m going to sign up for yours and figure it out!
http://bookbybook.blogspot.com Sue Jackson

Thanks for the link to the article on reviewing cliches – I read it with trepidation, afraid to find that I use all of 20 of them! Well, I do sometimes use compelling – how else to explain when you couldn’t put a book down (which is also a cliche)? And I may have used haunting and powerful a few times in the past. Otherwise, I didn’t do too bad – I do try to avoid cliches in my reviews. Great article – thanks!

Sue

P.S. I have no idea how to subscribe to a podcast, but I’m going to sign up for yours and figure it out!
http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

Sue, if you want to listen to the podcasts on your computer, you can get notified of updates by email or through an RSS reader like Google Reader. At the top right of this blog are four buttons, in this order: Subscribe by RSS, subscribe by Email, follow us on twitter, or friend us on Facebook. Any of those ways will allow you to be notified when we put up a new post, including podcasts. To listen to the podcast, just press the ‘play” button on the player that is included in the post.

If you want to listen to us on an iPod, or have each episode downloaded directly into iTunes, you can find us by clicking here: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=278076085

If there’s some other way you want to listen to our podcast, let us know and we will help you figure out the best way to do it!

Thanks so much for your support!
http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

Sue, if you want to listen to the podcasts on your computer, you can get notified of updates by email or through an RSS reader like Google Reader. At the top right of this blog are four buttons, in this order: Subscribe by RSS, subscribe by Email, follow us on twitter, or friend us on Facebook. Any of those ways will allow you to be notified when we put up a new post, including podcasts. To listen to the podcast, just press the ‘play” button on the player that is included in the post.

If you want to listen to us on an iPod, or have each episode downloaded directly into iTunes, you can find us by clicking here: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=278076085

If there’s some other way you want to listen to our podcast, let us know and we will help you figure out the best way to do it!

Thanks so much for your support!
http://absorbedinwords.blogspot.com Mark David

Hi! I’m new to your podcasts (in fact I just listened to this one an hour ago) and I love it! The conversational tone does make your podcasts delightful and easy to listen to. I would add also that your voices also sound pleasant, so that makes it even easier to listen to.

About the word “fantastic”, I think it’s practically unavoidable. When we talk about a book we absolutely enjoyed (and the excitement of telling others about it builds up), words like that will just come off naturally because we indeed found it to be simply fantastic. As with me, I’m sure your listeners enjoy the candid atmosphere of your discussions
http://absorbedinwords.blogspot.com Mark David

Hi! I’m new to your podcasts (in fact I just listened to this one an hour ago) and I love it! The conversational tone does make your podcasts delightful and easy to listen to. I would add also that your voices also sound pleasant, so that makes it even easier to listen to.

About the word “fantastic”, I think it’s practically unavoidable. When we talk about a book we absolutely enjoyed (and the excitement of telling others about it builds up), words like that will just come off naturally because we indeed found it to be simply fantastic. As with me, I’m sure your listeners enjoy the candid atmosphere of your discussions
http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

Thank you! I think we have come to the conclusion that we will do our best, but we don’t have any illusions that we will be totally successful. And with comments like yours, it is an easier thing to admit. Thanks!
http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

Thank you! I think we have come to the conclusion that we will do our best, but we don’t have any illusions that we will be totally successful. And with comments like yours, it is an easier thing to admit. Thanks!
http://booksonthenightstand.com/2010/11/botns-books-podcast-103-encouraging-young-readers.html BOTNS Books Podcast #103: Encouraging Young Readers | Books on the Nightstand

[...] month, so I just had to throw in a mini recommendation for it. (I originally spoke about it in episode 59.) My “real” book for this segment is Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, who you may [...]