Books on the Nightstand

  This week's show is largely made up of listener phone calls, to recommend reading for teens and tweens who want to read adult books. PLEASE NOTE: One of our listeners points out that the caller who recommends Ender's Game has included a spoiler. Obviously we all have our own definition of what makes a "spoiler", but I wanted to alert you to proceed with caution. We also want to thank all of you who have participated in our Book Spine Poetry gallery, which we launched in episode #190 (http://booksonthenightstand.com/2012/07/botns-podcast-190-mystery-or-thriller-or-suspense.html). If you haven't had a chance to see some of our listeners' Book Spine Poems, please check them out in our Yogile gallery (http://www.yogile.com/botnsbsp#41m), and feel free to upload your own. This will stay up indefinitely, so add your photos as inspiration hits. In episode #191 (http://booksonthenightstand.com/2012/08/botns-podcast-191-reading-in-tribute.html), we put out a call for suggestions. My 10 year old daughter, while still enjoying kids books, wants to start exploring the adult section of the library. So I asked for recommendations from you, our listeners, and you came through. There are many great ideas on the comments section of that episode's show notes (http://booksonthenightstand.com/2012/08/botns-podcast-191-reading-in-tribute.html#disqus_thread). Kalanna recommended StorySnoops (http://www.storysnoops.com/) as an alternative to Common Sense Media (http://www.commonsensemedia.org/) for reviewing ratings of books that your kids want to read. Mary, by way of Kate, sent in this email: " Well, I remember you recommending This Scepter'd Isle to me when I was about 10...some of Mercedes Lackey (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8685.Mercedes_Lackey)'s Valdemar stuff might be a bit racy for this girl (I'm thinking Vanyel, mainly), but Denorial and Harry are just great fun! Hilari Bell's Farsala Trilogy is marvelous (the first one is Fall of a Kingdom). Charles De Lint' (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8456.Charles_de_Lint)s stuff is nice. I read his Riddle of the Wren in middle school. And I still love Kate Constables Chanters of Tremaris trilogy. And oh my goodness, has she read Tamora Pierce (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8596.Tamora_Pierce)? If not, she should do that as soon as possible!  And a special thank you so much to our listeners who took the time to call in: Ellen, Heidi from Maine, Karen from Seattle, Pella (?)  from Chicago, Zoe from Virginia and someone who didn't leave her name. It is very much appreciated! Ellen suggests So Long, See You Tomorrow by William Maxwell. Heidi from Eastern Maine Dragonriders of Pern Series by Anne McCaffrey. Dragonflight is the first. She also mentions The Lord of the Rings series and The Hobbit. Finally, Heidi suggests Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Any books by Jennifer Donnelly (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/36346.Jennifer_Donnelly) The Hobbit Gabrielle Zevin's Elswhere The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith Sorcery and Cecilia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/36122.Patricia_C_Wrede), Caroline Stevermer (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/36175.Caroline_Stevermer) The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, both the young adult series and the adult series Brian Jacques' Redwall series Anything by Andre Norton (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4766.Andre_Norton), the Tombs of Atuan series Zoe mentions a series set during an alternate version of the Napoleonic wars where everyone rides dragons to win the war. I'm pretty sure she means Naomi Novik's Temeraire series, of which His Majesty's Dragon is the first title.      

In this episode we talk about the physical size of books and books in which the author does something for a year then writes about it. We also recommend The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle and The Double Game by Dan Fesperman Does Size Matter? Why do some books have a smaller trim size (actual dimensions rather than page count/length) than others? Are books at that size more "thoughtful" than larger books? We discuss the smaller format hardcover size, which may have begun its modern incarnation with Bridges of Madison County. What are your thoughts on smaller books? Are they easier to hold and read? Do they convey a different feeling than their larger brethren? The Year of "A Year of" (6:28) (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/one-good-deed-214x300.jpg) The arrival of Erin McHugh's wonderful new book One Good Deed, in which she did something nice, every day for a year, prompted us to consider other books in which someone did something for a full year. One that Ann listened to on audio earlier this year was A.J. Jacobs' Drop Dead Healthy  in which the author spent a year trying different diets and workout regimes (and Jacobs is a master at doing things for a year, just look at his earlier books (http://www.goodreads.com/author/list/963811.A_J_Jacobs)). For me, the one that I most want to read is Howards End is on the Landing by Susan Hill, in which the author, for one year, read nothing but books that she already owned, many that she had forgotten she had. Looking to the future, we know the trend will continue with The Perfect Score Project by Debbie Stier, in which she took every SAT test offered in her area last year, trying out different test prep methods. How about all of you? What would you do for a year and then write about? Two Books We Can't Wait For You to Read (14:31) (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/devil-silver-197x300.jpg)     (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/double-game-press-201x300.jpg) I'm currently reading and loving The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle. It's the story of Pepper, a man unjustly imprisoned in New Hyde mental hospital, where the patients are hunted by the Devil himself. Ann recommends The Double Game by Dan Fesperman, a tale set in the world of spy novelists and espionage agents, and a book that comes with a reading of more than 200 of the best spy novels ever written.  

 This week, the second installment of author talks from Booktopia:Oxford's Celebration of Authors, which happened on June 16th at Off Square Books in Oxford, MS.   First, a brief note: in this recording, Michael refers to some of Kevin Brockmeier's lists, which he said we would post in the show notes. It's taking us a bit longer than originally planned, so we will have those lists up in a supplmentary blog post on Friday, August 24th. Check the Books on the Nightstand (http://www.booksonthenightstand.com) website on Friday, if you don't receive our posts via email. Thanks for your patience.   (http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320397213l/8472655.jpg) (http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327960353l/8715402.jpg) Kevin Brockmeier is the author of many of my favorite works of fiction, including Brief History of the Dead and the story collection The View from the Seventh Layer, which contains one of my favorite short stories ever, "A Fable Ending in the Sound of Thousand Parakeets." In his talk at Booktopia:Oxford's Celebration of Authors, Kevin reads from his latest book, The Illumination (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8472655-the-illumination).   Next, Ellen F. Brown regales us with fascinating stories about Margaret Mitchell and the novel Gone With the Wind (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18405.Gone_With_the_Wind). Brown's book, Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind: A Bestseller's Odyssey from Atlanta to Hollywood (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8715402-margaret-mitchell-s-gone-with-the-wind), delves deeply into the story behind the publishing of Gone with the Wind. It's a little-known piece of publishing history, and a must-read for fans of popular culture. Ellen's author session at Booktopia:Oxford was one of the highlights of my weekend, and her talk on this podcast will give you a little taste of why. At the end of her talk, Ellen mentions her Facebook page for the book (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Margaret-Mitchells-Gone-With-the-Wind-A-Bestsellers-Odyssey). Feel free to "like" her page and ask her any questions over there.

On this week's episode: Book spine poetry, book jackets, cover coincidences, and a magical book called Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend.   (http://image.yogile.com.s3.amazonaws.com/botnsbsp/aibwspm4ov63-medium.jpg)   Book Spine Poetry We've been fascinated by the current fad in the internet book world: book spine poetry. Try it: use book titles from your library to create poetry. We'd love to see your entries. To share with Books on the Nightstand listeners, just upload your works of art to the BOTNS Book Spine Poetry Yogile Album (http://www.yogile.com/botnsbsp#41m). You can also email or MMS your photos to botnsbsp@yogile.com (mailto: botnsbsp@yogile.com). You can also visit the album to see other entries. I can't wait to see what you come up.   Jacket Chatter: (http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02266/casualvacanycover_2266306a.jpg) So many readers (including us) are fascinated by book jackets and cover trends that we hope you don't mind that we talk about them yet again. Recently, NPR's Weekend Edition spoke to famed book designer Chip Kidd in a piece called "In the E-Book World, Are Book Covers a Dying Art? (http://www.npr.org/2012/08/05/157886049/in-the-e-book-world-are-book-covers-a-dying-art)" Michael and I talk about how covers are changing in the advent of the internet. We also talk about a recent cover trend: jackets with handwritten-type fonts, like the new JK Rowling novel that will be published this fall.  The Atlantic looks at this trend in its article "Book Cover Clones." (http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/07/book-cover-clones-why-do-so-many-recent-novels-look-alike/259884/#slide1)     Lastly, we look at why some very different books are published with the same image on the cover. Caustic Cover Critic (http://causticcovercritic.blogspot.com/search/label/One%20Image%20Many%20Covers) has a round-up of some examples.   One Book we can't Wait for you to Read: (http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1343851908l/13538552.jpg) Michael and I are both over the moon about Matthew Dicks' Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend. Matthew has been a long-time fan of Books on the Nightstand, and we've been fans of his, but even if we didn't know Matthew, we'd be talking about this new book. It's the story of Budo, who is the imaginary friend of an eight year old boy named Max. When Max is in trouble, Budo must do whatever he can to try and save him. This is a novel that is highly original, charming, funny, and a bit dark. It is an adult novel, but I think it will also have great appeal to teens.  Matthew will be one of our authors at Booktopia:Santa Cruz in October, so some of you will have a chance to meet him. Also, a note for our UK listeners: Matthew Dicks writes under the name Matthew Green in the UK.

What are the best books for tweens graduating to grown-up books? Saying goodbye to authors we've lost. And rave recommendations for 12.21 by Dustin Thomason and The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. They Grow Up So Fast(http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/hitchhikers-181x300.jpg) Ann's ten-year-old daughter seems to have graduated from kid's books to grown-up books. Which leaves Ann with a dilemma: how can she possibly keep up with reading and vetting all of the books her daughter wants to read. Luckily she has all of you! What books would you recommend for a ten-year-old who has already begun, and is loving The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series and Terry Brooks' Shannara books.  I also recommended Brooks' Magic Kingdom of Landover series, but it seems that those won't keep Ann's voracious little reader busy for very long. So help her out by calling our voice-mail line at 209.867.7323 and leaving your suggestions of adult books that are safe for young eyes. Reading In Tribute (6:12) In the past week, the book world has lost Maeve Binchy (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3532.Maeve_Binchy), John Keegan (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4619485.John_Keegan) and Gore Vidal (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5657.Gore_Vidal). And recently, Nora Ephron (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5691.Nora_Ephron) and Ray Bradbury (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1630.Ray_Bradbury) passed away. After Ray Bradbury's death, I pulled The Martian Chronicles off the shelf and put it on my nightstand, and Ann has fond memories of reading Maeve Binchy, especially Circle of Friends. Why is it that we are drawn to the books of authors who have recently died? Ann and I think it's a way of honoring them by reading the books they've left behind. Also, bookstores and libraries tend to display the books of authors who have passed away, (re)bringing them to the attention of readers. Two Books We Can't Wait For You to Read (12:43) (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/12.21-197x300.jpg)     (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/dogstars-198x300.jpg) I had so much fun reading 12.21 by Dustin Thomason! We all know the world is supposed to end on December 21 right? In this book, that Mayan prophecy and an outbreak of a new, virulent Prion disease in Los Angeles are possibly connected. It's a page-turner in the vein of Michael Crichton and it's the perfect book the lazy Summer weekends we have left. The Dog Stars by Peter Heller follows, Hig, a man who lost his pregnant wife in a world-wide pandemic that has left very few humans alive. Yes, it's a postapocalyptic tale (and we all know Ann loves those!), but Peter Heller is a poet and a nature writer, which brings something completely different to this story.  

Books for fans of London or the Olympics; what's the difference between a mystery, a thriller and a suspense novel? We recommend The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce and Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz Gold Medal Reading (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/naked-olympics-194x300.jpg) The 2012 London Olympics are in full swing, and here are our picks for some related books (some more related than others!):   * Mathletics: One Scientist Explains 100 Amazing Things About the World of Sports by John D. Barrow * The Naked Olympics by Tony Perrottet * Gold by Chris Cleave * London by Edward Rutherford * London: The Biography and London Under by Peter Ackroyd * The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys Mysteries, Thrillers, Suspense - What's the Difference? (8:53) What's the difference indeed? It used to be that buyers for large chains made decisions where a book would end up in the store. While that still happens, the internet and book discovery sites like Goodreads give books more chances to be discovered outside of a mystery section. To get a definition of these kinds of books, Ann did some Googling and found a 2008 blog post (http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2008/10/difference-between-mysteries-suspense.html) by former literary agent (and now author) Nathan Bransford, in which he says: Thrillers have action Suspense has danger, but not necessarily action Mysteries have mysteries, i.e., something you don't know until the end. It seems like a pretty good description to us. Literary agency Bookends also wrote a post (http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2008/10/does-your-hook-match-your-genre.html) (that very same day!) in which they said, "While ... mysteries tend to be about solving the crime, suspense/thrillers tend to be about stopping a killer or crime. In other words, often we know who the killer is, it’s not necessarily a whodunnit, but now we must find him or find a way to stop him." Ann recently received a new Scandinavian mystery called Midwinter Blood which is subtitled "A Thriller," whereas Jo Nesbo's books say "A Novel." Will they reach different audiences because of the subtitle? Finally, a recent Flavorwire post titled 11 Thrilling Books for People Who Don't Read Thrillers (http://www.flavorwire.com/311217/11-thrilling-books-for-people-who-dont-read-thrillers?all=1), included Tana French's latest Broken Harbor and Donna Tartt's The Secret History. Two Books We Can't Wait For You to Read (23:04) (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/harold-fry-199x300.jpg)     (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/dearie-202x300.jpg) Though I haven't read it yet, I couldn't wait any longer to tell you about The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. It's a book that has been loved by my colleagues, by reviewers, by some of you already, and by the Booker Prize committee who put it on this year's long list. Harold Fry is a retired man whose life is completely changed by a letter he receives one morning, and the journey he undertakes to respond to that letter. Ann had so much fun reading Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz. Despite the fact the there have been other biographies of Julia Child, and indeed, Julia has told some of this story herself, Bob Spitz has put together a comprehensive look at Julia's entire life, and had access to her diaries and letters. Dearie will be published on August 7.

 This week we present the first two author talks from Booktopia:Oxford, recorded live at Off Square Books (http://www.squarebooks.com/) in Oxford, MS on June 16, 2012. (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/IMG_05031-768x1024.jpg)   (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/IMG_0504-768x1024.jpg)   First up is Tom Franklin, author of Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. Tom chose to read a short story called Alaska,  from his collection Poachers. I loved this story, and Poachers was one of my Booktopia purchases. (http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1292689648l/7948230.jpg)    (http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174166428l/367625.jpg) Suzanne Marrs is the official biographer of Eudora Welty and author of What there is to Say we have Said: The Correspondence of Eudora Welty and William Maxwell. Suzanne tells a delightful story that also involves William Faulkner; a fitting story to tell in Faulkner's hometown of Oxford. (http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328876678l/920844.jpg)    (http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328835056l/13202088.jpg) I hope you enjoy these talks as much as we did. It's not quite the same as being there, and you are missing the many delights of Square Books (including Green Tea Bourbon Punch), but it's a fun little taste of our Booktopia weekend.

How much of a book do you have to read to be able to say you finished it? We also discuss the often imperfect art of titling books. And we recommend The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian and Redshirts by John Scalzi. How Done is Done?(http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/bookmarks.jpg) Carol, from our Goodreads group, asked if her friend who reads half the book for book group can say she finished it. The resounding answer is "NO," with a caveat: Ann believes there should be professional dispensation for anyone who reads for a living. Often we will read most of a book, then have to move on to something else. It's usually our intention to get back to the books we don't finish, but it doesn't always happen. Ann's solution? If we read more than half, we can say we read it. I'm not sure I agree 100%, but I do mourn the books in which I invested a lot of time, yet aren't on my list of books read for the year. What do you think? Judging a Book by its Title (6:19) Karen, also from our Goodreads group, suggested the topic of "odd or misleading" titles. She specifically thought of Lauren Groff's The Monsters of Templeton, a book she loved but had a hard time convincing friends to read. Callie weighed in with The Poisonwood Bible and The Night Circus. For me, a perfect example is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, a book whose title seemed too whimsical at first. Ann felt the same way about The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (the other books in the Flavia deLuce series (http://www.goodreads.com/series/46160-flavia-de-luce) have similar titles). The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency might give the impression that the book is a mystery. Other titles that don't fall into the "odd or misleading" category, but that we discussed, include Seabiscuit (almost titled Dark Horse), Rocket Boys (titled October Sky for the movies), One Shot (re-titled Jack Reacher for the upcoming movie) and Cogan's Trade (being turned into the movie Killing Them Softly). Two Books We Can't Wait for You to Read (18:40) (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/sandcastle-197x300.jpg)     (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/redshirts-201x300.jpg) Ann raves about Chris Bohjalian's new novel The Sandcastle Girls. The book follows a novelist in the present, who is researching her family history, as well as a young woman, newly graduated from college, who is doing missionary work in Syria just before the Armenian Genocide. This is a perfect example of a wonderful work of fiction that will leave you wanting to know more about the history on which it was based. The Star Trek fan in me was so excited to read John Scalzi's Redshirts. What happens when a group of new recruits on an intergalactic starship begin to realize that they're meant to be expendable? And what happens when they try to find out why? This is a book that surprised and entertained me. Actually, "entertained" is too mild a word: I loved it! Railway tickets as bookmarks, photo by Tom Morris (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tommorris/2223008450/), via flickr

Is there a statute of limitations on spoilers? We discuss. Also, we recommend John Boyne's The Absolutist and Karen Thompson Walker's The Age of Miracles. A little bit of this, a little bit of that:   Thank you so much for your patience during last week's technical difficulties. We are back up and running, though I confess that I had my fingers and toes crossed during our recording session today.  The BOTNS Book Index (http://booksonthenightstand.com/bookindex/) has been updated! Our unending gratitude goes out to our friend Rob Webb, and special thank to Linda Johnson, who has offered to keep the index updated for us. If you haven't yet checked out the index, take a look! You can find it on one of the tabs on the BOTNS website (http://www.booksonthenightstand.com). And now an apology to our UK listeners. I realize that some of the books I've recommended recently have actually been published in the UK with different titles. I hope you weren't driven crazy trying to find the books I mentioned. Trapeze, by Simon Mawer, is published in Britain with the title The Girl Who Fell from the Sky. And Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone is called The Gathering Dark (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12637460-the-gathering-dark) in the UK. As an aside, Leigh wrote a very interesting blog post (http://www.publishingcrawl.com/2012/05/18/a-tale-of-two-or-twenty-titles/) about her struggle to find a title for Shadow and Bone, and I thought you might like to read it. Winners of two contests have been chosen! Michael has prizes ready to go, so if you entered either the "Create your own Imprint (http://booksonthenightstand.com/2012/03/botns-podcast-171-imprints-and-underappreciated-women-writers.html)" contest, and if your name is Erica, Lisa, Kate, Rebecca or Kimberly, check your email for a note from Michael so that he can send you your prizes. If you entered the "Invent your own Book Truck (http://booksonthenightstand.com/2012/06/botns-podcast-184-booktopiavt-kenneth-c-davis-and-susan-cain.html)" contest and you are named Laura, Elizabeth or Kathy, check your email, too! Lastly, we encourage you to meet other BOTNS listeners in your local area. We have a thriving group of Boston-area listeners (http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/540317) who get together for literary events from time to time. This group was started on the BOTNS Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/4862) group, and I want to urge you all to start your own local thread there and see if you can find some bookish friends in your neighborhood. To Spoil, or not to Spoil?   As soon as I saw this tweet from bookseller (http://www.algonquinbooksblog.com/blog/booksellers-rock-josh-christie-shermans-books-and-stationary/)/podcaster (http://bookrageous.podbean.com/) Josh Christie (http://brewsandbooks.com/), I knew it would be the topic of our conversation for this episode. https://twitter.com/jchristie/statuses/219140309421015040 What's your take on spoilers? Should there be a statute of limitations? Michael talks about how he had Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5759.Fight_Club) spoiled from a t-shirt, and then he goes on to spoil the film The Crying Game (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104036/). So, fair warning!   Two books we can't wait for you to read:   (http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1301755061l/10967535.jpg)    (http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1322844130l/12401556.jpg) John Boyne's The Absolutist is brutally heartwrenching. I can't describe it any other way. It's set during and just after World War I, and is not only about the wars that young soldiers fight on behalf of their country, but the wars that they must fight within themselves. Don't miss this one. Michael (and I) recommend The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker. It's a coming of age story in a world where things are changing rapidly, and in a way that has never before been seen: the earth's rotation has started to slow,

Ann and Michael answer questions "live" from Booktopia Oxford (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DSC01163-e1340763406698-300x201.jpg) Apologies to all of you for the sound quality of some of this episode. It was recorded and edited on the go, without all of our usual equipment and programs. During the podcast (which we recorded at the University of Mississippi Museum (http://museum.olemiss.edu/)'s Theora Hamblett (https://www.google.com/search?q=theora+hamblett&hl=en&prmd=imvnso&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=cG7qT7znMo2HrAeDq8HCBQ&ved=0CFcQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=651) room) we answered many questions including: "Which publishers do Ann and I really sell?" "What's an imprint?" "How did we get started in the book industry?" "Should authors use social media to promote their books?" "What are some of our favorite short story collections?" and, "Is publishing on its last legs?" Some of the books discussed include Fifty Shades of Grey (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10818853-fifty-shades-of-grey), Superman: Earth One (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7657484-superman), Moomin (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/79548.Moomin_Book_One), Strange Pilgrims (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22175.Strange_Pilgrims), How to Breathe Underwater (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47975.How_to_Breathe_Underwater), Things That Fall From the Sky (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/109339.Things_that_Fall_from_the_Sky), A Good Man is Hard to Find (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48464.A_Good_Man_Is_Hard_to_Find_and_Other_Stories), The Girl in the Flammable Skirt (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7850.The_Girl_in_the_Flammable_Skirt), Knockemstiff (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1704719.Knockemstiff), Wild (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12262741-wild),  and The River Witch (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13502935-the-river-witch). And finally, one of our attendees stumped us. She was looking for books that are not sad or depressing, but that aren't fluffy or shallow either. So give a call to our voice mail (209.867.7323) and tell us about a charming or funny book that goes deeper.

This week we present the final two talks from our BooktopiaVT Celebration of Authors: Madeline Miller,Orange Prize-winning author of The Song of Achilles, and Howard Frank Mosher, author of The Great Northern Express. I'm just back from Booktopia Oxford. My brain is full from all of the wonderful bookishness of the weekend, and my clothes are tight from all of the amazing Southern fried food! (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/VT-MM-e1339376693889-250x300.jpg)     (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/VT-HFM-e1339376661901-218x300.jpg) Madeline Miller, whose novel  The Song of Achilles (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11887641-the-song-of-achilles) won the prestigious Orange Prize, discussed writing the book (including the decision to include the Gods in her tale), and the importance of teachers, both in her book and in her life. The wonderfully charming Howard Frank Mosher, author, most recently, of The Great Northern Express (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12119638-the-great-northern-express), recounted the very moment and the very story that made him realize his stories would chronicle life in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom.

This week we announce a contest, and present two more of the talks from our BooktopiaVT Celebration of Authors: Kenneth C. Davis, author of Don't Know Much About History, and Susan Cain, author of Quiet. John T. Edge, Director of the Southern Foodways Alliance, and author of the newly released The Truck Food Cookbook (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12777026-the-truck-food-cookbook), wanted to join us for Booktopia in Oxford, but already had plans out of state. Fortunately for all of you, his publisher felt so bad that he couldn't participate that they gave us 6 copies of his cookbook to give away! We'll give three away in Oxford this weekend, and the other three will be given away right here. To enter, simply tell us, in the comments below, about the Book Truck of your dreams. What kind of books would you sell? (It's small; you can't carry everything!) And what would you name your Book Truck? Leave your response before July 7. We'll randomly pick 3 entries to win a copy of The Truck Food Cookbook! (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/VT-KD-e1339376921141-206x300.jpg)     (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/VT-SC-225x300.jpg) Kenneth C. Davis, author of Don't Know Much About History and all of the other Don't Know Much About... books, has an interesting history himself. In his talk he tells us about his first job in a bookstore, meeting his wife, and writing his very first book. After reading about last year's BOTNS Retreat, Susan Cain blogged (http://www.thepowerofintroverts.com/2011/04/23/a-weekend-in-booktopia/) about it, saying she hoped to attend the next event. Lo and behold, it all worked out and we were thrilled to have her. I think most readers would define themselves as introverts, making Susan's book Quiet a must-read.

We couldn't pick just two! this week we recommend three great reads: The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D., Gone Girl, and Shadow and Bone.

Finally, it's our long-promised show featuring all of your suggestions for David, who called our voicemail line asking for recommendations of under-appreciated women writers. Thank you so much to everyone who called in and created the wonderful list you see below. Since this was all about the writers, I linked each author's name to her Author Page on Goodreads, which lists all of her titles. I also included the specific titles recommended by the callers. (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/claiming-194x300.jpg)     (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/instruments-198x300.jpg)     (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/if-i-told-you-194x300.jpg) * Tabitha King (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/89986.Tabitha_King), The Trap and Pearl * Laura Bell (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3015289.Laura_Bell), Claiming Ground * Alexandra Fuller (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13900.Alexandra_Fuller), The Legend of Colton H. Bryant * Imogen Robertson (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2776854.Imogen_Robertson), Instruments of Darkness and Anatomy of Murder * Bailey White (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/136185.Bailey_White), Mama Makes Up Her Mind * Michael Lee West (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/126453.Michael_Lee_West), She Flew the Coop * Judy Budnitz (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/28450.Judy_Budnitz), If I Told You Once * Mary Doria Russell (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4007.Mary_Doria_Russell), Doc * Sonja Livingston (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3024342.Sonja_Livingston), Ghostbread and, in a bonus topic, I just had to include a call from Shannon, who called to tell us that she does re-read, but "not that much." Of course, she then goes on to list ten books she re-reads every few years: The Harry Potter series (http://www.goodreads.com/series/45175-harry-potter), The Mists of Avalon (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/402045.The_Mists_of_Avalon), The Daughter of Time (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77661.The_Daughter_of_Time), and The Stand (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9813753-the-stand). But really, she doesn't re-read that much...!

 In this episode of the Books on the Nightstand books podcast, we talk about historical fiction and how it is defined. Also, William Faulkner, Julian Barnes, and The Homemade Pantry. How we're finding Faulkner A little update on our Faulkner project. Both Michael and I are attempting to read (or re-read) a William Faulkner novel in anticipation of Booktopia:Oxford. But since 2012 is the 50th anniversary of the death of Faulkner, we're going to enlist you all in our Faulkner project. I started  listening to the audiobook of The Sound and the Fury, read by Grover Gardner. I loved the poetry in the language, and loved Grover's reading. But then I discovered (from Oprah's How to Read Faulkner (http://www.oprah.com/oprahsbookclub/Faulkner-101-How-to-Read-William-Faulkner/1)) that the text uses italics to indicate shifts in time. I could not hear italics in the audiobook. So now my new plan is to listen to the audio as I read along. Michael started As I Lay Dying and is loving it. Please join us in our Faulkner read-along (http://www.goodreads.com/topic/group_folder/119468?group_id=4862) on the Books on the Nightstand Goodreads group. If our happiness isn't enough of an incentive, you should know that July 6th is Faulkner Remembrance Day (http://www.squarebooks.com/event/faulkner-remembrance-day) at Square Books (http://www.squarebooks.com/), marking the 50th anniversary of his death. The next day is the 39th annual Faulkner & Yoknapatawpha Conference (http://www.outreach.olemiss.edu/events/faulkner/). So even if you can't make it to Oxford for Booktopia,  you may want to make one of these special events.   What makes a novel historical? The Guardian has created a list of The 10 Best Historical Novels (http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/gallery/2012/may/13/ten-best-historical-novels?commentpage=2#start-of-comments), as chosen by William Skidelsky. As you can imagine, this has created a bit of controversy. As we looked through it, we were struck by some of the books that they considered "historical." Michael and I both immediately thought of Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5043.The_Pillars_of_the_Earth)(which did not make the list), which is more epic in scope than some of the books on the Guardian list. Some of those books deal with a small period of time in history. The Walter Scott Prize defines a historical novel as being set at least 60 years prior to its publication. There are many comments on the Guardian post that added a significant number of books to my reading list, and some of the comments are just entertaining in themselves. My favorite comment is here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/discussion/comment-permalink/16102805 (http://www.guardian.co.uk/discussion/comment-permalink/16102805). Some of the books that Michael and I discuss in this segment: Ragtime (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/175675.Ragtime) by E.L. Doctorow Property (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/414759.Property) by Valerie Martin Mary Renault's The King Must Die (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93941.The_King_Must_Die) (I bought this book after we recorded the podcast) The Radetzky March (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54258.The_Radetzky_March) by Joseph Roth (I bought this book, too). The Last Town on Earth (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/76336.The_Last_Town_on_Earth) by Thomas Mullen So we want to hear from you: How do you define a historical novel? And what are some of your favorites?   Two books we can't wait for you to read: (http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1333576869l/12519893.jpg)     (http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1333577279l/11804738.jpg) Michael tells us about a cookbook, which he hasn't yet cooked from. He did, however, read The Homemade Pantry (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12519893-the-homemade-pantry) by Alana Chernila.  The focus is on making food at home instead of buying the processed versions at the store. There are recipes for yogurt, pickles,