Books on the Nightstand

During Booktopia Asheville, podcaster extraordinaire Simon Savidge, of The Readers (http://bookbasedbanter.co.uk/thereaders/tag/the-readers-podcast/), You Wrote the Book (http://bookbasedbanter.co.uk/youwrotethebook/), and Hear...Read This! (http://hearreadthis.com/), sat down with Ann and me to answer questions that had been submitted by Booktopia attendees earlier in the weekend. You'll learn a lot about all three of us, but this is only half the conversation... Head over to The Readers to hear PART 2 (http://bookbasedbanter.co.uk/thereaders/2014/09/23/ep-109-the-readers-on-the-nightstand/)! (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/photo-300x200.jpg)

 A novel that won't be read for 100 years; reading goals (or not) for the fall, and two books of nonfiction that we can't wait for you to read.   Why I'm exploring human cryogenic preservation   Margaret Atwood has been invited to be the first author to participate in The Future Library (http://www.katiepaterson.org/futurelibrary/) project. Atwood will write a new book for the project. However, it won't be printed and published until 2114. This is a very cool project, undertaken by Scottish artist Katie Paterson, and I'm just sad that I won't be around to read Atwood's book.   (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (08:17) (http://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/giver/196674)(http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9780062331878.jpg)     The Miniaturist (http://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/the-miniaturist-a-novel/217554) by Jesse Burton, read by Davina Porter, is my pick for this week’s Audiobooks.com Audiobook of the Week. Special thanks to Audiobooks.com (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) for sponsoring this episode of Books on the Nightstand. Audiobooks.com allows you to listen to over 40,000 audiobooks, instantly, wherever you are, and the first one is free. Download or stream any book directly to your Apple or Android device. Sign up for a free 30-day trial and free audiobook download by going to www.audiobooks.com/freebook (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) Looking backward, looking forward (12:49)   in this segment, Michael and I look back on our summer reading, including Beach Blanket Book Bingo (http://booksonthenightstand.com/2014/05/botns-282-beach-blanket-book-bingo.html), and talk about our reading in the months ahead. We are going to keep the Bingo cards up, but we won't be doing another official Book Bingo challenge until next summer. We'll announce our plans and take suggestions for categories in February. Basically, Michael and I are not making reading promises this fall. We're going to read whatever we want, with no particular reading goals. Michael will also be reading for his Coursera class on The Graphic Novel (https://www.coursera.org/course/comics) that starts on September 22nd.   Two books we can't wait for you to read (23:46)   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1395000716l/20170991.jpg)      (http://images.randomhouse.com/cover/9780385348843?&height=281&maxwidth=190)   The Teacher Wars by Dana Goldstein is the book that I can't wait for you to read this week. I recommend it for anyone who has kids or is interested in the public education system. It's first a history of teaching, but it also shows how we got to the place where we are now, with the controversies and turmoil that are in the news right now. Michael recommends The Happiness of Pursuit by Chris Guillebeau, a book that looks at the benefits that come from working toward a quest, whether big or small -- something that is challenging but has an attainable goal. This book has Michael thinking about undertaking a quest of his own.

Due to audio recording difficulties, this week's episode is short. But, we still manage to recommend an audiobook, plus The Children Act by Ian McEwan and Rainey Royal by Dylan Landis.   Due to technical difficulties and an incomplete audio file, we have a short episode this week, one that has been stitched together from several different recordings. We will return next week with a full episode - recording equipment willing! (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (01:54) (http://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/giver/196674)(http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9780553396980.jpg)Frank Einstein and the Anti-Matter Motor (http://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/frank-einstein-and-the-antimatter-motor/217107) by Jon Scieszka, narrated by Jon Scieszka and Brian Briggs,  is my pick for this week’s Audiobooks.com Audiobook of the Week. Special thanks to Audiobooks.com (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) for sponsoring this episode of Books on the Nightstand. Audiobooks.com allows you to listen to over 40,000 audiobooks, instantly, wherever you are, and the first one is free. Download or stream any book directly to your Apple or Android device. Sign up for a free 30-day trial and free audiobook download by going to www.audiobooks.com/freebook (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook)   Two Books We Can't Wait For You to Read (05:29) (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1405290619l/21965107.jpg)     (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1404958970l/20176975.jpg) Big surprise.. Ann loved Ian McEwan's new book The Children Act! It's not like he's her favorite author or anything. McEwan's new book, about a British Family Court judge whose own family is starting to fracture, is short, but Ann read it slowly, savoring McEwan's wonderful prose. Dylan Landis's Rainey Royal tells the story of Rainey from age 14 through her mid-20's. She lives, sometimes, with her father, a jazz musician more interested in his fawning acolytes than in his daughter. Her and her friends find themselves in situations that are comic, uncomfortable, and often dangerous. Rainey, her friends, and their stories will stay with me for a long time.

A grant that allows writers to spend time reading, and Michael and I both talk about Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Getting Paid to Read:   Booker Prize winner Eleanor Catton, author of The Luminaries, has announced that she will be using her prize money to give writers time to read. We love this idea and wish we could apply. This Guardian article (http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/sep/02/eleanor-catton-grant-time-to-read-the-luminaries) gives a great overview of Catton's plans and reasons. Bravo, Eleanor Catton!   (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (12:15) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9780307966551.jpg)   In the Kingdom of Ice (http://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/in-the-kingdom-of-ice-the-grand-and-terrible-polar-voyage-of-the-uss-jeannette/214347)by Hampton Sides, narrated by Arthur Morey,  is my pick for this week’s Audiobooks.com Audiobook of the Week. Special thanks to Audiobooks.com (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) for sponsoring this episode of Books on the Nightstand. Audiobooks.com allows you to listen to over 40,000 audiobooks, instantly, wherever you are, and the first one is free. Download or stream any book directly to your Apple or Android device. Sign up for a free 30-day trial and free audiobook download by going to www.audiobooks.com/freebook (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) One book we can't wait for you to read, and that we can't stop talking about (13:30):   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1406509145l/20262706.jpg)   Once again, Michael and I planned to talk about the same book for our "Two books we can't wait to read" segment. Rather than come to blows over who got to talk about it, we started discussing it -- and it turned into a bigger discussion. So we stopped before we got too far, hit "record" and turned it into this segment. The book is Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven, which is on sale September 9th. Trust us on this one -- order a copy from your bookstore, reserve it from your library, whatever it takes to get this in your hands right away. I don't want to boil down our discussion to a few bullet points, so you'll just have to listen. Sorry. But really, we want you to listen. If you are receiving this by email, you can listen by clicking the 'download file' link at the bottom of the email.

  This week we bring you the first two author talks from Booktopia Boulder, recorded at Boulder Book Store (http://boulderbookstore.indiebound.com/). Please enjoy these talks from Jonathan Miles, author of Want Not, and Kristi Helvig, author of Burn Out.   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1398193722l/18222836.jpg)     (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1408935286l/22926687.jpg)

Remembering what happened in a series. A question about jacket copy. We recommend What We See When We Read and Cover, both by Peter Mendelsund. Series Confusion Angela from Wisconsin asks how to complete the details in a book series fresh in your min...

It's here! The new novel from Haruki Murakami, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage, is officially on sale. We can't attend one of the many midnight parties, so we're having our own, with this "early release" episode of BOTNS!   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1392573152l/19288239.jpg)   We're honored to host two special guests on this week's "Murakami Madness" episode of Books on the Nightstand. Tonight at midnight, independent bookstores across the US will be hosting Murakami parties (http://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=2316#m25313) where fans can be among the first to purchase Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage. This novel sold more than one million copies in the first week in Japan! In an effort to find out what all the madness is about, we talk to bookseller Jeremy Ellis, and super-fan Christian Paula. Listen in for some great conversation (and some less-than-stellar sound quality -- as always, we apologize and hope that you'll find the content worth the audio issues with remote and telephone recording). (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (05:50) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9780804166690.jpg)   South of the Border, West of the Sun (http://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/south-of-the-border-west-of-the-sun-a-novel/198959)by Haruki Murakami, read by Eric Loren, is my pick for this week’s Audiobooks.com Audiobook of the Week. And as always, special thanks to Audiobooks.com (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) for sponsoring this episode of Books on the Nightstand. Audiobooks.com allows you to listen to over 40,000 audiobooks, instantly, wherever you are, and the first one is free. Download or stream any book directly to your Apple or Android device. Sign up for a free 30-day trial and free audiobook download by going to www.audiobooks.com/freebook (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook)   #Murakamania (09:10)   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386924361l/11297.jpg)   A great coversation with Jeremy Ellis, General Manager of Brazos Bookstore in Houston, TX. Brazos is hosting one of the many midnight Murakami parties tonight, and we talk to Jeremy to find out more. They'll be having activities like "Pin the Kafka on the Shore," and each person who purchases a copy of Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage will receive a free Murakami coloring book. But don't despair: you can order your own copy of What We Talk About When We Talk About Coloring (http://www.brazosbookstore.com/gifts/what-i-talk-about-when-i-talk-about-coloring-murakami-coloring-book) from Brazos Bookstore online.   Murakami SuperFan! (18:58)   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388789153l/9833.jpg)   Next we talk with Murakami fan Christian Paula to find out his thoughts about Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage. Did it live up to his expectations? Christian suggests that the reader new to Murakami start with his stories, such as the collection Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman. To begin with a novel, Christian recommends Norwegian Wood (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11297.Norwegian_Wood). Christian can be found on twitter at @drowningn00b, and he writes about Korean indie music at koreanindie.com (http://koreanindie.com/)

First, a note about author P.S. Duffy's response to our "Read Whatever You Want" episode, and a tease about next week's podcast. Then, authors P.S. Duffy and Kelly Corrigan, live from Booktopia, VT.   A last, and special, "Read Whatever You Want" follow-up   We were honored to host author P.S. Duffy (The Cartographer of No Man's Land) at Booktopia Vermont this past April, and it was truly wonderful to have the opportunity to spend time with such a warm and fiercely intelligent person. So we were delighted when Penny sent us a letter in response to our “Read Whatever You Want” episode (http://booksonthenightstand.com/2014/06/botns-286-read-whatever-you-want.html). We tried to read parts of it on our call-in show, but there just was no way to do justice to Penny’s very eloquent and thoughtful letter. It needed to be read in its entirety. You can read it here (http://booksonthenightstand.com/?p=4765), and we'd love to know your thoughts. Also, we'll have a special episode next week we're calling "Midnight Murakami," in honor of the release of Haruki Murakami's new novel, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage. We can't attend one of the many midnight bookstore parties in celebration of the novel, so we're going to release the episode at 12:01 am on Tuesday, August 12th.   (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (04:37) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9780307711113.jpg)   The True Meaning of Smekday (http://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/the-true-meaning-of-smekday/61536#prompted)by Adam Rex, read by Bahni Turpin, is my pick for this week’s Audiobooks.com Audiobook of the Week. Special thanks to Stanley Hadsell of Market Block Books (http://bookhouse.indiebound.com/about-mbb) in Troy, NY for the recommendation! And as always, special thanks to Audiobooks.com (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) for sponsoring this episode of Books on the Nightstand. Audiobooks.com allows you to listen to over 40,000 audiobooks, instantly, wherever you are, and the first one is free. Download or stream any book directly to your Apple or Android device. Sign up for a free 30-day trial and free audiobook download by going to www.audiobooks.com/freebook (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook)   P.S. Duffy and Kelly Corrigan, live from Booktopia Vermont (08:02)   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1395000218l/18379037.jpg)   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1403166272l/17910544.jpg)   We're pleased to present the final two author talks from Booktopia Vermont:  P.S. Duffy, author of The Cartographer of No Man's Land (https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=cartographer+of+no+man%27s+land), and Kelly Corrigan, author of Glitter and Glue.

Authors writing under other names. We look at the 2014 Man Booker Prize Longlist. We recommend The Other Language by Francesca Marciano and The Magician's Land by Lev Grossman.  Authors Hiding in Plain Sight Brian from Redondo Beach, CA asked why The Silkworm was published under the name Robert Galbraith, when nearly everyone knows that's a pseudonym for JK Rowling. Authors choose pseudonyms for many reasons, two of the most popular being wanting to write in a genre different from the one in which they are already known, and wanting to have the books written pseudonymously judged on their own merits, and not compared to the author's other work. Some authors who have written under other names include: * John Banville (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/91.John_Banville?from_search=true) writes mysteries as Benjamin Black (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/116405.Benjamin_Black?from_search=true) * Anne Rice (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7577.Anne_Rice?from_search=true), wrote erotica as A.N. Roquelaure (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/437669.A_N_Roquelaure) * Stephen King (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3389.Stephen_King?from_search=true) also wrote as Richard Bachman (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5858.Richard_Bachman?from_search=true) * Nora Roberts (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/625.Nora_Roberts?from_search=true) writes futuristic mysteries as J.D. Robb (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17065.J_D_Robb?from_search=true) * Jayne Anne Krentz (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2387.Jayne_Ann_Krentz?from_search=true) writes historical fiction as Amanda Quick (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/42211.Amanda_Quick?from_search=true) and speculative fiction as Jayne Castle (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8840.Jayne_Castle?from_search=true) (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (09:49) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9781622312375.jpg)Guests on Earth by Lee Smith, narrated by Emily Woo Zeller, is my pick for this week’s Audiobooks.com Audiobook of the Week. Special thanks to Audiobooks.com (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) for sponsoring this episode of Books on the Nightstand. Audiobooks.com allows you to listen to over 40,000 audiobooks, instantly, wherever you are, and the first one is free. Download or stream any book directly to your Apple or Android device. Sign up for a free 30-day trial and free audiobook download by going to www.audiobooks.com/freebook (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook)   The 2014 Man Booker Prize Longlist (12:42) This year's Booker Prize Longlist was announced last week, and it's the first since the rules were updated to put into contention any book written in English, not just books written by a citizen of the UK commonwealth. Many (Americans included) feared that this new rule would lead to glut of US contenders, but, of the 13 titles on the longlist, only four were written by Americans. The shortlist of 6 finalists will be announced on September 9, and the winner will be unveiled on October 14. You can see the full list here (http://www.themanbookerprize.com/news/longlist-2014-announced).   Two Books We Can't Wait For You to Read (24:12) (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1381717149l/18209281.jpg)     (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385132673l/17448129.jpg) Ann recommends The Other Language by Francesca Marciano, a book she calls a "literary vacation." It's a collection of short stories that should appeal to people who don't like short stories. The title story is one Ann's favorites in this collection. I was thrilled to read The Magician's Land, the final book in Lev Grossman's Magicians trilogy. It's a wonderful conclusion to the story and does a great job wrapping up story lines and character arcs. This series has been bought for television, so don't wait too long to read it!

A race for the Bingo!, Listeners call in about episode #286, Amy Bloom's new novel, and a book on helping your kids stay organized. Michael and I appear to be in a race to the BINGO! though neither of us will achieve it any time soon. We've loved seeing your BINGO reports on our Goodreads group, and I've added a bunch of books to my to read list from that thread. There's still time to participate in our Summer Reading Bingo! Click here to get your personalized BOTNS Bingo card (http://tinyurl.com/botnsbingo) -- just be sure to hit refresh once or twice after you click the link. (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (05:53) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9780062282873.jpg)This is the Story of a Happy Marriage (http://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/this-is-the-story-of-a-happy-marriage/200903) , written and performed by Ann Patchett, is my pick for this week’s Audiobooks.com Audiobook of the Week. Special thanks to Audiobooks.com (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) for sponsoring this episode of Books on the Nightstand. Audiobooks.com allows you to listen to over 40,000 audiobooks, instantly, wherever you are, and the first one is free. Download or stream any book directly to your Apple or Android device. Sign up for a free 30-day trial and free audiobook download by going to www.audiobooks.com/freebook (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) Listeners Weigh In (09:23): We asked for your thoughts on BOTNS #286: Read Whatever You Want (http://booksonthenightstand.com/2014/06/botns-286-read-whatever-you-want.html), and six of you called in with your thoughts. Unfortunately, Elaine's comment had some technical issues so that we couldn't use it on the podcast. We present the remaining five calls without comment, but they all have something great to say. I really loved hearing your thoughts -- thanks to all who called in. Please do feel free to call our BOTNS Voicemail line at any time to let us know your thoughts. Just dial (209) 867-7323. Thanks to Ashley, Bill, Carol K., Anonymous, and Michelle in Colorado! Two books we can't wait for you to read (21:01): (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1400853144l/18316089.jpg)   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1401710872l/6631055.jpg) Michael talks about Amy Bloom's Lucky Us (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18316089-lucky-us?from_search=true), which goes on sale next week (July 29).  Lucky Us starts in 1939 small town Ohio, where main character Eva discovers that her father has a second family and that she has a half-sister. Much of the story is told through letters between the two sisters. I talk about That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6631055-that-crumpled-paper-was-due-last-week?from_search=true) by Ana Homayoun. The subtitle of the book--Helping Disorganized and Distracted Boys Succeed in School and Life--is somewhat misleading, as I found this to be very helpful in dealing with my daughter's chronic disorganization. I think that this would be a good book for parents of pre-teens and teens to read before school starts, and I'm going to re-read it to get a refresher on the tips and techniques.

Can you trust author blurbs on books? A first library for children. We recommend The Girls from Corona del Mar by Rufi Thorpe and My Pet Book by Bob Staake.   A Bit About Blurbs Alexa from Illinois asks about quotes from authors that are featured on books. Are the authors that provide the blurb paid for it, friends with the author? Are those quotes genuine? There are exceptions to every rule, but authors are not paid to blurb books, but there is often a connection between the book or author and the blurbing author: they may be friends, they may share an editor or an agent who shares the book with them. Often at a publisher sales conference, people will brainstorm which author's readers a new book will appeal to. The publisher will then reach out to that author. So, we believe you can trust blurbs, but they are not always as serendipitous as some might think.   (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (07:46) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9781482994650.jpg)Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng, narrated by Cassandra Campbell,  is my pick for this week’s Audiobooks.com Audiobook of the Week. Special thanks to Audiobooks.com (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) for sponsoring this episode of Books on the Nightstand. Audiobooks.com allows you to listen to over 40,000 audiobooks, instantly, wherever you are, and the first one is free. Download or stream any book directly to your Apple or Android device. Sign up for a free 30-day trial and free audiobook download by going to www.audiobooks.com/freebook (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook)   A New Meaning for "Modern First" (11:43) (http://www.bookpeople.com/files/bookpeople/modernfirstlibrary4.jpg) BookPeople (http://bookpeople.com/), in Austin, TX has announced their Modern First Library (http://bookpeopleblog.wordpress.com/2014/07/01/introducing-bookpeoples-modern-first-library/) program: a selection of both well-known and less well-known books that make for a perfect first library for children. The books are also chosen to represent the diversity of children and families around the world. Books are broken up into smaller sets (http://www.bookpeople.com/bookpeople-modern-first-library-sets) but can be ordered individually. The selections are wonderful and feature many books I've never heard of, but can't wait to check out. Here's my list of a few books that I think would make wonderful additions to any child's first library: * First Book of Sushi by Amy Wilson Sanger (part of the World Snacks (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/236449.Amy_Wilson_Sanger) series) * The Curious Garden (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5530988-the-curious-garden?from_search=true) by Peter Brown * Halibut Jackson by David Lucas   Two Books We Can't Wait For You to Read (22:20)   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1384190312l/18518285.jpg)     (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1384187669l/18769849.jpg) Ann recommends The Girls from Corona del Mar by Rufi Thorpe, the story of friendship between Lorrie Ann and Mia. It's a book that never went where Ann expected it to. This book gets her highest recommendation. Bob Staake is my family's favorite author/illustrator of children's books, and his new book, My Pet Book, is no exception. The main character chooses "a frisky red hardcover" from the bookstore, and takes wonderful care of his new pet, until, one day, it disappears. Fun for kids, and book lovers, of all ages!

We follow up some sad literary news with some great book news; we recommend My Accidental Jihad and Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands.    First, the bad news   We are saddened by the report that author Colum McCann was assaulted (http://www.nhregister.com/general-news/20140702/new-haven-police-working-significant-leads-in-assault-of-author-colum-mccann) while trying to help someone during a domestic situation in New Haven, CT. Our best wishes for a speedy recovery. We also mourn two amazing people who passed away last week: author and ambassador for Young People's literature Walter Dean Myers (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/04/arts/walter-dean-myers-childrens-author-dies-at-76.html) and Louis Zamperini (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/04/arts/louis-zamperini-olympian-war-survivor-unbroken-dies.html), subject of Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken. Lastly, we mourn the end of World Book Night (http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/trade-shows-events/article/63169-world-book-night-suspends-operations.html)in the United States.   (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (13:18) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9781478953135.jpg) The Farm by Tom Rob Smith, narrated by James Langton and Suzanne Toren is my pick for this week’s Audiobooks.com Audiobook of the Week. This is a compulsive listen! Special thanks to Audiobooks.com (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) for sponsoring this episode of Books on the Nightstand. Audiobooks.com allows you to listen to over 40,000 audiobooks, instantly, wherever you are, and the first one is free. Download or stream any book directly to your Apple or Android device. Sign up for a free 30-day trial and free audiobook download by going to www.audiobooks.com/freebook (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) Now, the good news: (17:05) http://www.booksabouttown.org.uk/ (http://www.booksabouttown.org.uk/) - London Book Benches as part of Books About Town http://sayville.patch.com/groups/announcements/p/bayportblue-point-public-library--corey-beach - Library on the Beach http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2014/07/03/publisher-thinks-big-about-small-and-free/ - Riverhead Little Free Libraries Two books we can't wait for you to read: (24:29) (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1404577742l/18293424.jpg)   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1392355248l/18666006.jpg) Michael's pick this week is My Accidental Jihad by Krista Bremer, who will be joining us in August at Booktopia Asheville. This memoir, which tells the story of an American woman who marries a Libyan man of a different faith, is engrossing and very honest. Ann recommends Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands by Chris Bohjalian. It's the story of a homeless teen struggling to survive in the wake of a nuclear meltdown, and will appeal not only to existing fans of Chris Bohjalian, but will also appeal to older teens and fans of young adult fiction.

New literary holidays. Separating the author from their work. And we recommend Byrd by Kim Church and The Fever by Megan Abbott.  Happy Tom Sawyer Days! Ann and I are making progress on our BOTNS Bingo cards. I'm reading books then seeing if they can count for any squares. Ann is letting the Bingo card guide her reading. If you haven't printed your card out yet, check out our original post (http://booksonthenightstand.com/2014/05/botns-282-beach-blanket-book-bingo.html) for instructions, and the link to get your own card. Don't forget to call our voicemail line (209.867.7323) and share your views about the discussion we had in episode 286 (http://booksonthenightstand.com/2014/06/botns-286-read-whatever-you-want.html) about the recent trend of critics and other writers decreeing what people should and shouldn't be reading. A recent article (http://www.bookish.com/articles/new-fictional-holidays-literary-dates-to-add-to-your-calendar) on Bookish.com featured some new literary holidays to celebrate, and further Googling revealed others (http://mentalfloss.com/article/54847/10-literary-holidays). Of course, the original bookish holiday is St. George's Day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_George's_Day) (April 23, the day of Shakespeare's death), which is now when World Book Night happens. And, Dr. Seuss's birthday is now Read Across America Day (http://www.readacrossamerica.org/). What about you? Will you be celebrating Tom Sawyer Days this weekend? Or Hemingway Days later this month? (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (11:55) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9781619697164.jpg) The Fever by Megan Abbott, narrated by Caitlin Davies, Kirby Heyborne, and , is my pick for this week’s Audiobooks.com Audiobook of the Week. It's also Ann's "Two Books" pick later in the episode... Sorry, Ann! Special thanks to Audiobooks.com (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) for sponsoring this episode of Books on the Nightstand. Audiobooks.com allows you to listen to over 40,000 audiobooks, instantly, wherever you are, and the first one is free. Download or stream any book directly to your Apple or Android device. Sign up for a free 30-day trial and free audiobook download by going to www.audiobooks.com/freebook (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) Separating the Author from their Work (14:49) It's another thorny subject this week: Should an author's personal life affect how and if you read their work? A recent NY Times Bookends (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/29/books/review/when-we-read-fiction-how-relevant-is-the-authors-biography.html?_r=0) article asked the question. That, plus the recent accusations (http://www.teleread.com/writing/marion-zimmer-bradley-child-abuser-says-daughter/) against Marion Zimmer Bradley got us thinking. It's something we've both struggled with: Ann with letting her daughter read The Mists of Avalon, and me with whether or not to read Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card, whose opinions on certain subjects are the polar opposites of mine. Is your reading or your perception of authors affected by their own history, actions, or beliefs? Two Books We Can't Wait For You to Read (27:00) (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1364865172l/17675232.jpg)     (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1381359885l/18656036.jpg) I recommend Byrd, by Kim Church, one of our Booktopia Asheville authors. It's a book Ann read early on and loved, and I also think it's simply wonderful. It's the story of Addie Lockwood and unexpected pregnancy that forever alters her life. Ann recommends The Fever by Megan Abbott, the story of the Nash family: father Tom, son Eli, and daughter Deenie. Deenie's group of friends are dealing with all of the usual trials of teenagehood when a mysterious illness starts to afflict them.

A rant on on people who think they know what you should and shouldn't read; CallMeIshmael; The Quick and The Painter   Call Ishmael. Really. (http://callmeishmael.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Call-Me-Ishmael-final-web-logo.png) We just learned about a very cool site, CallMeIshmael (http://callmeishmael.com/), that we love. It's a site where you can call and leave a short voicemail that tells a story about a book. The site is video, but also works as audio, and we've gotten permission to play one of the voicemails on this episode. But if you're reading the show notes, do check out the site itself to get the full (very cool) experience. The entry we played on the podcast is The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (http://callmeishmael.com/merriam-webster-collegiate-dictionary/).   (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (07:49):   (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9780739334706.jpg)I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, written and read by Maya Angelou, is my pick for this week’s Audiobooks.com Audiobook of the Week. Special thanks to Audiobooks.com (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) for sponsoring this episode of Books on the Nightstand. Audiobooks.com allows you to listen to over 40,000 audiobooks, instantly, wherever you are, and the first one is free. Download or stream any book directly to your Apple or Android device. Sign up for a free 30-day trial and free audiobook download by going to www.audiobooks.com/freebook (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook)   Read whatever the *%$# you want (14:15):   A rant. Between this Slate article (http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2014/06/against_ya_adults_should_be_embarrassed_to_read_children_s_books.html) on Young Adult novels and the reviews mentioned in this Vanity Fair piece (http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2014/07/goldfinch-donna-tartt-literary-criticism) about Donna Tartt, we have had it up to here with people trying to dictate what others should and shouldn't read. We believe that you should read whatever brings you pleasure. For those of us who are not professional critics, it is more than possible to read a book that is less than perfect yet still enjoy the read. We'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic, for a special listener voicemail show. Please call our voicemail line: (209) 867-7323, and let us know what you think. We'll play a selection of responses on an upcoming episode. Two books we can't wait for you to read (31:14):   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1391414209l/18050175.jpg)      (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1378708098l/18310201.jpg) Michael recommends The Quick by Lauren Owen. He absolutely loves it, and absolutely can't tell you much about it.  A crumbling manor house outside of London in the late 1800s, a disappearance, and a secret society should be enough to whet your appetite for The Quick. My pick for this week is The Painter by Peter Heller. I love this novel so much, even more than I loved The Dog Stars, which I wouldn't have thought possible. I think this is a book that will appeal to so many of you: those of you who love beautiful sentences, those that like intriguing characters, those that love great descriptions of the landscape, and all of you that love a fully-realized story. Don't miss this one.

John Demos, author of The Heathen School, and Rupert Thomson, author of Secrecy, recorded at Booktopia Vermont. (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9781478924937.jpg)Reality Boy (http://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/reality-boy/200832) by A. S. King, narrated by Michael Stellman, is my pick for this week’s Audiobooks.com Audiobook of the Week. Special thanks to Audiobooks.com (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) for sponsoring this episode of Books on the Nightstand. Audiobooks.com allows you to listen to over 40,000 audiobooks, instantly, wherever you are, and the first one is free. Download or stream any book directly to your Apple or Android device. Sign up for a free 30-day trial and free audiobook download by going to www.audiobooks.com/freebook (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) John and Rupert in Booktopia (04:25) (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1382945998l/18112145.jpg)     (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1384026914l/18248529.jpg) We're pleased to present the sencond two author talks from Booktopia Vermont:  John Demos, author of The Heathen School, and Rupert Thomson, author of Secrecy.