Books on the Nightstand

Ann goes to BookCon, Ian McEwan archives in Austin, TX, Emma Straub's The Vacationers, and Archie meets zombies.   (https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t1.0-9/q71/s480x480/10376057_10204165026671071_5227212428657323513_n.jpg)   Michael achieved his goal of $1500 and has now shaved his head to raise money for cancer. Thank you to all Books on the Nightstand listeners who supported him!  Ann goes to BookCon   In other news, I report in this episode on my trip to BookCon, which was held in New York City on Saturday, May 31st. It was a day filled with author panels, autographings, and 10,000 book fans -- many, many of whom were teenage girls delighted to see their favorite authors like John Green and Veronica Roth. As I said on the podcast, this was a place where it was cool to be a Book Nerd. And though I limited myself to bringing home only 3 Advanced Reading Copies from BookCon, I was so busy that I ended up with only two: Rainey Royal (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20176975-rainey-royal?from_search=true) by Dylan Landis, and Maplecroft (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20821288-maplecroft?from_search=true)by Cherie Priest. That led Michael to recommend The Borden Tragedy (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/148420.The_Borden_Tragedy?from_search=true), a graphic novel by Rick Geary. Did you attend BookCon? We'd love it if you would call our voicemail line and share your thoughts about it (209-867-7323).   (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (15:25) (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1345685973l/15795357.jpg) Eleanor & Park (http://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/eleanor-and-park/164195) by Rainbow Rowell, narrated by Rebecca Lowman and Sunil Malhotra, is my pick for this week’s Audiobooks.com Audiobook of the Week. It's a Young Adult novel that I really loved. 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)   Archiving Authors (18:50)   Inspired by the story that the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin purchased Ian McEwan's archives (http://www.biblio.com/blog/2014/05/harry-ransom-center-purchases-ian-mcewan-archive-2m/?utm_source=Complete+List&utm_campaign=d87ab4b9a2-Rare_Finds5+5-6-2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c63007520b-d87ab4b9a2-50728185) for $2 million, Michael and I discuss the appeal of access to an author's papers, letters, and early drafts of beloved books. In the course of the conversation, we talk about the  extensive literary archives at the Harry Ransom Center (http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/) and now I want to take a road trip to Austin. Other books mentioned in this segment: Building the Monkey House: At Kurt Vonnegut's Writing Table (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17834865-building-the-monkey-house?ac=1) by Kurt Vonnegut and Gregory D. Sumner (ed)., The Original of Laura (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6267192-the-original-of-laura) by Vladimir Nabokov   Two books we can't wait for you to read (27:56)   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385354403l/18339901.jpg)  (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386629708l/18641982.jpg)   This week Michael recommends a graphic novel that he believes will have appeal beyond graphic novel fans: Afterlife with Archie by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa with art by Francesco Francavilla. In this book, Archie, Jughead and the rest of the Riverdale crew encounter zombies. Definitely not for children, it's dark and creepy and a lot of fun. I had a "literary vaction" with Emma Straub's The Vacationers,

A few follow-ups. What makes a classic a classic? And we recommend Marbles by Ellen Forney and My Salinger Year by Joanna Rakoff.  A Few Follow-ups We've had a wonderful response to BOTNS Bingo. 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. Ann received a comment about her audiobook recommendation last week. It was a book that featured violence toward women and the commenter mentioned the unfortunate timing with the Santa Barbara shootings. It made us wonder about the difference between violence shown on TV and in the movies, and that portrayed in books. Ann found an interesting article about women who read violent crime fiction (http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/21/women-violent-crime-fiction-explore-threats). It's a thorny subject to be sure, but one we will try to be more cognizant of in the future. (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (10:43) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9780739384312.jpg) The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley, narrated by Jayne Entwistle, is my pick for this week’s Audiobooks.com Audiobook of the Week. Here's a link (http://www.audiobooks.com/search/author/Alan%20Bradley) to all of Alan Bradley's books on Audiobooks.com. 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) What Makes a Classic a Classic? (13:37) Shiney, via Twitter, asked what makes a classic classic. There are obviously many different ways to define a classic. Many books that are in the public domain (copyright has expired) are classics, as are the books most often assigned in classes. Some books are a classic work of a certain genre, like 1984 is for dystopia. (Of course, 1984 is widely believed to have been inspired by Russian novel called We - so is that a classic too?) Because of the vast number of books published these days, is it harder for something to become a classic? In fifty years, it's likely Harry Potter will be considered a classic, but can the same be said of Wonder, or The Fault in Our Stars? It seems that only time will tell. Two Books We Can't Wait For You to Read (26:02) (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388198802l/13542990.jpg)     (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388374724l/18630531.jpg) I recommend Marbles, by Ellen Forney. Subtitled "Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me" this graphic memoir is an honest, raw, and funny look the author/artist's bipolar disorder diagnosis, her struggles with medication, and what that did to her artistic drive and abilities. Ann recommends My Salinger Year, by Joanna Rakoff, which chronicles the author's time working for a literary agent, during which she clandestinely responded (as herself) to fans who had written J.D. Salinger. It's a wonderful look at publishing in the 90's.

 Spoiler poll results; BOTNS Summer Reading Bingo, Americanah, and Bird Box.    Spoiler: This book has a twist!   First, special thanks to Len Edgerly for inviting Michael and me to be guests on episode 303 of The Kindle Chronicles podcast (http://www.thekindlechronicles.com/2014/05/23/tkc-303-ann-kingman-michael-kindness/). Len interviewed us about Books on the Nightstand and Booktopia, and the interview was recorded on the final day of Booktopia Boulder. Next, drumroll please: The results of our poll are in! 57.68% of you think that knowing about a big plot twist is the equivalent of a spoiler. This is an unscientific poll, and perhaps I swayed the voting by stating my beliefs. In any event, we will be even more vigilant about not "overhyping" a plot twist. But as you'll hear, this makes our jobs more difficult, as we struggle to find the balance. Thanks to all who voted! (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/spoilerchart-300x177.png)   (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (08:58): (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9780698153486.jpg)   Field of Prey (http://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/field-of-prey/211892) by John Sandford, narrated by Richard Ferrone, 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)   Beach Blanket Book Bingo (13:36): (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/BOTNS_Bingo__Random__-281x300.jpg)Memorial Day marks the official kickoff to summer here in the US, and got us thinking about summer reading. But we have talked about summer reading every summer. So we decided to try something different. Join us in playing BOTNS Book Bingo! Special thanks to Retreat by Random House (http://www.retreatbyrandomhouse.ca/2014/01/reading-bingo-challenge-2014/)for the inspiration! Just visit the link below and you'll see a BOTNS bingo card. HIT REFRESH TO GET A NEW, RANDOM CARD. You will also see a link to print the card. Use this BOTNS Bingo Card in any way you like to enhance your summer reading. You can choose to go after a particular Bingo row and pick the books that fit; you can read as normal and check off books as you read; or write each of your words on a slip of paper and draw randomly, reading until you get Bingo! My idea for "Free Square" is to watch a movie or television show based on a book I've read. Feel free to adopt that strategy. Michael and I are committed to each getting a BINGO before Labor Day. We've started a Goodreads thread (https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1838910-botns-282-botns-bingo) to discuss how YOU are going to play BOTNS Bingo. Play BOTNS Summer Reading Bingo   Two books we can't wait for you to read (24:31):   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1356654499l/15796700.jpg)   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1383949470l/18498558.jpg) Ann's pick for this week is Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a beautifully-written novel that explores racism in all its forms. It's an important book, but also a thoroughly entertaining and literary novel. Michael talks about Bird Box by Josh Malerman, a novel of psychological horror in which the "monsters" are never seen. Michael describes it as a visual plague -- if you see the creatures, you will die by your own hand.  

Bruce Holsinger, author of A Burnable Book, and Gail Caldwell, author of New Life, No Instructions, 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/9781491524060.jpg) The Julian Chapter (http://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/the-julian-chapter/212224) by R. J. Palacio, narrated by Michael Chamberlain, 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) Bruce and Gail in Booktopia (02:57) (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1378328811l/18090082.jpg)     (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1377630767l/18167004.jpg) We're pleased to present the first two author talks from Booktopia Vermont:  Bruce Holsinger, author of A Burnable Book, and Gail Caldwell, author of New Life, No Instructions.

 All the Light We Cannot See; Michael shaves his head; Twists and spoilers; We Were Liars We can't read this, but you totally should:   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1392575940l/18143977.jpg) The book that is at the top of my "want to read" list is a book I won't get to read until my summer vacation. But it's been getting so many raves and reviews and so much love from booksellers and others that I trust, that I don't want to wait to recommend it to you. We may do this from time to time, since so many of you love to hear about what's new and what's getting buzz. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr has gotten amazing reviews, is a #1 IndieNext pick for May, and is much-loved by so many of my bookselling friends.  (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (06:48) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9781455869909.jpg) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, narrated by Kate Rudd (http://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/the-fault-in-our-stars/196603), is Michael's pick for this week’s Audiobooks.com Audiobook of the Week. While it didn't make Michael cry, I know many others who did need a tissue or two while listening to this audiobook. 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)   Michael Shaves his Head at 08:56: (http://my.e2rm.com/imageWriter.aspx?elementPropertyID=34428990) This was mentioned in the Audiobook of the Week segment, but I don't want anyone to accidentally overlook it:  On June 8th, Michael is having his head shaved as a way to raise money for cancer research. If you'd like to donate, check out Michael's page (http://my.e2rm.com/PersonalPage.aspx?registrationID=2323966&langPref=en-CA&Referrer=http%3a%2f%2fbuzzforkids.org%2f) or Buzzforkids.org before June 8, 2014.   Jaw-dropping books: (12:43) This segment was inspired by a discussion on our Goodreads group: "Jaw-Dropping Books?" (https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1801406). Though the original poster asked for recommendations of "jaw-dropping books' like Gone Girl, I worry that talking about a "huge plot twist" is a form of spoiler. If I know there's a big twist or surprise, I keep that in the back of my mind as I read, trying to anticipate or predict what the twist will be. So we've decided to create a short poll:   Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey (https://www.surveymonkey.com) , the world's leading questionnaire tool. If you can't see the survey, please follow this link (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PCMPL9D) to answer. Feel free to share this survey with your book-loving friends. The larger the sample size, the more accurate the data! Thanks.   One book we can't wait for you to read: (18:55)   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1384302412l/16143347.jpg)   At the end of last year, one of our trusted colleagues at work sent a manuscript to me and Michael saying, "You have to read this." The book was We Were Liars by E. Lockheart. It's a book that will appeal to both young adults and to adults, who may or may not like YA books. It's the story of a young 17 year old who has suffered an accident, but doesn't quite remember the circumstances around the accident. Now, two years later, she's returning for the first time to the private island where her very wealthy family has a summer compound, and where the accident happened. We can't say more. Really. We can't. Just read it. We think you'll love it. Author E. Lockhart will be joining us at Booktopia Asheville in August,

Reading and writing on trains. Literary magazines. Delicious! by Ruth Reichl, and The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. On the Writing Side of the Tracks Ann and I both love reading on trains, and it appears that authors enjoy writing on...

Listener questions, a discussion about diversity in publishing, and new books from TaraShea Nesbit and George Saunders. Accents, and audio quality We have two questions from listeners this week: Crystal wants a recommendation for an audiobook version of Macbeth with a narrator who has a Scottish accent. Can any of you help here? I listened to a BBC Audiobooks version a million years ago, but I can't seem to find the exact record. We'd love to know if you have a favorite audio version of Macbeth. Please leave it in the comments so that others can see your recommendations. (Receiving this by email? To leave comments on this episode, head over to this episode's show notes at the blog (http://booksonthenightstand.com/2014/04/botns-278-whit…ing-literature.html ), and click the "comment" link at the top or bottom of the post.) Terri in Quincy, MA commented that the applause from our live Booktopia author talks is too loud. Honestly, we try to modulate the volume differences, but our equipment at those events is less than professional and it's very difficult. Still, we'll work on it for next time, and try a few things to see if we can even out the volume.   (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (07:52) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9780739319703.jpg) Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand, narrated by Edward Hermann 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)   Whitewashing literature (10:45) There's been quite a bit of controversy (http://bookriot.com/2014/04/23/readers-bookcon-diversity-book-expo-america/) about BookCon this week, especially since two weeks ago we talked up BookCon and encouraged you to go. The recent controversy came in two parts: first, the fact that one of the first announced Young Adult panels consisted solely of white men. Then, as the rest of the schedule was released, it became obvious that every author but one was Caucasian, and the one that wasn't Caucasian was a cat. This resulted in a lot of concern and discussion about diversity in the publishing industry. A recent article in Entertainment Weekly, "Kid Lit's Primary Color: White (http://shelf-life.ew.com/2014/04/15/kid-lits-primary-color-white-report/)," addresses the topic in terms of the diversity in children's book publishing. We bring this up because we think it's important to discuss, even though we don't have any answers, and we know that it's not always easy to program a diverse event. However, in the case of BookCon, which is aiming to be a leading industry event, has major publisher support, and is located in New York City, there should be no excuses. Let's hope the conversation about diversity continues, inside the industry and among readers. As for us, the books we talk about and the events we program, we'll try to do better, too.   Two books we can't wait for you to read (22:12)   (https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1376362145l/17978193.jpg)   (https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1387716636l/18373298.jpg)   Oh, how I love The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit! It's written in a very interesting manner -- the voice is first person plural ("We..."). The story of the women who were displaced to a top secret location in the desert while their husbands worked on the Manhattan Project is intriguing, and Nesbit's style makes evident that each woman had her own story while sharing the universal experience that all of these women lived.

Reading by mood. Connecting with authors. 10% Happier by Dan Harris and The Steady Running of the Hour by Justin Go. In the Mood... for Reading Three Hares Publishing (http://threeharespublishing.com/) in the UK has started publishing books by mood, using what they’re calling a “moodbar,” indicating what sort of state of mind you can expect from a book. It's a cool idea, and there are several books about reading this way, including The Novel Cure, and 1001 Books for Every Mood. (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (04:46) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9780449806968.jpg) World War Z: The Complete Edition (http://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/world-war-z-the-complete-edition/175384) by Max Brooks, narrated by a full, all-star cast, 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) Connecting Beyond the Page (08:19) Just back from Booktopia, we realize the importance of authors and author events, especially those that feature the author discussing his or her book, rather than just reading. That sort of author experience allows readers to connect with books through the writer. Every author at Booktopia did a wonderful job of sharing info about their book, whetting appetites for those who hadn't read the book yet, and even causing those who had read to want to re-read. As always, we recorded the Celebration of Authors, so you'll get to hear the authors speak. In the meantime, here's your assignment for 2014: try to attend an author event, even if it means driving out of your way to do so. We'd love to hear about your event experiences, especially if you haven't been to one before. Two Books We Can't Wait For You to Read (22:01) (https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1397426977l/18505796.jpg)   (https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1397777844l/18143778.jpg) 10% Happier by Dan Harris is the funny, accessible story of his journey to find balance in his life after an on-air panic attack while reading the news on Good Morning America. It's a skeptic's guide to meditation, that I'm finding incredibly real and honest. Ann recommends The Steady Running of the Hour by Justin Go, one of our Booktopia Boulder authors. It's the story that moves between World War I, early attempts at summiting Everest, and today, where a man will inherit a fortune if he can prove his connection a WWI soldier who died on Everest.

BookCon in NY. Negative reviews for prize-winning books. Books! by Murray McCain, and Astonish Me by Maggie Shipstead. A Book Trade Show for Everyone Ellen asked about book trade shows and if they are ever open to "regular" readers. BookCon (http://www.thebookcon.com/Home/) is a new event that has grown out of Book Expo America, the largest book trade show in the U.S. It's open to everyone and ticket (http://www.thebookcon.com/Tickets/) prices are very reasonable. There will be authors signing, publishers exhibiting, along with panels about books. As far as we know, this is the only trade show that now has a consumer component. Of course there are many book festivals around the country, including in LA (http://events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks/), DC (http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/), and Boston (http://www.bostonbookfest.org/). The Newburyport (MA) Literary Festival (http://www.newburyportliteraryfestival.org/) is coming up very soon! (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (09:18) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9781442370289.jpg)Flash Boys by Michael Lewis, narrated by Dylan Baker, is Ann's 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) Poor Donna Tartt (15:12) Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, which is wonderful news, but might actually lead to the book receiving more negative reviews from readers. A recent academic paper called The Paradox of Publicity (http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2350768) used reviews from Goodreads to analyze 64 books that either won or were shortlisted for major prizes. They also looked at when books were added to TBR piles, which indicates whether a book was read because of a prize, or not. Whether it's because of the "snob factor," or a perceived backlash, the authors of the paper can point to a marked decrease in review ratings. Two Books We Can't Wait For You to Read (31:11) (https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1375753735l/17465246.jpg)     (https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1384816768l/18209290.jpg) While browsing for some books for my kids, I came upon Books! by Murray McCain, with art by John Alcorn. Originally published in 1962 and recently re-released, this is a vibrant and exuberant look at what books are, what they do, and how great they can be. Ann loved, loved, loved Maggie Shipstead's new book Astonish Me, even more than she loved Maggie's first book Seating Arrangements. It's set in the ballet world, but even if you are not interested in ballet, do not miss this wonderful novel.

This week, we are pleased to present the final three author talks from Booktopia Petoskey: * Peter Geye, author of The Lighthouse Road * Edward Kelsey Moore, author of The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat * Susan Gregg Gilmore, author of The Funeral Dress. (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/lighthouse-202x300.jpg)   (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/supremes-193x300.jpg)   (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/funeral-194x300.jpg)  

Ann is in mourning. Studying poetry for National Poetry Month. Plus, new memoirs from Gail Caldwell and Kevin Brockmeier. Ann is in Mourning Ann is devastated by the loss of the Readmill (https://readmill.com/epilogue) e-book app. Though she still prefers paper books, when she did read electronically she much preferred using Readmill. She especially loved that books synced across all devices no matter where you bought the e-books. She also loved the social and statistic features, many of which are available on other apps, but none seem to have all of the features in one app.  (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (10:04) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9781478952718.jpg)The Bear by Claire Cameron, narrated by Cassandra Morris, 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 Free Ivy League Education in Poetry (14:28) April is National Poetry Month, and every year, Ann and I try to cultivate our appreciation of poetry. We often fail, but there are a couple ways you can try to increase your knowledge, one you can do now, and one you do this fall. Starting September 6, Coursera (https://www.coursera.org/) will once again be offering its Modern & Contemporary American Poetry (https://www.coursera.org/course/modernpoetry), or ModPo, online course. If you don't want to wait until the fall, you can view videos of all of the lectures from a a Yale Modern Poetry (http://oyc.yale.edu/english/engl-310) Course via Open Yale Courses (http://oyc.yale.edu/). There are  25 lectures and a final exam. Ivy League courses without the Ivy League cost! Two Books We Can't Wait For You to Read (24:37) (https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1377630767l/18167004.jpg)      (https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1388754598l/18630655.jpg) Gail Caldwell's New Life, No Instructions (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18167004-new-life-no-instructions) is a wonderful look at period of Gail's life that saw several changes including a new puppy, and an operation that eliminated her lifelong limp and her recent pain while walking. Ann recommends (to all of you, but mostly to me) A Few Seconds of Radiant Filmstrip, Kevin Brockmeier's memoir of seventh grade. It's a memoir that reads like a novel, and it's for anyone who had those moments of adolescent awkwardness that often occurred in seventh grade.

Fountain pens, fandom, Sous Chef and The Cold Song ... More questions from the inbox The Tournament of Books (http://www.themorningnews.org/tob/) is underway and The People in the Trees (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16126596-the-people-in-the-trees?from_search=true) is quite the spoiler! I'm watching every round, rooting for Hanya Yanigaraha's novel which beat Life After Life in round one (http://www.themorningnews.org/tob/2014/life-after-life-v-the-people-in-the-trees.php) and trounced The Goldfinch in the quarter-final round (http://www.themorningnews.org/tob/2014/the-goldfinch-v-the-people-in-the-trees.php). As an addendum to this podcast, which was recorded on March 24th, The People in the Trees has gone on to beat Philip Meyer's The Son. (http://www.themorningnews.org/tob/2014/the-son-v-the-people-in-the-trees.php) Please excuse my glee. After the gloating, we answer two questions: Andrea in Louisville, KY asks about "rebound books," the book that you pick up after reading something that you really loved.  We've referred to these as "palate cleansers" in the past, and it's a problem we have often. When you love a book, often the next book just can't measure up, no matter how wonderful it may be. To get out of these slumps, we watch TV, but we also like genre fiction, thrillers, and things that are "known entities." Michelle from Kentucky refers to a recent podcast where I described my love for fountain pens, and she wants the details.  My favorite fountain pen is the Twsbi Diamond 580 (http://www.twsbi.com/product.php?id_product=10) and I buy them either direct or from Goulet Pens (http://www.gouletpens.com/). And Michelle didn't ask, but I know that we'll get emails, so I'll also share my favorite notebooks (the Rhodia Web Notebook in Dot Grid (http://www.gouletpens.com/Black_Dot_Grid_Large_Rhodia_Webnotebook_p/r118769.htm)) to use with my fountain pens. [note: we don't get any compensation from those links, though if Twsbi or Goulet Pens wants to sponsor the podcast, give us a shout!].   (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (12:54) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9781441734310.jpg)   We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson, narrated by Bernadette Dunne, 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 power of fan-tastic readers (16:33) We've been thinking about "fandom" and how people who are diehard supporters of a book, tv show or movie seem to go to all lengths to demonstrate their love for that property. This article, The Strongest Brand in Publishing is... (http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidvinjamuri/2014/03/04/the-strongest-brand-in-publishing-is/) by David Vinjamuri, got our attention. A recent study looked at authors and the power of an author's brand on book sales. They found that, overall, sales of books depended on how loyal the readers for that author were. Awards and reviews were less important. And in fact, they found that among authors studied, the number one brand was Jack Reacher -- the main character in the series of books written by Lee Child. This isn't based on sales, but instead on fan loyalty. Even though more book shoppers are aware of Stephen King and John Grisham, more people list Lee Child as their favorite. In this segment, we also talk about the fact that fans of movies and TV shows often have identifiable names (Trekkies, Who-vians), but few book properties have such talked about fandoms.

Updates on previous topics. Geek Love turns 25. Recommendations for Apple Tree Yard and A Life in Books. A Few Updates on Previous Topics Last week, we gave Joe from Buffalo a few ideas of authors to read, considering he loves John Grisham and Dan Brown. BOTNS' librarian friend Carol rightly pointed out that we forgot to mention Steve Berry, whose first book, The Amber Room, is one that Ann loved. Following up on the discussion Melissa and I had about books that don't work so well in e-form, Ann recently found out about Wink Books (http://winkbooks.tumblr.com/), a site dedicated to "Remarkable Books that Belong on Paper." There's a new one every weekday. (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (05:28) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9780307747945.jpg)   20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, narrated by James Frain, 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) Celebrating a Dark Modern Classic (07:50)(https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1179006149l/864952.jpg) It's hard to believe that it's been twenty-five years since Geek Love by Katherine Dunn was published. It's a book that took the publishing and bookselling world by storm. Its darkness was something that hadn't really been seen in books before then. A recent article (http://www.wired.com/underwire/2014/03/geek-love/) on Wired.com charts the novel's history and it's lasting effect on pop culture, including the works of Karen Russell who said of picking up the book for the first time, "I felt electrocuted when I read that first page. I stood there in the bookstore and my jaw came unhinged." Two Books We Can't Wait For You to Read (15:29) (https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1375931670l/17910163.jpg)      (https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1363078557l/17465700.jpg) Ann recommends Apple Tree Yard by Louise Doughty, the story of a scientist named Louise Carmichael, who makes a very bad decision that could doom her legal trial. This psychological thriller is perfect for fans of Tana French. The main character of Warren Lehrer's A Life in Books is Bleu Mobley, an incarcerated author who is finally telling his life story, complete with the covers, descriptions, and excerpts of all 101 of his books. I'm only a third of the way through this book and I've already encountered several of Mobley's books that I wish were real, so that I could read them.

 A few highlights of books coming in August and September 2014, recommendations for fans of Grisham and Dan Brown, book subscription services, and two books we can't wait for you to read. Big thanks to Melissa Klug for pitching in and hosting last week!   Ann's turn to tease As you know from last week, we're just back from Sales Conference where we heard about books that will be published in Fall 2014. There were so many great books, I found it very difficult to limit my list, so here are just a few of the books that I am very excited for you to read. * In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides (http://www.hamptonsides.com/) * The Teacher Wars: A History of America's Most Embattled Profession (http://www.danagoldstein.net/dana_goldstein/thebook.html) by Dana Goldstein * Margaret Atwood has a new collection of stories, The Stone Mattress (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13243845-stone-mattress?from_search=true) * Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage (http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/feb/18/haruki-murakami-due-english-colorless-tsukuru-tazaki-and-his-years-of-pilgrimage) by Haruki Murakami * Station Eleven (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20262706-station-eleven?from_search=true) by Emily St. John Mandel     (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (09:19) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9780062308689.jpg)  A Burnable Book by Bruce Holsinger, narrated by Simon Vance, 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) Subscriptions and Slumps (12:37) We answer two questions from our Q&A submissions. Joe from Buffalo is in a reading slump, and wants recommendation for books that are similar to Dan Brown or John Grisham. Oh, do we have recommendations! * Lee Child's Jack Reacher series (https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=lee+child) * Kathy Reichs (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/26372.Kathy_Reichs) * Christopher Reich (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/49607.Christopher_Reich?from_search=true), especially Numbered Account * Dean Koontz (https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=dean+koontz&search_type=books&search%5Bfield%5D=on), maybe starting with Velocity * Scott Turow (https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=scott+turow&search_type=books&search%5Bfield%5D=on) * Richard North Patterson (https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=richard+north+patterson&search_type=books&search%5Bfield%5D=on) * John Sanford (https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=john+sandford&search_type=books&search%5Bfield%5D=on)'s "Prey" series Another way to get out of a reading slump could be a bookstore subscription service. Barbara from Wyoming emailed in to ask about them. Since Barbara does not have a local bookstore, she asked how one might find a bookstore subscription club. Many stores have these clubs, where you sign up for a period of time and receive a book in the mail every month or every quarter. Some are book only, some are specifically author signed first editions, and some come packaged with bonus items. Our first recommendation would be to do some sleuthing online to find a bookstore with recommendations that appeal to your tastes. Many stores have these clubs, and many list their previous selections on their websites. A few that we mentioned in this episode (and be aware that there are many, many more but we could not name them all):

Sales conference recap. E-books vs. e-books. Recommendations for Provenance by Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo, and FBP: Federal Bureau of Physics by Simon Olive and Robbi Rodriguez. Many thanks to BOTNS friend Melissa Klug (https://twitter.com/melissaklug) for filling in while Ann is sick with the head cold from hell. The sound quality of this episode is not up to our usual standards because it was recorded over the phone. There are a few places where the sound drops out for a moment, and I seem to have a slight echo throughout the podcast, but I hope it won't interfere with your enjoyment of the episode! Sales Conference Recap Ann and I are both just back from sales conference, and it was a particularly wonderful week, where we heard about books coming out September - February. We also got to hear Carl Hiaasen, Jodi Picoult (her new book, Leaving Time, is wonderful), Nicholas Kristof, and Sheryl WuDunn speak. There are so many wonderful books coming this Fall/Winter, I couldn't possibly mention them all, and I especially didn't want to tease to books that aren't coming out for nearly a year. So, a few books I'm particularly looking forward to are: * Neil Patrick Harris' Autobiography (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20170296-untitled?from_search=true) (watch for a big title and cover announcement by mid-May) * Horrorstör, by Grady Hendrix (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4826394.Grady_Hendrix?from_search=true), a haunted house story set in an IKEA-like megastore. * The Life We Bury (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20758175-the-life-we-bury?from_search=true), by Allen Eskins, a stunning debut mystery set in Minnesota. * Make It Ahead (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20697389-make-it-ahead?from_search=true), a new Barefoot Contessa cookbook from Ina Garten (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (07:52) (http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9781101436875.jpg) Washington (http://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/washington-a-life/196373) by Ron Chernow, read by Scott Brick, is Melissa's 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) e-books vs. E-books (10:42)(http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/S-interior-300x194.jpg) In this case, the "E"s refer to electronic books, and what we're calling enhanced physical books. There are many ways to consume a book these days: physical, electronic, and audio, and more and more publishers are using each form to its fullest extent. S. by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst is a physical book with a conversation between two people written in the margins, along with physical maps, notes, and letters that have been inserted between the pages for the reader to discover. Night Film by Marisha Pessl includes many images that add much to the spooky feeling of the book. It seems that both of these would lose something in the translation to audiobook. However, audiobooks can add so many layers of their own, with voices, multiple narrators, and/or music as was done with the audio of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. Riverhead Books created a very special, limited, and expensive edition of Chang-rae Lee's On Such a Full Sea, with a three-dimensional slipcase. This video shows you how it was made: And finally, on the lower end of the price spectrum are special editions of books done simply with nicer cover stock, deckle edges (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deckle), french flaps