BookBrowse Highlights
Hello Readers!
Our First Impressions reviewers are loving Kerri Maher’s enrapturing Summer of Love, which combines a typical ‘60s narrative with tales of the wine industry and writing itself.
And members are discussing David Woo and Margalit Shinar’s Merry-Go-Round Broke Down, a fascinating novel of interwoven stories that tell the larger story of the global economy.
In Editor’s Choice, we cover the latest from David Sedaris, The Land and Its People, packed with witty and absurd autobiographical essays. We also bring you a “beyond the book” article on the collaboration between author Robert Macfarlane and artist Jackie Morris, relating to their recent The Book of Birds, a breathtakingly beautiful account of endangered avian species.
Plus, exciting news! Members can now buy books directly through BookBrowse at a discounted price (details below).
Thanks for reading,
The BookBrowse Team
First Impressions
Each month, we share books with BookBrowse members to read and review. Here are their opinions on one recently released title.
Summer of Love by Kerri Maher
“Joan is the matriarch, the head of Hartley vineyards. Her daughter, Miranda, follows in her footsteps and takes over the running of the vineyard. Her sister, Winnie, is the opposite, the true daughter of the summer of love. She's a classic hippie and immerses herself in drugs and alcohol and sex just to feel alive. Dawn is Miranda's daughter, an artist who struggles with her own addictions. When Dawn and her friend, Amelia, discover a popular young adult book series, the comparisons to Hartley vineyard cannot be ignored. They set out on a quest to find the author and in doing so find themselves.” —Rebecca_Gaulton
“I highly recommend this book. It's an absolutely beautifully written story about sisters, set against the historical fiction backdrop of the counterculture revolution in San Francisco and the rise of women leaders in the wine industry.” —Angela_W
“Multiple POVs and timelines are a personal favorite of mine, and this story did not disappoint…My first 5-star read of the year. A must-read for anyone grappling with following dreams and finding your place in the world. No one is ever too old to reach for their summer of love.” —Bridgette_T
Book Club Discussions
Discussions are open to all! If you’d like to participate, you can do so by creating an account here. Please note that discussions can contain spoilers.
Merry-Go-Round Broke Down by David Woo and Margalit Shinar
From the Jacket
Fall 2008. The Waldorf Astoria New York. Two armed men storm the hotel's famed bar and hold the occupants hostage: an American corporate raider, a Chinese tycoon, a British hedge fund manager, a Japanese housewife-turned-celebrity, a Mexican undocumented worker, a Wall Street bond salesman, and a Norwegian environmentalist.
Who are these terrorists? What do they want? And what ties them to their captives?
From the Discussion
“Other similar novels with overarching connected narratives, such as Winesburg, Ohio, are brought together by place or a central event to which each story relates. This was unique in that the authors created a world narrative of sorts, which I found compelling and, actually, a little scary in its implications…it is thought-provoking, well-conceived and written, and surprisingly moving.” —Diane_C
“I have never read a book quite like Merry-Go-Round Broke Down. I enjoyed the connections from one story to the next.” —Catherine_O_Callagha
“This is easily one of the best books I have read this year and it is not one that I would have picked on my own, so glad that I requested it and stepped out of my comfort zone a little bit. I found I couldn’t put it down when I started.” —Becky_S
For Members
This issue of The BookBrowse Review contains reviews and "beyond the book" articles for 16 titles, including The Land and Its People by David Sedaris, Babylon, South Dakota by Tom Lin, and Mad Eden by Morgan Thomas.
We also bring you previews of upcoming books, our most anticipated releases of July–December this year, and more.
Not Yet a Member? Do you love to spend your reading hours immersed in captivating storytelling and intriguing ideas?
Then a BookBrowse membership is for you! What you see on BookBrowse for free and in this newsletter is just a small part of what is available to paying members—for just $5.00/month! Join Today!
Get 20% off brand-new books with a BookBrowse membership!
It’s never been a better time to be a BookBrowser, because BookBrowse is now selling hardcovers and paperbacks through our partner, BookSell, and paying BookBrowse members now get 20% off any books purchased through BookBrowse, including newly released titles.
Not only that, but anyone can get 5% off books with a free membership—just sign up here.
And BC+ members get 30% off! If you’d like to consider upgrading, you can do so from your account.
To purchase from BookBrowse, simply select BookBrowse from the “Buy This Book” dropdown menu on any book page. To receive the discount, you’ll need to be logged into your account. If you don’t see us as an option, that means we’re not currently offering the title. As this is a new feature, please let us know if you run into any issues or have any questions. Happy reading!
Editor’s Choice
The Land and Its People by David Sedaris
There is a passage in David Sedaris' new book of essays where he is trying to engage his fourteen-year-old godson Tommy in a conversation. He remembers his own godfather Nick, and not fondly. Nick was "a complete dud. A deadbeat. No birthday gifts that I can remember. No Christmas checks. I saw him three times in my life." Remembering how little he mattered to Nick, Sedaris wanted to be a different kind of godfather, but Tommy is perfectly adolescent. Mumbling. Disinterested. Annoyed. It triggers an instinct in Sedaris to dig deeper and do more, beg more; he can win this tête-à-tête. It's such a relatable scene, particularly when he fails.
The vulnerability Sedaris exposes during a simple breakfast conversation is why his essays are beloved. He doesn't write about martyrs or perfection, just ordinary people and awkward encounters, like a godfather and his reluctant godson in a New Jersey restaurant eating pancakes. … continued
Review by Valerie Morales
Beyond the Book
The Creative Partnership of Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris
Writer Robert Macfarlane and artist Jackie Morris have established themselves as leading names in the UK and beyond.
The Book of Birds is the duo's fourth major project together, combining Morris's enchanting watercolors with hybrid prose-poem-essays written by Macfarlane, celebrating the majesty of the bird species at risk of being lost at the hand of humans. … continued
Article by Callum McLaughlin
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