Patricia Highsmith's Hidden Hit Novel

Let's Call Her Barbie

by Renée Rosen

From the Jacket

She was only eleven-and-a-half inches tall, but she would change the world. Barbie is born in this bold new novel by USA Today bestselling author Renée Rosen.

When Ruth Handler walks into the boardroom of the toy company she co-founded and pitches her idea for a doll unlike any other, she knows what she's setting in motion. It might just take the world a moment to catch up.

From the Discussion

"Barbie's creation and the challenges and problems along the way make for a good story. Renée Rosen’s books are always well-researched and written!" —Angela_W

"Loved the book & highly recommend whether Barbie fan or not…Author did a great job of character development and kept the reader engaged throughout." —Dianne_F

See what people are saying in response to this question: "Did you play with Barbies as a child, or did you shave off all her hair in a fit of protest? Were you allowed to have Barbies, or did your parents forbid you to play with 'that' doll?"

This issue of The BookBrowse Review, a special retrospective offering, contains reviews and "beyond the book" articles for 14 titles, including The Price of Salt, or Carol, by Patricia Highsmith, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, and White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

We also bring you the latest book news, First Impressions picks, and much more.

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The Price of Salt, or Carol

by Patricia Highsmith

The Price of Salt is widely regarded as the first novel about queer women to feature a "happy" ending. Its author, who had just made a name for herself with the novel Strangers on a Train, published the book under a pseudonym partly to protect her reputation; it was not until 1990 that Highsmith finally agreed to put her name on the cover. 

Which is not to say the story is without tragedy. It centers around a 19-year-old woman named Therese Belivet who is working at a New York City department store to make extra money over the holidays. She falls spontaneously and devastatingly in love with an older woman, Carol Aird, who stops in the store to purchase a doll for her daughter.

If you've seen the movie adaptation, Carol (2015), directed by Todd Haynes and starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, but haven't read the book, you've only experienced a fraction of the charm and romantic effervescence of this exquisite story. ... continued

Review by Lisa Butts

Toni Morrison & The Bluest Eye

Toni Morrison is the author of 11 works of fiction as well as a number of books and essays. She's best known for her novel Beloved, which won the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Morrison received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993 (the first Black woman to win the award) and was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the highest civilian honor of the United States — by Barack Obama in 2012.

The Bluest Eye was Morrison's first novel and had its genesis in an elementary school incident. A classmate said that she wanted to have blue eyes, her implication being that blue eyes were beautiful, while her own brown eyes were not. The statement made an impression on Morrison, who never forgot what she felt was an indication of self-loathing. She crafted the occurrence into a short story while at Howard, and shared it with others in her writing group.

When Morrison arrived in New York in the 1960s she was newly divorced, had two young children, and had just started a new job. "In short," she told one interviewer, "I was miserable." ... continued

Article by Kim Kovacs

We know it can be tough to keep up with all the new books coming out every month, so we do the hard work for you. We've carefully selected 100+ of the most noteworthy books publishing in February and are continually updating our selections — check them out and get yourself on the library wait-list ahead of the crowd!

BookBrowse members can see, sort, and download the full list of previews for all months.

Non-subscribers can view books up to the current month and a limited selection of future months. If you don't already, you may also wish to subscribe to our Publishing This Week newsletter.

Help Wanted

by Adelle Waldman

From the Jacket

A humane and darkly comic workplace caper that shines a light on the odds low-wage workers are up against in today's economy, Help Wanted is a funny, moving tale of ordinary people trying to make a living.

Praise

"The workplace dramedy of the year." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"[A] bracing and worthwhile glimpse of the high stakes faced by low-wage workers."

—Publishers Weekly

"Could not be more fascinating or more fun." —People

About This Sweepstakes

We have up to 30 paperback copies of Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman to give away. If a winner is in a book club they will receive a copy for each member of their group (up to a maximum of 10 copies); if a winner is not in a book club they will receive 4 copies (one for themselves and three to share with friends).

This offer is open to residents of the USA, except for BookBrowse members, who are welcome to enter wherever they live. If a member not resident in the US wins, they receive an extension to their membership.