Edmonds Booktalk: Great new books in store for September

I’ve probably said it before; I still believe it to be true: September is the best of all months. Among other reasons, is the fantastic lists of books, scheduled to be published in the next few months that get talked about and recommended and compiled by all kinds of people and publications and media outlets… always so interesting to see which titles turn up on multiple disparate lists! So, whatever else the next few months hold in store, this fall has at least this one good thing going for it: great new books! Here is a small selection of the books that we are most looking forward to:

• “Matrix” by Lauren Groff. Equally alive to the sacred and the profane, this is a defiant and timely exploration of the raw power of female creativity in a corrupted world. Chosen for Indie Next. September 7, 2021
• “The Magician” by Colm Tóibín. In a stunning marriage of research and imagination, this novel explores the heart and mind of Thomas Mann, a writer whose gift is unparalleled and whose life is driven by a need to belong and the anguish of illicit desire. September 7, 2021
• For young readers “Pax, Journey Home” by Sara Pennypacker, illus. by Jon Klassen.  It has been a year since newly orphaned Peter and his pet fox Pax, now a protective father, have seen each other, but their paths cross again when Pax’s kit falls desperately ill forcing him to turn to the one human he knows he can trust. September 7, 2021.
• For young readers “Willodeen” by Katherine Applegate. A middle-grade novel about a girl who risks everything to help her handmade bear when he comes to life. September 7, 2021.
• For ages 6 – 8 “Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness: A Narwhal and Jelly Book #6” by Ben Clanton. Narwhal and Jelly become the coolest teachers in the world wide waters in the hilarious sixth book of the graphic novel series! September 7, 2021
• “On Freedom: Four Songs of Care and Constraint” by Maggie Nelson. Combining thoughtful cultural criticism with anecdotes from her personal life, she delivers an intriguing work of nonfiction that seeks to challenge readers’ definition of freedom and rethink how the concept operates in our lives. Chosen for Indie Next. On NPR, here. September 7, 2021.
• “Apples Never Fall” by Liane Moriarty. The new novel looks at marriage, siblings, and how the people we love the most can hurt us the deepest. And tennis! September 14, 2021.
• “Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law” by Mary Roach. Join America’s funniest science writer on an irresistible investigation into the unpredictable world where wildlife and humans meet. Chosen for Indie Next.  Staff recommended author. September 14, 2021.
• “Harlem Shuffle” by Colson Whitehead.  A gloriously entertaining novel of heists, shakedowns, and rip-offs set in Harlem in the 1960s. Chosen for Indie Next.  September 14, 2021.
• “The Book of Form and Emptiness” by Ruth Ozeki.  A brilliantly inventive novel about loss, growing up, and our relationship with things. September 21, 2021.
• “Bewilderment: A Novel” by Richard Powers. With its soaring descriptions of the natural world, its tantalizing vision of life beyond, and its account of a father and son’s ferocious love, this is his most intimate and moving novel. September 21, 2021.
• “The Price of the Ticket: Collected Nonfiction: 1948-1985” by James Baldwin.  Mr. Baldwin’s “The Fire Next Time” is our September Bookclub title. See here for all kinds of information. September 21, 2021.
• “The Speckled Beauty: A Dog and His People” by Rick Bragg. Included in my August “Dog Days” column, here. And on our blog along with more great dog books, here.  September 21, 2021.
• “Under the Whispering Door” by TJ Klune.  Hilarious, haunting, and kind, this is a delightful queer love story about a life spent at the office and a death spent building a home. Staff highly recommended author! September 21, 2021.
• “Peril” by Bob Woodward, Robert Costa.  The authors cover the end of the Trump presidency and the early months of the Biden presidency. September 21, 2021
• “Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem” by Amanda Gorman. A lyrical picture book debut from the presidential inaugural poet. For ages 4+ September 21, 2021.
• “Cloud Cuckoo Land: A Novel” by Anthony Doerr. A triumph of imagination and compassion, a soaring story about children on the cusp of adulthood in worlds in peril, who find resilience, hope–and a book. September 28, 2021.
• “A Little Book of Self-Care for Those Who Grieve” by Paula Becker and Rebekah Nichols (Illustrator). A thoughtful and gentle approach to working through grief, specifically created for those in the overwhelming early days of loss, from the local author, who knows of what she speaks. September 28, 2021.

• “Crossroads” by Jonathan Franzen. His gift for melding depth and vividness of character with breadth of social vision has never been more dazzlingly evident. October 5, 2021.
• “The Lincoln Highway” by Amor Towles. The master of absorbing, sophisticated fiction returns with a stylish and propulsive novel set in 1950s America spanning just ten days and told from multiple points of view. October 5, 2021.
• “Fight Night” by Miriam Toews. A compassionate, darkly humorous, and deeply wise new novel about three generations of women. October 5, 2021.
• “The Book of Magic: A Novel” by Alice Hoffman. The breathtaking conclusion of the “Practical Magic” series is a spellbinding and enchanting Owens novel brimming with lyric beauty and vivid characters. October 5, 2021.
• “Silverview” by John Le Carre. In this posthumously released novel, he writes about his favorite subject –the secret world of spies. October 12, 2021.
• “The Brides of Maracoor: A Novel“ by Gregory Maguire. The first in a three-book series spun off the iconic ‘Wicked Years,’ featuring Elphaba’s green-skinned granddaughter. October 12, 2021.
• “State of Terror” by Louise Penny and Hillary Clinton. “…a novel of unsurpassed thrills and incomparable insider expertise.” October 12, 2021.
• “Oh William!” by Elizabeth Strout. The iconic heroine Lucy Barton recounts her complex, tender relationship with William, her first husband. October 19, 2021.
• “Winter Recipes from the Collective” by Louise Glueck. Her first poetry book since winning the Nobel Prize last year. October 20, 2021.
• “Renegades: Born in the USA” by Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen. Two longtime friends share an intimate and urgent conversation about life, music, and their enduring love of America. October 26, 2021.
• “The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present” by Paul McCartney. This work of unparalleled candor and splendorous beauty celebrates the creative life and the musical genius of Paul McCartney through 154 of his most meaningful songs. November 2, 2021.
• “The Sentence” by Louise Erdrich. In this stunning and timely novel, she creates a wickedly funny ghost story; a tale of passion, of a complex marriage, and of a woman’s relentless errors. November 9, 2021.
• “Five Tuesdays in Winter: Stories” by Lily King. Her first-ever collection of exceptional and innovative short stories. November 9, 2021.
• “These Precious Days: Essays” by Ann Patchett. The author reflects on home, family, friendships and writing in this deeply personal collection of essays. November 23, 2021.
• “Wish You Were Here” by Judy Picoult. A powerfully evocative story of resilience and the triumph of the human spirit. November 30, 2021.

All of these are available to pre-order, of course! And there are so many more books that people are talking about and looking forward to and recommending… we have gathered [and will continue to gather!]many more lists on the blog posts on our website: EdmondsBookshop.com. Check back often!

Edmonds Bookshop Book Club

We are still doing Zoom meetings for Edmonds Bookshop Book Club.

Zoom meeting Wednesday, Sept. 15 – 9 to 10 a.m.: “The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin.
At once a powerful evocation of his childhood in Harlem and a disturbing examination of the consequences of racial injustice “The Fire Next Time” stands as one of the essential works of American literature.

More information about the book and the club is here.

Send us an email here to register your email for book club membership. We will send you an invitation with a Zoom Meeting link as each book club meeting is scheduled. Once you accept the invitation it will show up in your calendar.

Sept. 16 – Third Thursday Art Walk! 5-8 p.m.

Join us at 6 p.m. on Facebook Live as we welcome author Jen Bardsley to talk about her newest book: “Quick Fix.”

A Young Adult Science Fiction Thriller by Louise Cypress. [a pen name of Jennifer Bardsley]

Three teens are caught in a bioterrorism plot to destroy Seattle involving a diet drink that kills.

A thrilling companion to “Narcosis Room.”

All kinds of great information on our website here.

Sept. 24, 25, 26 – Downtown Edmonds Brouhaha! Backroom Blowout & Sidewalk Sale.
The backroom blowout is a chance to get great deals on past season items, overstocks, and display merchandise, while you support local! It’s a once a year sale!

Shop and save at participating retailers. The list of participating shops and a map on the website, here.

 Recent book releases of note:

“Book of Accidents” by Chuck Wendig. Staff recommended by Elaine. Chosen for Indie Next.

“Once There Were Wolves” by Charlotte McConaghy. Staff recommended by Michelle. Chosen for Indie Next.

“Damnation Spring” by Ash Davidson. Staff recommended by Michelle and Mary Kay. Chosen for Indie Next.

“Velvet Was the Night” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.  A riveting noir about a daydreaming secretary, a lonesome gangster, and the mystery of the missing woman that brings them together.  Chosen for Indie Next.
“Lightning Strike” by William Kent Kruger. A prequel! Chosen for Indie Next.

“My Heart is a Chainsaw” by Stephen Graham Jones. Chosen for Indie Next.

“Feral Creatures” by Kira Jane Buxton. The sequel to “Hollow Kingdom” from local author Buxton. Chosen for Indie Next.

“Magic Lessons” by Alice Hoffman. Now in paper. Staff recommended by Susan and Elaine. Chosen for Indie Next.

“Afterparties: Stories” by Anthony Veasna So. A debut story collection about Cambodian-American life-immersive and comic, yet unsparing.  Chosen for Indie Next.

“Holdout” by Jeffrey Kluger. When evil forces are going unchecked on Earth, a principled astronaut makes a spilt-second decision to try to seek justice in the only place she knows how–the International Space Station.  Chosen for Indie Next.

“Billy Summers” by Stephen King. He’s a killer for hire and the best in the business. But he’ll do the job only if the target is a truly bad guy. What could possibly go wrong?  Chosen for Indie Next.

“All In: An Autobiography” by Billie Jean King, Johnette Howard and Maryanne Vollers. An inspiring and intimate self-portrait of the champion of equality that encompasses her brilliant tennis career, unwavering activism, and an ongoing commitment to fairness and social justice.  Chosen for Indie Next.

“The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois” by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers. The 2020 National Book Award-nominated poet makes her fiction debut. Oprah’s latest book club choice. Chosen for Indie Next.

“The Guide” by Peter Heller. Staff favorite author. Chosen for Indie Next.

“The Madness of Crowds: Chief Inspector Gamache Novel #17” by Louise Penny. Staff recommended!  Chosen for Indie Next.

“A Slow Fire Burning” by Paula Hawkins. A gripping, twisting story of deceit, murder, and revenge.  Chosen for Indie Next. 

Some more books of note being released in September:

“Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty” by Anderson Cooper. Cooper teams with bestselling historian and novelist Katherine Howe to chronicle the rise and fall of a legendary American dynasty — his mother’s family, the Vanderbilts. September 21, 2021.

“Red Roulette: An Insider’s Story of Wealth, Power, Corruption, and Vengeance in Today’s China” by Desmond Shum. A unique and incendiary memoir from an entrepreneur who rose to the highest realms of power and money in China and whose wife was disappeared, this reveals the truth of what is happening inside the country’s wealth-making machine. NPR author interview, here. September 7, 2021.

“Inseparable: A Never-Before-Published Novel” by Simone de Beauvoir. Introduction by Margaret Atwood. September 7, 2021.

“Poet Warrior: A Memoir” by Joy Harjo. September 7, 2021.

“Beautiful Country: A Memoir” by Qian Julie Wang. Chosen for Indie Next.  September 7, 2021.

“Shutdown: How Covid Shook the World’s Economy” by Adam Tooze. September 7, 2021.

“Palmares” by Gayl Jones.  September 14, 2021.

“You Got Anything Stronger?: Stories” by Gabrielle Union.  September 14, 2021.

“The Wrong End of the Telescope” by Rabih Alameddine.  September 18, 2021.

We will keep posting our favorite reads, along with links to all kinds of book-related interesting things! In all the places: on our website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

You may pre-order any forthcoming title by visiting our website.

Stay safe. Do your best to stay sane. And as always: Happy reading

— By Elaine Mattson

Edmonds native Elaine Mattson has worked at The Edmonds Bookshop off and on since she was 12 years old, and has also worked at a book wholesaler, a book publisher, and for the book publishing division of a large local software company (yes, that one). “I was raised a book lover [thanks, Mom!],” Mattson says. “We got book lights by our beds as soon as we were old enough to read. And then I probably got in trouble for reading too late the very next night. And I still read too late!