Costco Connection - June 2006

book prevıews

For Father’s Day: Men
at work, play and war

New Mexico as his pastry chef, Greenie packs anyway. He tells all—sometimes too much— up and heads to Santa Fe with her 4-year-old in this combat memoir, mixed with his own son. Her husband, Alan, then befriends Saga, judgments about politics, politicians and the a woman who lost her memory after an acci- war. He is an equal-opportunity observer— plex and occasionally difficult ballplayer and dent.Asallthese livesintersect, acataclysmic both Democrats and Republicans feel his a social history of baseball. Khan’s poetic event calls for decisions to be made about the sword. Riechkoff and a small cadre of like- masterpiece of sporting literature, first pub-meaning of love, fidelity and loyalty. minded military men, founded Operation lished in the early 1970s, follows the Brooklyn

Truth to get the word out; this polemic is part Dodgers, as a team and as individuals. In

FICTION salvage Poe’s reputation. What he encounters

The Whole World Over, by Julia Glass. are unanswered questions concerning the

Readers of Glass’ National Book Award win- Baltimore slave trade, a female assassin and ner, The Three Junes, will recognize the char- the real story of Poe’s last hours. acter Fenno McLeod, but this book follows

Greenie Duquette, who has a small bakery in NONFICTION

Manhattan and a therapist husband with his Chasing Ghosts, by Paul Riechkoff. own secrets. When Walter, Greenie’s gay Despite misgivings about America’s reasons friend, recommends her to the governor of for invading Iraq, Riechkoff decided to go

PHOTODISC

The Poe Shadow, by Matthew Pearl. of that effort. Summer of ’ 49, Halberstam decribes an era Following his debut novel, The Dante Club, when baseball players were driven by pride, Poe once again combines literature, history Sandy Koufax: A Lefty’s Legacy, by Jane not salaries. It was a summer of great personal and mystery to tell the story of the last days of Leavy, The Boys of Summer, by Roger drama for the Boston Red Sox and the New Edgar Allan Poe. Most people believe that he Kahn and Summer of ’ 49, by David Hal- York Yankees, with Ted Williams and Joe died a disgraceful drunkard. An admirer of berstam. Here’s a seasonal offering to enjoy DiMaggio cast as leading players. Halberstam Poe, a Baltimore lawyer named Quentin when you’re not watching the great American captures all the sights and sounds, on and off Clark, puts his own career at risk as he tries to pastime. Leavy offers a biography of a com- the field.—Valerie Ryan

book look

Big Read announces next steps

AFTER ANNOUNCING the National En- ties earlier this year, encourages communities
dowment for the Arts’ (NEA) Big Read last to read and discuss one of several preselected
year (see “Book Look,” August 2005), chair books.
Dana Gioia unveiled the next phase in mid- The NEA is now asking cities, towns and
May. Gioia hopes to add 100 communities other areas to apply for an NEA grant if they
and eight new books to the program—with would like to launch the program. To find out
the aim of restoring “reading to the center of how your community is or can be involved,
the American cultural life.” The program, visit www.neabigread.org.
which was successfully tested in 10 communi-

Source: Publisher’s Weekly

Book

must be received or giveaway postmarked by midnight, July 3, 2006. Void where prohibited.

Costco has five signed copies of The Employees of Costco Two Minute Rule, by Robert Crais, to and their families are give away. To enter, print your name, not eligible. Winners membership number, address and day- will be notified by time phone number on a postcard or let- mail. One entry per ter and send it to: Robert Crais, The household.

Costco Connection, P.O. Box 34088,

Seattle, WA 98124-1088, or fax it to

(425) 313-6718.

No purchase is necessary. Entries

Send your feedback on this month’s Buyer’s Pick to: discussionquestions@costco.com

signings

Brad Thor signs Takedown on June 3, at 1 p.m., at the Mall of Georgia, Georgia, Costco, at 1550 Mall of Georgia.

Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins sign The Rapture on June 8, at 6 p.m., at the Atlanta, Georgia, Costco, at 6350 Peachtree Dunwoody.

Jeffery Deaver signs Cold Moon on June 10, at noon, at the Queens, New York, Costco, at 32-50 Vernon Boulevard.

Heather Lende signs If You Lived Here, I’d Know Your Name on June 10, from noon to 2 p.m., at the Aurora Village, Washington, Costco, at 1175 N. 205th St.