November
Book buyers’ picks
arts & entertainment
Nonfiction
Gourmet Today: More Than 1000 All-New
Recipes for the Contemporary Kitchen, edited
by Ruth Reichl. Not only did this book catch
my attention because Reichl, editor in chief
of the recently closed Gourmet magazine and
former food critic for The New York Times, has
her name on the cover, but also because of its
down-to-earth approach to cooking. Right
away Reichl acknowledges that most of us
aren’t cooking like we used to. We want healthy,
seasonal, sustainable food, and this book
delivers. The recipes also focus on saving
money and time, and many of them can be
made in 30 minutes or less. You’ll find what
you’d expect, such as recipes for starters, soups
and main courses, but also international and
vegetarian recipes, along with tips, a glossary
and a directory of sources. The book also
includes a voucher for a one-year subscription
to Bon Appetit magazine.
—Melissa McMeekin, assistant book buyer
Books
Costco book
buyers’ picks
are available in
Costco warehouses and online
at Costco.com.
More Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: A Drop-Top Culinary Cruise Through America’s
Finest and Funkiest Joints, by Guy Fieri. This
is for Food Network fans, like me, who can’t
help but watch every time Fieri is on. Just once
I would love to accompany him while he visits
all those diners, drive-ins and dives, trying the
best comfort food across America. I’m always
watching for him to highlight a Seattle spot,
and I tell myself that I should write down
some of the places he visits just in case I’m ever
in those cities. With this cookbook, you don’t
have to leave your kitchen—Fieri brings his
fabulous finds into your home. If you find
yourself on a road trip looking for the best
local food in every town, Fieri includes all of
the details on the locations he scouts out and
the great food that’s served there.—MM
Art for Obama: Designing Manifest Hope
and the Campaign for Change, edited by
Shepard Fairey and Jennifer Gross. The 2008
presidential election was memorable for several reasons. One of the most apparent reasons, to me at least, was the use of striking
imagery in President Barak Obama’s campaign. Fairey’s Hope image became the face of
the campaign, launching its graphic element.
This book includes collages, photo composites, paintings, computer-generated images
and more. It’s ideal for Obama supporters and
those who are interested in art and graphic
design. Another aspect of the book I find particularly appealing is the fact that 100 percent
of the author’s proceeds will be donated to
Americans for the Arts, a nonprofit dedicated
to advancing the arts in America.
—Jonna Erickson, assistant book buyer
Street Books date list:
Fiction
Bed of Roses, by Nora Roberts. Once November hits, there’s no escaping the madness of
the holiday season. Roberts’ novels are an
ideal choice for a little escape. As a seasoned
writer, she knows how to deliver an engaging
story and believable characters. This novel,
part of her Bride Quartet series, is no exception. Emma Grant is part owner of a wedding-planning business and suffering no lack of
suitors. The only problem is, she hasn’t found
Mr. Right. Enter Jack Cooke, who’s been right
there in front of Emma for ages. My tip for
managing seasonal stress? Put this charming
read at the top of your to-do list.
—Shana Rawers, assistant book buyer
November 3
The Audacity to Win, by David Plouffe
Ford County, by John Grisham
It’s Your Time, by Joel Osteen
Kindred in Death, by J.D. Robb
Knit the Season, by Kate Jacobs
No Less Than Victory, by Jeff Shaara
One Simple Act, by Debbie Macomber
Rachael Ray’s Book of 10,
by Rachael Ray
November 9
Open, by Andre Agassi
November 10
Ice, by Linda Howard
Under the Dome, by Stephen King
November 16
I, Alex Cross, by James Patterson
November 17
The Wrecker, by Clive Cussler
and Justin Scott
November 24
Breathless, by Dean Koontz
Hot, Flat, and Crowded 2.0,
by Thomas Friedman
The Imperial Cruise, by James Bradley
Pirate Latitudes, by Michael Crichton
Shadowland, by Alyson Noël
The Collected Short Stories of Louis L’Amour,
Volume 7: The Frontier Stories, by Louis
L’Amour. A friend of mine has long joked that
cowboys are her weakness. Me? I’m partial to
stories of the West, and the king of the genre
remains L’Amour. These short stories feature
some of his beloved characters, along with
ordinary men and women who face adventures readers aren’t likely to soon forget.—SR
The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold. When this
book came out in 2002, it was a huge success.
With the film opening early in December, I
think many readers will want to revisit this
haunting novel or read it for the first time to get
the full story that only a book can offer. The
Lovely Bones, which is about a 14-year-old girl
who is brutally murdered and then watches
over her family and killer from heaven, isn’t
always an easy read, but it’s the kind of story
that will stay with you for years to come. For
those of you who didn’t read it when it first
came out, I urge you to pick it up now.—SR
