Costco Connection - September 2008

book previews

Fun facts, recipes and stories

NONFICTION Late Show Fun Facts, by David Letterman. The “Fun Facts” on The Late Show include some truth, mixed with silly statements that will have readers laughing out loud. Letterman compiled some of his favorites, with the help of the mythical Federal Bureau of Miscellaneous Information. For example: In addition to the letter Z, Zorro was also very good at slashing the number 2.

the ancient markings of one of history’s greatest villains, Cain. And so begins the chase for the world’s first murder weapon.

The Cook’s Country Cookbook: Regional and Heirloom Favorites Tested and Reimagined for Today’s Home Cooks, by Cook’s Country magazine editors and America’s Test Kitchen. Here are all the recipes cooks love— and many new ones—tested and revised for today’s cooks. Delicious favorites from different parts of the country are included, along with technique tips and helpful illustrations.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg

Larsson. Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist, is hired by Henrik Vanger to get to the bottom of his niece’s disappearance 40 years ago. Lisbeth Salander, a 24-year-old, pierced, tattooed genius hacker, possessed of the hard-earned wisdom of someone twice her age—and a terrifying capacity for ruthlessness—assists Blomkvist with the investigation. This unlikely team discovers a vein of nearly unfathomable iniquity running through the Vanger family, an astonishing corruption at the highest echelon of Swedish industrialism—and a surprising connection between themselves.

JOHN FILO/CBS

baby carriages that hold their cats into an event of dazzling spectacle. Then he decides to run for Congress. But his fellow citizens know him too well—including his unfortunate episodes involving vodka sours and his rocky marriage.

FICTION

Liberty, by Garrison Keillor. Clint Bunsen is one of the old reliables in Lake Wobegon— the treasurer of the Lutheran church and the auto mechanic who can start your car on below-zero mornings. For six years he has run the Fourth of July parade, turning what was once a line of pickup trucks and girls pushing

The Book of Lies, by Brad Meltzer. Cal Harper comes face to face with his family’s greatest secret: His long-lost father has been shot with a gun that traces back to the 1932 murder of the father of Superman’s creator. But before Cal can ask a single question, he and his father are attacked by a ruthless killer tattooed with

JUVENILE

The Big Bug Book: A Pop-up Celebration, by David A. Carter. Just in time for the 20th anniversary of the bestselling How Many Bugs in a Box?, Carter is back with the biggest book of bugs yet. Everyone’s favorite bugs from titles such as Alpha Bugs, Bed Bugs and Love Bugs have cameos in this all-new Bugs adventure.—Valerie Ryan

dvd previews

Fall flicks for the family

FROM AN INDUS TRIALIST-turned-activist to a race car driver who works to save his family’s business, the movies available this month at Costco and costco.com offer something for everyone.

Iron Man. Self-absorbed playboy Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is an engineering genius. He can build almost anything he can imagine. His technology company, Stark Enterprises, builds weapons capable of previously unimaginable destruction. But a turn of events forces him to reassess his life’s work and lifestyle, after which he wants only to protect the people his company has put in harm’s way. His quest, however, proves very complicated. Available on DVD and Blu-ray Disc.

Speed Racer. Based on the popular animated series. Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is an aggressive, instinctive and fearless race car driver. He is loyal to the family racing business, led by his father, Pops Racer (John Goodman). With their support, Speed teams with Racer X (Matthew Fox), formerly a rival, to compete in a cross-country rally known as the Crucible. Available on DVD

and Blu-ray Disc.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall. When his girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), breaks up with him, Peter Bretter’s (Jason Segel) self-confidence crumbles. Bretter, a television writer and composer, decides to take a vacation in Hawaii for a change of scenery and to get over his failed relationship. But he runs into Marshall, who is on vacation with her new romantic interest. Awkward situations make both parties uncomfortable. From the creators of Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Available on DVD and Blu-ray Disc.

Sex and the City. This feature-film adaptation of the hit HBO television series follows the main characters of the series, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte (Kristin Davis) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), as they continue their lives and relationships four years after the series ended. Available on DVD and Blu-ray Disc.