For those of you who keep up, you know that it’s quite difficult for a first time novelist to make it onto the New York Time’s esteemed bestsellers list amongst the authors who churn out one or two mysteries a year but our native daughter, Katherine Stockett has done just that. Not only has Stockett’s book, The Help, made it on the list, it is showing some staying power and it is still moving up on the list. Last week The Help ranked #13 on the the NYT’s list and this week it has moved up to #11!

Stay up to date on all your favorite authors’ new bestsellers below:

It’s interesting to watch current events and wonder what will be “the book” on a given subject or event. Sometimes it’s as simple as the first book to market, or the first well-known author, or maybe the best summary, or the most complete and comprehensive account. Occasionally, though, we find that the book that resonates most with the reader is the one that captures the spirit of the event, regardless of its timing, publicity, or scope.  We watched after Katrina and saw The Great Deluge and Breach of Faith compete for the right to be considered the authoritative retelling. Countless books on Afghanistan, Iraq, and the War on Terror hit the market and died quiet deaths before Dexter Filkins’ The Forever War captured our attention with its ground’s eye view written in vignettes. And as we watched the housing market collapse and the economy tumble down with it, we wondered who could supply an explanation.

A few attempts have been made. A handful of quick and dirty books on the the housing collapse were churned out, and some older titles were re-released with additional chapters or new appendices. But one came in the other day that may well provide the definitive account in an accessible format. Thomas Sowell’s The Housing Boom and Bust may fail in grandiosity with its straightforward title and bare yellow cover, but it scores highly in what matters: a readable, evenhanded, and linear explanation of the factors that led to the housing collapse. Down the road, we may see another book that exceeds Dr. Sowell’s in size and scope, but I doubt we’ll see one nearly as forthright and lucid.

When Frederick Barthelme came to Lemuria to sign and read from Waveland, I knew immediately that he was not the run-of-the-mill Southern storyteller.  Barthelme had a quiet, kind demeanor, and his sense of humor was evident as he read from the first chapter of the novel.  I became interested in Waveland instantly, and Barthelme has delivered with this novel.

It’s refreshing to hear a voice like Barthelme’s coming from the south.  So often southern writers tend to be stuck in the southern gothic tradition of their forebears:  not Barthelme.  Waveland is dark, but it isn’t dark in the Cormac McCarthy or William Gay sense (both of which I love).  The novel reveals the darkness that can find us even in the seemingly common circumstances of life, the pain that emerges in contemporary America.

The novel’s protagonist, Vaughn Williams, is stuck in the post-Katrina coast of Mississippi.  The structural recovery from the hurricane is painfully slow, in the same way that Vaughn’s personal wounds are slowly healing.  Vaughn has been through a divorce, feels guilty for not loving his father hard enough in his final days, is uncomfortable around his successful brother, and is painfully aware of the differences between the days of his youth and being middle aged.

Vaughn remains friends with his ex-wife, Gail, who, in a series of bad decisions, finds herself hospitalized by the boy she is seeing, Tony.  In the aftermath of her abuse, Gail asks Vaughn and his girlfriend, Greta Del Mar, to move in with her until she is back on her feet.  The move-in prompts Vaughn to ask the necessary questions regarding his current lot in life, to assess his love for Greta, and find meaning in a world that appears to have lost its shimmer.  In no time, Gail invites Vaughn’s brother, Newton, to the party, forcing Vaughn to confront his discomfort with his highly successful brother.

Barthelme’s characters are believable, loveable, and charming.  The book is full of laughs, and real to the point that the reader cannot help but cheer Vaughn on as he glues his post-Katrina life back together.  I have not enjoyed a novel this much in a long time.  Laughed out loud, and felt for characters the way this novel has propelled me to do.  Waveland is a small contemporary treasure, and I will be spending a lot of time in the coming months with Barthelme’s stories.

Maud Newton’s Review of Waveland

Last night, as all of us in Jackson enjoyed the last cold snap before the blaring summer heat, I curled up in one of my very own homemade quilts. Not only was I protected from the biting chill that had somehow crept into the house, but I also felt a great sense of pride in using something that I had made entirely from scratch.  As of today, I have made four such quilts, and all of them follow patterns from the book Last-Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson.

The book begins with a quick introduction discussing how one goes about matching colors for a quilted project; and then flows into a collection smaller projects that take less than two hours, things such as simple pillowcases and quilted coasters (one of my personal favorites).
The book is organized by how long the quilted gifts take to make. I love the colored pencil roll from the two to four hour gifts. As soon as I have enough different colors, I am making myself one of those.

The eight to twelve hour projects are my favorites. In this set of gifts, you learn the basics of making quilts. I have made two of the quilts from this set of quilts. One of the patterns is called Summer Breeze and is a tied summer picnic quilt that I just love!  The other is a simple quilt that teaches the basics of machine quilting.
I have not yet ventured into the gifts in the more than twelve hour section, but as soon as I have finished all my current projects, I am making the color-wheel quilt for myself.

Even though this book is designed with the idea that you give your handmade goods away, I obviously haven’t given much away. 🙂  This is a great book for learning the basics of not just quilting, but also sewing and fabric. At the end of the book, Hoverson gives what she calls the Patchwork quilting basics. She covers everything from how to choose your fabrics, to how to use the sewing machine, and even the sources of the fabrics used in the book. If you sew or are thinking about learning, this is a great book to start with. This book is just one of many in our crafts section that we at Lemuria love. Feel free to come browse our craft books and ask us any questions you may have about our selection.

a bit daunting in length but completely worth the time spent reading it,  this novel has the distinct apperance of a school text book including diagrams and side notes.

t.s. spivet is a 12 year old cartographer on a mission to accept an award at the smithsonian and prove that he, a pre-teen, did indeed draw all of the marvelous scientific illustrations which he is being awarded for.

congratulations to you reif larsen for this fantastic first novel.

keep on keeping on.

by Zita