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Audio All-Stars

Posted on March 31, 2014 by Anne Spieth
Downton Abbey. Homeland. Sex and the City. What do these popular television shows have in common with our friends at Macmillan Audio? Our favorite actors from each will soon be narrating our audio books too!

Ron LivingstonRon Livingston, best known for his roles in Office Space, Band of Brothers and Sex and the City, will be narrating Lisa Scottoline's KEEP QUIET.

Click here to listen to a clip of Livingston’s narration.

Claire Danes  
Claire Danes, currently starring as Carrie Matheson on Homeland, is also known for her roles in My So-Called Life, Romeo & Juliet, and HBO’s Temple Grandin. She'll be narrating Michael Cunningham's THE SNOW QUEEN. Entertainment Weekly's Shelf Life blog did a feature with an exclusive clip of Danes’s narration. (Fun fact: Danes’s husband, Hugh Dancy, narrated Cunningham's last audiobook, BY NIGHTFALL!)
 
 
Dan StevensDan Stevens, best known for his role on Downton Abbey, is doing double-duty by narrating a couple of Homer's classics: THE ILIAD and THE ODYSSEY. Once again, EW's Shelf Life was on the case with a feature story.

Click here to listen to a clip from THE ODYSSEY.

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Stars for THE SNOW QUEEN!

Stars for THE SNOW QUEEN!

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Anne Spieth

When a new Michael Cunningham book comes out, it's an event. We love the Pulitzer Prize-winning author's latest novel, THE SNOW QUEEN, which examines the complex dynamics between a brother and a couple (much like his last book, BY NIGHTFALL).

Barrett Meeks sees a celestial light in the sky above Central Park and has a quasi-religious experience he knows means something big. Meanwhile, Barrett's brother Tyler is struggling to write a song for his dying fiancée, Beth.  

“Tender, funny, and sorrowful, Cunningham’s beautiful novel is as radiant and shimmering as Barrett’s mysterious light in the sky, gently illuminating the gossamer web of memories, feelings, and hopes that mysteriously connect us to each other as the planet spins its way round and round the sun.” — Booklist, starred review

“In concise yet descriptive language, Cunningham weaves the secret of transcendence through the mundane occurrences of everyday life. Those who enjoyed his Pulitzer Prize-winning THE HOURS will be pleased to see similar themes emerging in his newest novel.” — Library Journal, starred review 

DRC buttonGet whitelisted and download the e-galley.

Read it and loved it? It's not too late to nominate it for the May LibraryReads list! (nominations are due April 1) 

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Friday Reads (3/28/14 Edition)

Friday Reads (3/28/14 Edition)

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Anne Spieth
We've got some all-star picks for today's #FridayReads:

WAR! WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?: Conflict and the Progress of Civilization from Primates to Robots by Ian Morris
“War!.... / What is it good for? / Absolutely nothing,” says the famous song—but archaeology, history, and biology show that war in fact has been good for something. Surprising as it sounds, Morris argues that war has made humanity safer and richer.

“Drawing on the work of Jared Diamond and Steven Pinker and myriads of others, Morris relentlessly develops his thesis, which never decreases in discomfort, though it does become more convincing. A disturbing, transformative text that veers toward essential reading.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“...erudite yet compulsively readable... Throughout this rare mixture of scholarship, stunning insight, and wit, Morris cites the widely divergent opinions of past philosophers and scholars, and, though he makes his case convincingly, future (and, oh yes, the future is projected) students, readers, and critics of this book are likely to continue the fascinating argument Morris raises here. WAR! WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? appeals to (indeed, may broaden) the large audience that has made Jared Diamond’s GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL, much quoted in it, a modern classic and should join it on personal and library bookshelves.” — Booklist, starred review 


LIFE OF THE AUTOMOBILE by Steven Parissien
The first all-encompassing narrative history of how the car—and the flamboyant entrepreneurs, shrewd businessmen, and gifted engineers behind it—shaped the world. 

“This elegant and authoritative work demonstrates the historical links among people, machines, and cultures on a global scale. For readers who enjoy investigations into social, intellectual, business, technological, or transportation history—as well as dedicated car buffs.” — Library Journal, starred review

“From the Ford Model T to the Chevrolet Volt, Parissien covers every detail, including the sketchy safety and environmental record and a nod to the future of green technology.” — Booklist, starred review

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Thriller Thursday (3/27/14 Edition) plus Left Coast Crime Award winners!

Thriller Thursday (3/27/14 Edition) plus Left Coast Crime Award winners!

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Anne Spieth
Happy #ThrillerThursday, friends! We've got a creepy new crop of mysteries, plus Left Coast Crime Award Winners! Read on for more:

THE COAL BLACK ASPHALT TOMB by David Handler
Romantic crime-fighting duo Mitch Berger and Desiree Mitry must go up against the town's aristocracy to solve the forty-year-old murder of a missing Navy flyer, found during overdue construction on a quaint New England road. "The affable Burger mines town gossip, and Mitry digs into some sordid town history en route to the satisfying resolution of the murder case." — Publishers Weekly

I REMEMBER YOU by Yrsa Sigurdardottir
"Sigurdardottir has written an excellent and seriously scary mystery with tangible and supernatural elements that will appeal to fans of John Ajvide Lindqvist (LET THE RIGHT ONE IN)." – Library Journal, starred review.
We loved this one (and some of you did, too!).

THE REVENANT OF THRAXTON HALL by Vaughn Entwistle
In Entwistle's debut, Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde team up to investigate the future death of a medium at a manor in the English countryside. "Entwistle assembles an intriguing cast, including a levitator whose acts go awry, an enigmatic foreign count, and a Russian mystic who warns of dangerous revenants (returning spirits), for his whimsical plot." — Publishers Weekly

NOTORIOUS by Allison Brennan
In this start of a new series, bestselling author Brennan introduces tough-as-nails TV reporter Max Revere, who's got a knack for solving cold cases–except for the one from her own past. "[A] terrific new series. Sandra Brown and Hank Phillippi Ryan fans will feel right at home." – Booklist, starred review

WITHOUT WARNING by David Rosenfelt
When a small town in Maine is devastated by a hurricane, it unearths a time capsule that includes predictions about past murders...and future ones to come. "Descriptions of Rosenfelt’s latest stand-alone: Spooky. Creepy. Edgy. Chilling. Shuddery. What more could anyone want? The novel steps into Michael Connelly ground... highly recommended for readers craving that elusive 'something different.'” — Booklist  

 

The Left Coast Crime Awards were recently announced and we're thrilled to have three winners from Minotaur Books:

The Lefty: Best humorous mystery novel
THE GOOD COP by Brad Parks 

The Bruce Alexander Memorial Historical Mystery Award: Best historical mystery novel covering events before 1960
DANDY GILVER AND A BOTHERSOME NUMBER OF CORPSES by Catriona McPherson

The Calamari: Best mystery set anywhere else in the world
HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN by Louise Penny


Click here to see the full list of nominees and winners. Congratulations to all winners! 

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Whatcha Readin’ This Month?

Whatcha Readin’ This Month?

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Anne Spieth

Edelweiss logoEach month we receive reports about which of our titles are being downloaded on Edelweiss. Naturally, we're curious to see what you've been reading and we thought you might be interested, too!
Here are the top e-galley downloads for March 2014:

1) LANDLINE by Rainbow Rowell
2) TAKEN by Lora Leigh
3) THE SNOW QUEEN by Michael Cunningham
4) SIXTH GRAVE ON THE EDGE by Darynda Jones
5) LILA by Marilynne Robinson
6) THAT SUMMER by Lauren Willig

Keep reading and remember to nominate the books you love for LibraryReads! 

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Maximum Shelf: THE PLOVER

Maximum Shelf: THE PLOVER

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Anne Spieth
MaxShelf-Plover

“I must have wanted to write a sea novel for years—I just adored Stevenson and Kipling and Conrad and Jack London and voyage-logs and sea stories and KON-TIKI as a boy.”
— Brian Doyle on his inspiration for THE PLOVER

Plover jacket
We're very excited about THE PLOVER by Brian Doyle, which continues the story of Declan O Donnell from one of Doyle's previous novels, MINK RIVER. It's an April Indie Next pick, and is this week's Maximum Shelf Awareness feature (we're pretty crazy about it, too).

“THE PLOVER is a fun ride with meaning and heart, lots of it, as well as jokes, scares, storms at sea, surprises, magic, absurdity—and humanity, exuberant joyful humanity.” — Shelf Awareness

See the full summary, review and interview with Brian Doyle on Shelf-Awareness.com.

DRC buttonGet whitelisted and download your e-galley on Edelweiss. 

Praise for THE PLOVER:

“Doyle has written a novel in the adventurous style of Jack London and Robert Louis Stevenson but with a gentle mocking of their valorization of the individual as absolute. Readers will enjoy this bracing and euphoric ode to the vastness of the ocean and the unexpectedness of life.”
— Library Journal, starred review

“In near stream of consciousness, wave upon wave of words tumbles out in long, beautifully rendered, description-packed sentences... A rare and unusual book and a brilliant, mystical exploration of the human spirit.”
— Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“A jack of all literary trades, Doyle augments his impressive oeuvre with this whimsical dreamscape of a nautical adventure about desolation and friendship. A joyous journey of discovery.” — Booklist

“Every sentence Doyle writes about the ocean smacks of authenticity...”
— Publishers Weekly

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Happy #BookBday (3/25/14 Edition)

Happy #BookBday (3/25/14 Edition)

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Anne Spieth
Who wants punch and cake? It's #BookBday time! Today we celebrate:

THE MIDNIGHT WITCH by Paula Brackston
Brackston's third historical paranormal novel (after THE WITCH'S DAUGHTER and THE WINTER WITCH) follows Lilith, the daughter of the sixth Duke of Radnor, who also happens to be a witch. "There are balls and gowns as well as slums and opium dens, all painting a picture of a lost age, with just enough magic to keep things exciting for fantasy fans." — Library Journal  

THE OTHER HALF by Sarah Rayner
Told in the alternating voices of the mistress and the wife, this story of an affair between a bright feature writer and her magazine publisher boss is a sharp, seductive take on modern love "that straddles the line between chick lit and women’s fiction." — Booklist  

QUEEN ELIZABETH'S DAUGHTER by Anne Clinard Barnhill
When Mary Shelton, Elizabeth I’s young cousin and ward, falls in love with an unsuitable young gentleman against the Queen's wishes, the couple finds their very lives in danger as Elizabeth’s wrath knows no bounds. "Elizabeth’s court in miniature." — Kirkus Reviews

BookBdayCat

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Sneak Peek: April 2014 Indie Next list

Sneak Peek: April 2014 Indie Next list

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Anne Spieth
Indie Next logoThe April 2014 Indie Next list was recently announced and we're thrilled that it includes so many great Macmillan titles!

THE EMPATHY EXAMS by Leslie Jamison
"A tough, intrepid, scouring observer and vigilant thinker, she generates startling and sparking extrapolations and analysis. On the prowl for truth and intimate with pain, Jamison carries forward the fierce and empathic essayistic tradition as practiced by writers she names as mentors, most resonantly James Agee and Joan Didion." — Booklist, starred review & our most popular ARC at ALA Midwinter! 

THE PLOVER by Brian Doyle
Doyle's story about a man who flees his troubled life on land for the solitude of the Pacific Ocean, but ends up on a rousing adventure is, “A rare and unusual book and a brilliant, mystical exploration of the human spirit.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

MIMI MALLOY, AT LAST! by Julia MacDonnell
"MacDonnell captures perfectly the family dynamics between sisters, mothers, and daughters, as if she were sitting in on their gab sessions, taking copious notes. For readers who enjoy Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher, this is a highly engaging family chronicle, with a healthy dose of Irish history laced in as well." — Booklist 

THE CAIRO AFFAIR by Olen Steinhauer
Steinhauer's geopolitical tale about the aftermath of a diplomat's assassination and his wife's relentless investigation is “Elaborate, sophisticated…a long, twisty road full of cleverly placed potholes and unexpected turns. Mr. Steinhauer draws his spies as flesh-and-blood characters in whom his readers invest both attention and emotion.” — Janet Maslin, The New York Times

ROOSEVELT'S BEAST by Louis Bayard
Bayard draws on Teddy and Kermit Roosevelt’s real-life ill-fated 1914 Amazon expedition to create "A suspense-filled re-imagining of history deepened by a confrontation with evil’s supernatural presence." — Kirkus Reviews

See the full April 2014 Indie Next List here.

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Friday Reads (3/21/14 Edition)

Friday Reads (3/21/14 Edition)

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Anne Spieth
TGIF friends! Today we've got two great #FridayReads! 


TEMPTING FATE by Jane Green
New York Times bestselling author Green's riveting new novel about the events leading up to one woman's affair—and its aftermath is a USA Today "New and Noteworthy selection" (week of 3/24), and received 3-1/2 out of 4 stars from People Magazine, which said, “…her compelling tale reflects an understanding of contemporary women that’s acute and compassionate, served up with style.” Did we mention Robin Roberts is a fan, too? 

& 

SEDUCING INGRID BERGMAN by Chris Greenhalgh
Poet and screenplay writer Greenhalgh’s novel evokes a world of glamour and danger amid the waning days of World War II, when Ingrid Bergman meets the dashing war photographer Robert Capa. "Greenhalgh’s success as a screenwriter is on full display, particularly in his fast-paced dialogue and lyrical descriptions of postwar Paris. This heartbreaking story of two lost souls searching for a connection will be of high interest to fans of old-Hollywood glamour and wartime biographies." — Booklist  

What are you reading this Friday? Share your picks with us @MacmillanLib with the hashtag #FridayReads.

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