5 Books to Put on Your Wish List (BookExpo 2017: Part 1)

As many of you know, I was in New York last week to attend this year's Book Expo (formally known as BEA) to learn about all the new and exciting books that will soon be in the stores and libraries and in your hands and on your wish lists.

I walked the convention floor many times over looking for both the hot titles everyone wants as well as the lesser-know books that you might well miss. Instead of my usual coverage of panels and events, this year I'm going to write a series of three or four roundup posts that highlight some of the books I'm most excited about.

Pay attention to the publishers and the publishing dates: one of the following is available right now, but the others won't come out until fall. It's never too early to preorder or to get on that library waiting list, right?

• The End of the World Running Club by Adrian Walker (Sourcebooks, September): Who doesn't love a good dystopian novel, especially one that involves family and the burning need to find each other across a great distance in a world turned upside down. This story takes place in the UK, after an asteroid makes a direct hit with earth. Our hero is about to be tested both physically and mentally.
• The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken (Disney Hyperion, September): I kind of feel I need not say much more than urban fantasy, middle grade, and Alexandra Bracken! This start of a new series introduces us to demons and a troubled family. There are bad guys and good guys and few curses. The novel is set in Salem, MA, so can I expect witches too?
• As Lie Is to Grin by Simeon Marsalis (Catapult, October): I'm not really sure what to expect from this novel, but I think it is going to offer a mix of perspectives on modern-day life as a young (adult) black America. Old and new collide as history is rewritten, or at least filtered, by what one finds on the Internet. I met the author, who was warm and friendly; I wish him all the best with his debut novel. 
• The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Marta McDowell (Timber Press, September): There were several Laura Ingalls Wilder books and totes at BEA this year, and I was happy I was able to get a copy of this beautifully illustrated book that enriches the Little House world by focusing on the natural landscape that called to Pa and informed Laura's writing. I've already preordered a finished copy.
• Grocery by Michael Ruhlman (Abrams, May): I can't wait to start reading this well-researched (and well edited) look at the rise of the American grocery store, with its standardized layout, and how it reflects the country's culture, economics, and eating patterns. Ruhlman did more than an armchair investigation; he traveled the country, meeting people and even gaining firsthand experience as a supermarket bagger. 

Up next will be a few of the books I discovered from some smaller presses, and I'll finish with one or two posts from the big four publishers.

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Wordless Wednesday 449

Marigolds, 2017

Click image to enlarge. For more Wordless Wednesday, click here.

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Today's Read: 'Round Midnight by Laura McBride

Do you think of yourself as resilient? Is it possible for any of us to know the answer if we haven't been tested? June, Honorata, Coral, and Engracia discover the character of their inner strength after each faces a personal crisis.

To celebrate victory in Europe, June Stein dove headfirst off the Haverstraw Bridge.

A few months earlier, she had bought an eighteen-inch silver cigarette holder on a day trip to the city--snuck into the shop while her mother was choosing a hat next door--and spent the spring flicking ashes on the track as she smoked behind the stairs of the boy's gym. In April she ripped her hose in chemistry class and ate lunch in the cafeteria with one leg crossed over the other, bare calf exposed. Leon Kronenberg said he had touched her breast. When Mr. Sawyer came back from the summer holidays with a goatee, June Stein breathed in, licked her lips, and shuddered.

She was bad for the neighborhood.

Things happened to other girls because of June Stein.

—'Round Midnight by Laura McBride (Touchstone, 2017, opening paragraphs [galley])

Quick Facts

• Setting: Las Vegas, 1960s to present
• Circumstances: A Las Vegas casino is the hub connecting four women of different backgrounds and generations. Each experiences upheaval and must find the will to keep moving forward.
• Genre: literary fiction
• Themes: marriage, motherhood, loss, adapting to changing times and fortunes, friendship, self-reliance
• Characters: June, a New Jersey native who runs the casino with her second husband; Honorata, who leaves the Philippines to marry a man she's never met; Coral, a biracial music teacher at a local school who is unsure of her parentage; Engracia, an illegal immigrant who is trying to give her son a better life; the city of Las Vegas itself as it changes through the decades
• Reviews: Almost all reviewers agree that McBride has written an engaging story about women who will capture your emotions. Although some noted a few flaws (for example, the men seemed to be either good or bad), the overall consensus is that 'Round Midnight is a recommended read, especially for book clubs.
• More information: In an interview with the Washington Independent Review of Books, author Laura McBride talks about her book, her research methods, and her personal life. Simon and Schuster's website includes book club discussion questions for 'Round Midnight and another interview with the author. In the following short video, McBride introduces us to her novel.

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Stacked-Up Book Thoughts: Reading with My Ears

Monday morning after BookExpo is always a day of mixed feelings. I'm already missing my friends, but I'm also happy to wake up at home. I'm sorry that today is not going to be a day full of book events, authors, publicists, and publishing companies, but I'm also ready to get back to work and everyday life.

Coming up this week: As you can imagine, I'll have one or two posts about BookExpo coming up later this week and into next. I'm not quite sure about the specifics, but expect round-ups of books I'm excited about.

What I read last week. June is Audiobook Month, so it's appropriate that I turned to audiobooks last week during my travels and my down time in New York. I managed to finish two books.

The Scribe of Siena by Melodie Winawer (Touchstone; 2017): If you like art, historical fiction, time travel, and/or medieval Italy, you'll find a lot to like about this novel. Beatrice, a neurosurgeon, gets involved in finishing her late-brother's research into why Siena, Italy, was so hard hit by the plague and why it lost its political power to Florence during the 1300s. While reading the journal of a lesser-known painter, she finds herself transported back in time, where she witnesses firsthand the arrival of the Black Death, meets the painter, and has run-ins with the Medici family. I liked the book for its historical details and as pure escape reading. On the other hand, I couldn't help but compare it to the Outlander series and thus found The Scribe of Siena a little lacking. The plot was somewhat predictable, and although I enjoyed meeting the characters, I didn't form a lasting connection to them. The unabridged audiobook (Simon & Schuster Audio; 16 hr, 12 min) was read by one my favorite narrators, Cassandra Campbell. Campbell's voice is always a pleasure to listen to: she is expressive, creates consistent characterizations, pronounces the Italian and Latin believably and with ease, and is easy to understand. Unfortunately, I could hear obvious breath noises during the first hour or two of the audiobook and almost gave up listening; the good news is that they eventually disappear and the rest of the production was well done.

Beartown by Fredrik Backman (Atria, 2017): I was hesitant to read Backman's newest novel because it was getting so much buzz; I was sure it could never live up to its reputation. Plus I heard it was about hockey, a sport I've watched but hardly follow. Thank god I ignored my doubts and gave this brilliant novel a try. Yes, it's about hockey, but it's really about families, loyalty, friendship, small towns, sexuality, gender equality, marriages, what sports heroes can get away with, and really so much more. I was so utterly taken up by this town and these people that I almost literally couldn't stop listening. I started the book on the train home from New York on Saturday morning and by Sunday late afternoon I had finished. Backman's writing is gorgeous: sparse, poetic, and powerful. The characters are fleshed out slowly, just the way they would be in real life: At first we know the superficial: she's a lawyer, he's a coach, she's a musician, he's a troublemaker. Then, as we get to known the town's citizens better, we begin to understand why they behave and react as they do, and we start to polish our opinions. The novel is emotional and tender, brutal and beautiful. (Kudos to translator Neil Smith, who did an amazing job.) Do not miss this book. The unabridged audiobook (Simon & Schuster Audio; 13 hr, 11 min) was read by Marin Ireland, who totally nailed the novel. There is a specific verbal hook in this story, repeated throughout, that could have tripped up a lesser narrator, but Ireland gives it the perfect tone and emphasis. Not only are her characterizations pitch perfect but she hits that sweet spot of creating an emotionally charged atmosphere while still leaving the listener ample room to form her own reactions. I see awards in this audiobook's future.

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Weekend Cooking: 100% Real by Sam Talbot

Dare I admit that I don't watch Top Chef? I'm not even sure what channel it's on. Can I even be in the same room with true foodies?

If you're not like me, then Chef Sam Talbot probably needs no introduction. But just in case, he's a Top Chef star who was born and raised in the South and has a restaurant in Brooklyn. He has had type 1 diabetes since his childhood, and he has made it part of his mission to use wholesome, unprocessed foods to make delicious meals that will satisfy and nourish everyone, even those who must watch what they eat.

Along those lines, every recipe in his new cookbook 100% Real (thanks to Oxmoor House for the review copy) is labeled with an icon for vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, and dairy free. Tabot's own personal diet is hard to pin down by label, but consists of, well, 100% real food -- mostly plant based, but he doesn't shun animal protiens and sweets. The key for Talbot is to eliminate, or at least cut way down on, the whites (white flour, white sugar, white rice, etc.) and focus on whole, fresh foods with a variety of flavors and textures.

Talbot's 100% Real starts with his personal story; his "5 steps to keeping it real"; and his guides for overhauling your pantry, fridge, and equipment. Then he gets to the good stuff: the recipes.

From breakfast to evening snacks and beyond, 100% Real has you covered with delicious recipes like savory breakfast porridge, fruit and vegetable combo salads (Don't you just love strawberries with your greens? I do.), avocado sandwiches (see the cover photo), shrimp and grains, flatbread open-faced delights, Asian-flavored pork, different ways to cook with zucchini noodles, grilled veggies, and fruit-forward desserts.

Tucked in between the recipes, each with a full-page photo of the finished dish, are informative and interesting features, such as a note on how to interpret the "sustainably raised" claim, tips on how to jump on the juicing bandwagon, and everything you need to know about sweeteners. Whether you're an old hand at healthful eating, just getting started, or somewhere in the middle, you're bound to learn something new.

Here are some of the recipes I tagged as must-tries:

• Roasted Tomato-and-Red Pepper Romesco
• White Beans and Smoked Paprika Chicken with Black Rice
• White Fish Curry
• Spiced Sweet Potatoes on Country Toast with Banans Peppers and Cilantro
• Cappuccino Cashew Ice Cream (vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free!)

 Talbot's recipes are well written, with directions that don't leave you in the lurch. Some of the ingredients may be unfamiliar to you, but they are, in fact, not difficult to find in most areas of the country. You may need to hit up a health food store or Trader Joe's for a grain like farro or a few of the spices, but even mainstream grocery store chains have coconut oil, fresh lemongrass, and baby bok choy. If you're truly stumped, check out the resources page in 100% Real for online shopping and more information.

I can't tell you how much I love Talbot's 100% Real. The book contains recipes for every kind of cook and eater who is making an effort to dine well -- in every sense -- in this processed-food world. We can all benefit from eating real foods as often as possible, and Sam Talbot can help us meet our health and nutrition goals. Vegans and vegetarians, people with diabetes and celiac, and all of us who want to live long and in health will turn to 100% Real often. This is a cookbook to buy.

We've made the following recipe twice already. It's yummy and very easy to throw together.

Chile-Rubbed Skirt Steak with Rustic Chimichurri
Hands-on: 20 minutes Total: 20 minutes Serves 4  
Steak with chimichurri is a classic combo. The bright, fresh herb topping contrasts beautifully with the smoky, spicy steak.

• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon lime zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh juice (from 1 lime)
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup torn fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup torn fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons torn fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 1 pound skirt steak

1. Preheat grill to medium-high (about 450°F). Whisk together the sherry vinegar, zest, juice, and 1/4 cup of the oil in a small bowl. Stir in the parsley, cilantro, mint, shallots, and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper.

2. Combine the ancho chile powder, red chile flakes, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Rub the steak with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil; sprinkle both sides of the steak with the spice mixture. Grill, uncovered, to desired degree of doneness, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Let stand 10 minutes; cut diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with the chimichurri.

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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

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