Spring is book season! So many great new books. So many great authors and so many great events happening at Edmonds Bookshop, so we’ll just get directly to the good stuff this month!

April Events at Edmonds Bookshop.

Saturday, April 7, 2018. Noon – 1 p.m. We will welcome author Jennifer Haupt and her brand new novel, “In the Shadow of 10,000 Hills.”

A sweeping family saga that crosses racial and cultural boundaries. Set against the backdrop of a country grieving and trying to heal after a devastating civil war, follow the intertwining stories of three women who discover something unexpected: grace when there can be no forgiveness.

Great new [4/1/18] review of this debut novel in The Seattle Times.

April is National Poetry Month: The celebration begins Saturday April 14, 2018. Noon – 1 p.m. We will welcome two amazing local poets: Sue Sutherland and Holly Hughes.
Sue Sunderland-Hanson’s new collection “Stars and Strangers,” was published in paperback last October.

These tender, lyrical poems demonstrate the shimmering threads that join us while revealing the “slippery mystery, this everyday once-ness of each person’s life.”

Holly J. Hughes’ new work is included in “Poetry of Presence: An Anthology of Mindfulness Poems,” published last September.

This book of mindfulness poems provides a refuge of quiet clarity that is much needed in today’s restless, chaotic world.

Third Thursday Art Walk. Thursday, April 19, 2018. 5 – 8 p.m.
Five poets have enthusiastically agreed to perform as part of our celebration of National Poetry Month. They are:

• Janee Baugher
• Victoria Ford
• Michael Hickey
• Christopher Jarmick
• Michael Spence

As usual, the incomparable David D. Horowitz will act as host and emcee.
This is always a really fun, entertaining evening! Join us early to mix and mingle and enjoy some light snacks and beverages. The readings will begin about 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 28, 2018. Independent Bookstore Day! Stop in any time and celebrate with us all day. We will have exclusive bookie items, limited edition goodies, and so much more…

April 30 – May 6, 2018. Children’s Book Week!
Kids of all ages have a chance to vote for a favorite book — voting takes place the entire month of April, in the store or online. More information on our homepage.

And Plan Ahead! To end Children’s Book Week in grand fashion, we are thrilled to announce that we will be hosting three amazing authors on Saturday, May 5!

• 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Liz Wong, author of “Quackers.” Reading, and drawing lessons!
• Noon – 1 p.m. Laura McGee Kvasnosky author of “Little Wolf’s First Howling.” Reading and lots of howling practice!
• 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Mark Holtzen author of “Ticket to the Pennant.” Reading and a game!

So much more information about all of our authors and all of the events happening all month long on our Events page.

April 2018 Book Club Book.

April 5 & 18, 2018. “The Sympathizer: A Novel” by Viet Thanh Nguyen.
Winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
Winner of the 2016 Edgar Award for Best First Novel
A startling debut novel from a powerful new voice featuring one of the most remarkable narrators of recent fiction: a conflicted subversive and idealist working as a double agent in the aftermath of the Vietnam War.
A couple of great in-depth and behind the scenes sources of info to add to the book group discussion experience:

• An NPR interview with the author, here.
• A NYT book review by Philip Caputo here.

Books have been chosen for the first part of 2018. Check the Bookclub page for the list of great titles.

Recent book releases of note:

“Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress” by Steven Pinker. The author presents the big picture of human progress: people are living longer, healthier, freer, and happier lives, and while our problems are formidable, the solutions lie in the Enlightenment ideal of using reason and science. Bill Gates has a new favorite book. The article here.

“The Flight Attendant” by Chris Bohjalian. A powerful story about the ways an entire life can change in one night.

“How to Taste: The Curious Cook’s Handbook to Seasoning and Balance, from Umami to Acid and Beyond–with Recipes” by Becky Selengut. This engaging and approachable (and humorous!) guide to taste and flavor will make you a more skilled and confident home cook.

“The Sparsholt Affair” by Alan Hollinghurst. The Man Booker Prize-winning author returns with a novel beginning during the second World War and ending in 2012; it is, as The Guardian wrote in a rapturous review upon its British release, “about gay life, about art, about family, but most of all it’s about the remorseless passage of time.”

“The Italian Teacher” by Tom Rachman. His new book explores the world of art, focusing on a world-famous painter and his struggling-artist son. March 20, 2018.

“To Die but Once: A Maisie Dobbs Novel” by Jacqueline Winspear. Maisie Dobbs faces danger and intrigue on the home front during World War II.

Books of note being released in April:

“Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison. In this funny, angry, touching, and ultimately deeply inspiring novel, the bestselling author takes the reader into the heart and mind of a young Chicano living in Washington State on a journey to discover himself, a search to find the secret to achieving the American dream of happiness and prosperity. April 3, 2018.

“Varina” by Charles Frazier. The National Book Award-winning author of “Cold Mountain” returns to the Civil War period with a novel based on the true story of Varina Howell Davis, the young wife of the much-older Confederacy president Jefferson Davis. Sooner or later, history asks, which side were you on? April 3, 2018.

“The Overstory: A Novel” by Richard Powers. In his 12th novel, the author delivers a sweeping, impassioned novel of activism and resistance that is also a stunning evocation of―and paean to―the natural world. April 3, 2018.

“The Female Persuasion” by Meg Wolitzer. For all of us who got happily lost in “The Interestings,” she returns with another multilayered novel about ambition, power, friendship, and mentorship, and the romantic ideals we all follow deep into adulthood, not just about who we want to be with, but who we want to be. April 3, 2018.

“Paris by the Book: A Novel” by Liam Callanan. A missing person, a grieving family, a curious clue: a half-finished manuscript set in Paris. Heading off in search of its author, a mother and her daughters find themselves in France, rescuing a failing bookstore and drawing closer to unexpected truths. April 3, 2018.

“My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton” by Stephanie Dray. Haunting, moving, and beautifully written, the authors used thousands of letters and original sources to tell Eliza’s story as it’s never been told before—not just as the wronged wife at the center of a political sex scandal—but also as a founding mother who shaped an American legacy in her own right. April 3, 2018.

“Hourglass: Time, Memory, Marriage” by Dani Shapiro. A piercing, life-affirming memoir about marriage and memory, about the frailty and elasticity of our most essential bonds. In paperback. April 3, 2018.

“The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America” by Timothy Snyder. From the author of On Tyranny comes a stunning new chronicle of the rise of authoritarianism from Russia to Europe and America. April 3, 2018.

“The Excellence Dividend: Meeting the Tech Tide with Work That Wows and Jobs That Last” by Tom Peters. For decades Tom Peters has been preaching the gospel of putting people first. With his unparalleled expertise and inimitable charisma, he offers brilliantly simple, actionable guidelines for success that any business leader can immediately implement. April 3, 2018.

For young readers “Rebound” by Kwame Alexander. A dynamic novel in verse and a pitch-perfect follow-up to his Newbery Award-winner, “The Crossover,” illustrated with striking graphic novel panels. April 3, 2018.

“The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane: A Novel” by Lisa See. A moving novel about tradition, tea farming, and the bonds between mothers and daughters. Now in paperback. April 3, 2018.

“Chemistry: A Novel” by Weike Wang. At first glance, the quirky, overworked narrator of this debut novel seems to be on the cusp of a perfect life. But when it all becomes too much and her life plan veers off course, she finds herself on a new path of discoveries about everything she thought she knew. In paperback. April 3, 2018.

“Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI” by David Grann. Now in paperback. April 3, 2018. Author David Grann answers questions here.

“Meaty: Essays” by Samantha Irby. Smart, edgy, hilarious, and unabashedly raunchy, the bestselling author explodes onto the printed page in her uproarious first collection of essays. In paperback. April 3, 2018.

“See What Can Be Done: Essays, Criticism, and Commentary” by Lorrie Moore. A welcome surprise: more than fifty prose pieces, gathered together for the first time, by one of America’s most revered and admired novelists and short-story writers. April 3, 2018.

“Reading with Patrick: A Teacher, a Student, and a Life-Changing Friendship” by Michelle Kuo. In this stirring memoir, Kuo, the child of Taiwanese immigrants, shares the story of her complicated but rewarding mentorship of one student, and his remarkable literary and personal awakening. Now in paperback. April 3, 2018.

“The Rules Do Not Apply: A Memoir” by Ariel Levy. When Ariel Levy left for a reporting trip to Mongolia in 2012, she was pregnant, married, financially secure, and successful on her own terms. A month later, none of that was true. A gorgeous memoir about a woman overcoming dramatic loss and finding reinvention. Now in paperback. April 3, 2018.

“The Evolution of Beauty: How Darwin’s Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Animal World – and Us” by Richard O. Prum. A major reimagining of how evolutionary forces work, revealing how mating preferences—what Darwin termed “the taste for the beautiful”—create the extraordinary range of ornament in the animal world. In paperback. April 3, 2018.

“Macbeth” by Jo Nesbo. The Norwegian author of the wildly popular Harry Hole crime-fiction series tries his hand at Shakespeare, setting “the Scottish play” in a 1970s industrial town, where a drug lord named Hecate tries to manipulate the violent, paranoid SWAT team head, Inspector Macbeth. April 10, 2018.

“The Fates Divide : Carve the Mark #2” by Veronica Roth. April 10, 2018.

“Circe” by Madeline Miller. With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language and page-turning suspense, this is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man’s world. npr recommended, the review here.

“A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership” by James Comey. In his forthcoming book, the former FBI director shares his never-before-told experiences from some of the highest-stakes situations of his career in the past two decades of American government, exploring what good, ethical leadership looks like, and how it drives sound decisions. His journey provides an unprecedented entry into the corridors of power, and a remarkable lesson in what makes an effective leader. April 17, 2018.

“Twisted Prey : A Prey Novel” by John Sandford. A rich psychopath, Taryn Grant had run successfully for the U.S. Senate, where Lucas had predicted she’d fit right in. He was also convinced that she’d been responsible for three murders, though he’d never been able to prove it…so he figured he might be seeing her again. April 24, 2018.

As always, check our website for all the latest in book news.

Happy reading!

— By Elaine Mattson

Edmonds native Elaine Mattson has worked at The Edmonds Bookshop off and on since she was 12 years old, and has also worked at a book wholesaler, a book publisher, and for the book publishing division of a large local software company (yes, that one). “I was raised a book lover [thanks, Mom!],” Mattson says. “We got book lights by our beds as soon as we were old enough to read. And then I probably got in trouble for reading too late the very next night. And I still read too late!”