Monday, February 8, 2010

Mailbox Monday



Nature abhors a vacuum, and so, apparently, does my mailbox. After going empty the week before, my mailbox was stuffed to overflowing last week, giving me quite a list for Mailbox Monday.

Mostly I have Hawthorne Books & Literary Arts to thank for my bounty. Hawthorne is a Portland-based, independent publisher specializing in literary fiction and narrative non-fiction. 

They sent me five books they thought would appeal to my list-oriented reading habits because all are prize-winners or nominees. All are in Hawthorne's trademark cool bindings: taller and skinnier than a typical trade paperback and featuring "acid-free papers; sewn bindings that will not crack; heavy, laminated covers with double-scored French flaps that function as built-in bookmarks."  They are as gorgeous on the outside as they are interesting on the inside.

Soldiers in Hiding by Richard Wiley (PEN/Faulkner winner; new introduction by Wole Soyinka)



Leaving Brooklyn by Lynn Sharon Schwartz (nominated for the PEN/Faulkner; new introduction by Ursula Hegi)



Saving Stanley: The Brickman Stories by Scott Nadelson (Oregon Book Award winner; Great Lakes Colleges Association New Writers Award)



The Well and the Mine by Gin Phillips (Discover Award winner; introduction by Fannie Flagg)


Clown Girl by Monica Drake (Independent Publishers Book Award winner; introduction by Chuck Palahniuk)



In addition to the Hawthorne books, I had another nice surprise last week -- a review copy of Jim Harrison's new novella troika, The Farmer's Daughter. I shamelessly begged Grove Press for a review copy because Harrison is one of my all-time favorites. I am quite excited that my efforts paid off.


Now, the price I pay for all this publisher largess is that all six books are going straight onto my Guilt List. I had better get cracking.


14 comments :

  1. What a great mailbox week you had. Several of these titles are new to me so I must check them out ...thanks and enjoy!

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  2. Nice mailbox! The Well and the Mine looks so good.

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  3. It IS a great mailbox week! I received 2 of Donna Leon's books (but I don't have the titles near me) and the Great Illustrated Classics '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,' which I'm reading to my 4yo son.

    Happy Monday! Sorry it's been so long!
    Michele
    SouthernCityMysteries

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  4. Great list. I've read good reviews for The Well and The MIne.

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  5. Wow! Amazing covers on these books! I love that!

    My MM:

    http://laurelrainsnowcreations.blogspot.com/2010/02/mailbox-monday_07.html

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  6. Nature abhors a vaccuum and so does my mailbox. ::snicker:: great stash of books for you! My mailbox is here.

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  7. Thanks for all the comments and the links. I'll go on a round of visits.

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  8. I love the stamps on your graphic for the post!

    Glad you received a long awaited book - those are always the best!

    Enjoy!

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  9. The cover on Clown Girl is interesting. Enjoy all your new boks!

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  10. That's quite the cover on The Clown Girl. Makes me wonder what the connection is. Enjoy all your new books.

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  11. Thank you for visiting my site! I have a little baby and its difficult to keep up with blogging, but you cheered me up. I'm an Oregonian, I grew up in Coos Bay and Eugene, and my sister lives in Portland.

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  12. Booksync -- thanks! It's not a mailbox, but those old stamps are cool.

    Beth and Kaye -- I do wonder what sort of book has a rubber chicken on the cover. I'll have to read it to find out.

    Auto -- Your blog is an inspiration! Good luck with all your reading.

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  13. Isn't Hawthorne Books just absolutely wonderful? :)

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  14. Baley -- I do love HB, although I am a new fan. I had their edition of Seaview by Toby Olson and thought it was just some kind of special edition. I didn't realize that all their books are so nice.

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