"Almost Criminal"
by E.R. Brown

Teenager Tate MacLane finds an unlikely father figure in a boutique marijuana producer, and starts improving upon his part time barista's income through involvement in the local grow-op underground economy of Fraser Valley, B.C.

With convincing characters and a lack of cartoonish violence, this is a good read for those with an interest in how marijuana cultivation can underpin vast swathes of a community in myriad ways.

The teenaged protagonist has the mostly usual problems endemic to the age: family, school, money, unrequited love etc, making this a good book for young adult and reluctant readers as well.

"With Charity For All"
by Ken Stearn

Former NPR CEO Ken Stern unveils the seldom scrutinized state of charities in the U.S., which comprises 10% of the economic activity of the country. It's very seldom that I read anything that blows my mind as this book did: the scale of charitable activity, the lack of accountability and effectiveness, the amount of incompetence and outright malfeasance that would shame a Bernie Madoff.

I challenge anyone to pick up this book in a library or bookstore, read the outside back cover and not feel shock and fascination. It should be stressed that we are all (through various taxes) involved in charitable organizations whether we know it or not.

This is an absolute must read. (As a Canadian, I just wish we had a similar book that looked at the situation in this country although sadly, I suspect it would be all too analogous).

"A Map Of Tulsa"
by Benjamin Lytal

An exquisitely written tale of first love set in the buckle of the Bible Belt. First person narration so pitch perfect, this reads like an instant coming of age classic, A Catcher in the Rye for a new generation.

Great YA crossover for those more interested in real messy life than vampires and dystopias.

"Uproar's Your Only Music"
by Briant Brett

Best known for Trauma Farm, his passionate and hilarious memoir of rural life, this earlier work details Brett’s somewhat Dickensian upbringing up into his 20s. The story of what turns out to be an extremely rare genetic disorder is all the more shocking for the spare style in which it’s told.

This very slim volume, where every sentence has been polished to a diamond, manages somehow to contain multitudes.

"The Silver Star"
by Jeannette Walls

Set in 1970 and narrated by 12-year-old "Bean" Holladay, this coming-of-age tale revolves around the experiences of two sisters abandoned by their single, free-spirited mom.

Bean and her sister Liz are instantly fascinating characters caught up in a suspenseful situation. This novel should do well with Book Clubs and teenagers and appeal to fans of books like A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews or Russell Banks' Rule of Bone.

"Drunk Mom: A Memoir"
by Jowita Bydlowska

While we’ve OD’d on addiction memoirs since the success of James Frey’s (fictional!) A Million Little Pieces, Jowita Bydlowska’s Drunk Mom deserves special note.

In an age of Baby Mozart and $1200 “SUV” baby strollers where many women feel ashamed if they’re not feeding their child organically, Bydlowska is staggering around the streets of Toronto with her own sippy cup filled with vodka falling flat on her face between liquor stores with a newborn.

This is not the usual territory covered by addiction memoirs, nor is the unsentimental writing style and the lack of a predictable, inspirational story arc. Whatever her motives for writing the book, the act was a courageous one.

Don’t expect Disney to make a movie version out of this one.

"Into The Abyss: How A Deadly Commuter Plane Crash Changed The Lives Of A Pilot, A Politician, A Criminal, And A Cop"
by Carol Shaben

The story of a 1984 plane crash in Northern Alberta that killed six people, written by the daughter of one of the survivors.

Shaben does a remarkable job of detailing the events leading up to the tragedy, and her portraits of the survivors, who included an RCMP officer with the prisoner he was escorting and her father, Canada’s first Muslim cabinet minister.

I’ll never take another ride in a “vomit-comet” or “puddle-jumper” again without thinking about this book, and have much greater respect and appreciation for the imposing task faced by rescue services in remote areas.

"Kind Of Kin"
by Rilla Askew

Set in 2008 Oklahoma, a family unravels thanks to a new state law making it a felony to harbour illegal aliens.

A great book club pick, this story looks at how social policy issues can have great consequences to personal family dynamics and relationships. It also portrays an overwhelmingly Christian, “blue state” community with realism and respect, not the kind of histrionics and cartoonish exaggerations common in popular media.

"Hell-Bent: Obsession, Pain, And The Search For Something Like Transcendence In Competitive Yoga"
by Benjamin Lorr

The author very randomly takes a Bikram yoga class and begins an obsessive journey into the extreme yoga fringe culminating in advanced teacher training and competitive events.

Part transformative memoir, part expose of yoga guru Bikram Choudhury, this is at its heart a look at obsession, which makes it for readers of The Orchid Thief as much as anyone that can't get through the day without a downward facing dog.

"Where'd You Go, Bernadette"
by Maria Semple

A satirical family drama set under the shadow of Microsoft in a politically correct enclave of Seattle. This book probably had better word of mouth than anything else in 2012 and has been an in-house LBI favourite.

Although it deals with the sort of serious problems that routinely tear families apart, Semple’s breezy comedic style and the warm heart of the family central to the plot keeps this a light, fast read.

Both of these books (this and Hell-Bent, listed above)have very simple but bold covers that do a great job of capturing their essence (as do the titles).

"The Big Screen: The Story Of The Movies"
by David Thomson

David Thomson might best be described as the Christopher Hitchens of film criticism: frighteningly knowledgeable with an encyclopedic memory, rapier wit, maliciously gleeful sense of humour, and ferociously opinionated. As with  Hitch, chances are you’ll love or hate him: put me in the former camp.

In his latest book, Thomson presents a history of screens, from the first moving pictures to Facebook. A casual, readable style makes it easy to gloss over the wealth of knowledge and insight on every page.

Read from a Waterloo PL loan, I’ll buy my own copy now: there’s enough reference material here to guide movie choices for a lifetime.

"Death Grip: A Climber's Escape From Benzo Madness"
by Matt Samet

Climber’s stories and addiction memoirs are legion but I can’t think of the two being combined. Death Grip tells the story of a world class rock jock’s nearly life-long (and near fatal) struggles with anxiety, depression, an eating disorder, and prescription drug addiction.

This is also a look at the effects of divorce, trying to fit in, and the consequences and limitations of family (Samet’s mother had mental health struggles, while his father worked at prestigious John Hopkins).

Also setting this book apart is the quality of the writing, likely helped by Samet’s career as an author and journalist, including stints as editor at Climbing and Rock & Ice magazines. Prescription drug abuse continues to rise – not to mention the widespread use of benzo drugs prescribed across a broad spectrum of society. A harrowing read.

"Cigarettes & Truckstops"
by Lindi Ortega

As much as I adore the work of Emmylou Harris and Lucinda Williams, and hope to hear more from both, music requires gifted singer songwriters in every generation to sustain itself. Cue Canadian Lindi Ortega in her little red boots, whom American Songwriter calls “the love child of Johnny Cash and Nancy Sinatra.”

Her voice took centre stage in her debut, while its her songwriting chops that stand out on her latest CD. Add in fine musicianship and you’ve got something for everyone here: Saturday night stomp dance tunes and lyrics worth listening to from an old soul.

"Between Man And Beast: An Unlikely Explorer, The Evolution Debates, And The African Adventure That Took The Victorian World By Storm"
by Monte Reel

Nothing like a mile-long subtitle, although in this case you could, unbelievably, have added quite a bit more. In an age where scientists relied on explorers and hunters for specimens, Paul Du Chaillu brought the first gorillas--previously only the subject of legend and myth--to the world.

This is one of those books that is vast in scope and subject areas (Darwinism, exploration, race, evolution, West Africa, Victorian society, even the American Civil War) that is able to provide just the right amount of detail in a highly readable way.

One of the best books I read in 2012 (from an advance copy), it won’t be available until March 2013 and was featured in our Winter Bestseller list.

For readers of Richard Holmes’ Age of Wonder and The Lost City of Z.

"The Round House"
by Louise Erdrich

One of five finalists for the National Book Award, The Round House stands alongside other chapters in the saga of First Nations people begun by Erdrich almost 30 years ago with Love Medicine.

As explained to Eleanor Wachtel in an IFOA interview to be aired on Writers and Company, The Round House was written as a suspenseful mystery to bring native issues forward in a highly readable way.

This is pitch perfect page-turning realism, where issues like violence against women and judicial jurisdiction unfold organically, as realities of her characters everyday lives.

Very few writers have ever been able to combine storytelling, style and characterization with equal strength.

IFOA interview will air Nov 4th and then be available for podcast at http://www.cbc.ca/writersandcompany/

"1982"
by Jian Ghomeshi

The popular CBC radio host recalls his 14th year, obsessed with David Bowie, his ethnic identity, an Adidas gym bag and Wendy, a high school crush.

A bittersweet memoir told with humour, innocence, and self-deprecation you don’t have to have stalked Rush or gone to The Police Picnic to enjoy.

"Season Of The Witch: Enchantment, Terror, And Deliverance In The City Of Love"
by David Talbot

Deservedly earning starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews, San Francisco resident and founder of Salon David Talbot focuses on his beloved city throughout the tumultuous years of 1967 to 1982.

The Summer of Love is so firmly imprinted in our collective consciousness with a soundtrack provided by Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead , with underground newspapers and literary landmarks and lions like City Lights and Lawrence Ferlinghetti, it’s easy to lose sight of Altamont, AIDS, the SLA and the Zodiac killer, Jim Jones’ pre-Guyana role in politics and the death of Harvey Milk and mayor Moscone.

This cultural, political and social history packs a great deal of information into 406 highly readable pages, ending on a redemptive note I didn’t expect.

"Kicking And Dreaming: A Story Of Heart, Soul, And Rock And Roll"
by Ann and Nancy Wilson

While never a fan of Heart, I was taken aback by how thoughtful, intelligent, and humorous they were in an interview on CBC Radio's Q, enough so to read this book. Ann and Nancy alternate chapters, also adding the spoken memories of some of their closest friends, taking the reader from their early days of being raised on Marine Corps bases through to their 2011 tour and work on the next studio album.

This book isn't a sensational look at past excesses or a shameless cash grab trying to take advantage of the popularity of recent music biographies, but rather a clear and eloquent mutual memoir of lives and dreams lived. There's a lot more to Heart than big hair, cantilevered cleavage, and bad 80s videos.

Having read this book, consider me a fan

Richmond Fontaine was formed in Portland in 1994 by Dave Harding and crime novelist Willy Vlautin, whose prose has been compared to Raymond Carver with a movie version of The Motel Life currently in production with Emile Hirsch and Kris Kristoffersen.

Their latest CD, The High Country, is a unique hybrid of Pacific Northwest country rock Americana with spoken word story telling. Is this the first crime novel concept album? I don't know, but it's the best thing I've heard in years and compulsively listenable.

Thanks to Brit crime writer Mark Billingham's blog to bringing these musical poets of rain-soaked logging truck roads to my attention.

"Visit Sunny Chernobyl, And Other Adventures In The World's Most Polluted Places"
by Andrew Blackwell

It would be a gross understatement to say that this book chronicles travels far from the usual tourist traps. Andrew Blackwell journeys to some of the world’s most polluted places, including Fort McMurray, Alberta which, while not the world’s worst, (that dubious honour falls to Linfen, China) does manage to emit twice the carbon of Los Angeles, while laying waste to water and wildlife at the same time.

Part reportage, satire, and, one suspects, clever pitch to land a book deal, Blackwell makes the valid point that we need to appreciate our planet as it truly is, in all its diverse and often appalling glory.

Hardcover LBN 819399 / ISBN 9781605294452

"Transfer"

Duncan reviewed a book recently so I thought I’d mention a DVD to return the favour. An elderly and wealthy German couple facing a health crisis avail themselves of a controversial procedure that implants their consciousness into the bodies of two young African refugees. As one might expect, trouble ensues in a host of unanticipated ways.

This is a very intelligent look at racism, privilege, aging, technology, and love, that readers of The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist or fans of understated Sci-Fi films like Gattaca will enjoy.

DVD VRN 232025

"Showdown At Shepherd's Bush"
by David Davis

Showdown at Shepherd’s Bush documents the 1908 Olympics in London where the marathon was the main event, with Tom Longboat from the Six Nations Reserve near Brantford, Ontario, the favorite to win.

Booklist called this “a class underdog story… although the focus is on just one event… the text places the marathon in the context of the evolution of the Olympics and other major sporting competitions during this period” calling it “a must read for Olympics fans.”

There is a great deal of history in this book, not just athletic, but about the immigrant experience, conditions in turn of the century Italy, the racism Native Canadians faced, and more.

A great read just in time for London 2012.

Hardcover LBN 819383 / ISBN 9780312641009

"Argyle Armada: Behind The Scenes Of The Pro Cycling Life"
by Mark Johnson

Ryder Hesjedal won the Giro last month, the first Canadian to ever do so, and races now in the Tour de France as one of the favourites.

The Argyle Armada is the only book available that shows the B.C. native at work, along with his Garmin team mates. Writer/photographer Mark Johnson spent 2011 with the team and chronicles their highs and lows in this beautiful large format book.

Hardcover LBN 795204 / ISBN 9781934030813

"Life Is About Losing Everything"
by Lynn Crosbie

A fantasy memoir of 80s Toronto from the poet, professor and Globe and Mail columnist, told in brief chapters that read like epileptic fits crossed with delerium tremens.

Reads something like a crack addled David Gilmour with the sound of confessional poetry found in Jean Genet or Anais Nin. There are flowers blooming amongst the refuse piles throughout the book.

Hardcover LBN 820298 / ISBN 9781770890039

"Unicorn Being A Jerk"
by C.W. Moss

If you're a fan of The Bunny Suicides or Grandpa Won't Wake Up -- gleefully mean spirited adult comics drawn in the style of children's books -- you'll love Unicorn Being a Jerk.

Just DON'T leave these out where your kids can get their hands on them, unless you want to initiate a lifetime of counseling.

Hardcover LBN 752922 / ISBN 9780062070210

"The Barefoot Bandit"
by Bob Friel

Teenaged Colton Harris-Moore's crime spree throughout the San Juan Islands is told with sympathy and style in this suspenseful account by adventure travel author and Orcas Island resident Bob Friel.

America's "Most Wanted Teen" stole cars, yachts, identities and most incredibly, airplanes, evading capture for years. Far more than just a true crime narrative, this is a look at the culture of small island life in the Pacific Northwest: the stories of the people that live there, the divide between rich and poor, how they came to be and manage to stay there. It encompasses parenting, social services, education, tourism, true crime, and celebrity in the age of Facebook.

Taken along as part of our booth display for BCLA, I found myself staying in my hotel room during glorious BC spring weather to finish the book and find out Colton's fate. Along with Cheryl Strayed's Wild (one of my April 2012 Staff Picks), the best non-fiction I've read this year.

Hardcover LBN 716282 / ISBN 9781401324162

"Good As Dead"
by Mark Billingham

Tenth in the Tom Thorne series, Good as Dead revolves around the kidnapping of a police officer and the in custody death of a juvenile offender. Billingham is somehow able to combine B+ social commentary, character and story development, and merely average style, into A+ novels that are more than the sum of their parts.

His first two novels, Sleepyhead and Scaredy Cat, were made into a six part series for SKY (VRN 231852; cast includes Canadian Sandra Oh). Billingham also works as an actor, stand-up comedian, and writes children's books under the psuedonym Will Peterson.

I highly recommend visiting his website, which includes a free iPhone app created by Little, Brown as a companion to the novels and TV series. Check his links page for musical influences like JR Cash, Steve Earle, and Elvis Costello

Hardcover LBN 818963 / ISBN 9781847444202

"Lakeland"
by Allan Casey

Winner of the Governor General's award for Nonfiction, and Waterloo Region's One Book, One Community pick for 2012, Lakeland is a journey through the greatest lake country on earth.

Part travelogue, natural history, science writing and memoir, Casey's writing is accessible, full of insight, and entertaining. Check the OBOC blog for more information and events, which will culminate in multiple author appearances in Waterloo Region in September.

Website: http://oboc.ca/

Hardcover LBN 753374 / ISBN 9781553688856

"A Land More Kind Than Home"
by Wiley Cash

A debut novel set in a small Western North Carolina town, this is an intelligent literary thriller with the power of myth.

I took this book with me on holidays near Brevard, NC and found it as authentic and powerful as the grits, boiled peanuts, and rattlesnakes I encountered there. This book should appeal to fans of both John Hart and Harper Lee.

Check out this link for a short video introduction by the author.

Hardcover LBN 778176 / ISBN 9780062088147

"Wild: From Lost To Found On The Pacific Crest Trail"
by Cheryl Strayed

Eat, Pray, Love & Joan Didion’s Year of Magical Thinking helped unleash an avalanche of memoirs aimed at women about finding yourself, divorce, and grief.

Into this oversaturated market comes Wild: from Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed, one of the most hyped books of the year. Deservedly so, as I found out, devouring it in one sitting, the first book of the year where I’ve purchased copies after reading it to urge on family & friends.

This is not self-indulgent narcissistic navel-gazing cashing in on a publishing trend: written 15 years after the events portrayed, this journey is so well-considered and finely written you feel that you’re with her every step of the way.

Here are links to Cheryl Strayed's Facebook page, her author website (containing links with video and audio), and an article in the New York Times Arts Beat where she talks about this book.

Hardcover LBN 779201 / ISBN 9780307592736

"The Song Of Achilles"
by Madeline Miller

The hero’s life and role in the Trojan War reworked through the eyes of his companion and lover, Patroclus.

Did it matter that I already knew the inevitable outcome, or that the relationship portrayed was between two men? Not at all, thanks to Madeline Miller, who holds degrees in Latin & Ancient Greek and studied at the Yale School of Drama, adapting classical tales for a modern audience.

Her beautiful writing style is “literary” and yet the book is a page-turner, with Gods and mythical beings woven in so deftly they belong as naturally as a sunrise, or fish in the wine dark seas.

For readers of Grant Buday’s Dragonflies.

Hardcover LBN 778308 / ISBN 9780062060617

"Straphangar: How Subways, Buses And Trains Are Saving Our Cities"
by Taras Grescoe

A global look at transportation and cities, including Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. As with Bottomfeeder, which won the Writers' Trust & Mavis Gallant prize, Grescoe's genius is the readability & quality of his research, and his quirky powers of observation. (For example, in the chapter on Bogota, he notes that pirated copies of Gabriel Garcia Marquez novels are sold next to transgendered prostitutes offering their wares).

This is a huge issue: locally, Kitchener has been debating LRT for years, people died in a train crash in Burlington last month, and Rob Ford is trying to put in new subway lines in Toronto no matter the cost. Whether or not you care (and unless you walk everywhere, you should) Grescoe is worth reading no matter the subject.

See his related article in The Walrus.

Author website: www.tarasgrescoe.com

Hardcover LBN 778618 / ISBN 9781554686247

"The Juliet Stories"
by Carrie Snyder

Juliet Friesen is 10 when her family moves to Nicaragua in 1984; the inter-connected stories here see her return to Canada and continue into young adulthood.

Waterloo author Snyder writes with such conviction and precision that it’s difficult to accept this is fiction and not memoir. The characterization of Juliet’s mother is so expertly done I almost couldn’t read the book because of my distaste for her.

The people in this book are so real they provoke genuine heart-felt emotion; Snyder writes with the assurance and maturity of a master.

http://www.facebook.com/thejulietstories

Hardcover LBN 736191 / ISBN 9781770890022

"Into The Silence: The Great War, Mallory, And The Conquest Of Everest"
by Wade Davis

Since Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air in 1997, I’ve read at least 75 books about mountain climbing, to the point where I’d decided I’d have more than enough of the subject. And then one of my favourite authors, the B.C. anthropologist Wade Davis, comes out with the story of the first Everest expeditions, and the mystery of George Mallory’s disappearance.

But this book is so much more than just another climbing tale: in writing about the history and effects of WWI on a whole generation to put those climbs into their proper context, Davis has written an incredibly detailed history, on a huge range of subjects.

This isn’t just about climbing: it’s about war, and a dentist in Labrador pulling over 700 teeth in a day, life in the Raj, the Bloomsbury scene, cartography and photography and the life of British public schools.

Utterly fascinating from start to finish, the sort of book that begs to be read slowly because of its sheer depth of detail; absolutely epic.

Hardcover LBN 736551 / ISBN 9780676979190

"That Used To Be Us: How America Fell Behind In The World It Invented"
by Thomas L. Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum

A look at the crumbling American empire with an analysis of how the country got into the sorry mess it finds itself now, comparisons to other countries (notably China) a clear eyed look at the present situation and suggestions for a change in policy.

Described by the New York Review of Books as "important and eminently readable" and "a book of exceptional importance" by Library Journal, I'd agree but stress how surprisingly interesting the book is: more like John McPhee or Michael Lewis than political science. I'd also recommend it to readers of general business books.

Thomas Friedman talks to Chris Wragge on CBS

Friedman talks with Sir David Frost

Hardcover LBN 736727 / ISBN 9780374288907

"Trigger Point: A Novel"
by Matthew Glass

Matthew Glass takes us behind the scenes in the worlds of high finance and international diplomacy in this intelligent, edge-of-your-seat suspenseful follow-up to the internationally praised Ultimatum.

If you’ve never wanted to kill a banker or politician before, you will after reading this book. I’d gone to this book expecting nothing more than a mindless entertainment and was very pleasantly surprised.

For readers that enjoyed Richard North Patterson’s Exile, John Le Carré or Alex Dryden’s spy series.

Hardcover LBN 778135 / ISBN 9781443407120

"Tapped Out: Rear Naked Chokes, The Octagon, And The Last Emperor"
by Matthew Polly

The author of American Shaolin takes up Mixed Martial Arts in this Plimptonesque narrative of middle-aged folly. While the dumbed down writing style was initially off-putting, resistance is futile and in no time you're laughing along and out loud as if to an airplane movie you'd have never thought could be funny.

For readers of A.J. Jacobs, George Plimpton and former jocks hitting their middle aged spread.

Here is a link to the complete MMA bout between author Matthew Polly and David Cexton, as chronicled in the book. Obviously, Spoiler Alert! for those reading the book.

Hardcover LBN 702024 / ISBN 9781592405992

"When Tish Happens: The Unlikely Story of Canada's Most Influential Literary Magazine"
by Frank Davey

Written as a memoir by one of its founders and editors, Frank Davey chronicles his early life in Abbotsford, B.C., and the history of the UBC poetry magazine, Tish.

While an interest in Canadian literary history brought me to this book, Davey's descriptions of his childhood and campus years at UBC, then his early career in Victoria, Montreal, and Toronto were a huge part of what makes the book an interesting read.

Amazing how arguments over poetic theory, publishing deals, and slights real or imagined can be so fiercely remembered 40+ years later, but these are poets, after all. A must read for those interested in Canadian letters of the last 50 years.

Hardcover LBN 725163 / ISBN 9781550229585

"When Bob Met Woody: The Story Of Young Bob Dylan"
by Gary Golio

The story of young Bob Zimmerman of rural Minnesota, who grows up and renames himself after his favorite poet--Dylan Thomas--and goes off to New York City where he meets folk music hero Woody Guthrie.

Beautifully illustrated in a unique style evocative of antique folk art, this children's picture book in all its poetic simplicity just might be the best book on Dylan out there. Can be read to a child as a simple story about chasing your dreams, or as an early look at one of the greatest singer-songwriters of the last century.

Hardcover LBN 714890 / ISBN 9780316112994

"The Perfect Order Of Things"
by David Gilmour

A fictional biography with a very recognizable narrator revisiting memories and scenes from the most memorable times of his past.

I don't know why this book has been shut out of the major literary award nominations, although Gilmour has surely offended the less brilliant (which is pretty much everyone) over the years, and this blurring of fiction & non-fiction might not sit well with juries either.

The Perfect Order of Things is a well nigh perfect book, and for my tastes his best since How Boys See Girls.

Hardcover LBN 735980 / ISBN 9780887628078

"Once You Break A Knuckle"
by D.W. Wilson

A collection of short interlinked stories set in the Kootenay Valley of British Columbia.

A promising debut from the winner of the inaugural Man Booker Prize scholarship, for readers of Raymond Carver, Jim Harrison and Richard Ford.

A good book for the sort of man that "doesn't read fiction."

Hardcover LBN 736253 / ISBN 9780670065745

"Eating Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber, And Life With The Tree-Planting Tribe"
by Charlotte Gill

Award winning fiction writer Charlotte Gill writes of her twenty years working as part of the tree planting tribe, mostly in British Columbia, with beautifully crisp prose. She writes not only of her personal experience but presents passages of natural history and science, big business, anthropology and public policy.

There's no axe to grind, no agenda; she writes from the dirt where she worked on the forest floor, not a soapbox. You can read this to learn about forestry practices, or for the character profiles of those involved, or simply for the pleasure of Gill's prose. Gill can rightfully take her place with other great BC non-fiction writers like John Vaillant and Wade Davis.

Hardcover LBN 736485 / ISBN 9781553659778

"The Great Leader"
by Jim Harrison

The story of a recently divorced and retired detective from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on the trail of a cult leader, that takes him through a series of darkly comic misadventures from the UP to Arizona and Nebraska.

Fans of Harrison will likely interpret the character of Detective Sunderson, and the settings, to be his most autobiographical work. Incredibly entertaining, written with the sort of brilliant economy and seeming ease that only a master of the craft can employ.

A great book for men that don’t normally like fiction or are reluctant readers.

Paperback LBN 736159 / ISBN 9781770890367

"Shadows On The Gulf"
by Rowan Jacobsen

Hardcover LBN 716523 / ISBN 9781608195817

"A Call From Jersey"
by P.F. Kluge

A look at the mutation of the immigrant experience and the erosion of the family in 1980s New Jersey through the eyes of Hans Grefinger, who arrived in New York from Germany in 1928. For readers of Richard Russo and John Irving, a quietly brilliant work from the author of Gone Tomorrow and Biggest Elvis.

The movies Dog Day Afternoon and Eddie and the Cruisers were based on Kluge’s work.

Hardcover LBN 688332 / ISBN 9781590203613

"Devil Sent The Rain: Music And Writing In Desperate America"
by Tom Piazza

Short essays on American musicians, authors, writing and New Orleans told with a poetic, insightful, and at times outraged and authentic voice. Piazza is the author of Why New Orleans Matters and writes for the HBO TV series Treme. Bob Dylan has noted “Tom Piazza’s writing pulsates with nervous electrical tension – reveals the emotions that we can’t define.”

Hardcover LBN 735511 / ISBN 9780062008220

"Tomato Red"
by Daniel Woodrell

The story of an out-of-control loser in the hardscrabble town of West Table, Missouri from the master of Ozark/country noir, and my new favourite fiction author. While a classic screw-up, hero Sammy Barlach is endearing and sympathetic, as are his co-conspirators Jamalee and Jason Merridew.

Tomato Red won the PEN USA award for fiction in 1998. Two films have been adapted from his novels: Academy Award nominated Winter’s Bone, and Ride with the Devil, directed by Ang Lee and based on Woe to Live On.

Paperback LBN 710966 / ISBN 9781935415060

"Chinaberry Sidewalks"
by Rodney Crowell

An above average music memoir that recalls the singer-songwriter’s hardscrabble early days in Jacinto City, Texas. This is more a beautifully evoked snapshot of childhood and a time and place than any sort of rock and roll tale, not that it lacks for tales of guns and drinking, fistfights, fishing, Pentecostal preachers, and colourful characters. Whether or not you’re a fan of Crowell’s music or work as a producer matters not a bit to the enjoyment of this book, which received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist.

Hardcover LBN 701859 / ISBN 9780307594204

"The Sisters Brothers"
by Patrick deWitt

A revisionist western about two killer-for-hire brothers on the trail from Oregon to California. Funny, brutal, odd, and strange with delicious language that will delight fans of Deadwood. Other than Lonesome Dove, this is the first western I’ve read since I was in britches--don’t let the genre turn you away--this is a great book. Author Patrick DeWitt was born on Vancouver Island and now lives in Portland. Published by Anansi, a member of The Organization of Book Publishers of Ontario (OBPO).

Paperback LBN 713051 / ISBN 9780887842894

"Charlatan : America's Most Dangerous Huckster, The Man Who Pursued Him, And The Age Of Flimflam"
by Pope Brock

A look back at the snake oil salesmen and diploma mill doctors of a century ago, along with the rise of the AMA and its attempts to put an end to the hucksterism rampant. The tale centers on John Brinkley, who built an empire based on goat testicles, which he implanted in men young and old, healthy and chronically ill, at usurious cost.  If the tale seems improbable all one has to do is spend some time watching late night infomercials or reading the ads of an exercise magazine to note that America is still more than ready to spend millions every year in an effort to restore virility (Viagra, anyone?) and vitality. Truth, once again stranger than fiction!

Paperback LBN 553405 / ISBN 9780307339881

"My Year With Eleanor: A Memoir"
by Noelle Hancock

After losing her job, 29 year old media blogger Noelle Hancock turns to Eleanor Roosevelt to reinvent herself in the year leading up to her 30th birthday. Anxiety and self doubt had stalled her until inspiration struck in the form of a quote on a chalkboard coffee shop: "Do one thing every day that scares you" - Eleanor Roosevelt. This leads Hancock on a Year of Fear, as she confronts her fears and struggles to overcome them and find meaningful purpose to her life. Laugh out loud funny with an underlying serious message. For readers of A.J. Jacobs and fans of participatory journalism, not just memoirs.

Hardcover LBN 728455 / ISBN 9780061875038

"Bury Your Dead"
by Louise Penny

Louise Penny’s book, Bury Your Dead, is the reading selection for Waterloo Region in 2011! One Book, One Community invites all of Waterloo Region to experience what the starred Booklist review describes as “the best yet, a true tour de force of storytelling … Penny hits every note perfectly in what is one of the most elaborately constructed and remarkably moving mysteries in years."

Paperback LBN 700096 / ISBN 9781847444387

"The Etiquette Of Freedom"
by Gary Snyder

Poet Gary Snyder joins his friend, novelist Jim Harrison, for a walk and talk in the Santa Lucia Mountains of California's central coastal range. Every page is fecund with insight and wisdom. The book is really "just" the companion to the documentary film that comes with it on DVD, which also features JoAnne Kyger and Michael McClure. Essential for anyone with an interest in deep ecology, beat literature, or post-war American fiction and poetry.

Hardcover LBN 688723 / ISBN 9781582436296

"Effigy"
by Alissa York

An affecting novel of loss, memory, despair, and deliverance by one of Canada’s best young fiction authors, set on a Mormon ranch in nineteenth-century Utah. Inspired by the real events of the Mountain Meadows Massacre in 1857, Alissa York blends fact with fiction in a haunting story of a family separated by secrets and united by faith. York lives in Toronto; LBI was delighted to have her as our guest at the 2011 Toronto PL's Book Lover's Ball.

Hardcover LBN 503328 / ISBN 9780679314721

"The Orange Eats Creeps"
by Grace Krilanovich

Hardcover LBN 711219 / ISBN 9780982015186

"Twelve By Twelve: A One-Room Cabin Off The Grid & Beyond The American Dream"
by William Powers

Why would a successful physician choose to live in a 12x12 cabin without running water or electricity? This is a memoir of what can be gained by going without, written by an international aid worker trying to find balance in an unbalanced world. A 21st century Walden for the global warming era.

Hardcover LBN 663088 / ISBN 9781577318972

"The Blue Light Project"
by Timothy L. Taylor

The author of Stanley Park channels his inner William Gibson in writing this story that revolves around a hostage taking at a controversial children's Reality TV show. A disgraced journalist, former Olympic biathlete, and a street artist that travels the city by Parkour (sorry, "Freesteal") make up the central characters. After making Vancouver a virtual character in his last two novels, this one is set in an imagined Anytown that seems like a cross between Vancouver and Minneapolis. Not quite a futuristic dystopian cautionary tale, but close. For coffee house conspiracy theorists and those that enjoyed William Gibson's recent trilogy.

Hardcover LBN 701452 / ISBN 9780307399304

"Yellow Dirt: An American Story Of Poisoned Land And A People Betrayed"
by Judy Pasternak

The true cost of uraniam mining in Navajo land makes for chilling, and infuriating reading. With Rachel Carson having recently said that Port Hope's uranium legacy has made it the most dangerous place on earth, there are timely lessons closer to home here as well.

Hardcover LBN 662775 / ISBN 9781416594826

"Eat, Sleep, Ride: How I Braved Bears, Badlands, And Big Breakfasts In My Quest To Cycle The Tour Divide"
by Paul Howard

Veteran British sports writer Paul Howard, author of Riding High: Shadow Cycling the Tour de France, gets his first mountain bike and enters The Tour Divide, a mountain bike race from Banff, Alberta to Antelope Wells, Mexico.

The book stumbles a bit, as if an editor asked for "something Bryson-esque" from the obviously fit and capable Yorkshireman, but it's ultimately an addictive read as you wonder if Howard and the other racers will survive all the snow, mud, rain, bears, gas station food, etc and make it to Mexico. Fanatical cyclists and racers will have to look elsewhere for practical information: this account is aimed very much at the armchair adventurer.

Hardcover LBN 713599 / ISBN 9781553658177

"The Poison Tree"
by Erin Kelly

Hardcover LBN 713599 / ISBN 9780670022403

"Take A Seat: One Man, One Tandem, And Twenty Thousand Miles Of Possibilities"
by Dominic Gill

Hardcover LBN 714474 / ISBN 9780762770694

"I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive"
by Steve Earle

Hardcover LBN 716013 / ISBN 9780618820962

"Snowdrops: A Novel"
by A.D. Miller

Hardcover LBN 701765 / ISBN 9781554687831

"Have You Seen...? A Personal Introduction To 1,000 Films"
by David Thomson

Hardcover LBN 584678 / ISBN 9781554687831

"It's All About The Bike: The Pursuit Of Happiness On Two Wheels"
by Robert Penn

Hardcover LBN 695092 / ISBN 9781846142628

"The High Road"
by Terry Fallis

Hardcover LBN 688425 / ISBN 9780771047879

"For All The Tea In China: How England Stole The World's Favorite Drink"
by Sarah Rose

Hardcover LBN 659911/ ISBN 9780670021529

"Siberian Education: Family, Honour, And Tattoos--An Extraordinary Underworld Life"
by Nicolai Lilin

Hardcover LBN 688934 / ISBN 9780771050275

"When The Killing's Done"
by T.C. Boyle

Hardcover LBN 701808 / ISBN 9780670022328

"Swap"
by John McFetridge

Hardcover LBN 644621 / ISBN 9781550228144

"Broom Of The System"
by David Foster Wallace

Hardcover LBN 699316 / ISBN 9780142002421

"Blood, Sweat & Tears"
by David Clayton-Thomas

Hardcover LBN 688646 / ISBN 97800670064694

"The Beauty Of Humanity Movement"
by Camilla Gibb

Hardcover LBN 688175 / ISBN 9780385663229

"The Glass Rainbow"
by James Lee Burke

Hardcover LBN 667974 / ISBN 9781439128299

"Void Of Course"
by Jim Carroll

Hardcover LBN 694398 / ISBN 9780140589092

"Nothing To Envy: Ordinary Lives In North Korea"
by Barbara Demick

Hardcover LBN 600061 / ISBN 9780385523905

"Neon Angel: A Memoir Of A Runaway"
by Cherie Currie

Hardcover LBN 674348 / ISBN 9780061961359

"I'd Know You Anywhere"
by Laura Lippman

Hardcover LBN 675158 / ISBN 9780061706554

"The Harvard Psychedelic Club: How Timothy Leary, Ram Dass, Huston Smith, And Andrew Weil Killed The Fifties And Ushered In A New Age For America"
by Don Lattin

Hardcover LBN 648094

"The Swap"
by Antony Moore

Paperback LBN 609627

"War"
by Sebastian Junger

Hardcover LBN 651844

"Tour de Lance: The Extraordinary Story of Lance Armstrong's Fight to Reclaim the Tour de France"
by Bill Strickland

Hardcover LBN 668603

"Dandy In The Underworld : An Unauthorised Autobiography"
by Sebastian Horsley

Hardcover LBN 547963

"The Best Laid Plans"
by Terry Fallis

Hardcover LBN 579391

"As Good As Gold: 1 Woman, 9 Sports, 10 Countries, And A 2-Year Quest"
by Kathryn Bertine

Hardcover LBN 579391

"Murder City: Ciudad Juarez And The Global Economy's New Killing Fields"
by Charles Bowden

Hardcover LBN 661865

"Kenk: A Graphic Portrait"
by Richard Poplak

Hardcover LBN 678521

"Bring On The Books For Everybody"
by Jim Collins

Hardcover LBN 673803

"Empire Of Illusion"
by Chris Hedges

Hardcover LBN 635991

"Lunatic Express"
by Carl Hoffman

Hardcover LBN 651750

"Solar"
by Ian McEwan

Hardcover LBN 662967

"All That Follows"
by Jim Crace

Hardcover LBN 651371

"The Wayfinders"
by Wade Davis

Hardcover LBN 636283

Audio LBN 647966

"Where Men Win Glory"
by Jon Krakauer

Hardcover LBN 596276

"Always Been There"
by Roseanne Cash

Hardcover LBN 636115

"Imperfect Birds"
by Anne Lamott

Hardcover LBN 651302

"End Of My Addiction"
by Oliver Amiesen

Hardcover LBN 553422

"Sleepless"
by Charlie Huston

Hardcover LBN 651588

"Methland"
by Nick Reding

Hardcover LBN 613633

"Appetite For Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash Of The Record Industry In The Digital Age"
by Steve Knopper

Hardcover LBN 578899

"The Unit"
by Ninni Holmqvist

Hardcover LBN 614963

"Far North"
by Marcel Theroux

Hardcover LBN 641405

"The Bicycle Diaries"
by David Byrne

Hardcover LBN 631600

"Having Faith In The Polar Girls' Prison"
by Cathleen With

Hardcover LBN 599750

"Why Your World Is About To Get A Whole Lot Smaller"
by Jeff Rubin

Hardcover LBN 615258

"Born To Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, And The Greatest Race The World Has Never Seen"
by Christopher McDougall

Hardcover LBN 613154

"City Of Thieves"
by David Benioff

Hardcover LBN 566660

"Nine Lives: Death And Life In New Orleans"
by Dan Baum

Hardcover LBN 600056

"Yoga Inc."
by John Philp

Hardcover LBN 600124

"Bits Of Me Are Falling Apart: How We Get Older And Why"
by William Leith

Hardcover LBN 599942

"One Square Inch Of Silence: One Man's Search For Natural Silence In A Noisy World"
by Gordon Hempton

Hardcover LBN 622479

Anne Lamott

Late last year, I discovered Anne Lamott via a book on cd, read by the author. Her deadpan, ironic, candid, and somewhat flaky delivery was as immediately recognizable as an old friend sitting at the kitchen table.  Her non-fiction books on faith, that include thoughts on parenting, grief, friendship, aging, and politics, deal with such universal themes in such plain but heartfelt language that they are immediately accessible to anyone.  Whether in audio or printed format, she's a blessing.

"Grace (Eventually)"

Hardcover : LBN 514806

"Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts On Faith"

Hardcover : LBN 178311

"Plan B: Further Thoughts On Faith"

Hardcover : LBN 383212

Paperback :  LBN 527667

"Life At These Speeds: A Novel"
by Jeremy Jackson

Here's another "running" book hot on the heels of last month's Again to Carthage. Life at These Speeds, which I discovered through the great bibliophile's social networking/reader advisory site www.shelfari.com is an odd book that seems to strongly polarize readers who either love or hate it. Put me strongly in the former camp. While the book is rife with critical flaws that are easy to note, this strange riff on loss within a coming of age tale is something like Rule of the Bone crossed with The Sweet Hereafter and J.D. Salinger. An 8th grader survives by chance an accident that kills his school's track team and undergoes strange personality changes while becoming a championship athlete.  Definite YA crossover appeal.

Paperback : ISBN 0312313667 / 9780312313661
LBN # 375637 / Price $25.00

"A Dog In A Hat: An American Bike Racer's Story Of Mud, Drugs, Blood, Betrayal, And Beauty In Belgium"
by Joe Parkin

One of the first U.S. riders to move to Belgium for a career as a professional cyclist, Joe Parkin didn't once ride the Tour de France or win a major race. Possibly that fact, and certainly his blunt and humorous writing style, make this an above average memoir. While many of the names mentioned, and the stories of drug use, are now familiar, this is definitely a story from the fringes and far more engaging than any celebrity ghost written sports bio. YA crossover and reluctant reader appeal.

Paperback : ISBN 1934030260 / 9781934030264
LBN # 581596 / Price $25.00 / Pub Date: August 2008

"What I Talk About When I Talk About Running"
by Haruki Murakami

From the author of The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, a serene little running memoir, the title paraphrasing Raymond Carver's best known work.

Hardcover : ISBN 0385666276 / 9780385666275
LBN # 584872 / Price $27.95 / Pub Date: July 2008

"Again To Carthage"
by John L. Parker, Jr.

Hardcover : ISBN 1891369776 / 9781891369773
LBN # 591480 / Price $29.00 / Pub Date: April 2008

"Twilight"
by William Gay

Southern Gothic so harsh and dark it makes Cormac McCarthy seem like Nicholas Sparks.

Hardcover : ISBN 1596920580 / 9781596920583
LBN # 548476 / Price $33.00

"Dead Man In Paradise"
by J.B. MacKinnon

The co-author of The 100 Mile Diet explores his uncle's death in the Dominican Republic in this Charles Taylor Award winning traveller's tale/mystery/meditation on loss and history.

Hardcover : ISBN 1553651383 / 9781553651383
LBN # 426578 / Price $22.95

"Again To Carthage"
by John L. Parker, Jr.

The author of the cult classic Once a Runner picks up where that novel left off. For readers of George Sheehan and John Brant, best read with your legs up a wall.

Hardcover : ISBN 1891369776 / 9781891369773
LBN # 591480 / Price $29.00 / Pub Date: April 2008

"Bicycling Beyond The Divide"
by Daryl Farmer

The author retraces a bicycle trip made 20 years earlier from Colorado to B.C., down the Pacific Coast and across the Continental Divide while reflecting on the changes to both the physical as well as personal and cultural landscapes.

Hardcover : ISBN 0803220340 / 9780803220348
LBN # 591528 / Price $29.95 / Pub Date: March 2008

"I Have Fun Everywhere I Go: Savage Tales Of Pot, Porn, Punk Rock, Pro Wrestling, Talking Apes, Evil Bosses, Dirty Blues, American Heroes, And The Most Notorious Magazines In The World."
by Mike Edison

The subtitle pretty much sums things up here. Something for the reluctant reader that usually doesn't go past the magazine aisle.

Hardcover : ISBN 086547964X / 9780865479647
LBN # 562252 / Price $27.50 / Pub Date: May 2008

"Water For Elephants"
by Sara Gruen

This 2006 title by Canadian born and raised Gruen keeps garnering word of mouth praise. The trade paperback edition, shown here, is incredibly popular as a book club choice. Run away to the circus with this page turner set during the Great Depression. The HBO series Carnivale makes a nice A/V companion of sorts: VRN 104855 (Season One) and 129760 (Season Two).

Hardcover : ISBN 0006391559 / 9780006391555
LBN # 557660 / Price $16.50 / Pub Date: June 2006

"The Last Great Fight: The Extraordinary Tale Of Two Men And How One Fight Changed Their Lives"
by Joe Layden

Hardcover : ISBN 0312353308 / 9780312353308
LBN # 556805 / Price $28.95 / Pub Date: October 2007

"Off The Deep End: The Probably Insane Idea That I Could Swim My Way To Youth And Qualify For The Olympics At Age Forty-Five"
by Hodding W. Carter IV

The quixotic quest of a 40-year-old working father to qualify for the Olympic trials leading up to the Beijing Olympics.

Hardcover : ISBN 1565125649 / 9781565125643
LBN # 562840 / Price $24.95 / Pub Date: June 2008

"Into Thick Air: Biking To The Bellybutton Of Six Continents"
by Jim Malusa

Hardcover : ISBN 157805141X / 9781578051410
LBN # 561346 / Price $18.50 / Pub Date: May 2008

"Paranoid Park"
by Blake Nelson

YA Fiction for grades 7 up told in authentic teen speak by a 16-year-old narrator, a skater kid that becomes involved in a murder. The angst and ennui of dealing with the more common teen dilemmas of parental divorce and relationships are a constant backdrop in this page turner perfect for reluctant teen readers. Recently made into a movie by Gus Van Sant (VRN 178165)

Hardcover : ISBN 0142411566 / 9780142411568
LBN # 498439 / Price $6.99 / Pub Date: February 2008

"The Cactus Eaters: How I Lost My Mind--And Almost Found Myself--On the Pacific Crest Trail"
by Dan White

Greenhorn misadventures hiking the Pacific Coast Trail from Mexico to Canada. A humourous traveller's tale.

Hardcover : ISBN 0061376930 / 9780061376931
LBN # 562892 / Price $16.95 / Pub Date: May 2008

"On A Wave: A Surfer Boyhood"
by Thad Ziolkowski

A memoir of growing up and learning to surf in Florida, the author captures a child's perception and experience of the world perfectly. Exquisitely rendered. Catcher in the Rye on a board and better written.

Hardcover : ISBN 087113845X / 9780871138453
LBN # 591532 / Price $24.95 / Pub Date: April 2002

"The English Major"
by Jim Harrison

Paperback : ISBN 0887842259 / 9780887842252
LBN # 584327 / Price $29.95 / Pub Date: September 2008

"The Other"
by David Guterson

Paperback : ISBN 0307263150 / 9780307263155
LBN # 566549 / Price $27.95 / Pub Date: June 2008

"Warrior Girls: Protecting Our Daughters Against The Injury Epidemic In Women's Sports"
by Michael Sokolove

From The Publisher: Warrior Girls exposes the downside of the women''s sports revolution that has evolved since Title IX: an injury epidemic that is easily ignored because we worry that it will threaten our daughters'' hard-won opportunities on the field. From teenage girls playing local soccer, basketball, lacrosse, volleyball, and other sports to women competing at the elite level, female athletes are suffering serious injuries at alarming rates. The numbers are frightening and irrefutable.  Michael Sokolove gives us the most up-to-date research on girls and sports injuries.

From Ron: This book is for parents, teachers, coaches and trainers. Great non-fiction gives you insights into unknown worlds -- Into Thin Air, The Perfect Storm, or John McPhee's Coming Into the Country. This book was every bit as compelling to me as those.

Hardcover : ISBN 0743297555 / 9780743297554
LBN # 564795 / Price $28.99 / Pub Date: June 2008

"Fatal Tide"

By David Leach

One of those books that deserved to be on the Bestseller List, Fatal Tide chronicles an adventure race on the Bay of Fundy that ended in the death of a novice kayaker. Leach, who teaches at the University of Victoria, takes a broad look at the history of extreme sports and research into physiology such as the study of hypothermia from the infamous experiments of the Nazis forward.

Hardcover : ISBN 067006629X / 9780670066292
LBN # 555684 / Price $32.00 / Pub Date: March 2008

"The Turnaround"

By George Pelecanos

The tone of this novel set in Washington DC for the early 70s to the present day is a bit earnest, but that's the usual price of the nostalgia likely infecting author George Pelecanos. His "Drama City" backlist deserves wider reading, much like the Charm City stories of Laura Lippman, whose husband David Simon Pelecanos has worked with, writing stories for the popular HBO series The Wire. If this stand-alone tale interests you, go back and read the novels featuring Nick Stefanos and Derek Strange for more from this DC native son.

Hardcover : ISBN 0316156477 / 9780316156479
LBN # 566912 / Price $28.99 / Pub Date: August 2008

"Major: A Black Athlete, a White Era, and the Fight to Be the World's Fastest Human Being"

By Todd Blaf

A 100 years ago bicycle track racing was the most popular sporting event in the world, its best rider the black American Major Taylor. This book is for cycling buffs and historians, those that love a good biography or interested in the study of race relations.

Hardcover : 978-0307236586

LBN : 554816  / Price $28.00

"Final Theory: A Novel"

By Mark Alpert

This Dewey Diva pick is a thinking person's thriller filled with very accessible and credible science. A non-embarrassing beach read.

Hardcover : 9781416572879

LBN : 566721  /  Price $28.00

"The Plague Of Doves"
by Louise Erdrich

Set amongst the inter-married Ojibwe living in the off-reservation town of Pluto, North Dakota, this is another of Erdrich's magical realist stories of interconnected families and myths. One of my favourite living authors, this is her best work since The Master Butcher's Singing Club.

Hardcover : ISBN 0060515120 / 9780060515126
LBN # 566553 / Price $29.95 / Pub Date: May 2008

"The Push & The Pull"
by Darryl Whetter

This book about a grad student bicycling from Halifax to Kingston came just in time to get me through what I hope is the last snowstorm of the season here in Southwestern Ontario. Bicycling fiction is usually written with about as much craft as bodice rippers but Darryl Whetter, a regular contributor to the Globe & Mail and CBC Radio Talking Books guest brings genuine literary ability to a story about relationships with parents, lovers, and dealing with loss. Occasionally prone to idiotic plot twists and unintentionally laughable scenes, this is not The Great Bicycling Novel (The Rider by Tim Krabbe still holds that honour) but still a great read. Whetter is also the author of A Sharp Tooth in the Fur.

Paperback : ISBN 0864925077 / 9780864925077
LBN # 560932 / Price $21.95 / Pub Date: April 2008

"The King of Lies"
by John Hart

An above average murder mystery that succeeds through the unrelenting, harrowing character development of its main protagonist, an unambitious lawyer in a small North Carolina town.

Hardcover : ISBN 031234161X / 9780312341619
LBN # 468038 / Price $29.95

"In The Realm Of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters With Addiction"
by Gabor Maté

A sprawling, uneven, imaginative, original and passionate look at addiction in our society from Downtown East Side crackheads to more socially acceptable uncontrolled patterns of behaviour in our children, the middle and upper professional classes. Neuroscience, current events, social issues, biography and memoir are all a part of this strange but illuminating book that I truly believe belongs in every public library and deserves to be widely read.

Hardcover : ISBN 0676977405 / 9780676977400
LBN # 537085 / Price $34.95 / Pub Date: February 2008

"High Crimes: The Fate of Everest In An Age of Greed"
by Michael Kodas

A personal and investigative look into the current extreme adventure-travel climbing scene. This is not the Everest of Mallory or Norgay but a new high altitude Wild West of lawless greed, soaring egos, grossly unqualified climbers, fraud and crimes with often fatal consequences. Read it with horror and disgust and never watch another Discovery Channel climbing documentary the same way again.

Hardcover : ISBN 1401302734 / 9781401302733
LBN # 547964 / Price $28.95 / Pub Date: January 2008

Bowerman and the Men of Oregon: The Story of Oregon's Legendary Coach and Nike's Cofounder

By  Kenny Moore

Bowerman and the Men of Oregon is a  brilliant re-creation of a large, quintessentially American life. During his 24-year tenure as track coach at the University of Oregon, Bill Bowerman won four national team titles and his athletes set 13 world and 22 American records, most notably by distance runner Steve Prefontaine (subject of the film Without Limits, available on dvd VRN #76705 with the Bowerman role played by Donald Sutherland with obvious relish and glee). Bowerman also co-founded Nike, invented the waffle sole, helped usher in the running boom to non-athletes in the late 60s, and was the U.S. Track & Field Coach at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Two time Olympian Kenny Moore, who had been coached by Bowerman, has written a hugely captivating account that takes the reader from The Oregon Trail, through WWII, the drama of the Munich hostage taking, the rise of Nike, and even includes self styled guru Bhagwan Rajneesh's move to Oregon. It is truly a  sprawling read for anyone that enjoys biography" ...Ron Stadnik

Paperback : ISBN 1594867313 / 9781594867316
LBN # 531348 /  Price: $20.95

“Ten Points"
by Bill Strickland
"This book deserved to be in our Spring Bestseller list but I thought my personal hobbies might be affecting my judgement. Later, after reading an advance reader's copy, I realized that, much like Lance Armstrong's "It's Not About the Bike", this is not a book about bicycling. It's a "Lovely Bones" for men." ...Ron Stadnik

Hardcover : ISBN 1401302580 / 9781401302580
LBN # 512910   /  Price: $29.95

“The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating"
by Alisa Smith & JB Mackinnon

Hardcover : ISBN 0679314822 / 9780679314820
LBN # : 503563   /  Price: $32.95

“The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals"
by Michael Pollan

Paperback : ISBN 0143038583 / 9780143038580
LBN # 528171 / Price: $20.00