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August 2010

Howdy!

It's too hot to come see me today at the store...I understand. So, kick back and relax behind your computer and shop away at FountainBookstore.com. As ever, free shipping over $50...or you can pick your books up here and we never charge you shipping, no matter how small the order.

Also...did you know that we do curb-side delivery all day every day? Yep...you can call on your phone as you approach the shop and I will walk out in the heat and speeding traffic to deliver your book to you.

No more Shockoe parking worries! Of course, you'll miss browsing, but sometimes you just don't have time. I understand.  So, here are a few titles for you to consider until you do have time to come by.

And don't forget to check out the events calendar!

Cheers!

Kelly

Knife Music (Hardcover)

$24.95
ISBN-13: 9781590203255
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Overlook Press, 7/2010

OK. Just plain awesome.  I took this book home for one of my "Weekend Tastings", as I call them....that's where I take home about 8 or 10 books from the stacks of samples we get and read a bit of each, just to get an idea of what they're about, writing style, etc. From the cover and title, I expected a garden variety medical thriller, possibly murder mystery, blah-de-blah. Nothing wrong with that...it was precisely what I was in the mood for...nothing too taxing.

Well, this is as good as any suspense novel I've read in a very, very long time. The main character is a Dr. McDreamy-type surgeon/playboy. As the book opens, we find him saving the life of a 16-year-old girl on the sugical table. Two months later, she commits suicide and leaves behind a journal that says his rejection of her after they had consensual sex was what made her do it. The investigation into the girl's death is led by a detective who was sexually assaulted by a doctor when he was a child who is determined to see the doctor brought to justice for the statutory rape and the resulting suicide. Had me right up to the last two pages and then knocked me flat.  Fantastic.


$12.99
ISBN-13: 9780803733633
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Dial, 6/2009

OMG this is so cute!!! I love this new character by author illustrator Ursula Vernon. Danny Dragonbreath is a breath of fresh air...which is actually a problem. No matter how hard he tries, he can't seem to breathe fire, disappointing his parents and making him a bit of a late-developer. Many kids will be able to relate to him. The illustrations are bold, yet adorable. Good fun.

We also carry Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs and look for Dragonbreath: The Curse of the Were-Weiner in September.


$17.99
ISBN-13: 9781423103004
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Hyperion, 6/2010
I dare you to read this and not cry.  Mo Willems (Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and the Elephant & Piggie series) and illustrator John Muth (Zen Shorts) team up to bring us an instant classic in the world of illustrated children's books.  City Dog visits the country where he meets and befriends Country Frog. As the seasons change, Willems takes on the delicate subject of the cycle of life. An ultimately uplifting book about appreciating the gifts given to us by our loved ones.

Blood Oath (Hardcover)

$24.95
ISBN-13: 9780399156359
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Putnam Adult, 5/2010
Who doesn't like a good vampire-CIA-agent tale? Well, I certainly do. I'm hoping this is the start of a new series. For the last 140 years or so, a very powerful vampire has been bonded to the U.S. presidential office....and he's not thrilled about it. Farnsworth presents a sympathetic and very deadly anti-hero in this vampire book that manages to rise above the rest of the heap of bloody fiction these days.

The Outside Boy (Paperback)

$15.00
ISBN-13: 9780451229489
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: NAL Trade, 6/2010

From Wikipedia - A tinker was originally an itinerant tinsmith, who mended household utensils. The term "tinker" was also used in British society to refer to marginalized persons. In this sense, "tinker" may mean: Irish Traveller, a nomadic or itinerant people of Irish origin.

When plastic buckets came along in the 50s, this culture was shortly decimated and very few of them remain living the nomadic lifestyles they once did. This novel follows characters at the tail end of this way of life as things just begin to change. The author's intent was to show them as the people they are, not romanticized or as violent thieves. I think she has been largely successful here. This would make a good choice for book clubs with an interest in Irish history and culture. Quick read.


$15.95
ISBN-13: 9781568586335
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Nation Books, 4/2010

A review from Steve!

I had a tough time trying to get this book in the store, but then I had a flash of insight- I was reading the English version, aka Football Against the Enemy. That alone tells you a bit about the state of things, mostly having to do with the average American's view of an activity that most of the rest of the world cares about more than just about anything else (say that five times fast). Of course, as an American who follows no sport other than soccer, I get tired of hearing about how clueless my countrymen are in regards to the beautiful game, which is why I recommend you read Soccer Against the Enemy. No, it's not a comprehensive history of the sport (we'll order up The Ball is Round if you think you can hang), but it does a good job of illustrating how soccer is a massive cultural, economic, and political force throughout much of the world. From explaining the biggest rivalry in all of sport (that would be Barcelona versus Real Madrid, Red Sox fans) to showing the development of soccer in Africa, Simon Kuper fills in the gaps for the long-time fans and those who are just now being lured onto the pitch by the vuvezela's sweet siren song.


The Strain (cd)
$19.99
Model: 9780062010933

Audio Review...

Just so you know, if we don't have your audio in stock, we can order them.  Lately we've been carrying some bargain-price audio like this one.

Question for you: Would you like Fountain to do audio rental? Just reply to the newsletter and I'll look into it.  

I'm not quite done listening to Ron Perlman (star of Hellboy) read The Strain to me...but I'm growing a phobia of my car because the book is so scary and he reads it so well.  Definitely waiting to be a kick butt vampire movie, this Del Toro/Hogan collaboration was read by Heather, Steve and Doc with mixed reviews here at Fountain. Audio is definitely the format of choice for this book, at least until we see the movie...


$36.95
ISBN-13: 9780789320254
Availability: Special Order - Subject to Availability
Published: Universe, 3/2010

What Steve Does in His Spare Time...

Despite being of legal drinking age for.... um, the last few months.... I only recently discovered that -wait for it- beer is good. Yes, yes, I know- welcome to the club. Much like I came around on some vegetables I hated as a kid (broccoli, I'm so sorry), it just happened. Of course, with thousands of breweries making all kinds of different beers, there are bound to be some duds, so a guide was most definitely in order. With nearly as many guides as there are breweries, though, choosing the right one can be somewhat daunting, but I think we've found a keeper in 1,001 Beers - it is simply divided (amber, dark, etc), has an index of beers by country, offers a few easily-quaffed paragraphs on the history of each brew and brewery, and provides concise, non-pretentious tasting notes. Now all I need is a designated driver and a big-ass road map....


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