[readers-advisory] Inkwood Books

[Alan Nichter]

>From Inkwood Books in Tampa.

BLINK by Malcolm Gladwell - "The author of The Tipping Point now explores the curious aspect of the mind that allows us to make snap judgments in the blink of an eye. Presented through various case studies, these theories will make you stop and think about how you make decisions. Gladwell shows how individuals have perfected the art of snap decision making in fields ranging from museum work to national security." Laura. Regularly $25.95; our Price $20.76.

CLOUD ATLAS by David Mitchell *- "This is one of the most amazing books I have read in a long while. An extraordinary combination of history, thriller and science fiction, the novel is broken into interconnected sections, each with a different voice and tone, each peopled with characters that could carry an entire novel. Nominated for the Booker, this is one of those rare books that challenge the intellect at the same time it breaks the heart." Leslie. Regularly $14.95; our Price $8.97.

DE KOONING: AN AMERICAN MASTER by MARK STEVENS AND ANNALYN SWAN - "Dutch painter Willem de Kooning stowed himself away aboard a freighter headed for Manhattan in 1926, with very little knowledge of English or American culture. Within a span of 25 years he would become the preeminent abstract expressionist in America. This biography, ten years in the making, recollects a vibrant time in American art. Those closest to de Kooning map out his circuitous ascent out of poverty and up the ladder of the New York art world. The latter third of the book explores his emigration to Long Island, where he would paint his most vibrant and controversial works, before finally succumbing to dementia." Stephen. Regularly $35; our price $28.

DEVIL IN THE DETAILS by Jennifer Traig - "Wait! Before you say you aren't interested in either autobiographies or OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) take another look at this hilarious memoir by humor writer Jennifer Traig. You'll find neurotic pieces of yourself and/or your friends (it's quite common actually) in this laugh-out-loud documentary of one little girl's journey through the bizarre world of this neurosis in all its wacky variations including scrupulosity, the religious version, which has afflicted some very famous people and more than a few canonized saints. It was recently pointed out that children laugh 500 times a day and adults only 15.  Up your daily dose of laughter and read this book!"  Barb.  Regularly $22.95; our price $18.36.

DOWNTOWN: MY MANHATTAN by PETE HAMILL - "Pete Hammill is a writer uniquely positioned to serve as your guide to old New York.  A former editor of both the Post and Daily News, and frequent contributor to the Times and New Yorker, he has beyond that been a lifelong student of the City. Taking as starting points physical landmarks familiar 
and less-well-known, Hamill draws lines between points in the City's life to form a kaleidoscopic portrait of the great metropolis he calls his hometown." Anthony. Regularly $23.95; our price $19.16.

GIRLS IN PANTS: THE THIRD SUMMER OF THE SISTERHOOD by ANN BRASHARES - "In their final summer before leaving for college, the four friends gather around their favorite pair of shared pants for what may be the last time. Since each girl will be attending a different school in the fall, they hope that the summer ahead will give them one final chance to be together. Tibby, Carmen, and Bridget each find guys that fill their summer with ups and downs while Lena struggles against her father's will as she pleads to be allowed to attend an art college. As the girls decide that they will allow nothing to break apart their friendship they wonder what the 'real world' will bring." Laura. Regularly $16.95; our price $13.56.

LITTLE CHILDREN by Tom Perrotta -"A satire with a heart, Little Children captures perfectly that wonderful, but occasionally mind-numbing time of life at home with small children. Perrotta captures perfectly the pettiness of play groups, the challenges of marriages and lives that are not what you once dreamed they would be. Intelligent and funny, Little Children manages to cover all the themes of suburbia, from play groups to adultery , with a creepy sense of the sinister that keeps the pages turning." Leslie  Regularly $13.95; our price $11.16.

LIVING WATERS - AQUATIC PRESERVES OF FLORIDA by CLYDE BUTCHER - "Living Waters brings us exquisite black and white studies of the most amazing landscapes in our gorgeous and imperiled state from a master of fine art photography. As we brace ourselves for the loss of precious wetlands in Tarpon Springs to yet another Walmart, these images are reminders of what we're losing - and may inspire dedication to preserve what we can. The book is a great souvenir or companion to a visit to the current exhibit of Butcher and Ansel Adams together at the Ringling Museum ." Carla. Regularly $35; our price $28.

LOS GUSANOS by JOHN SAYLES - "You know you love his films, from Return of the Secaucus Seven to to The Secret of Roan Innish and The Brother from Another Planet. But did you know he's also a novelist, and a Miami-bred Cuban-American? Sayles long out-of-print novel concerns Cuban exiles as the 20th anniversary of the Bay of Pigs approaches in 1981. Vivid characters - like Marta, who wants to avenge her brother's death by assassinating Castro and her ex-gunrunner Uncle Felix - combine with suspense and passion for a compelling read." Carla. Regularly $15.95; our price $12.76.

LOST IN SPACE: THE FALL OF NASA AND THE DREAM OF A NEW SPACE AGE by GREG KLERKX - "Coming on the heels of a new American commitment to manned space exploration, the publication of this book very neatly encapsulates the state of NASA, and space exploration as a whole, from its glory days in the 60's up to the present. Klerkx is particularly concerned with the loss of vision at NASA after the Apollo program. Bloated bureaucracy and an unhealthy commitment to the aging space shuttle has crippled NASA, Klerkx writes, and has taken the focus away from putting not just astronauts, but regular citizens, into space, cheaply (a prospect that was already predicted to have happened by most experts a generation ago). The author devotes much attention to 'alternative' space programs. These movements, unknown to most Americans, have historically been squashed by NASA while they have tried to bring the costs of spaceflight down." - Stephen. Regularly $27.95; our price $22.36.

MY SISTER'S KEEPER by Jodi Picoult - "Life, for 13-year old Anna, is anything but normal. Her older sister has leukemia and Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match to help Kate fight her disease. As Anna realizes that her life will always be tied to her sister's, she starts to wonder how it would be if she had more control. Picoult pulls the reader into a world where a family's intense love for Kate borders on being too much and not enough at the same time and causes you to guess what you would do in a similar situation." Laura. Regularly $14.00; our price $11.20.

WOMEN WITH BIG EYES by ANGELES MASTRETTA - "Told as a series of stories chronicling the fortunes in love and life of thirty-nine 'aunts' of Puebla, Mexico, Women is a moving portrait of the female heart in response to love and its loss. The earthy setting of early twentieth century Mexico and the sensuality of the stories make this appropriate reading for the lover's month. What's more, this bilingual edition provides both English and Spanish versions of each story for sharing with your life's own brava machas." -Anthony. Regularly  $14.00; our price $11.20.

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