Barack Obama: The Story (9781439160404 $32.50) ~ David Maraniss
In “Barack Obama: The Story, “David Maraniss has written a deeply reported generational biography teeming with fresh insights and revealing information, a masterly narrative drawn from hundreds of interviews, including with President Obama in the Oval Office, and a trove of letters, journals, diaries, and other documents.
The book unfolds in the small towns of Kansas and the remote villages of western Kenya, following the personal struggles of Obama’s white and black ancestors through the swirl of the twentieth century. It is a roots story on a global scale, a saga of constant movement, frustration and accomplishment, strong women and weak men, hopes lost and deferred, people leaving and being left. Disparate family threads converge in the climactic chapters as Obama reaches adulthood and travels from Honolulu to Los Angeles to New York to Chicago, trying to make sense of his past, establish his own identity, and prepare for his political future.
“Barack Obama: The Story “chronicles as never before the forces that shaped the first black president of the United States and explains why he thinks and acts as he does.
Tell The Wolves I’m Home (9780679644194 $25) ~ Carol Rifka Brunt
In this striking literary debut, Carol Rifka Brunt unfolds a moving story of love, grief, and renewal as two lonely people become the unlikeliest of friends and find that sometimes you don’t know you’ve lost someone until you’ve found them.
1987. There’s only one person who has ever truly understood fourteen-year-old June Elbus, and that’s her uncle, the renowned painter Finn Weiss. Shy at school and distant from her older sister, June can only be herself in Finn’s company; he is her godfather, confidant, and best friend. So when he dies, far too young, of a mysterious illness her mother can barely speak about, June’s world is turned upside down. But Finn’s death brings a surprise acquaintance into June’s life–someone who will help her to heal, and to question what she thinks she knows about Finn, her family, and even her own heart.
At Finn’s funeral, June notices a strange man lingering just beyond the crowd. A few days later, she receives a package in the mail. Inside is a beautiful teapot she recognizes from Finn’s apartment, and a note from Toby, the stranger, asking for an opportunity to meet. As the two begin to spend time together, June realizes she’s not the only one who misses Finn, and if she can bring herself to trust this unexpected friend, he just might be the one she needs the most.
An emotionally charged coming-of-age novel, “Tell the Wolves I’m Home” is a tender story of love lost and found, an unforgettable portrait of the way compassion can make us whole again.
Eye Of The World: The Graphic Novel, Volume 2 (9780765331625 $24.99) ~ Robert Jordan
The second volume of the magnificent “New York Times “bestselling graphic novel adaptation of Robert Jordan’s “The Eye of the World “
With the full cooperation of the Jordan estate, “The Eye of the World “has been turned into a stunning comic book series. Volume One of “The Eye of the World: the Graphic Novel “was published by Tor in the Fall of 2011 and was a “New York Times “bestseller.
In “The Eye of the World: the Graphic Novel, Volume Two,” scripted by Chuck Dixon and illustrated by Andie Tong, Rand al’Thor, Egwene al’Vere, and their friends flee their home village in the company of Moiraine and her Warder, Lan Mandragoran. Pursued by their enemies, the group seeks sanctuary in Baerlon. Rand’s nightmares grow darker. Moiraine takes Egwene under her wing. Lan warns them to trust no one, but should that distrust extend to Lan and Moiraine as well? ” “
“The Eye of the World: the Graphic Novel, Volume Two,” collects six issues of “Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World “comic book published by Dynamite Entertainment. This book will feature bonus material that gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of a graphic novel.
Homemade Preserves & Jams: Over 90 Recipes Jams, Tangy 
Marmalades, Crunchy Chutneys, and More (9781250004468 $24.99) ~ Mary Tregellas
If you have a prolific fruit tree in your garden or get carried away at the farmer’s market you often end up with far more produce than you can eat. What to do with the surplus? “Homemade Preserves and Jams “is a wonderful collection of over 90 seasonal, easy-to-follow recipes for all kinds of delicious, sweet and savory jams, preserves, and more, plus recipes for incorporating them into your cooking. Stunningly photographed, author Mary Tregellas shares her recipes for luscious jams, juicy jellies, tangy curds, tropical marmalades, aromatic chutneys, crunchy pickles, intoxicating cordials, and more to eat on their own or with scones, rice pudding, or waffles; or to incorporate into plum cake, a mango chicken dish, or pesto sauce. And even a few bread recipes to spread them on–the possibilities are endless!
In addition to the recipes, the introduction offers a wealth of specific and invaluable advice on how to plan, preserve, and store your wares, starting with “Useful Equipment,” “A Note on Ingredients,” and “General Preserving Tips.” This beautiful book is both entertaining to read–interspersed with anecdotes, literary quotations, and a little bit of history–and practical to follow. So whether you are new to preserving or a seasoned jam-maker it is sure to be a sweet and savory addition to your cookbook shelf.
