A Big Week for Books

I know you know tomorrow is the one year anniversary of the release of the modern classic, SHAKING HER ASSETS. And, if you're like us, you're planning a major celebration to honor the book and authors because of the impact it's had on your life. So you know what? You should feel free to go ahead and buy yourselves several new copies because we have it on fairly good authority that those folks who own at least 15 volumes get a free pass into heaven whenever the time comes.

But this week is not just about lauding the literary efforts of R&R. As it turns out, we have several very good, amazingly sharp friends who have NEW books out, and we SERIOUSLY recommend that you buy them.

Matter of fact, out today (May 2nd!) is PUG HILL, the second novel by the tremendously talented AlisonPace. Ali, as you might recall, wrote IF ANDY WARHOL HAD A GIRLFRIEND, an excellent & fun read last year. But this new one, PUG HILL, is not only a worthy follow-up, it's a cool, clever story the critics are raving about. In fact, one set of critics had this to say: Pitch-perfect and deftly written, Pug Hill is a funny, charming and touching novel. Well, we couldn't agree more if we'd said it ourselves, which, in fact, we did. Here's a quick summary:

For Hope McNeill, pugs are love, unconditional friendship, happiness, and freedom-all qualities currently in short supply in her own life. Though she doesn't have a pug of her own, she does have Pug Hill in Central Park, where pugs (and their owners) from all over New York City convene.

She also has a serious crush on one of her co-workers at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a flailing relationship with her squash-playing, cold-weather-loving boyfriend, and an unspeakable fear of public speaking. When Hope's father calls with a daunting assignment--to make a speech at her parents’ fortieth wedding anniversary party--Hope is completely taken off guard. As a last resort, she signs up for a public speaking class, but can’t help wondering, will it be enough?

Some fears are so big that even all the pugs in the world might not be enough...

Also out today is our friend Gary Shteyngart's novel, ABSURDISTAN. Don't know if you caught the GIANT, GORGEOUS, GLOWING review in this Sunday's Times Book Review, but in addition to featuring a life-sized version of Garry's head on the cover, Walter Kirn lavished on him praise befitting the person who cures cancer. The review starts out thusly: "Why praise it first? Just quote from it — at random. Just unbutton its shirt and let it bare its chest. Like a victorious wrestler, this novel is so immodestly vigorous, so burstingly sure of its barbaric excellence, that simply by breathing, sweating and standing upright it exalts itself." As unfathomable as it is to believe, the review only gets BETTER from there.

And last but certainly not least, the stupendously gifted Shari Goldhagen also has a book that just came out, FAMILY AND OTHER ACCIDENTS. Shari, too, got reviewed in Sunday's Times (it was a very proud day here!), and for her first novel, she got this praise: "... In exploring the tug of war between desire and family duty, she concentrates mainly on domestic details and interior lives. But she covers the familiar terrain with vitality — this is real life with snappier dialogue — and as the points of view expand to encompass the brothers' wives and children, her book reminds you that simply paying attention is one of the things literature can do best." Ha-cha! Nice no?!! Yes! And having had the privilege of reading this book a little early myself, I can honestly report that I, too, was blown away.

Bottom line: We are seriously proud of our friends and hope their books prove as incredibly successful as they deserve to be. So quit wasting precious time -- link through to make some purchases! We know you love great writing, after all, you're reading this blog, aren't you?