Bal Harbour

P H OTO BY S U S I E H O R GA N (K A P L A N ) elling books for more than 40 years, with close to 15 of those years at Bal Harbour Shops, has been a dream. Guiding readers to their next book—a book that might change the way they view the world, create empathy, find beauty, or maybe, ju st maybe, prov ide a respite from t h i s ver y challenging time—is my calling, and the calling of book- sellers everywhere. It's why we do what we do. The most exciting season for publishing tends to be the fall. It 's always before the holidays that publishers put their best lists forward, and so it's now that I've called upon our Books & Books booksellers, author friends of the store, and my own ear-to-the-ground instincts, to give you some of the titles we're all most excited about. S WE ASKED MITCHELL KAPLAN, FOUNDER OF BOOKS & BOOKS AND THE MIAMI BOOK FAIR INTERNATIONAL, TO SHARE THE SEASON'S TOP TITLES—AND TO ASK A FEW AUTHORS TO TELL US WHAT'S ON THEIR READING LISTS, TOO. TITLE SEARCH MATTER OF STYLE Who doesn't love the work of Ann Patchett? Her new novel, "Tom Lake" (Harper), has garnered rave reviews, and her loyal readership has made it one of the most talk- ed-about bestsellers of the year. Ann also owns the won- derful Parnassus Books in Nashville, and nobody knows books like Ann. "'The Deadline,'" by Jill Lepore (Liveright), is like a giant collection of fair y tales for adults," says Patchet t . "A collection of her essays, most of which originally appeared in the New Yorker, the book is a trea- sure trove of insight and intelligence to be dipped in and out of forever." Many have called this the year of Judy Blume: the doc- umentary Judy Blume Forever, and the critically acclaimed film Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret were both released. On most days, you can find Judy on the floor of Books & Books at the Studios of Key West— our outpost to the south, which I can proudly say Judy and her husband, George, are responsible for—recommending her favorite books. Recently, she shared her admiration for "Wellness" (Knopf ). "If you loved Nathan Hill's first novel, 'The Nix,' as much as I did and you've been waiting seven long years for his next, as I have, rejoice! You won't be disappointed," says Blume. "This brilliant storyteller has done it again." " L esson s i n Chem i s t r y " ( Doubleday) by Bon n ie Garmus is a phenomenon. It was on everyone's best list in 2022 and its momentum has not slowed. Bonnie is quick to recommend Cat Bohannon's "Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human History" (Knopf ). "It's a smart, funny, scientific deep dive into the power of a woman's body," says Garmus. "It surprises, educates, and emboldens." "The Exchange: After the Firm" (Doubleday) is John Grisham's new one this fall. If you're like me, you'll wel- come this sequel to the novel that launched the career of one of our most beloved storytellers. John is also a great friend of writers and booksellers everywhere. For his rec- ommendation, he o£ered a classic debut by an author for whom he has the utmost admiration. Wiley Cash's 2012 "A Land More K ind Than Home" ( William Morrow) " is Southern gothic at its finest," says Grisham. A s for my recommendat ions: "Gator Count r y " by Rebecca Renner (Flatiron) is a page-turning true story of the mysterious world of alligator poaching and its larger- than-life Floridian characters. I love the fierce music of Sonic Youth, and in "Sonic Life" (Doubleday), Thurston Moore, one of the band's founding members, gives us a brilliant memoir of his early years—much of it spent here in Miami. Tananarive Due has been called one of the greatest living horror writers. And her new novel, "The Reformatory" (Simon & Schuster), is one of her best. It's a g ripping novel set in Jim Crow Florida that follows Robert Stephens, Jr., as he's sent to a segregated reform school. Finally, in celebration of bookstores everywhere, you might want to give this to the book lover on your list: "150 Book stores You Need to Visit Before You Die" (Lannoo Publishers). Mitchell Kaplan (Liveright) (Doubleday) (Harper) (Flatiron) (Knopf) (Lanoo Publishers) 80 BAL HARBOUR

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