AUGUST BOOK CLUB PICKS
Happy weekend, Book Lovers! This week saw some interesting developments in the book industry. We have more book ban news, some exciting book-to-screen news that will definitely make readers excited, some upcoming books that’s got everyone buzzing and even a trailer! So, get ready for another thrilling journey as we head into another installment of The Pulse.
STANDOUT READS BOOKTRIB’S DISCUSSING
Monkey Business by Carleton Eastlake: “A very intelligent, thought-provoking, mind-engaging work.”
Phantom of the High Command by Timothy W. Smock: “A dystopian alternate history tale for fans of Ian Fleming, Mission Impossible, and Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne series.
The House of Spark by Luminita LaFlash: “A historical fiction novel that celebrates the endurance of the Romanian people through one of the darkest, most harrowing chapters of its existence as a nation.”
NEWS FROM THE BOOK WORLD
Sadly, we’re once again starting this week with book ban news … Bridge Michigan has reported that a Michigan public library is in danger of closing after its staff refused to remove LGBTQ+ books from its collection and town residents voted to defund it. As book bans continue to be on the uptick, though, a Northern California club created bags for readers to carry their banned books. The Placer Action Network (PAN) will have book bags ready in time for Banned Books Week, September 18-24. In the meantime, readers can order their book bags here.
We were shocked to learn that Salman Rushdie was attacked on a stage in Chautauqua, New York and stabbed in the neck. At the time of writing, it is unclear how badly Rushdie was hurt in the assault or what his condition is. The highly-criticized author was in hiding for over a decade after his novel, The Satanic Verses, was released in 1988.
BookTrib is saddened to hear of the passing of Raymond Briggs, the author and illustrator of dozens of children’s books, including a Christmas favorite titled The Snowman. Raymond Briggs died at the age of 88. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.
It’s not all gloom this week for readers, though. Our books-to-screen news is full of exciting developments. Outlander fans will be excited to learn that the beloved show, which is based on Diana Gabaldon’s fantasy romance novels, is officially getting a prequel series! Variety reported that the network Starz confirmed that it’s developing Outlander: Blood of My Blood. What’s more, Deadline reported that Erik Larson’s The Devil in the White City is finally getting a screen adaptation, with Keanu Reeves set to star! For Karin Slaughter fans, Variety reported that ABC has ordered a season of the television show based on Karin Slaughter’s series of novels. And finally, we have a trailer for Ann Leary’s The Good House, which stars Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline. Check it out:
MORE BOOKS THE MEDIA’S BUZZING ABOUT
A new novel by Angelina Boulley, author of Firekeeper’s Daughter, is coming from Henry Holt next year, and is titled Warrior Girl Unearthed.
Courtney Love has finished work on her new memoir, but due to the paper shortage, there’s no telling when it will be released.
Penguin Random House Audio announced that Actor Lucy Liu will narrate the audiobook version of Celeste Ng’s Our Missing Hearts.
Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea by #1 bestselling author Dav Pilkey is to be published on March 28, 2023, according to Scholastic.
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You must read Robert Ludlum’s novels (including The Bourne Sacrifice) and don’t stop at just watching the films if you’re an espionage aficionado, an Ian Fleming follower, a 007 devotee or just “Bourne” a spy catcher and know who wrote the “Trout Memo”. Of course, by now you should also have read Bill Fairclough’s epic spy novel Beyond Enkription in The Burlington Files series, written for espionage cognoscenti and real spies.
Talk about disinformation as effective as any Robert Ludlum could create, its protagonist, Edward Burlington aka Fairclough is just as “fast and furious” as any James Bond or Jason Bourne has been or even the Gray Man was meant to be but with one subtle difference. All his exploits in London, Nassau and Port au Prince are based on hard facts (some of which you can even check) and laced with ingenious spycraft tricks even espionage illuminati haven’t come across.
By the way, Fairclough’s MI6 handler Mac knew Ian Fleming, Kim Philby and Oleg Gordievsky. No surprise then that John le Carré refused to write a series of collaborative spy novels with Fairclough given Philby ended John le Carré’s MI6 career. Little wonder then that in hindsight Ian Fleming was thankful that he didn’t work directly for MI6 and Robert Ludlum thankful that he didn’t sacrifice himself for the CIA.