The Best of Books: Flying off the shelves

Bellman & Black, By Diane Setterfield

Books Inc. hardcover best-seller list:

1. City of Thieves: A Novel, by David Benioff
2. The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt
3. Tender Bar: A Memoir, by J. R. Moehringer
4. Zagat 2014 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants
5. Season of the Witch, by David Talbot
6. This I Where I Leave You: A Novel, by Jonathan Tropper
7. Where’d You Go, Bernadette?: A Novel, by Maria Semple
8. Book of Joe: A Novel, by Jonathan Tropper
9. Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google?: Trick Questions, Zen-like Riddles, Insanely Difficult Puzzles, and Other Devious Interviewing Techniques You Need to Know to Get a Job Anywhere in the New Economy, by William Poundstone
10. The Day the Crayons Quit, by Drew Daywalt & Oliver Jeffers

STAFF PICKS FOR ADULTS

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The Leonard Bernstein Letters, edited by N. Simeone
The legacy of the multitalented maestro lives on! The correspondence is significant, with a wealth of famous names that speak directly without any thought of publication or posterity. There are helpful footnotes and ample biographical sections. It’s a look behind the scenes at a great talent.
— Bill Dito

Bellman and Black, by Diana Setterfield
A perfect, contemplative winter read! Setterfield chronicles the life of a William Bellman from boyhood to his final meeting with his mysterious business partner, Mr. Black. Setterfield’s bleak style captures a poetry of oblivion, death, and the grim entertainment that colors the dance we call life.
— Marie Siegenthaler

PICKS FOR KIDS

Ages 12 & up:
Unwind, by Neal Shusterman
It is the future. Between your 13th and 18th birthday, your parents may choose to have you unwound, dismantled piece by piece. Connor, Risa, and Lev are on the run from those that would destroy them. A grim satire on abortion and delinquency masquerading as an exciting odyssey of adventure, intrigue, and survival. Brilliant!
— Marie Siegenthaler

Ages 3 & up:
Dream Animals, by Emily Winfield Martin
What if you had your very own dream animal(s), one who led you to your dreams every night at bedtime? Would you choose a bear, a bunny, robins, or a red fox? Emily Martin’s evocative paintings and cozy, almost whispered narration set the tone for furred, finned, or feathered sweet dreams.
— Sandy Mullin