August Author of the Month: Jane Gardam

England's Jane Gardam is one of the most prolific novelists of her generation. She has published 25 books over the past 30 years and won a number of prestigious prizes. She is the only writer to have won the Whitbread for best novel twice; she has been nominated for the Booker and the Orange Prize; and in 1999 she was given the Heywood Hill award for a lifetime's contribution to the enjoyment of literature.

Last Friends, the final novel in her trilogy (after Old Filth, 2004, and The Man in the Wooden Hat, 2009), picks up with Terence Veneering, Filth's great rival in work and in love. Veneering's were not the usual beginnings of an establishment silk: the son of a Russian acrobat marooned in northeast England and a devoted local girl, he escapes the ravages of WWII to emerge in the Far East as a man of panache, success and fame. But at the stuffy English Bar he is treated with suspicion: where did this blond Slav come from? Veneering, Filth and their friends tell their tale of love, friendship and the grace of a now-forgotten Empire among the disappointments and consolations of age.

Who watches the Watchmen?

More importantly, who reads them?

Well, you should. And there's no better time to get into the universe of the Watchmen than now, with the release of the Before Watchmen series.

Acclaimed for its psychological depth and realism, Watchmen takes place in an alternate world where superheroes have changed history: The US won the Vietnam War, Nixon is still president, and the Cold War is in full effect.

But what happened before the Watchmen?

The Before Watchmen series features four long-awaited prequels to the best-selling graphic novel of all-time. For over twenty years, the back stories of the now-iconic characters from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon's landmark graphic novel had been the subject of much debate and theorizing. Now, DC Comics has assembled the greatest creators in the industry to further paint the world of Watchmen. Newly collected in trade format and released this month, there are four volumes in the Before Watchmen series: Minutemen/Silk Spectre by Darwyn Cooke, illustrated by Darwyn Cooke & Amanda Conner; Ozymandias/Crimson Corsair by Len Wein, illustrated by Jae Lee & John Higgins; Comedian/Rorschach by Brian Azzarello, illustrated by J.G. Jones & Lee Bermejo; and Nite Owl/Dr. Manhattan by J. Michael Straczynski, illustrated by Adam Hughes & Joe Kubert.

You can find all four volumes in both our Winnipeg and Saskatoon stores. Buy online, or visit your nearest McNally Robinson bookstore to pick one up. Call or email ahead to get a copy held for you!

Our Espresso Book Machine's Monthly Brew for July

We're always brewing up fresh and flavourful literature with our Espresso Book Machine.

I hope you're thirsty for new books -- this month we've brewed up a HUGE batch of new titles. Not only that, but it's a well-rounded batch: poetry, play scripts, a memoir, and several novels!

In the way of novels, we have The Coming of Dawn by Andrew Silk, a historical novel set in World War II, followed by Primetimes by A.J. McCormick. Primetimes, a fantasy novel that transports its characters and the reader through time, was a bestseller two weeks running this month. Finally for novels we have Private Confessions, a story of conflict-riddled relationships set in the St. James neighbourhood, which is the most recent addition to our ever-growing self-published library. Both Primetimes and Private Confessions were launched at our Grant Park store this month.

Next up is a collection from poet Jeffrey B. Holl entitled Never To Be Forsaken. The collection, Holl's fourth such book, "encapsulates both a sense of hope as it does a profound sense of injustice and tragedy." It is a book that is a stimulating and, at times, challenging read, but ultimately provides a rewarding experience.

For non-fiction, this month we've got Forever Captured - Band Camp Chronicles: The Early Years by Sue Thomas. Recounting her experiences at a band camp for adults, Thomas tells a variety of hilarious and zany stories that are, believe it or not, all true.

And lastly we have a book of play scripts, Four on the Floor, by Dale Watts. Each of the plays (four in total, as you might've guessed) is comedic and farcical, and the intention is to simply make the audience laugh. It's a fun collection that also offers some perspective about contemporary life.

These books were published and printed in-store at McNally Robinson Booksellers Grant Park, and as part of our consignment program they can be found on our shelves as well as our website. Visit our EBM Bookshelf to see a complete listing of all self-published books printed and sold at McNally Robinson.

If you want to learn more about the Espresso Book Machine and our Self-Publishing services, then please visit our section of the website.

New Releases of the week

Here are some of this week's newest releases:

Books: Fiction

-> The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling in paperback (Fiction)
-> HHhH by Laurent Binet in paperback (Literature)
-> Panopticon by Jenni Fagan (Literature)
-> Deep Whatsis by Peter Mattei (Literature)
-> Love Dishonor Marry Die Cherish Perish by David Rakoff (Literature)
-> The White Princess by Philippa Gregory (Literature) - 30% off

Books: Non-Fiction

-> Amy, 27: Amy Winehouse and the 27 Club by Howard Sounes (Music/Biography)
-> Growing up Gronk: A Family's Story of Raising Champions by Gordon Gronkowski (Sports/Biography)
-> Mr. Darcy's Guide to Courtship: The Secrets of Seduction from Jane Austen's Most Eligible Bachelor by Fitzwilliam Darcy (Humour/Relating)
-> Careers for Kids by Robert Shewchuck (Parenting Teens)
-> Shot All To Hell: Jesse James, the Northfield Raid, and the Wild West's Greatest Escape by Mark Lee Gardner (History)

Music CDs

-> Music: Live in Concert by David Garrett (Classical Instrumental)
-> My Favorite Picture of You by Guy Clark (Folk/Roots)
-> All People by Michael Franti (Pop/Rock)

Order any of the products above here on our website, or contact your nearest McNally Robinson bookstore to check availability. If we have the item in-store, we can put it on hold for you.