Hi Everyone-

Summer is truly winding down; it's rather sad to get up in the dark in the morning these days. But: the end of summer prefigures a battery of tremendous fall books. The other book buyers and I had our first meeting to discuss titles for this year's Holiday Gift Guide (yes, we start this early). Having reviewed the upcoming season's titles, I can safely say that the key phase for the autumn is : embarassment of riches.

One book that just hit the stores is particularly worth mentioning: Japanese author Haruki Murakami's new book of short stories, Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman. Murakami is like no other writer I've read: his fiction makes the strange seem familiar and the familiar seem strange. It's the best approach to surreal writing possible: Murakami's work reads much like a mystery, convincing you that the very, very odd plot points are leading you to a cohesive revelation. It never works out that way, but you never mind, because the journey through Murakami's world is so compelling. It casts a spell all its own. His short stories are a great place to start, and this is an especially worthy collection. And one odd note I'd like to add: the stories in the book are by two different translators, and I've read a novel translated by a third. It's astonishing how consistent these works are in their tone and even syntax. Murakami's style in Japanese must be so distinctive that multiple translators have very similar results. It gives you a sense of confidence that you're getting something very close to Murakami's true voice.

Don't forget: the Harcourt Brace-Mariner-W.W. Norton buy-two-get-one-free sale continues at all stores! Stop in and check out these indispensible titles for your collection, and gather them up three (or six or nine) at a time!

See you in the stores,

Joe Murphy
Head Book Buyer