Bestseller Read-Alikes for the Week of Feb. 27th

Can’t wait to get your hands on the latest best-seller, but the hold list is too long? To tide you over, every week we’ll offer similar titles and authors to the week’s fiction and nonfiction best sellers.

Fiction

This week's #1 fiction bestseller is Private Games by James Patterson. Private Games is the second novel in Patterson's "Private" series, this time written with Mark T. Sullivan. Private, the world's most renowned investigation firm, has been commissioned to provide security for the 2012 Olympic games in London. The opening ceremony is still hours away when Private investigator Nigel Steele is called to the scene of a ruthless murder. A high-ranking member of the games' organizing committee and his mistress have been killed. It's clear that it wasn't a crime of passion, but one of precise calculation and execution. Nigel and newspaper reported Karen Pope soon uncover a criminal genius who won't stop until he's ended the games for good.

You can catch up with Patterson's "Private" series by reading Private: #1 Suspect, co-written with Mark Pearson.

Other authors with similar writing styles to Patterson:

John Sandford - Like Patterson, Sandford writes fast-paced suspenseful crime novels, in series and stand-alone formats. The crimes are often committed by a serial killer, and the atmosphere of the novels is generally menacing and dark, with graphic descriptions of violence. Try Broken Prey, from the Lucas Davenport series.

James Grippando - Another author suspenseful mysteries, Grippando's novels feature likable and sympathetic central characters that do battle with contemporary evils, such corrupt politicians or greedy corporations. The inclusion of  true-to-life investigative details often make the stories highly believable and multiple plot-twists make for dramatic climaxes at the end. Try The Pardon.

Click here for more fiction bestsellers...

Nonfiction

This week’s #1 nonfiction bestseller is American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History by Chris Kyle. A former member of Navy SEAL Team 3 describes his life as a father and husband, and as the serviceman with the most confirmed sniper kills in the history of the United States military while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Book similar to American Sniper include:

SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper by Howard Wasdin - A Navy SEAL Team Six sniper reveals how he became an elite soldier while recounting the dramatic mission that nearly cost him his life, offering insider perspectives on his team's extensive training process at the Marine's Scout Sniper School

The Heart and the Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy SEAL by Eric Greitens (359.984 GRE) - The author describes how, after working as a humanitarian around the world, he realized that he could do nothing to stop violence or prevent people from becoming refugees and soon joined the elite Navy SEALs, where he drew on his humanitarian training as he battled injustice.

Jarhead: A Marine's Chronicle of the Gulf War and Other Battles by Anthony Swofford (956.7044 SWO) - A memoir of the Gulf War by a front-line infantry marine recounts his struggles with the conflict on the front lines, his battles with fear and suicide, his brushes with death, and his identity as a soldier and an American.

Click here for more nonfiction bestselllers ...

Read Alike "Bossypants" by Tina Fey

Memoirs are often very personal stories that may deal with an individual's struggle with grief or addiction. The common elements of the human experience as seen from another's perspective can be inspiring, but there is no requirement for a memoir to be heavy or serious.

One of the most popular books of 2011 was the light-hearted and hilarious Bossypants by comedienne Tina Fey. She covers the trials and tribulations of childhood and marriage, and the road from unknown to celebrity with wit and charm. And best of all, she's neither the first, nor the only, author to tackle the story of her life this way.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and other concerns) by Mindy Kaling
Mindy Kaling is best known for playing Kelly Kapoor on The Office. In her recent memoir she shares her thoughts on dieting, her experience as an actress and comedy writer, and a glimpse of the world behind the scenes of a popular television program. Her writing is both funny and conversational.

Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
A popular comedienne and host of a late night cable talk show, Ms. Handler is a star in the field of the comic memoir. Funny, honest, and no holds barred, the stories of her misadventures in dating and Hollywood have earned her a loyal following.

The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance by Elna Baker
Ms. Baker adds her own take on the funny girl's quest for love and success in the big city. With wit and without taking herself too seriously, she describes her experience with extreme weight loss and what it's like to be a faithful Mormon in New York City.

Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster
Ms. Lancaster turned to writing after an unexpected layoff leaves her adrift. A caustic wit and an ability to not take herself too seriously have grown into a rewarding second career. Tackling everything from life as a former sorority girl to her struggles with weight and reality tv, she turns her flaws into strengths.

More funny female memoirists:

• I Know I am, but What are You? by Samantha Bee
• The Sweet Potato Queens' Book of Love by Jill Conner Browne
• Seriously... I'm Kidding by Ellen Degeneres
• Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher
• It Looked Different on the Model by Laurie Notaro
• The Bedwetter by Sarah Silverman
• Ali in Wonderland by Ali Wentworth

Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!

We're on Pinterest!

If you haven't heard of social website Pinterest, odds are you will soon. The "virtual pinboard" is seeing an explosive growth in popularity - The New York Times reported that it recently earned the title of the  fastest website to reach 10 million visitors in just one month.

As the name suggests, Pinterest is social networking website that allows you to "pin" sites that you think are interesting, beautiful or entertaining to your boards for other Pinterest users to see. It can be a place to find inspiration, to share your own ideas and projects, and to connect with others who share the same interests (putting the "interest" in "Pinterest").

Since we're always looking for new ways to connect, we've carved out our own space on Pinterest. We have boards of bestsellers, recommendations, photos of and around the library, plus a board of somewhat random library things that we think are worth sharing.

So if you're on Pinterest already, follow us! If you haven't signed up yet, request an invitation. Let us know what you think and happy pinning!

Bestseller Read-Alikes for the Week of Feb. 20th

Can’t wait to get your hands on the latest best-seller, but the hold list is too long? To tide you over, every week we’ll offer similar titles and authors to the week’s fiction and nonfiction best sellers.

Fiction

This week’s #1 fiction bestseller is Kill Shot: An American Assassin Thriller by Vince Flynn. The twelfth book in the Mitch Rapp novels, Kill Shot begins with assassin Rapp working his way through a list of hit targets who were responsible for the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing. When Rapp shoots a drunken Libyan diplomat in Paris only to discover that he has been set up and that his handlers want him permanently silenced.

Other authors with similar writing styles to Flynn:

Jack Higgins -  Higgins is traditionally known for his action-filled adventure novels, often set in wartime, featuring unforgettable characters; compelling, detail-rich, and suspenseful storylines; locales around the world; and breakneck pacing. While his books include elements of political and spy thrillers - intrigue, details of the craft of espionage, and international politics and conspiracies - most of his novels are pure adventure, featuring a team of men on a desperate mission, elaborate preparations and plans, deadly villains, and an ultimate goal to be accomplished. Try The Eagle Has Landed.

Robert Ludlum - Bestselling author Ludlum's storylines feature conspiracies, corruption at the highest levels and are always filled with unexpected plot twists. Violent action dominates Ludlum's fast-paced novels featuring reluctant heroes caught in life-threatening situations. This action is framed with details of spycraft and the exotic locales in which his stories are often set. Try The Bourne Identity.

Click here for more fiction bestsellers...

Nonfiction

This week's #1 nonfiction bestseller is Ameritopia: The Unmaking of America by Mark R. Levin. The nationally syndicated conservative radio host explores the philosophical basis of America's foundations as well as the crises facing government today.

Books similar to Ameritopia:

Being George Washington by Glenn Beck (973.41 BEC) - Combining biography and Washington's own writings with his own comments and sidebars, Beck explores our nation's first president and describes how Washington's beliefs and values--beliefs and values which united a country in an age even more fractious than our own--are especially important to remember today.

Throw Them All Out by Peter Schweitzer (364.1323 SCH) - Schweizer, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, discusses the state of government as he see it and the perceived depths of its political corruption.

Click here for more nonfiction bestsellers ...

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King

Stephen King, master of the horror genre, is not for everyone. The subject matter can be too frightening, gory or disturbing and the length of some of his most recent novels can be, in a word, intimidating. Even a die-hard King fan like myself balked at the 800+ page length of his latest book, 11/22/63.

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, at an approachable 223 pages, could be called "King light." Although that isn't to say that this suspenseful, fast-paced story doesn't have its horrific moments. The novel follows 9-year-old Trisha McFarland as she wanders away from her family during a hike on the Maine-New Hampshire branch of the Appalachian Trail. Trisha quickly becomes lost in the dense woods, and spends nine days alone trying to find her way back, all the while being stalked by a malevolent presence that leaves slaughtered animals and mangled trees in her path.

For comfort, Trisha tunes her Walkman to a broadcast of a Red Sox game, featuring her favorite relief pitcher Tom Gordon. But the radio's reception fades, and hunger, dehydration and exhaustion inevitably set in. Trisha begins to imagine that Gordon is with her, drawing on the strength of his companionship to guide her through the swamps, steep cliffs and swarming insects she must pass through to find her way back to civilization.

King has always written children well, and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is no exception. The narrative of Trisha's harrowing journey is interspersed with recalled conversations with her recently separated parents, making us truly empathize with this resourceful girl. Themes of God and faith appear throughout, as does King's love of baseball - the story is divided into chapters named for the game's innings. At the "Bottom of the Ninth", Trisha finally confronts what she has begun calling The God of the Lost in a satisfying and poignant ending.

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon has also been condensed and made into a pop-up book (available through ILL). While perhaps not suitable for children, it's an entertaining follow-up for those who have already read the full-length novel.

~ Allison