Capitol Book & News
SALE BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS!
Fiction. Nonfiction. Inspirational. Parody. Cooking. Gardening.
Memoir. Beatles. Old. Pretty New.
The books on this list have only one thing in common....they're all really
cheap! Just in time for Christmas shopping.....but as always it's first
come, first served....so don't dilly-dally!
Reserve your book by calling us at 334-265-1473, or
EMAIL US.
The Completely MAD Don Martin
2 volumes....over 1,000 pages. Everything Don Martin ever did for MAD Magazine!
Was $150...now only $39.95!! ($15 additional if you need this one mailed.)
Come Let Us Adore Him: Stories Behind the Most Cherished Christmas
Hymns [With CD]
By Robert J. Morgan
Morgan shares his historical findings about this collection of great Christmas hymns,
their writers and composers, and other nuggets that engage readers more deeply in
the beloved music of the Christmas season. Also included is a 10-song CD collection
of instrumental Christmas hymns. Hardcover, was $14.99, now $6.99.
ALERT! ALERT! PERFECT CHRISTMAS PRESENT! ALERT!
The Christmas Wife
By Helen Norris
This book of stories by the excellent Montgomery writer includes not only the title
story, but the HBO movie on DVD is included. Hardcover, was $19.95, now $7.99.
That is a hardcover book AND a movie!
The Holiday Season
By Michael Knight
Simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking, The Holiday Season and its companion
piece, Love at the End of the Year, are tender ruminations on the nature of family,
the power of love, and a particularly complicated time of year. In The Holiday
Season, the Posey men are still trying to figure out how to be a family three years
after the death of the wife and mother who bound them together. As Thanksgiving
turns to Christmas and the conflict between his father and brother reaches its
breaking point, Frank is finally forced to choose between them. The second novella,
Love at the End of the Year, is an intoxicating tale that weighs up love in all its many
forms over the course of a single, magical Alabama New Year's Eve. Michael Knight's
fiction has been widely praised by critics and writers but here is the book that will
provide him with a larger stage--a book to be savored by anyone who's ever
survived the holidays. Hardcover, was $18, now $6.99.
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas: The Season for Joy
By Chip Davis
Musician Chip Davis has created lovely prose with his personal and intimate
reflections on five simple joys of the Christmas season: the joy of family, the joy of
friendship, the joy of giving, the joy of music, and the joy experienced in a special
Baby. Each section is decorated with beautiful, full-color traditional and
contemporary imagery of the season and with seasonal verse and quotes to touch
the reader's heart and imagination. The millions of Mannheim Steamroller fans will
love this new way to experience and share with others the joys of Christmas.
Hardcover Book w/CD, was $14.99, now $5.99.
The Ecco Book of Christmas Stories
Edited by Alberto Manguel
Includes tales by the best master storytellers, such as "The Turkey Season" by Alice
Munro; "Christmas Is a Sad Season for the Poor" by John Cheever; "Creche" by
Richard Ford; "Horatio's Trick" by Ann Beattie; "Another Christmas" by William
Trevor; and "The Leaf-Sweeper" by Muriel Spark. The collection also features voices
of writers whose work has seldom or never been translated into English, such as "A
Risk for Father Christmas" by Siegfried Lenz and "The Night Before Christmas" by
Theodore Odrach. Eminently readable, a very delicious and satisfying collection.
Hardcover, was $19.95 now $7.99.
1000 Places to See in the U.S.A. & Canada Before You Die
By Patricia Schultz
Take a barbecue tour in Kansas City or explore the gold-mining trails of Alaska's
Denali Park--this joyous, passionate gift book is an around-the-world, continent-bycontinent listing of unique and wonderful places everyone should see on and off the
beaten track. For us, only 990 left to go! Paper, was $19.95, now $7.99.
All the Way Home: Building a Family in a Falling-Down House
By Davis Giffels
Thinking of doing some remodeling? This memoir follows Giffels' funny, poignant,
and confounding journey, as he and his wife and a colorful collection of helpers turn
a money pit into a livable house. But the story's heart lies deeper in the series of
personal hardships that call into question what home really means. Hardcover, was
$25.95, now $7.99.
An Artist's Handbook: Materials and Techniques
By Margaret Krug
For drawing, and all kinds of paining: watercolor, Encaustic, egg tempera, fresco, oil
and acrylic, this is your expert resource. With full color illustrations of technique and
end results.
All artists start at he beginning, Paper, was $29.95, now $7.99.
Baseball as America: Seeing Ourselves Through Our National Game by the
Baseball Hall of Fame
We were lucking enough to see this exhibition several years ago and loved every bit
of it. But while functioning much like a museum itself, the volume is more than
simply an exhibition catalogue. Essays and stories some newly written for this
collection feature dozens of writers, players and personalities from Walt Whitman to
Dave Barry, Jackie Robinson to Paul Simon, and examine the game's cultural and
historical significance. You know, it is the national pastime. Hardcover, was $35,
now $12.99.
Baseball's Greatest Quotations: An Illustrated Treasury of Baseball
Quotations and Historical Lore
By Paul Dickson
One more for the true fan. Over 600 pages of fun, including Yogi’s “You can observe
a lot by watching.” We love to watch. Hardcover, was $34.95, now $12.99.
Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads
By Bernard Clayton
This is 30th anniversary edition of a true classic. In these pages, home bakers will
find an extraordinary range of variety, nearly enough to supply a new bread a day
for a year. There are wheat breads -- Honey-Lemon, Walnut, Buttermilk; sourdough
breads; corn breads; breads flavored with herbs or spices or enriched with cheese or
fruits and nuts; and little breads -- Kaiser Rolls, Grandmother's Southern Biscuits,
English Muffins, and Popovers, to name a few. Offering classic recipes while using
modern kitchen appliances to make it all as easy as possible. Hardcover, was $37,
now $14.99.
Bernice Bobs Her Hair
By F. Scott Fitzgerald
Blythe Danner reads the classic story aloud for you on this CD. When boring Bernice
visits her extended family, her glamorous cousin Marjorie decides to make her over,
if only to keep her from being a drag on her social life. The transformation is
successful and Bernice becomes popular with all the local boys, including Marjorie's
beau, Warren. And Marjorie isn't going to stand for that. "Bernice Bob Her Hair,"
holds an important place in Fitzgerald work as an early examination of theme of
competition for social success: especially among young women.
CD, was $12.95, now $7.99.
The Book of Vice: Very Naughty Things (and How to Do Them)
By Peter Sagal
NPR host Sagal ("Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me") goes from strip clubs to gambling
halls to swingers clubs to porn sets--and then back to the strip clubs, but only
because he left his glasses there--Sagal explores exactly what the sinful folk do, how
much they pay for the privilege, and exactly how they got those funny red marks. He
hosts a dinner for three of the smartest porn stars in the world, asks the floor
manager at the oldest casino in Vegas how to beat the house, and indulges in
molecular cuisine at the finest restaurant in the country. Hardcover, was $24.95,
now $7.99.
Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
By Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney
The acclaimed husband-and-wife team focuses on the human elements of the
Montgomery bus boycott following the 1955 arrest of Rosa Parks: the struggle to
keep walking as the seasons changed, the crowded city streets, and the gathering
numbers of the determined boycotters. There have been many picture books doe on
this important part of Montgomery’s history. This 2008 book received Starred
reviews in Booklist and School Library Journal. Hardcover, was $16.99, now $7.99.
Buttercup Bakes at Home
By Jennifer Appel
They are most famous for their cupcakes, but they everything well. Need some
ideas? Family and friends will swoon over the Lemon Coconut-Filled White
Buttermilk Cake, Buttercup Golden Layer Cake with Chocolate or Vanilla
Buttercream, and Banana Oatmeal Crumb Cake. A wide variety of cookies, bars, and
other goodies, such as Dried Cranberry Pumpkin Bars, Marshmallow Crunch Brownie
Bars, Pear Nectarine Crisp, Mixed Berry Trifle, and Chocolate Sandwich Cookie Bread
Pudding will tempt any palate. Here you'll find Gingerbread Cupcakes with Pumpkin
Cream Cheese Icing, German Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramel Pecan Frosting,
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes (perfect for an after-school snack), and even
Splenda-iferous Cream-Filled Vanilla Cupcakes. Hardcover, was $26, now $10.99.
Chemistry and Other Stories
By Ron Rash
In Rash's stories, spanning the entire 20th century in Appalachia, rural communities
struggle with the arrival of a new era where the collision of the old and new south, of
antique and modern, resonate with the depth and power of ancient myths. Ron is a
wonderful North Carolina writer. Paper, was $13, now $5.99.
Classic Garden Plans
By David Stuart
For any gardener who is unsure of what to grow or how to put plants together in
coherent planting schemes, this book provides answers. Many of the garden plans
and plantings included are simplified versions of those created by great gardeners
such as Vita Sackville-West, Margery Fish, and Piet Oudolf. The author's extensive
knowledge of period plants, and how they were put together to look beautiful, has
enabled him to re-create historical classics, like the Renaissance parterre or the
Monet water garden, from contemporary planting lists and plans. Each garden is
given a brief historical context, and its best qualities, seasons, and times of day are
explained. Planting plans are given for each scheme, together with a shopping list
that can be taken to a nursery. Hardcover, was $29.95, now $11.99.
The Complete Book of Aunts
By Rupert Christiansen with Beth Brophy
This book is an entertaining and touching exploration of aunts in all their guises and
varieties, culled from real-life, literary and historical sources. Bewitching illustrations
and anecdotes illuminate various aunt types: Bargain Aunts, Mothering Aunts,
Damned Bad Aunts, and X-Rated Aunts. With stories and poems about famous or
historical aunts, Christiansen and Brophy attempt to uncover what "aunt-ness" is.
That’s right aunt-ness. Hardcover, was $19.99, now $7.99.
Confessions of a Teen Sleuth: A Parody
By Chelsea Cain
In this delicious and affectionate parody of the beloved Nancy Drew series, Nancy
Drew-Nickerson insists she was not a fictional character and Carolyn Keene was not
a hardworking team of writers. In fact, Carolyn was Nancy's college roommate, who
shamelessly plagiarized the tales from Nancy's exploits and, in the process, got a
whole lot wrong. A hilarious and totally loving send-up of everyone’s favorite girl
detective. Hardcover, was $15.95, now $7.99 OR, paper, was $10.95, now $5.99.
Emily Post's the Guide to Good Manners for Kids …SORRY…SOLD OUT
By Peggy Post and Cindy Post Senning
Written by the third generation of the most trusted name in etiquette, this kidfriendly guide to good manners explains how to do the right thing in just about any
situation, from slumber parties to trips to the mall. Hardcover, was $16.99, now
$7.99.
French Gastronomy: The History and Geography of a Passion
By jean-Robert Pitte
This is a beautifully illustrated investigation of how France emerged as the land of
great food, tracing the cultural tradition back to Louis the 14th, who believed that
food was a central affair of state. For that Francophile on your list. Hardcover, was
$32.50, now $8.99.
The Given Day
By Dennis Lehane
Set in Boston at the end of the First World War, "New York Times" bestselling author
Dennis Lehane's long-awaited eighth novel unflinchingly captures the political and
social unrest of a nation caught at the crossroads between past and future. Filled
with a cast of unforgettable characters more richly drawn than any Lehane has ever
created, "The Given Day" tells the story of two families--one black, one white--swept
up in a maelstrom of revolutionaries and anarchists, immigrants and ward bosses,
Brahmins and ordinary citizens, all engaged in a battle for survival and power. An
amazing book by one of our finest writers. Hardcover, was $27.95, now $9.99.
The Grass Harp
O.K. - it is not a book. It is a movie on DVD, based on a book by an Alabama writer,
Truman Capote, set in Alabama, and filmed in Alabama, starring Jack Lemmon ,
Walter Matthau, Sissy Spacek and Mary Steenburgen. “Sweet, wise, funny.” It is a
bargain at $7.99.
Great Women of the Bible: In Art and Literature
By Dorothee Soelle
This beautiful volume focuses on 15 biblical women and gloriously presents not only
their stories but also more than 200 art-historical images of them, along with
searching commentary by the late theologian Dorothee Soelle and discussion of their
post-biblical legacies in art and literature by historian Joe Kirchberger. Hardcover,
was $30, now $8.99.
Ham Biscuits, Hostess Gowns, and Other Southern Specialties: An
Entertaining Life with Recipes
By Julia Reed
Julia Reed spends a lot of time thinking about ham biscuits. And cornbread and
casseroles and the surprisingly modern ease of donning a hostess gown for one's
own party. In" Ham Biscuits, Hostess Gowns and Other Southern Specialties" Julia
Reed collects her thoughts on good cooking and the lessons of gracious entertaining
that pass from one woman to another, and takes the reader on a lively and very
personal tour of the culinary--and social--South. Hardcover, was $23.95, now
$7.99.
Hate That Cat
By Sharon Creech
With plenty of poetry from Tennyson, Eliot, and Poe, along with a hilarious hero and
one amazing surprise, Newbery Medalist Creech makes magic once again, in this
narrative poem sequel to her acclaimed "Love That Dog." Hardcover, was $15.99,
now $6.99.
The Hedgehog's Dilemma: A Tale of Obsession, Nostalgia, and the World's
Most Charming Mammal
By Hugh Warwick
A hilarious, baffling, and entertaining celebration of the world's favorite rodent, the
hedgehog. Warwick gets to the bottom of the sudden boom in hedgehog popularity
and examines the mammal's evolution from despised vermin to much-beloved beast.
Hardcover, was $25, now $7.99. And you thought it was a mythical creature…
Hell at the Breech
By Tom Franklin
In 1891, in the little Alabama town of Mitcham' s Beat, a politician is mysteriously
murdered. Seeking retribution, his outraged friends form a secret society, to punish
the Democrats they believe are responsible. Dressed in hoods, they wage a bloody
two-year reign of terror -- dubbed the Mitcham Beat War-- that culminates in the
killing of a merchant on Christmas Day. At the center of the conflict are four people:
a young gang-member with a terrible secret; an aging sheriff determined to stop the
violence even if he must break the law he upholds; a cold-blooded private detective;
and an old midwife who witnesses the destruction first hand. Based on a real-life
event that involved his own ancestors, Tom Franklin offers an incandescent
recounting of this tragic conflict. Written in liquid, shimmering prose, and saturated
with the flavor, feel, and mood of the deep South, Hell at the Breach is a novel
worthy of the works of William Faulkner, Flannery O' Connor, and Rick Bass. A most
excellent book by one of Alabama’s finest writers. Hardcover, was $23.95, now
$7.99.
Historic Architecture in Alabama: A Guide to Styles and Types, 1810-1930
by Robert Gamble
Robert Gamble outlines in detail the primary architectural currents and styles that
have surfaced in Alabama over the years and defined the state's built landscape. The
structures and styles range from folk houses and early settlement buildings to
railway terminals, churches, libraries, municipal and university buildings, palatial
private mansions, and modest homes. Structures from every period and every major
stylistic era -- Federal, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Romanesque and
Mission Revival, and the Richardsonian -- are documented meticulously, along with
examples of early-Modern buildings, including Alabama's only Frank Lloyd Wright
structure and skyscrapers from the Chicago school. Paper, was $27.99, now $12.99.
Homesick: A Memoir
By Sela Ward
At a time when much of America is yearning to recapture the spirit and feelings of a
more innocent era, comes this exceptional new book from one of our most beloved
actresses: a story of one woman's journey to reconnect with the landscape of her
childhood. Though best known today as television star, Sela Ward considers herself
first and foremost a small-town girl. The eldest of four children, she was raised by a
father who helped her believe in herself, and by a mother who taught her a sense of
the importance of virtues like self-respect, grace, and sacrifice. After graduating from
the University of Alabama, Sela left the South in search of the excitement of cities
like New York and Los Angeles, and the creative rewards of an acting career. But as
she started her own family, she found herself pining for the comforts of her smalltown childhood -- and searching for a way to balance her children's West Coast
upbringing with a taste of a more natural way of life. Filled with warmth, storytelling,
and laughter, "Homesick" is a book to treasure: an exploration of the lessons we
carry away with us from childhood, and a celebration of the bittersweet legacy of
home. Hardcover, was $24.95, now $7.99.
How to Be a Gentleman: A Contemporary Guide to Common Courtesy
By John Bridges
A true gentleman is comfortable with traditional etiquette, and John Bridges covers
all bases. From writing thank you notes to selecting a nice bottle of wine to
responding to e-mail, Bridges explains etiquette is also explained for every situation.
Everyone needs a little advice occasionally. Hardcover, was $14.99, now $7.99.
Ike: An American Hero
By Michael Korda
big, ambitious, and enthralling new biography of Dwight D. Eisenhower, full of
fascinating details and anecdotes, which places particular emphasis on his brilliant
generalship and leadership in World War Two, and provides, with the advantage of
hindsight, a far more acute analysis of his character and personality than any that
has previously been available, reaching the conclusion that he was perhaps
America's greatest general and one of America's best presidents, a man who won the
war and thereafter kept the peace. Hardcover, was $34.95, now $9.99.
Island of Saints
By Andy Andrews
While digging up a withering wax myrtle tree beside his waterfront home on the Gulf
coast, author Andy Andrews unearths a rusted metal container filled with Nazi
artifacts and begins an intriguing investigation that unlocks an unspoken past that
took place in his backyard. In the summer of 1942, as the country gears up for a
full-scale commitment to WWII, German subs are dispatched to the Gulf of Mexico to
sink U.S. vessels carrying goods and fuel for the war. While taking a late-night walk
along the coastline, Helen Mason-recently widowed by the realities of war-discovers
the near-lifeless body of a German sailor. Enraged at the site of Josef Landermann's
uniform, Helen is prepared to leave the lieutenant to die when an unusual phrase,
faintly uttered, changes her mind. Blending his unique style of historical accuracy
with unparalleled storytelling, New York Times best-selling author Andy Andrews
offers a tale of war, faith, and forgiveness-illuminating the one principle that frees
the human spirit. Hardcover, was $19.99, now $7.99.
John Lennon: The Life
By Philip Norman
This masterly biography takes a fresh and penetrating look at every aspect of
Lennon's much-chronicled life, including the songs that have turned him,
posthumously, into a near-secular saint. In three years of research, Norman has
turned up an extraordinary amount of new information about even the best-known
episodes of Lennon folklore--his upbringing by his strict Aunt Mimi; his allegedly
wasted school and student days; the evolution of his peerless creative partnership
with Paul McCartney; his Beatle-busting love affair with a Japanese performance
artist; his forays into painting and literature; his experiments with Transcendental
Meditation, primal scream therapy, and drugs. Hardcover, was $34.95, now $12.99.
Legends of Literature: The Best Articles, Interviews, and Essays from the
Archives of Writer's Digest Magazine
For more than 85 years, "Writers Digest" magazine has chronicled the work,
opinions, and personalities of the 20th-centurys greatest literary minds. This
collection reprints some of the best essays, interviews, and articles published in the
magazines history. Hardcover, was $19.99, now $6.99.
Living in a Foreign Language: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Love in Italy
By Michael Tucker
In case you have ever thought of chucking it all… The actor Michael Tucker and his
wife, the actress Jill Eikenberry, having sent their last child off to college, were
vacationing in Italy when they happened upon a small cottage nestled in the
Umbrian countryside. The 350-year-old Rustico sat perched on a hill in the verdant
Spoleto valley amid an olive grove and fruit trees of every kind. It was literally love
at first sight, and the couple purchased the house without testing the water pressure
or checking for signs of termites. Shedding the vestiges of their American life,
Michael and Jill endeavored to learn the language, understand the nuances of Italian
culture, and build a home in this new chapter of their lives, with just two criteria: to
eat well and drink plenty of wine. "Our goal," writes Tucker, "was to slow down our
hearts and minds until they synched up with the circadian rhythm of the Italian
countryside." What follows is a lush and delicious memoir about finding home in a
faraway place. Hardcover, was $24, now $7.99.
Montgomery in the Good War: Portrait of a Southern City, 1939-1946
By Wesley Newton
This is our history. Using newspaper accounts, interviews, letters, journals, and his
own memory of the time, Wesley Newton reconstructs wartime-era Montgomery,
Alabama -- a sleepy southern capital that was transformed irreversibly during World
War II. The war affected every segment of Montgomery society: black and white,
rich and poor, male and female, those who fought in Europe and the Pacific and
those who stayed on the home front. Newton follows Montgomerians chronologically
through the war from Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima as they experience patriotism, draft
and enlistment, rationing, scarcity drives, and the deaths of loved ones. His use of
small vignettes based on personal recollections adds drama and poignancy to the
story. Hardcover, was $34.95, now $9.99.
My Lives: An Autobiography
By Edmund White
White’s memoir received starred reviews in both PW and Kirkus; the Boston Globe
called it delicious and engrossing. In this autobiography filled with humor and social
history, one of today's most revered writers evokes past moments and draws
portraits of the interesting and celebrated people he has met during his
extraordinary life. Hardcover, was 425.95, now $7.99.
My South: A People, a Place, a World All Its Own
By Robert St. John
What started as a simple advertising campaign for the Turner South network has
expanded into a phenomenon. The beautiful language brings the South to life in the
experiences, memories and emotions of her people. Includes a DVD. Full color.
Hardcover w/DVD, was $19.99, now $7.99.
The New Lasagna Cookbook: A Crowd-Pleasing Collection of Recipes from
Around the World for the Perfect One-Dish Meal
By Maria Bruscino Sanchez
Maria Bruscino Sanchez can't get enough of that hearty deep-dish Italian favorite,
stuffed with juicy fillings, sauced to perfection and bubbling over with cheesy
goodness. But she also knows she's not alone. She has scoured the world for
inspiration to create a book brimming with delectable lasagna triumphs from
traditional versions to classics with a twist to new-wave, meat and vegetarian
varieties. Her easy-to-follow and engaging style gives beginning cooks an excellent
primer on lasagna basics while seasoned kitchen veterans will find themselves
joining her on a culinary trip around the world. Perfect for family dinners big and
small, as well as the best answer to the perennial question "What should I bring?"
Hardcover, was $27.95, now $7.99.
Nobody Does It Better: Why French Home Cooking Is Still the Best in the
World
By Trish Deseine
There is still nowhere in the world where food and cooking are so passionately and
intricately woven into lives, hearts and minds than in France, a country where
masterpieces of home cooking are produced nightly, whether for a family supper or
chic dinner party. So how does that archetypal Frenchwoman do it? With chapter
titles such as 'Shops Wisely', 'Knows Her Classics', 'Steals From Chefs' and 'Rises to
the Occasion', this book will tell you how. An affectionate yet unsentimental,
irreverent but non-patronizing guide from one of France's top cookbook authors,
Nobody Does It Better is set to steal a place on your kitchen shelf.
Hardcover, was $35, now $12.99.
Old Bear
By Kevin Henkes
Beautiful illustrations infused with the color of the seasons, a deeply satisfying text,
and a huggable old bear remembering the cub he once was make for an outstanding
new picture book by the Caldecott Medal-winning creator of "Kitten's First Full
Moon." Hardcover, was $17.99, now $6.99.
Outside the Magic Circle: The Autobiography of Virginia Foster Durr
edited by Hollinger Barnard
“A consummate storyteller skilled in the use of pithy vignettes, Mrs. Durr knows the
people and history of the South and is acutely sensitive to the contradictions, ironies
and absurdities that have plagued the region.” Paper, was $24.95, now, $9.99.
The Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus
This brand new thesaurus from Oxford, the most trusted name in reference, is the
first to be developed by writers, for writers. In addition to the more than 300,000
synonyms and 10,000 antonyms found in the thesaurus, each of our distinguished
editorial board members (including David Auburn, Michael Dirda, David Lehman,
Stephin Merritt, Francine Prose, Zadie Smith, Jean Strouse, David Foster Wallace,
and Simon Winchester) has contributed frank, funny, thoughtful, and, most of all,
word-wise mini-essays on words that they particularly love, hate, admire, or are just
plain puzzled by. Even more helpful for writers in search of the perfect word, this
new thesaurus contains nearly two hundred word banks, collections of nouns to add
exact detail to your writing. (Was it just bread, or was it chapatti, rye, dal, or pita?)
Brand-new word spectrums show where your word falls in a line between two polar
opposites (passable is three-quarters of the way from beautiful to ugly). Other
features include quick guides to easily confused words; helpful, real-world usage
guidance to tricky sticking points of grammar and word choice; and careful, expert
distinctions among awkward synonyms. The Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus will
unlock the power of language and is certain to be the thesaurus that stays on the
desk--and stays open. Over 1000 pages. Paperback, $9.99.
Patricia Wells at Home in Provence
By Patricia Wells
For the past fifteen years, Patricia Wells has been carrying on a love affair with a
region of France, a centuries-old farmhouse, and a cuisine. Provence is uniquely
blessed with natural beauty as well as some of the world's most appealing foods and
liveliest wines Wells's culinary skills have transformed the signature ingredients of
this quintessential French countryside into recipes so satisfying and so exciting that
they will instantly become part of your daily repertoire. Here are over 175 recipes
from Wells's farmhouse kitchen. When it comes to meat and poultry, Wells offers
earthy daubes, the slow-simmered stews so beloved by the French, and such melt-
in-your-mouth delicacies as Butter-Roasted Herbed Chicken. And no meal would be
complete without a delight from the treasure trove of desserts here, including
Cherry-Almond Tart and Winemaker's Grape Cake. Illustrated with captivating
pictures, this is a book you'll want to revisit time and again. Paper, was $24, now
$8.99.
Quilts of Provence: The Art and Craft of French Quiltmaking
By Kathryn Berenson
"Quilts of Provence" illustrates the evolution of Provence's highly sculptural needle
art--"embroidery from within"--picturing supple, small-scale corded work and quilting
in high-rounded relief with decorative patterns revealed in the play of light and
shadow cast by the sun. Hardcover, was $45, now $14.99.
The Remembered Gate: Memoirs by Alabama Writers
Edited by Jay Lamar and Jeanie Thompson
In The Remembered Gate, prominent fiction writers, essayists, and poets recall how
their formative years in Alabama shaped them as people and as writers. The essays
range in tone from the pained and sorrowful to the wistful and playful, in class from
the privileged to the poverty-stricken, in geography from the rural to the urban, and
in time from the first years of the 20th century to the height of the civil rights era
and beyond. We see how the individual artists came to understand something central
about themselves and their art from a changing Alabama landscape. Includes: Mary
Ward Brown, Fannie Flagg, Charles Gaines, Andrew Hudgins, Robert Inman, Nanci
Kincaid, Albert Murray, Sena Jeter Naslund, Helen Norris, Judy Patterson, and more.
Paper, was $19.95, now $8.99.
The Savage Garden
By Mark Mills
From the author of the acclaimed national bestseller "Amagansett" comes an even
more remarkable novel set in the Tuscan hills: the story of two murders, four
hundred years apart-and the ties that bind them together. Adam Banting, a
somewhat aimless young scholar at Cambridge University, is called to his professor's
office one afternoon and assigned a special summer project: to write a scholarly
monograph about a famous garden built in the 1500s. Dedicated to the memory of
Signor Docci's dead wife, the garden is a mysterious world of statues, grottoes,
meandering rills, and classical inscriptions. But during his three-week sojourn at the
villa, Adam comes to suspect that clues to a murder are buried in the strange
iconography of the garden. An intoxicating blend of mystery, myth, art, love and
Italy. Hardcover, was $24.95, now $7.99.
Scott Conant's New Italian Cooking: More Than 125 Recipes for Everyday
Eating, Relaxed Weekend Cooking, and Elegant Entertaining
By Scott Conant
Scott Conant, chef-owner of L'Impero and Alto restaurants in Manhattan, has been
thrilling diners and impressing critics since L'Impero opened in 2003. Here are the
dishes that have garnered national attention and unanimous praise, including meltin-your-mouth beef short ribs, "the" creamiest polenta, intoxicatingly fragrant roast
chicken, and a deceptively simple Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce that
transforms an everyday meal into something sublime. "New Italian Cooking"
includes many dishes that suit hectic weekday schedules--meaning they can easily
be made in 45 minutes or less. When he slows things down for the weekend, it's with
luxurious braises and roasts that require more time but not necessarily more effort,
including Oven-Braised Lamb Shanks with Red Wine Vinegar and a sumptuous, longsimmering Bolognese Sauce. Hardcover, was $35, now $12.99.
A Short History of Myth
By Karen Armstrong
“Human beings have always been mythmakers." So begins Karen Armstrong's
concise yet compelling investigation into myth: what it is, how it has evolved, and
why we still so desperately need it. She takes us from the Paleolithic period and the
myths of the hunters right up to the "Great Western Transformation" of the last five
hundred years and the discrediting of myth by science. The history of myth is the
history of humanity, our stories and beliefs, our curiosity and attempts to understand
the world, which link us to our ancestors and each other. Myths help us make sense
of the universe. Heralding a major series of retellings of international myths by
authors from around the world, Armstrong's characteristically insightful and eloquent
book serves as a brilliant and thought-provoking introduction to myth in the broadest
sense -- and explains why if we dismiss it, we do so at our peril. Hardcover, was
$18, now $6.99.
Soup Suppers: More Than 100 Main-Course Soups and 40 Accompaniments
By Arthur Schwartz
Healthful, practical, and economical, soup as a main course is a natural for the way
people eat today. In "Soup Suppers," Arthur Schwartz provides everything you need
to know to turn a simple soup into a sensational meal. His chapters are organized by
main ingredient and feature recipes that offer something for everyone. Here are
recipes for soups from around the world as well as favorites from just around the
block, all made equally accessible to American cooks and their kitchens. Here you
will find everything from simple, homey dishes like Chicken Gumbo, Fresh Tomato
Soup, and Chili con Carne to such adventuresome departures from the everyday as
Porcini, Potato, and Barley Soup; Thai Shrimp Soup; and Moroccan Harira with
Chick-peas. Presented in the relaxed and friendly manner for which Arthur Schwartz
is known, "Soup Suppers" offers a versatile and satisfying, wholesome and hearty
approach to home-cooked meals. Paper, was $16.95, now $6.99.
Sovereign
By C.J. Sansom
Autumn 1541. A plot against the throne has been uncovered, and Henry VIII has set
off on a spectacular progress from London to York, along with a thousand soldiers,
the cream of the nobility, and his fifth wife, Catherine Howard, to quell his rebellious
northern subjects. Then Shardlake stumbles upon a cache of secret papers that
throws into doubt the legitimacy of the entire royal line, and a chain of events
unfolds that threatens Shardlake with the most terrifying fate of the age:
imprisonment in the Tower of London. Hardcover, was $25.95, now $7.99.
Taj Mahal: Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire
By Diana and Michael Preston
Built by the Moghul emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial to his beloved wife, its
flawless symmetry and gleaming presence have for centuries dazzled everyone who
has seen it, and the story of its creation is a fascinating blend of cultural and
architectural heritage. Yet, as Diana & Michael Preston vividly convey in the first
narrative history of the Taj, it also reflects the magnificent history of the Moghul
Empire itself, for it turned out to mark the high point of the Empire's glory at the
same time as it became a tipping point in Moghul fortunes. Hardcover, was $25.95,
now $7.99.
Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World's Greatest Hymn Stories
By Robert J. Morgan
Rob Morgan's inimitable style will help people reacquaint themselves with the hymns
of the faithful. His goal is to keep these traditional hymns vital and meaningful to all
generations. Don't look for a dry recounting of boring stories. These devotional-style
stories show the emotion and drama behind the hymns of faith that have changed
many lives throughout history -- the people whose faith led them to write these
wonderful hymns and the people whose faith was affected by reading, hearing, and
singing the songs. Designed to be personally reflective, these stories speak to your
soul and add depth and meaning as you worship God through song. Paper, was
$19.99, now $8.99.
This One and Magic Life
By Anne Carroll George
Our favorite book of 1999. A family gathers the old homestead on Mobile Bay to
mourn the untimely death of one of their own. Bound by blood, marriage, illicit
alliances, and a terrible secret still buried, those left behind must deal with
bittersweet memories and words left unspoken. And in the often mysterious land of
the Deep South, where love and hatred run deep and close, dissension often
simmers just beneath the surface. Yet in this unforgettable, almost-forbidden place
of pain and love, loss and passion, each of the family will discover truths long buried
in silence. Anne Carroll George has created a brilliant portrait of a Southern family:
captured in a moment of searing intensity and lyric truth, bringing the images to
vivid life as only a daughter of the South can. It is a beautiful book; we miss Anne
George! Hardcover, was $22, now $7.99.
Today's Best Military Writing: The Finest Articles on the Past, Present, and
Future of the U.S. Military
Edited by Colonel Walter J. Boyne
Today's Best Military Writing is the first-ever collection of the finest articles on the
military published recently. Esteemed military historian and bestselling author Walter
J. Boyne has gathered twenty-one writers, both military and civilian, and their
published articles and essays on all aspects of the various branches of the armed
forces and on the military history of the United States. From searching analyses of
wars spanning two centuries to examinations of how our country's modern armed
forces are coping with new threats that are more dangerous than any they've faced
before, these articles represent the best of the best---incisive, thoughtful, and
probing opinions and information, often written by the people who have lived and
breathed their topics. Hardcover, was $26.95, now $7.99.
True Blueberry: Recipes for Soups, Salads, Desserts, and More
By Linda Dannenberg
Could it be the best of all the berries? From the restaurants of today's most creative
chefs to the kitchens of savvy home cooks, blueberries have become a favorite
ingredient not just for breakfast and dessert but for dishes at every meal. And the
doctor approves. Recent medical studies have shown that blueberries are one of
nature's most beneficial foods, known to help fight cancer and diabetes, and may aid
in lowering cholesterol and combating aging. Yea! Hardcover, was $22.50, now
$7.99.
Upon the Altar of the Nation: A Moral History of the Civil War
By Harry S. Stout
A timely reconsideration of just war, this landmark history closely examines the
moral underpinnings of the War Between the States
When the nation tore itself apart during the Civil War, the North and the South
marched under the banner of God. Yet the true moral aspects of this war have
received little notice from historians of the period. In this gripping volume, Yale
religious historian Harry S. Stout demonstrates how both groups claims that they
had God on their side fueled the ferocity of the conflict and its enduring legacy
today. Hardcover, was $29.95, now $9.99.
Vegetable Harvest: Vegetables at the Center of the Plate
By Patricia Wells
The potager, or French vegetable garden, represents the very best of French cuisine:
fresh, flavorful, and easily accessible for home cooks everywhere. In her latest book,
Patricia Wells presents a collection of recipes inspired by the garden she tends at her
home in Provence. Now, in her tenth cookbook, she covers every kind of produce
favored by French cooks from north to south. In addition, there are charming profiles
of French farmers, home gardeners, and cooks, with stunning color photographs.
From arugula to zucchini, Patricia offers up a wealth of dishes that incorporate
vegetables, herbs, nuts, legumes, and fruits fresh from the garden. And her recipes
aren't limited to summer's bounty--there are plenty for fall and winter, too. And
while Patricia's wonderful dishes sound sinful, they are in fact quite healthful, low in
fat and calories; nutritional information is given for each recipe. Hardcover, was
$34.95, now $14.99.
Viva La Repartee: Clever Comebacks and Witty Retorts from History's Great
Wits and Wordsmiths
By Dr. Mardy Grothe
This collection of history's cleverest comebacks and other truly great replies features
contributions from Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, Dorothy Parker, Mae West, Groucho
Marx, Winston Churchill, Dolly Parton, and scores more. En garde! Hardcover, was
$14.95, now $7.99.
Walker Evans: The Hungry Eye
Originally published in 1994, "Walker Evans: The Hungry Eye was the first book to
survey every significant aspect of the artist's oeuvre. This reduced-format version,
identical in content to the previous volume, includes 300 beautiful duotone
photographs.
Evans was largely self-educated and began photographing regularly in 1927, using a
small hand-held camera. He specialized in the life of the street, carefully observed
views of American architecture, the roadside, and the people who lived in the
nation's cities, towns, and villages. Beginning with Evans's early abstractions,
continuing through his three-year involvement with the Farm Security Administration
and his breakthrough exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art in New York, and
concluding with the artist's experimentation with color late in his life, "Walker Evans:
The Hungry Eye remains the most complete and authoritative view of this American
photographic master. Paper, was $35, now $11.99.
We Are Soldiers Still: A Journey Back to the Battlefields of Vietnam
By Harold Moore and Joseph Galloway
In their stunning follow-up to the classic bestseller "We Were Soldiers Once . . . and
Young," Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and Joe Galloway return to Vietnam and reflect on how
the war changed them, their men, their enemies, and both countries--often with
surprising results. Traveling back to the red-dirt battlefields, commanders and
veterans from both sides make the long and difficult journey from old enemies to
new friends. After a trip in a Russian-made helicopter to the Ia Drang Valley in the
Central Highlands, with the Vietnamese pilots using Moore's vintage U.S. Army maps
and Galloway's Boy Scout compass to guide them, they reach the hallowed ground
where so many died. All the men are astonished at how nature has reclaimed the
land once scarred by bullets, napalm, and blood. As darkness falls, the unthinkable
happens--the authors and many of their old comrades are stranded overnight, alone,
left to confront the ghosts of the departed among the termite hills and creek bed.
Hardcover, was $24.95, now $7.99.
Where the Wild Animals Is Plentiful: Diary of an Alabama Fur Trader's
Daughter, 1912-1914
By May Jordan
"I am a little Alabama girl living on the frontier where the wild animals is plentiful,"
wrote May Jordan in 1912. "This rare journal of a twenty-three-year-old backwoods
woman who accompanied her father on two trips to Washington County, Alabama, to
buy furs, provides a unique picture of rural life in southwestern Alabama in the early
twentieth century. Jordan cooked meals, helped out with the business, and recorded
their experiences, providing a vivid portrait of wilderness travel, social customs, and
the routine of the fur trade, and describing the flora and fauna, religion, economy,
women, folkways, roads, and neighborliness of the frontier region."--"Documentary
Editing"
Paper, was $24.95, now $9.99.