R.J. Julia Booksellers


Click on any event below for more information or to order an autographed copy...

Fri, 5/16 4 PM		Jerry Spinelli - Kids Smiles to Go

Wed, 5/21 7 PM		Carl Hiaasen - Golf The Downhill Lie

Tue, 5/27 7 PM		Robert H. Patton Patriot Pirates

STORE INFORMATION

RJ Julia Booksellers
768 Boston Post Road
Madison, CT 06443
203.245.3959
800.74.READS
books@rjjulia.com

Mon-Sat: 9am – 9pm
Sun 10am – 6pm

Directions

RJ CAFÉ

Serving Lunch, Dinner, Homemade Pastries, Coffee and Tea
Mon-Sat: 9am - 9pm
Sun: 10am - 6pm

Managed by La Rosticceria, Carry Out Caterers

The RJ Café is proud to display unique art exhibits from the ALVA Gallery in New London, CT

NEWS FROM RJ JULIA

FEATURES

Faith Middleton Show

Our History

R.J. JULIA AWARDS


	Thank you for voting us # 1.

THE FAITH MIDDLETON SHOW ON WNPR

Faith Middleton

The Book Show
WNPR-Connecticut Public Radio
90.5 FM Hartford/New Haven
89.1 FM Norwich/New London
88.5 FM Stamford/Greenwich
91.3 FM Southampton
99.5 FM Storrs

"My book buddies, Roxanne Coady of R.J. Julia Booksellers in Madison, CT, Dr. Rose Quiello, lecturer in English at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, and enthusiastic reader Sally Gessner join me in the studio every two weeks. Occasionally Lee Jacobis, author and former professor at the University of Connecticut, drops in as well.

We tell you about the books we've enjoyed recently, and listeners are invited to tell us about your favorite books on line. E-mail us at faithwnpr@aol.com. Tell us in a couple of sentences about an all-time favorite book, or a recent great read, and why you love it. Adults and children are welcome! We'll read your letters over the air."

- Faith Middleton

RECENT BOOKS

Show Date: February 16th, 2007

SPECIAL RECOMMENDATIONS:

Three students from the 6th grade at Oak Grove Montessori School in Mansfield, CT were special guests on the program. All are participants in the Nutmeg Book Award Program, sponsored by the Connecticut Library Association, and they had the following recommendations:

A Mango-Shaped Space
by Wendy Mass

Mia is a 13-year-old 7th grader with synesthesia – words and objects for her have colors and shapes; even Mango, her cat, is surrounded by orange puffs. This story is about her finding herself and starting to love herself and her special gift. All of the little details are what makes this book special.

Gregor the Overlander
by Suzanne Collins

This is the first book in the Underland Series. 11-year-old Gregor and his sister fall through a grate from the laundry room into a strange underworld populated by bats, rats, spider, and cockroaches. A battle is brewing and Gregor is pulled into it, and in the process learns about his father's mysterious disappearance. This book won 2nd prize in last year's Nutmeg Book Awards.

Becoming Naomi Leon
by Pam Munoz Ryan

Naomi lives with her little brother, Owen, and her great-grandmother, Gram. When her absent mother arrives and tries to take Naomi away, she runs away to Mexico with Gram and Owen to try to find her Dad. Things get intense at times, but in the end everything works out OK.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

ROXANNES'S PICKS:

The Tortilla Curtain
by T. Coraghessan Boyle

This was a recommendation from a customer who said that it was one of those books that changed her life, and it definitely changes how you view the world. Two couples from widely different circumstances – one, poor Mexican immigrants; the other, wealthy liberal Americans –become connected through a hit-and-run accident. Boyle is a brilliant story-teller, and nothing is quite as you expect it. A must read.

Bad Blood
by Linda A. Fairstein

If you want to have a ball reading a great story, this is the choice for you. Fairstein is a well-known mystery writer who sets this legal thriller in the underground tunnel world of NYC. An explosion there complicates life for Manhattan prosecutor Alexandra Cooper, as she struggles to unravel a generations-old feud.

The United States of Arugula: How We Became a Gourmet Nation
by David Kamp

A very funny look at how we have changed our eating habits from Spagetti-o's to sushi, and all of the stops, social as well as culinary, in-between. Kamp, a writer for Vanity Fair, is a great story-teller and while chronicling the change he also debunks some of the resulting hype.

Flotsam
by David Wiesner

Winner of this year's Caldecott Medal, this is a charming tale of a boy who finds a camera one day at the beach. The film in it reveals a magical underwater world, which he then becomes a part of. Told without words but with magnificent and humorous drawings, this is perfect for 5-6 year olds, and adults of any age.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

ROSE'S PICKS:

Empire Falls
by Richard Russo

A sprawling novel set in an old mill town in Maine, this focuses on Miles Roby and his life in this dying town. A rich and graceful portrayal of blue-collar life, this won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2002.

The Reader
by Bernhard Schlink and Carol Brown Janeway

A wonderful story about a young German boy, rescued by an older woman, who becomes her lover. Years later, as a law student, he recognizes her as a defendant in a murder trial, and realizes that she hides a secret which, to her, is more terrible than the crime she is accused of. A moving, sparely written, beautiful tale.

Case Histories
by Kate Atkinson

I just started reading this one, but I can't put it down! Three seemingly cold cases for private detective Jackson Brodie to solve, but the unraveling leads to complicated relationships. This is a real page-turner.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

LEE'S PICKS:

The Confessions of St. Augustine
by St. Augustine

A book for all times and all seasons. Written around 400 AD, this chronicle of St. Augustine's conversion from pagan sinner to Christian saint is compelling and still incredibly relevant. It also gives a vivid and astonishing look at life in North Africa during a particularly tumultuous time. Particularly noteworthy are the essays on time and memory.

Black Swan Green
by David Mitchell

This tale, set in small town England, chronicles a year in the life of 13-year old Jason Taylor as he struggles with a stammer, school bullies, and a family that is coming apart. Beautifully written and compelling.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

FAITH'S PICKS:

A Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954-1962
by Alistair Horne

This is one of classics in the literature about war. Recounting the 8-year struggle for Algerian independence, which caused 6 French governments to fall and almost caused a civil war in France, this has remarkable parallels to the current struggle in Iraq. The President has said that he has read it and finds in fascinating; it’s a must-read for anyone interested in Middle Eastern current affairs.

The Wal-Mart Revolution: How Big Box Stores Benefit Consumers, Workers, and the Economy
by Richard Vedder

Two conservative economists look at the impact that Wal-mart has had on the communities it serves and finds that, on the whole, the effects have been positive.

Past Perfect
by Susan Isaacs

Despite a successful career as a novelist and TV screenwriter, Katie Schottland remains bothered by her unexplained firing from the CIA 13 years earlier. A mysterious phone call prompts her to delve back in to the circumstances surrounding her final days at the agency. This is jokey and well-plotted – a great winter vacation read.

Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future
by Eero Saarinen and Eeva-Liisa Pelkonen

A new retrospective on the work of one of the major architects of the 20th century (TWA Terminal, Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Yale Skating Rink). In addition to extensive material from Saarinen's archives, this book also includes a series of interpretive essays by noted architects and critics.

Condemned
by John Nicholas Iannuzzi

Fictionalized tales by an assistant professor at Fordham Law School who has spent his career as a criminal trial lawyer for drug crimes. Iannuzzi argues forcefully for the legalization of drugs, comparing our current policy on drugs with Prohibition policies on liquor. A gritty page-turner.

SHOW ARCHIVES