Today two brand-new books were born--or, perhaps more accurately, officially put on shelves at bookstores nationwide, with their Amazon pre-order buttons changed to allow customers to "buy it now." Hooray! In case you haven't been following our pre-publication coverage of these two great but extremely different titles, let me introduce you to them.
The Horses of St. Mark's: A Story of Triumph in Byzantium, Paris, and Venice
by Charles Freeman
A must-see for any tourist in Venice, the history of these four beautiful statues is even more interesting than one might think. They witnessed some of Western history's most significant events--the founding and sacking of Constantinople, the height of the Venetian republic and its fall, and Paris under Napoleon through the revolution in 1848. Making their way back to Venice, the rich backstory of these storied statues is a must-read for those interested in history, art, travel--or just interested in a fascinating tale that Charles Freeman, author of A.D. 381, brings vividly to life.
The Caretaker of Lorne Field
by Dave Zeltserman
In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called The Caretaker of Lorne Field a "superb mix of humor and horror." The dark humor and noirish horror combine in this unique take on the genre--the tale of Jack Durkin, the ninth generation of the Durkin family, who has weeded Lorne Field for hundreds of years. He's stuck there until his son comes of age because he knows a monster will grow--one capable of destroying a country in weeks--if the field is left untended. Or will it? In the words of Locus Magazine, Zeltserman's "black comedy of errors ... invites comparison to stories by Kafka, David Prill, James Hynes, William Browning Spencer, and other authors who have mused on the dark side of daily breadwinning."
Book reviewing bloggers--interested in reviewing? Email Kate at [email protected] for a review copy.
Happy reading, everyone!
