Indigo Books & Music Inc.: Indigo's Inspired List of Summer Reading Essentials

Books offer affordable entertainment and inspiration year round, and for [ Summer 2009 ] Indigo announces their key picks for great reads at the beach, cottage, patio or park.

Indigo's Chief Booklover, Heather Reisman personally curates [ her selection ] of great summer reads and this years' list covers a vast landscape of literary terrain.

- [ The Disappeared ], Kim Echlin - this story of passionate love between a Canadian and her Cambodian lover evokes their tumultuous relationship in a world of colliding values. Spare, unrelenting, and moving, The Disappeared is an unforgettable consideration of love, language, justice, and memory set against the backdrop of the killing fields of Pol Pot.

- [ Still Alice ], Lisa Genova - the compelling debut novel about a 50-year-old woman's sudden descent into early onset Alzheimer's disease. In turns heartbreaking, inspiring and terrifying, Still Alice captures in remarkable detail what's it's like to literally lose your mind.

- [ Millionaire ], Janet Gleeson - a lucid reconstruction of the epic drama during John Law's rise and fall where fortunes were made and lost, paupers grew rich, and lords fell into penury and a modern fiscal philosophy was born.

- [ Shanghai Girls ], Lisa See - a lustrous tale of two sisters, inseparable best friends, sold as wives to Californian suitors and forced to travel from Shanghai to America. In Los Angeles they begin a fresh chapter, trying to find love with the strangers they have married, brushing against the seduction of Hollywood, and striving to embrace American life even as they fight against discrimination, brave Communist witch hunts, and find themselves hemmed in by Chinatown's old ways and rules.

- [ The Book of Negroes ], Lawrence Hill - this award-winning novel is an engaging and revealing historical fiction that tells the sweeping story of one of the strongest female characters in recent Canadian fiction.

In anticipation of Dan Brown's long awaited new thriller, The Lost Symbol releasing on September 15th, booklovers can reserve their copy of [ The Lost Symbol ] at any Indigo or Chapters store nationally and then spend the summer catching up on the international best-selling author's previous works including:

- [ The Da Vinci Code ] - the bestselling adult novel of all-time,

- [ Angels & Demons ] - the prequel starring protagonist Robert Langdon

- [ Deception Point ] - the scientific thriller featuring intelligence analyst Rachel Sexton

New releases from newcomers and long-standing favourite authors offer an assortment of easy, inexpensive escapes including:

- [ The Strain ], Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan - the visionary creator of the Academy Award-winning Pan's Labyrinth and a Hammett Award-winning author bring their imaginations to this bold, epic novel about a horrifying battle between man and vampire that threatens all humanity. It is the first installment in a thrilling trilogy and an extraordinary international publishing event.

- [ The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet ], Reif Larsen - the exhilarating, funny, charming and unbearably poignant debut novel that follows the coming-of-age road trip of a 12-year-old genius map-maker named T.S. Spivet.

- [ The Angel's Game ], Carlos Ruis Zafon - the prequel to the massive word-of-mouth hit, The Shadow of the Wind, combines romance, love, obsession and tragedy along with a devil's bargain, the promise of fame and fortune. To the delight of booklovers, the love and magic of books is front and centre in Zafon's new release.

- [ Handle with Care ], Jodi Piccoult - the most recent poignant drama from the New York Times best-selling author will delight every dedicated Piccoult fan, while the summer movie blockbuster season sees the film adaptation of Piccoult's perennial book club favourite [ My Sister's Keeper ] debut as well.

- [ The Time Traveller's Wife ], Audrey Niffenegger - although Niffenegger's sophomore release, [ Her Fearful Symmetry ] isn't due out until the fall, booklovers will delight in the film adaptation of her innovative and unforgettable debut bestseller that premieres at movie theatres this summer.

New titles from Penny Vincenzi ([ The Best of Times ]), Nora Roberts ([ Vision in White ]), Janet Evanovich ([ Finger Lickin' Fifteen ]) and Sophie Kinsella ([ Twenties Girl ]) will also hit shelves this summer. Booklovers on a budget can also enjoy recent bestsellers now out in paperback like last year's Heather's Pick, [ The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society ], while the paperback shop at Indigo and Chapters stores nationally boasts even more affordable selections to satisfy any reader's romance, mystery or sci-fi appetite.

For curious minds seeking to satisfy an investigative spirit while keeping abreast of the state of the world, Indigo recommends these inspired non-fiction reads through the sunny season:

- [ Why Your World Is About To Get A Whole Lot Smaller ], Jeff Rubin - an engaging read from the former Chief Economist at CIBC World Markets whose thesis discusses how globalization and cheap oil has effected the world's economy and what effects it has on our future.

- [ Six Months in Sudan ], James Maskalyk - a first-hand account from the Toronto doctor who travelled to Sudan as part of Doctors Without Borders. Maskalyk's story of the terrible suffering is visceral and sharply observed but so too is the hope that is found in such work, and the need to be active in times of great need.

- [ Post-American World ], Fareed Zakaria - now out in paperback, the CNN host and Newsweek editor/commentator writes provocatively of the new emerging world, the new wealth in China, India, Indonesia and Brazil, their new models for economic success, and the coming changes for North America and Europe.

Indigo recommends these popular picks for teens and young readers eager to give summer boredom the brush-off while keeping their reading skills sharp at home or away at camp:

- [ The Hunger Games ] by Suzanne Collins is an addictive, fast-paced dystopian adventure that's both tragic and hopeful and the highly anticipated sequel, Catching Fire releases September 1st.

- [ Lock & Key ] by Sarah Dessen is a touching, funny and captivating story from renowned young adult fiction author Sarah Dessen. Dessen fans will not be disappointed.

- Jude Watson's [ Beyond the Grave ] is The 39 Clues Book Four. This very hot series combines an online game and gaming cards with a series of what will be 10 books.

- Rick Riordan's [ Last Olympian ] is the fifth and final book in the hugely popular Percy Jackson series that follows a boy who discovers he is part God. The film adaptation is set for release next summer.

To discover more summer selections, visit [ www.chapters.indigo.ca ] where thousands of booklovers continue to share their passion for books, authors and reading while adding to their shelf, recommending books and posting their reviews, top ten lists and recommendations at the award-winning Indigo Online Community.

About Indigo Books & Music Inc.

Indigo is a publicly traded Canadian company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:IDG). As the largest book retailer in the country, Indigo operates in all provinces under different banners including Indigo Books & Music; Indigo Books, Gifts, Kids; IndigoSpirit, Chapters, The World's Biggest Bookstore, and Coles. The online division, [ www.chapters.indigo.ca ], features books, toys, music and DVDs, and hosts the award winning Indigo Online Community. In 2008, Indigo launched Pistachio, an eco-aware lifestyle store featuring stationery, gifts and home decor, and apothecary.

Chapters and Indigo are rated as the number one and number two retailers in Canada by the Kubas Major Market Retail Report, and have occupied the list since 2000.

In 2004, Indigo founded the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation, a registered charity that provides new books and education materials to high-needs Canadian elementary schools, to address the literacy crisis in Canada. Visit [ loveofreading.org ] for more information.

To learn more about Indigo, please visit the About Our Company section of [ www.chapters.indigo.ca ].

Contributing Sources

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Indigo Books & Music Inc.: Indigo's Inspired List of Summer Reading Essentials