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December 06, 2010
Looking back and looking up
When I look back over our sixth year, this is what I see:
Spring
• An Unfinished Score, by Elise Blackwell, the lauded author of Hunger and The Unnatural History of Cypress Parish. This novel is a symphony of the senses, a tale of love and vengeance by an author I greatly admire. And it was an IndieNext pick for April.
• The Singer’s Gun, by Emily St. John Mandel. A #1 IndieNext Pick for May. It’s a book The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times just loved and that was lauded by Nancy Pearl on NPR’s Morning Edition: “I was wowed by it,” she said. It’s a genre-buster, and a masterful one at that, the sort of novel that makes a reader anxious to read the author’s next.
• Captivity, by Deborah Noyes. Library Journal, PW and a wave of online reviewers gushed about this book. The author is not only an acclaimed writer of books for young readers, but coupling Captivity with Angel & Apostle, she is clearly one of the most gifted authors of historical fiction at work today. Quite simply, Captivity a beautiful novel.
• A Santo in the Image of Cristóbal García, by Rick Collignon. We brought back into print the masterwork of a writer I believe to be the most significant living novelist in the American Southwest. It’s a book we published first at Putnam/BlueHen, one we couldn’t stand to allow out of print—mostly because I want everyone to have the chance to spend all that sweet time with Flavio Montoya.
• Taroko Gorge, by Jacob Ritari, a breathtaking debut that the New York Journal of Books found spellbinding. It’s contemplative and a nail-biter, a one-sitting read with an extraordinary sense of character—especially as the author is only 22 years old. What’s more, it was an IndieNext reading group recommendation.
Fall
• A Geography of Secrets, by Frederick Reuss. Library Journal called it “masterly.” Booklist said it is “Deeply evocative…often beautiful.” And The Washington Post called it “thoughtful, beautifully written.” Geography has repeatedly been likened by reviewers to the work of Graham Greene. It’s the fifth novel by a man I believe to be one of the most remarkable novelists of the age—someone who knows that our time is about personal identity and who gets the intellectual joke that reality is.
• Tears of the Mountain, by John Addiego, an epic historical novel about the settling of California, an ambitious work that Booklist called “fascinating.” Addiego’s range and reach often take a fellow’s breath away, and this novel is a tremendous follow up to his 2008 debut: The Islands of Divine Music.
• Stranger Here Below, by Joyce Hinnefeld. Oh my. A beautifully woven second novel by the author of In Hovering Flight, a book that “enthralled” Patricia Henley. Joanna Scott said there are “pleasures to savor on every page.” Few authors have the empathy and the art that Joyce Hinnefeld so perfectly wields, here and in all her work.
• Safe from the Sea, by Peter Geye. This debut novel that has been roundly championed in the upper Midwest—“a trip that is wholly American and gripping,” according to Bookslut. It’s a deeply moving story about a father and a son, but a sea story, too—a novel that Library Journal calls “Inspiring, wise” and that Booklist says is “finely crafted.” Isn’t it clearly the beginning of a great career?
• Panopticon, by David Bajo, the unparalleled author of The 351 Books of Irma Arcuri. As timely and provoking as a novel can be, a novel for the century, I think, showing us what is and what might come. NewWest called it “a remarkable story and a true work of art.” Largeheartedboy labeled it “an entrancing, intelligent literary thriller.” Jedediah Berry described it as “atmospheric, heady and absorbing.” It had my eyes open all the way through.
Not only am I moved by this list of books bearing our colophon, all appearing in a single year from our one small press; I am also proud to have worked with the authors. Their books are nothing alike, but every novel in our 2010 list is at once smart, beautifully written and a significant window into the way we live, a light on who we are, a trace of literary vision that will be worth reading for a long while. This year, as in all years, we’ve brought out a shelf of well-crafted books that will last, books that we think will be re-read.
That is the reason to turn to Unbridled Books—because the quality of our fiction is consistent and fresh. Readers have said that; what better reward? We’ve done this work for six years here, and I thank you all for taking note of Unbridled Books.
The best to all book lovers in the coming year.
Posted in: New Books, New Features, Publishers Blog, Our Catalog, | Keywords: david bajo, deborah noyes, elise blackwell, emily mandel, frederick reuss, jacob ritari, john addiego, joyce hinnefeld, new books, new features, our catalog, peter geye, publishers blog, rick collignon
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Comments
It is indeed a remarkable list, Fred. I can honestly say that as a subscriber, I look forward to Unbridled packages with great anticipation. I know that while each book will be different, there will be a unifying theme of great writing and storytelling. I’m grateful that Unbridled is out there doing what it does and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) 12/07 08:46 AM