March 2012 Newsletter

Hi Goodreads Member,

Here's our monthly newsletter from Goodreads—giving you the latest and greatest in our quest to connect people through reading!

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS

Anne Lamott

A baby brings momentous change in Some Assembly Required. This new memoir about unexpectedly becoming a grandmother was cowritten by Lamott's 19-year-old son.

Lisa Lutz

The Spellmans return in Trail of the Spellmans, Lutz's latest comedic mystery starring a snarky San Francisco sleuth and her family of peculiar private investigators.

Andre Dubus III

The author of House of Sand and Fog will be answering questions in a live chat on March 14 about his memoir, Townie, which revisits his violent childhood and path to writing.

Esi Edugyan's Favorite Books About Jazz

Feel the rhythm in these swinging picks from the author of Half-Blood Blues, a historical novel set in 1940s Berlin and occupied Paris.

Jonah Lehrer's Favorite Books to Unleash Creativity

The science writer describes innovative thinking techniques in Imagine and shares his top five books to liberate your mind.

Lauren Groff's Favorite Books About Utopia

Vicariously join a commune in her new novel, Arcadia, and seek perfection from these recs that attempt paradise on earth.

Chris Pavone

In the new espionage thriller The Expats, an ex-CIA agent mom discovers cons within cons in a game of cat and mouse played out across the cobblestones of Luxembourg.

Calling all Pinterest addicts, now you can follow Goodreads for all your bookish pinning needs. Our boards feature buzzworthy new releases in multiple genres as well as quotes and other literary tidbits. And did you know that every book page on Goodreads now includes the "Pin it" button? Easily add all your favorite books worth reading and sharing!

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Angelmaker

by Nick Harkaway (Goodreads Author)

When mobster scion-turned-clock repairman Joe Spork unwittingly triggers a 1950s doomsday machine, he and his client, a geriatric secret agent named Edie, are launched into London's underworld in this screwball work of noir.

Wild

by Cheryl Strayed (Goodreads Author)

Wrecked by a divorce and her mother's death, novice backpacker Strayed impulsively hiked 1,100 miles along the Pacific Crest Trail. The misery and triumph of her solo trek is faithfully chronicled in this cathartic memoir.

Carry the One

by Carol Anshaw (Goodreads Author)

A car filled with drunken wedding guests kills a child on a dark country road. This novel follows the characters' long-term grief and guilt over 25 years, revealing the subtle ways in which a single decision can change one's life.

The Power of Habit

by Charles Duhigg

Learn how to swap destructive patterns for productive ones in this nonfiction exploration that incorporates scientific findings on human behavior and case studies of individuals and corporations.

The Good Father

by Noah Hawley

When Dr. Paul Allen's son assassinates the Democratic candidate for president, the specialist for rare diseases decides to retrace his wayward son's path toward murder in this fictional tale of psychological suspense.

Partials

by Dan Wells (Goodreads Author)

In this young adult thriller, only 1 percent of the population has survived a weaponized virus unleashed by the bioengineered Partials (that look human). Teen medic Kira is determined to find a cure for her pregnant best friend.

African Library Project

With just 1,000 gently used books, $500 for shipping costs, and help from this nonprofit, anyone can start a library in rural Africa, where many children grow up without books.

Bring Your Books to Facebook Timeline

Using Goodreads for Timeline keeps getting easier and better. Connect your Facebook account to Goodreads and showcase what you're reading alongside other exciting epochs on your Timeline.

Try Goodreads for Timeline

Mobile Apps with More Speed!

We're always working to make our mobile apps snappier. You can already scan book bar codes, access reading groups, read and write reviews, and more. Now try out our new "random book" feature for unexpected browsing!

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GOODREADS POETRY CONTEST

Want your words to reach 5 million people? Goodreads and the ¡POETRY! group have partnered to host an ongoing poetry contest. Join the ¡POETRY! group to vote each month to pick a winner from among the finalists. You can also submit a poem for consideration. Here is our March winner!

People Like You

by Jim Pascual Agustin (Goodreads Author)

Last night I heard the neighbours say
"Your children are cute." You giggled
on a wobbly chair
like any other drunk.

You have a voice
soft as tap water
on soiled hands
when you don't touch the bottle.

But your boots
are always heavy
even as they lie silent
on the floor, heel towards me.

There's a spider under the chair
bobbing up and down
closer to my face,
and I remember,

you are so easy to please
with a pair of slippers,
same smile as you unzip
before me in the toilet.

I should fetch them
when you get up.
I should fetch them
before you get up.