Staff Picks  Rachael's Picks
Use the links to the left to see another staff member's picks.

Collected Poems of Stanley Kunitz
A real treasure of poems - Kunitz just passed away, and the lingering sadness and regret (and big time joy!) in some of his work is even more touching now. Nearly every poem is worth checking out. One of the best collections around.

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So Long, See You Tomorrow by William Maxwell
This is Maxwell's best book - haunting and reminiscent of a nostalgic past that seems to be best found in pre-WWII writers like Cather. About a friendship dissolved by a murder caused by one friend's father, the language and story will really stick with you.

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Late Wife by Claudia Emerson
I know calling a Pulitzer Prize winner a hidden gem is a stretch, but this book (published by LSU Press) and author seem to be shockingly under appreciated. This book will turn even the least poetic of readers to verse lovers. A series of sonnet-letters to her divorced husband and new husband's wife (who had died of cancer), these poems are reflective of divorce, death, regret, and hope. Emerson's poetry is raw and lovely.

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Why Dogs Chase Cars by George Singleton
Singleton's prose is sharp and witty - undeniably funny and sincere at the same time. His recreation of South Carolina is at once a love song and a social critique of a challenging place.

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Among the Missing by Dan Chaon
This book is thematically driven and linked by the idea of a person being missing. The situations are almost always dark, dangerous, funny and heartwarming. Read the title story especially.

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Evening by Susan Minot
This lovely novel begins with the last day of Ann Grant's life. But year before, Ann remembers a weekend in which she fell in love with a stranger. Haunting, this novel questions passion, idealism, and above all regret.