Darvill’s Bookstore fall reading selections

“The Bone Clocks” by David Mitchell is one of the most anticipated novels of the fall. This hypnotic story from the author of “Cloud Atlas” is a vast, intricate story about a secret war between a cult of soul-decanters and the small group of vigilantes who try to take them down.

Fluently mixing the supernatural, sci-fi, horror, social satire and heartbreaking realism, “The Bone Clocks” is a kaleidoscopic novel that begs to be taken apart and put back together.

“Lisette’s List” by Susan Vreeland is about a young Parisian woman exiled to Provence to take care of her husband’s ailing grandfather during the Vichy regime, but discovers that despite the horrors of war, the paintings of Cezanne, Pisarro, Chagall and Picasso bring to life the landscape around her and allow her once again to experience love.

A book written in lush beautiful prose it is as evocative and colorful as the paintings so richly described.

“The Impulse Society” by Paul Roberts is from the bestselling author of “The End of Oil” and “The End of Food.” It is a moment-defining book about how our technologically driven economy has pushed our “culture of narcissism” into hyper-drive over the last three decades – and what we can still do about it. Roberts grew up on Orcas Island and will be here in October to talk about his book.

“Plenty More: Vibrant Vegetable Cooking” from London’s Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi is a follow-up to “Plenty.” This visually stunning collection of more than 150 dazzling recipes emphasize spices, seasonality, and bold flavors. From inspired salads to hearty main dishes and luscious desserts, “Plenty More” is a must-have for vegetarians and omnivores alike.

Orcas Island Librarian Kathy Lunde picks

“The Children Act” by Ian McEwan is about Fiona Maye, a leading high court judge who presides over cases in the family court. She is renowned for her fierce intelligence, exactitude and sensitivity. But her professional success belies private sorrow and domestic strife.

At the same time, she is called on to try an urgent case: Adam, a beautiful seventeen-year-old boy, is refusing for religious reasons the medical treatment that could save his life, and his devout parents echo his wishes. Time is running out. Should the secular court overrule sincerely expressed faith?

Just in time for football season, there is “Russell Wilson, Standing Tall” by Art Thiel and Steve Rudman. Having already written a book about the Seattle Mariners, our friend Art sets his sights on quarterback Russell Wilson and the Seahawks.

In this commemorative edition, veteran Seattle sports writers Thiel and Rudman trace the quarterback’s ascent from North Carolina State to Wisconsin, with a detour into professional baseball, and through the Super Bowl XLVIII win. Featuring nearly 100 unique color photographs, “Russell Wilson: Standing Tall” captures the meteoric rise of one of the NFL’s most surprising superstars.

And if you like dogs, and who doesn’t, “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle” by David Wroblewski is destined to become a modern classic. Born mute, speaking only in sign, Edgar leads an idyllic life with his parents on their farm in remote northern Wisconsin. For generations, the Sawtelles have raised and trained a fictional breed of dog whose remarkable gift for companionship is epitomized by Almondine, Edgar’s lifelong friend and ally. Edgar seems poised to carry on his family’s traditions, but when catastrophe strikes, he finds his once-peaceful home engulfed in turmoil.

Insisting that this tome is neither autobiography nor memoir, countercultural icon Robbins covers the significant touchstones of his life in “Tibetan Peach Pie.” Beginning with his humble origins in a succession of Tidewater towns, Robbins knew that he wanted to write since before he could write. Always marked by his “funky orientation and anarchic aesthetic,” Robbins has held a lifelong love for the offbeat and for the written word. As a child he won a radio in a raffle and sold it for books.

All of these books are available at the Orcas Island Public Library.