New Fiction – June 2011

The Adults
Alison Espach
F ESP
Emily Vidal, a smart and snarky teenager, is the center of this tale of an affluent suburban universe where neighbors commit suicide and high school teachers have suspect relationships with students.  A world where an adult and a child can be mistaken for the same thing.

All the Time in the World
E.L. Doctorow
F DOC
The noted author presents a new collection of short fiction featuring characters who are “distinct from their surroundings — people in some sort of contest with the prevailing world.”

Bel-Air Dead
Stuart Woods
F WOO
In the wealthy Bel-Air district of Los Angeles, Stone Barrington comes face-to-face with his past when he is recruited by a beautiful widow.

Binocular Vision
Edith Pearlman
F PEA
A collection of short stories by an author who has received numerous rave reviews.

Breaking the Rules
Suzanne Brockmann
F BRO
A new entry in the author’s Troubleshooters series, features Izzy Zanella and his Navy SEAL teammate’s beautiful younger sister, Eden.

Butterfly’s Child
Angela Davis-Gardner
F DAV
What happened after the ending of the story from the famous opera Madame Butterfly?

Elizabeth I
Margaret George
F GEO
The legendary and enigmatic Queen Elizabeth is depicted by a noted historical novelist who presents an answer to the question “but what was she really like?”

Emily Alone
Stewart O’Nan
F ONA
A sequel to Wish You Were Here follows Emily Maxwell, a widow whose grown children have moved away from Pittsburgh.  From an award-winning Pittsburgh author.

A Heartbeat Away
Michael Palmer
F PAL
On the night of the State of the Union address, President Allaire is forced to quarantine everyone in the Capitol building after a terrorist group unleashes a highly contagious virus.

Heartwood
Belva Plain
F PLA
The beloved author’s last novel returns to the world of Evergreen.

Learning to Swim
Sara J. Henry
F HEN
When she witnesses a small child tumbling from a ferry into Lake Champlain, Troy Chance dives in without thinking.

Live Wire
Harlan Coben
F COB
Myron Bolitar is always quick to defend his clients’ interests no matter what the cost.  When former tennis star Suzze T and her rock star husband, Lex, encounter an anonymous posting on Facebook, Lex runs off and Suzze turns to Myron for help.

The Love of My Youth
|Mary Gordon
F GOR
Miranda and Adam, high-school sweethearts, happen to meet again after more than thirty years and re-immerse themselves in their shared past.

The Mozart Conspiracy
Scott Mariani
F MAR
As the cover states: “James Bond meets Jason Bourne meets The Da Vinci Code.”

My New American Life
Francine Prose
F PRO
Lula, a 26-year-old Albanian woman living in New York City on an expiring tourist visa, hopes to make a better life for herself in America. By a noted author.

Night Road
Kristin Hannah
F HAN
For eighteen years, Jude Farraday has put her twins, Mia and Zach, ahead of herself and they are bright and happy teenagers.  Their life becomes much more difficult, however, when Lexi moves into their small-knit community.

Pacific Glory
P.T. Deutermann
F DEU
An old-fashioned military adventure that features three inseparable friends during their Naval Academy years and whose lives are forever changed by the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941.

The Peach Keeper
Sarah Addison Allen
F ALL
The author of The Girl Who Chased the Moon welcomes you to a new locale: Walls of Water, North Carolina, where the secrets are as thick as the fog from the town’s famous waterfalls.

Please Look After Mom
Kyung-Sook Shin
F SIN
A Korean bestseller, a moving story of a family’s search for their mother, who goes missing one afternoon amid the crowds of the Seoul Station subway.

The Silver Boat
Luanne Rice
F RIC
A heartwarming portrait of three far-flung sisters who come to Martha’s Vineyard one last time to say good-bye to the family beach house.

Slow Dancing on Price’s Pier
Lisa Dale
F DAL
Fifteen yeas ago, Garret Sorensen’s family, trust, and heart were destroyed when Thea Celik married his brother.  Now that her marriage is ending in divorce, perhaps Garret can put the past behind him.

This Vacant Paradise
Victoria Patterson
F PAT
The 1990’s—Newport Beach, California.  Esther Wilson has the looks to marry well, but things aren’t going as planned.

Tiger Hills
Sarita Mandanna
F MAN
As the first girl to be born into the Nachimanda family in over sixty years, the beautiful Devi is the object of adoration of her entire family.  This is her story.  Starred reviews accompany this first novel.

The Trinity Six
Charles Cumming
F CUM
The 1930’s five-member Cambridge spy ring comprised the most notorious Russian spies in history.  But what if there were a sixth man, a member of the ring whose identity was never revealed?

The Uncoupling
Meg Wolitzer
F WOL
The author of The Ten-Year Nap returns with a story of the strange consequences that occur to a high school community  after a new drama teacher chooses Lysistrata as the school play.

The Watery Part of the World
Michael Parker
F PAR
A haunting story that spans over one hundred years of life on a barrier island off the coast of North Carolina.  It all begins in 1813 when Theodosia Burr, en route to New York to meet her father, Aaron Burr, disappears.

New Fiction – April 2011

Agent X 
Noah Boyd
F BOY
FBI-agent-turned-bricklayer Steve Vail once helped solve a brilliant extortion plot.  But now the FBI has another unsolvable problem and it has Vail’s name written all over it.

Cleaning Nabokov’s House
Leslie Daniels
F DAN
When Barb Barrett walks out of her loveless marriage she doesn’t realize she will lose everything.  As she begins to collect the scattered pieces of her life, she moves into a house once occupied by Vladimir Nabokov.

Destiny and Desire
Carlos Fuentes
F FUE
Passion, magic and desire in modern Mexico from an acclaimed author.

A Discovery of Witches
Deborah Harkness
F HAR
A centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch and a mysterious manuscript found in Oxford’s Bodleian Library are bound together in this intriguing novel.

Emily and Einstein
Linda Francis Lee
F LEE
After her husband is killed in a tragic accident, Emily is forced to find out who her husband really was.  She finds comfort in a scruffy dog named Einstein.

The Fates Will Find Their Way
Hannah Pittard
F PIT
Sixteen-year-old Nora Lindell is missing.  And the neighborhood boys she’s left behind are caught forever in the mystery of her absence.

Gideon’s Sword    
Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
F PRE
A thriller introducing Gideon Crew: trickster, prodigy, and master thief,  from a pair of well-known authors.

Gideon’s War     
Howard Gordon
F GOR
Gideon Davis has just 48 hours to bring his rogue agent brother in — before a twisted global conspiracy turns deadly.  A fiction debut by the producer of the TV series 24.

I Think I Love You
Allison Pearson
F PEA
The author of I Don’t Know How She Does It returns with a story of first love and how that ardor of youth can ignite an adult life. What happens when your 13-year-old fan obsession is realized when you’re pushing forty?

In Office Hours
Lucy Kellaway
F KEL
Stella and Bella are two intelligent working women who each fall for impossible lovers—at work.  The excitement and absurdity of office romance.

The Informationist
Taylor Stevens
F STE
Vanessa Munroe deals in information—expensive information—for corporations, and anyone else who can pay for her unique brand of expertise.   Starred reviews for a debut author.  Thriller, anyone?

Journal of a UFO Investigator
David Halperin
F HAL
Danny Shapiro is an isolated teenager who creates a reality of his own that blends seamlessly with his day-to-day life.  What is real? What is imagined?  A heartfelt debut from a promising author.

The Matchmaker of Kenmare
Frank Delaney
F DEL
An Irish story of friendship and sacrifice during the years of World War II.

Minding Frankie
Maeve Binchy
F MIN
Joy, heartbreak and hope abound in this tale of a motherless girl who is being raised by a close-knit Dublin community.

Night Vision
Randy Wayne White
F WHI
Doc Ford finds himself on another suspenseful ride when he discovers that a lot is going on in the Red Citrus trailer park.  Vintage suspense from a master of the genre.

Now You See Her
Joy Fielding
F FIE
Fifty-year-old Marcy Taggart is newly divorced, following the presumed death of her daughter Devon.  Attempting to heal her heartache, she finds herself on a desperate search hoping that her daughter is still alive.

The Old Romantic
Louise Dean
F DEA
Nick and his long-estranged family discover that blood is indeed thicker than water in a hilarious, yet moving, domestic comedy. British humor, anyone?

The Paris Wife
Paula McLain
F MCL
A remarkable place and time features Ernest Hemingway and his first wife Hadley Richardson as they are swept up with the “lost generation” of Paris in the 1920’s.

Portraits of a Marriage
Sándor Márai
F MAR
A rediscovered novel by the noted Hungarian author of Embers is an exploration of a triangle of entanglement during the years between the two World Wars.

Three Stages of Amazement
Carol Edgarian
F EDG
Charlie and Lena grew up in San Francisco believing they could have it all, but now, in early middle age, life has delivered surprises and tests.

The Tiger’s Wife
Téa Obreht
F OBR
In a Balkan country mending from years of conflict, Natalia, a young doctor, arrives on a mission of mercy at an orphanage.  Soon she has a feeling that age-old superstitions and secrets are gathering  around her.

The Weird Sisters
Eleanor Brown
F BRO
Unlucky in work, love, and life, the Andreas sisters return to their childhood home.  And each has a secret she’s unwilling to share.  Starred reviews.

When the Killing’s Done
T.C. Boyle
F BOY
Alma Boyd Takesue is a National Park Service biologist who is hoping to save the native species of the Channel Islands from invasive species, such as rats and feral pigs.  Her antagonist, Dave LaJoy, is fiercely opposed to the killing of any species.  An engrossing story with great reviews.

The Whisperers
John Connolly
F CON
Charlie Parker is faced with sinister events in the vast Great North Woods along the border of Maine and Canada. A dangerous smuggling operation is being run by disenchanted former soldiers and is more terrifying than anyone can imagine.

The Year of the Hare
Arto Paasilinna
F PAA
A comic novel by a Finnish author who has been amusing Finns for thirty years and world-wide readers in twenty-five languages.

New Biographies – April 2011

Against All Odds: My Life of Hardship, Fast Breaks and Second Chances
Scott Brown
B BROWN
The extraordinary life journey of the current U.S. Senator from Massachusetts.

All That Is Bitter and Sweet
Ashley Judd
B JUDD
The author explains why she opted out of a successful Hollywood career to find her true calling: as a humanitarian and advocate for those suffering in neglected parts of the world.

Amelia Earhart: The Turbulent Life of an American Icon
Kathleen C. Winters
B WINTERS
When Amelia Earhart vanished over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 during an attempted around the world flight, she was at the height of her fame.  A fascinating portrait of a complex woman.

American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare, The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee
Karen Abbott
B LEE
The extraordinary life of Gypsy Rose Lee and the world she survived and conquered.

And Furthermore
Judi Dench
B DENCH
The life story of the famed British actress, Dame Dench, in her own words.

And I Shall Have Some Peace There: Trading in the Fast Lane for My Own Dirt Road
Margaret Roach
B ROACH
The author left her big-city life, including her work as an editorial director for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, to seek an entirely different reward.

Bird Cloud
Annie Proulx
B PROULX
Bird Cloud is the name Annie Proulx gave to the 640 acres of Wyoming wetlands and prairie that she calls home.

Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef
Gabrielle Hamilton
B HAMILTON
Before the author opened her acclaimed New York restaurant Prune, she spent twenty hard-living years trying to find purpose and meaning in her life.

A Box of Darkness: The Story of a Marriage
Sally Ryder Brady
B BRADY
Upton and Sally Brady were cultivated and elegant, living a life of literary glamour and high expectations. The author looks back on her marriage of forty-six years and the discoveries that she made following her husband’s death.

Branch Rickey
Jimmy Breslin
B BRESLIN
In 1947, as president and general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Branch Rickey defied racism on and off the field to bring Jackie Robinson into the major leagues.

Day of Honey: A Memoir of Food, Love and War
Annia Ciezadlo
B CIEZADLO
In the fall of 2003, the author spent her honeymoon in Baghdad.  Over the next six years, while living in Baghdad and Beirut, she finds the rituals of food and friendship sustaining in a time of war.

The Elephant to Hollywood
Michael Caine
B CAINE
The acclaimed actor tells the story of his transformation from Maurice Micklewhite to Sir Michael Caine.

The Foremost Good Fortune
Susan Conley
B CONLEY
When her family says good-bye to family and friends in Maine for two-years in Beijing, China, that have little concept of just how much their lives will change.

Galileo
J.L. Heilbron
B GALILEO
The hero and martyr of science is captured through a wide-angled lens that takes in the wide spectrum of culture, religion, science, theology and politics of late Renaissance Italy.

I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness to The Blind Side and Beyond
Michael Oher
B OHER
An account of the  Baltimore Ravens football player who is at the center of the book and the movie, The Blind Side. Here’s his own story.

I Love a Broad Margin to My Life
Maxine Hong Kingston
B KINGSTON
Reflections related in flowing verse lines explore the author’s thoughts as she turns sixty-five.

I’m Over All That: and Other Confessions
Shirley MacLaine
B MACLAINE
The author has reached the time in her life when she realizes what is truly important and what just doesn’t matter any more.

Jackie as Editor: The Literary Life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Greg Lawrence
B ONASSIS
A chronicle of an important part of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s life—her nineteen-year editorial career.

J.D. Salinger: A Life
Kenneth Slawenski
B SALINGER
The mysterious and reclusive author of The Catcher in the Rye is revealed in this examination of his life.

Known and Unknown: A Memoir
Donald Rumsfeld
B RUMSFELD
A memoir of the controversial Secretary of Defense and his half-century career in public service.

The Memory Palace: A Memoir
B BARTOK
Mira Bartók
“A disturbing, mesmerizing personal narrative about growing up with a brilliant but schizophrenic mother…. Richly textured, compassionate, and heartbreaking.” Kirkus Reviews.

My Thoughts Be Bloody: The Bitter Rivalry Between Edwin and John Wilkes Booth that Led to an American Tragedy
Nora Titone
B BOOTH
A penetrating look a the personal stories of the Booth family and the background rivalry that was integral to the assassin’s motivation.

Poser: My Life in Twenty-Three Yoga Poses
Claire Dederer
B DEDERER
After throwing out her back ten years ago, the author turned to yoga and soon fell in love with the practice, both physically and spiritually.

Tough Without a Gun: The Life and Extraordinary Afterlife of Humphrey Bogart
Stefan Kanfer
B BOGART
A look at one of the great movie icons of the 20th century and an appraisal of the actor’s singular legacy.

Townie: A Memoir
Andre Dubus III
B DUBUS
After their parents divorced in the 1970s, the author and his three siblings grew up with their working mother in a town where drugs and violence were an everyday occurrence. On Sundays his father, a college professor, took the kids to a totally different world.

Wait for Me! Memoirs
Deborah Mitford, Duchess of Devonshire
B DEVONSHIRE
The remarkable life story of the youngest of the famous Mitford family, from her eccentric childhood to her residence at the noted historic home of Chatsworth.

A Widow’s Story: A Memoir
Joyce Carol Oates
B OATES
The noted author unveils a poignant memoir about the unexpected death of her husband of forty-six years and its wrenching aftermath.

New DVD Releases – Jan-April 2011

(Click on the Titles to Place an Order)

In Order by Release Date, from Newest to Oldest

Just Go With It – June 7, 2011
True Blood Season 3 – May 31, 2011
The Mechanic – May 17, 2011
The Rite – May 17, 2011
No Strings Attached – May 10, 2011
The Dilemma – May 3, 2011
The Green Hornet
– May 3, 2011
Human Planet – April 26, 2011
The Way Back – April 22, 2011
Glee Encore – April 19, 2011
Gulliver’s Travels – April 19, 2011
The King’s Speech – April 19, 2011
Rabbit Hole – April 19, 2011
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 – April 15, 2011
Country Strong
– April 12, 2011
Summer in Genoa – April 12, 2011
The Third Reich: Rise and Fall – April 12, 2011
Little Fockers – April 5, 2011
Tron Legacy – April 5, 2011
Black Swan
– March 29, 2011
Fair Game – March 29, 2011
Mad Men Season 4 – March 29, 2011
Tangled – March 29, 2011
Inside Job – March 8, 2011
127 Hours – March 1, 2011
Burlesque – March 1, 2011
Faster – March 1, 2011
Love & Other Drugs – March 1, 2011
Due Date – February 22, 2011
Waiting for Superman – February 15, 2011
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger – February 15, 2011
For Colored Girls – February 8, 2011
Samantha Brown’s Asia – February 8, 2011
At the Edge of the World – January 25, 2011
Gasland – December 14, 2010
IP Man – July 27, 2010

New Music CDs – 2011 So Far

2011 Grammy Nominees – Various Artists
21 – Adele
Awesome As F**k – Green Day
Bach: A Strange Beauty – Simone Dinnerstein, Bach
Barton Hollow – The Civil Wars
Body Talk – Robyn
Body Talk Pt 1 – Robyn
Body Talk Pt 2 – Robyn
Collapse Into Now – R.E.M.
Country Strong – Gwyneth Paltrow, et al
Eleanora Fagan: To Billie with Love from Dee Dee – Dee Dee Bridgewater
Existential – Grupo Fantasma
Go-Go Boots – Drive-By Truckers
Good Evening New York City – Paul McCartney
Goodbye Lullaby – Avril Lavigne
Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes – Social Distortion
Head First – Goldfrapp
Heritage – Celtic Thunder
Homeland – Laurie Anderson
Jersey Shore Soundtrack – Various Artists
Kiss Each Other Clean – Iron And Wine
KMAG YOYO (& other American stories) – Hayes Carll
La Roux – La Roux
Lasers – Lupe Fiasco
Late Nights, Early Mornings – Marsha Ambrosius
Les Miserables (1987 Original Broadway Cast) – Alain Boublil, et al
Let England Shake – PJ Harvey
Live Forever: The Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh PA September 23, 1980 – Bob Marley
Lonely Avenue – Ben Folds, Nick Hornby
Love God. Love People – Israel Houghton
Low Country Blues – Gregg Allman
Miho: Journey to the Mountain – Paul Winter Consort
Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard – Mingus Big Band
Mission Bell – Amos Lee
Musica + Alma + Sexo – Ricky Martin
Now That’s What I Call Club Hits 2 – Katy Perry, et al
Pushing the Envelope – Gerald Albright
Ready Set Go – Roscoe Dash
Showroom Of Compassion – Cake
Some Kind Of Trouble – James Blunt
Stanley Clarke Band – Stanley Clarke
Steel Magnolia – Steel Magnolia
Stronger – Sara Evans
Thank You Happy Birthday – Cage The Elephant
The Band Perry – The Band Perry
The Best Of… The Great American Songbook – Rod Stewart
The King Is Dead – The Decemberists
The Party Ain’t Over – Wanda Jackson
The People’s Key – Bright Eyes
The Sing-Off: The Best of Season 2 – The Sing-Off
The Very Best Of The Rat Pack – The Rat Pack, et al
Until We Have Faces – Red
Zonoscope – Cut Copy

New Fiction – Winter 2011

The Accident By Ismail Kadare – “A psychological thriller of twisted passions, dual identities, and political subterfuge.”
American Assassin By Vince Flynn – Mitch Rapp takes on his first assignment, in the wake of the Pan Am Lockerbie terrorist attack.  The story of how it all began.
The Athena Project By Brad Thor – The world’s most elite counterterrorism unit has just taken its game to an entirely new level — and not a moment too soon.
Being Polite to Hitler By Robb Forman Dew – At age fifty-four, Agnes Scofield realizes that she is tired of the routine of her life.  Family drama in post-World War II America.
The Book of Tomorrow By Cecelia Ahern – What if we knew what tomorrow would bring? Would we fix it? Could we?
The Brave By Nicholas Evans – The author of The Horse Whisperer relates the story of one man’s struggle to save his son—and himself—from the mistakes of the past.
Clara and Mr. Tiffany By Susan Vreeland – Who was the woman who designed nearly all of the iconic leaded-glass lamps for which Tiffany is now remembered?  From the author of Luncheon of the Boating Party.
The Cypress House By Michael Koryta – A journey to Florida’s coast becomes an inescapable nightmare in this supernatural thriller.
Dead or Alive By Tom Clancy – After almost a decade, Tom Clancy returns.  Need we say more?
Dead Spy Running By Jon Stock – Daniel Marchant, a suspended M16 officer, is running the London Marathon.  He is also running out of time.
Dead Zero By Stephen Hunter – The latest mission for veteran sniper Bob Lee Swagger who may have met the only man who can outshoot him.
The Death Instinct By Jed Rubenfeld – Set against the backdrop of the devastating Wall Street bombing of September 1920 is the story of a tumultuous time following WWI.
Eighteen Acres By Nicolle Wallace – To the world it is known as the White House.  To the staff that works twelve to fifteen hours a day there, it’s the “Eighteen Acres.”
The Final Reckoning By Sam Bourne – Tom Byrne, once an idealistic young lawyer, uncovers a clandestine brotherhood and a sixty-year-old secret — the last great mystery of World War II.
The Golden Mean By Annabel Lyon – An intriguing re-imagining of the relationship between the philosopher Aristotle and his most famous pupil, the young Alexander the Great.
Great House By Nicole Krauss – A desk of many drawers exerts a power over those who possess it or have given it away.  A meaningful series of interconnected stories that has received wonderful reviews
Hell’s Corner By David Baldacci – John Carr, aka Oliver Stone, has been requested by the president to serve his country on another high-risk, covert mission.  A Camel Club thriller.
I Still Dream About You By Fannie Flagg – The popular author is back with another southern charmer full of mystery and hilarity.
The Illumination By Kevin Brockmeier – In the aftermath of a fatal car accident, a private journal of love notes written by a husband to his wife passes into the keeping of a hospital patient, and from there through the hands of five other suffering people, touching each of them uniquely.
In the Company of Others By Jan Karon – Episocopal priest Tim Kavanaugh has used every excuse to not leave his parish in Mitford, but now that he’s retired, he decides on a trip to the land of his Irish ancestors.
Judas Gate By Jack Higgins – A disturbing audiotape from an ambush in Afghanistan seems to suggest that some of the Taliban voices have a British accent.  Sean Dillon is in charge of hunting the traitors, but as he is going to war — the war is coming to him.
Khan: Empire of Silver By Conn Iggulden – The author presents the latest title in his epic series of the life and times of the infamous Genghis Khan.
The Lake of Dreams By Kim Edwards – Remember The Memory Keeper’s Daughter?  Back with her second book, the author recounts the story of Lucy Jarrett who returns  to upstate New York to find herself haunted by her father’s death.
Left Neglected By Lisa Genova – The author of Still Alice, relates the story supermom, Sarah Nickerson, whose jam-packed life comes to a screeching halt when an accident causes a traumatic brain injury.
Lord of Misrule By Jaimy Gordon – A look at the rock-bottom characters who inhabit the world of cheap horse racing at Indian Mound Downs, downriver from Wheeling, West Virginia.
Luka and the Fire of Life By Salman Rushdie – The author revisits the magical world he first brought to life in Haroun and the Sea of Stories.  Luka, Haroun’s younger brother, must save his father from certain doom.
Midsummer Night By Freda Warrington – A story of the world of Aetherials—the fair folk—and their encounters with the inhabitants of a remote British estate.  Magic.
Moonlight Mile By Dennis Lehane – Investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro return in this thriller that once again finds them searching for a missing Amanda McCready.
An Object of Beauty By Steve Martin – The well-known entertainer and author has garnered great reviews in this latest book featuring the art world of New York City.
Of Love and Evil By Anne Rice – Following his introduction in Angel Time, Toby O’Dare travels to the world of fifteenth-century Rome.  Once again, the angel Malchiah needs him to solve a terrible crime.
The Orchid Affair By Lauren Willig – A new heroine is introduced in this historical suspense series featuring the mysterious spy known as the Pink Carnation. Laura Grey trades in her life as a governess to join the Selwick Spy School.
Our Kind of Traitor By John le Carré – Lehman Brothers has collapsed and Britain is on the brink of economic collapse. A young English couple, vacationing in Antigua, has a fateful encounter with Dima, a Russian money launderer.
The Passages of H.M.: A Novel of Herman Melville By Jay Parini – From the author of The Last Station, the story of the adventurous life and tragic literary career of Herman Melville.
The Poison Tree By Erin Kelly – A psychological thriller about the secrets that remain when a bohemian summer of excess turns deadly.  Intriguing characters and a shocker of an ending.
The Radleys By Matt Haig “The Radleys is, first and foremost, the remarkable story of a family, born of denial and deceit, learning to tell the truth.  That the family in question happens to be undead is secondary…”  Vampires.
Redback by Kirk Russell – June, 1989. U.S.-Mexico border.  A DEA undercover operation goes horribly wrong and informant Billy Takado is killed.  The fallout costs Special Agent John Marques his career.  Eighteen years later, the past returns.
The Red Garden By Alice Hoffman – The noted author presents the haunting world of Blackwell, Massachusetts with its glimpse of small-town America and three hundred years of passion, dark secrets, loyalty, and redemption.
Rescue By Anita Shreve – “A rookie paramedic pulls a young woman from her totaled car, a first rescue that begins a lifelong tangle of love and wreckage.”
The Secret Soldier By Alex Berenson – John Wells may have left the CIA, but he hasn’t left the high-stakes world of espionage, where hidden battles determine the fate of nations.
Separate Beds By Elizabeth Buchan – A story of economic breakdown and romantic recovery from the author of the Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman.
Strategic Moves By Stuart Woods – Stone Barrington is enjoying his usual dinner at Elaine’s when his boss at Woodman & Weld begins to talk about a partnership.
Sunset Park By Paul Auster – Contemporary America is illuminated in the stories of a wide range of characters who are brought together by the mysterious Miles Heller during the months of the 2008 economic collapse.
Swamplandia! By Karen Russell – In the swamps of the Florida Everglades, we are introduced to Ava Bigtree, an unforgettable young heroine, who finds herself managing a gator-wrestling theme park. Great reviews!
Three Seconds By Anders Roslund and Börge Hellström – Piet Hoffman is the Swedish police’s most valuable undercover agent.  He is working inside the Polish mafia that is trying to take over amphetamine distribution within Sweden’s prison system.  Scandinavian crime!
The Trials of Zion By Alan M. Dershowitz – An act of terrorism brings the tensions of the Middle East to a boiling point.  In the midst of this turmoil, a young Jewish, American lawyer joins the legal team of a possibly innocent Palestinian.
The Twelfth Imam By Joel C. Rosenberg – A Mideast thriller “ripped from the headlines.”
Valley Forge: George Washington and the Crucible of Victory By Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen – During the winter of 1777, Washington’s battered, demoralized army retreats from Philadelphia to face the deadly winter at Valley Forge.
The Wake of Forgiveness By Bruce Machart – In the winter of 1910 a Texan boy, Karel, rides in an ultimate high-stakes race against a Spanish patriarch and his alluring daughters.  Hanging in the balance are his father’s fortune, his brothers’ futures and his own fate.
What the Night Knows By Dean Koontz – Chilling suspense in a ghost story unlike any you may have ever read.
The Weekend By Bernhard Schlink – The author of The Reader returns with the story of old friends and lovers who reunite for a weekend after spending decades apart. But the reminiscences are not at all typical of the usual ones about old times.
West of Here By Jonathan Evison – In 1889, the rugged alpine wilderness of the Olympic Peninsula remained America’s last frontier.  At the foot of the Elwha River, the outpost of Port Bonita is about to become a boom town.
The Winter Ghosts By Kate Mosse – The author of Labyrinth returns with a haunting tale of two lives who are touched by war, but are transformed by courage.
The Wolves of Andover By Kathleen Kent – From the author of The Heretic’s Daughter comes a story of love and intrigue set in the harsh wilderness of colonial Massachusetts.

New Biographies – End of 2010

Angelina By Andrew Morton – B JOLIE
As Always, Julia: The Letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto: Food, Friendship and the Making of a Masterpiece By Joan Reardon, ed. – B CHILD
At Home in Japan: A Foreign Woman’s Journey of Discovery By Rebecca Otowa – B OTOWA
Autobiography of Mark Twain—Volume 1 By Mark Twain – B TWAIN
Beautiful: The Life of Hedy Lamarr By Stephen Michael Shearer – B LAMARR
Becoming Queen Victoria: The Tragic Death of Princess Charlotte and the Unexpected Rise of Britain’s Greatest Monarch By Kate Williams – B VICTORIA
Bob Dylan in America By Sean Wilentz – B DYLAN
Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard By Liz Murray – B MURRAY
Cakewalk: A Memoir By Kate Moses – B MOSES
Choosing to See: A Journey of Struggle and Hope By Mary Beth Chapman – B CHAPMAN
Chords of Strength: A Memoir of of Soul, Song, and the Power of Perseverance By David Archuleta – B ARCHULETA
Cleopatra: A Life By Stacy Schiff – B CLEOPATRA
Colonel Roosevelt By Edmund Morris – B ROOSEVELT
Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity By Drew Brees – B BREES
Decision Points By George Bush – B BUSH
Double Death: The True Story of Pryce Lewis, The Civil War’s Most Daring Spy By Gavin Mortimer – B LEWIS
Edward Kennedy: An Intimate Biography By Burton Hersh – B KENNEDY
Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family By Condoleeza Rice – B RICE
First Family: Abigail and John Adams By Joseph J. Ellis – B ADAMS
The Flight of the Century: Charles Lindbergh and the Rise of American Aviation By Thomas Kessner – B LINDBERGH
Frank: The Voice By James Kaplan – B SINATRA
Giving It All Away: The Doris Buffett Story By Michael Zitz – B BUFFETT
Going Home to Glory: A Memoir of Life with Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961-1969 By David Eisenhower – B EISENHOWER
The Grace of Silence: A Memoir By Michele Norris – B NORRIS
Hardcourt Confidential: Tales from Twenty Years in the Pro Tennis Trenches By Patrick McEnroe – B McENROE
The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Family’s Century of Art and Loss By Edmund de Waal – B EPHRUSSI
Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia By Michael Korda – B LAWRENCE
Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer, and Kathie Lee By Hoda Kotb – B KOTB
Hollywood: A Third Memoir By Larry McMurtry – B MCMURTRY
In a Heartbeat By Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy – B TUOHY
Jimmy Carter By Julian E. Zelizer – B CARTER
Joe Louis: Hard Times Man By Randy Roberts – B LOUIS
A Journey: My Political Life By Tony Blair – B BLAIR
Just Like Someone Without Mental Illness Only More So By Mark Vonnegut – B VONNEGUT
The Killing of Crazy Horse By Thomas Powers – B CRAZY HORSE
The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End of America’s Childhood By Jane Leavy – B MANTLE
Late, Late at Night By Rick Springfield – B SPRINGFIELD
Learning to Die in Miami: Confessions of a Refugee Boy By Carlos Eire – B EIRE
Let’s Take the Long Way Home By Gail Caldwell – B CALWELL
Life By Keith Richards – B RICHARDS
The Lost Cyclist: The Epic Tale of an American Adventurer and His Mysterious Disappearance By David V. Herlihy – B LENZ
Louisa May Alcott: A Personal Biography By Susan Cheever – B ALCOTT
Lyndon B. Johnson By Charles Peters – B JOHNSON
The Man Who Invented the Computer: The Biography of John Atanasoff, Digital Pioneer By Jane Smiley – B ATANASOFF
Mary Tudor: Princess, Bastard, Queen By Anna Whitelock – B MARY
Must You Go? My Life with Harold Pinter By Antonia Fraser – B PINTER
Pearl Buck in China: Journey to The Good Earth By Hilary Spurling – B BUCK
Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man By Bill Clegg – B CLEGG
Possessed: The Life of Joan Crawford By Donald Spoto – B CRAWFORD
Robert Morris: Financier of the American Revolution By Charles Rappleye – B MORRIS
Sarah: The Life of Sarah Bernhardt By Robert Gottlieb – B BERNHARDT
Sinatra: Hollywood His Way By Timothy Knight – B SINATRA
Steve McQueen: The Life and Legend of a Hollywood Icon By Marshall Terrill – B McQUEEN
Talking to Girls About Duran Duran: One Young Man’s Quest for True Love and a Cooler Haircut By Rob Sheffield – B SHEFFIELD
Uncharted Territori By Tori Spelling – B SPELLING
William and Harry: Behind the Palace Walls By Katie Nicholl – B WILLIAM

New Books on CD July – November 2010

The Art Detective: Fakes, Frauds, and Finds and the Search for Lost Treasures

Philip Mould

CD 702.88 MOU 2010

The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine

Michael Lewis

CD 330.973 LEW 2010

Bodily Harm

Robert Dugoni

CD F DUG

The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama

David Remnick

CD B OBAMA

The Burning Wire

Jeffery Deaver

CD F DEA

The Cookbook Collector

Allegra Goodman

CD F GOO

The Council of Dads: My Daughters, My Illness, and the Men Who Could Be Me

Bruce Feiler

CD 362.196 FEI 2010

Dead End Gene Pool: A Memoir

Wendy Burden

CD B BURDEN

Deliver Us From Evil

David Baldacci

CD F BAL

Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History

S.C. Gwynne

CD 970.3 GWY 2010

Every Last One

Anna Quindlen

CD F QUI

Fly Away Home

Jennifer Weiner

CD F WEI

Foreign Influence

Brad Thor

CD F THO

Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime

John Heilemann and Mark Halperin

CD 324.973 HEI 2010

The Glass Rainbow

James Lee Burke

CD M BUR

Globish: How the English Language Became the World’s Language

Robert McCrum

CD 420.9 MCC 2010

The Good Son

Michael Gruber

CD F GRU

Heart of the Matter

Emily Giffin

CD F GIF

Hitler’s Holy Relics: A True Story of Nazi Plunder and the Race to Recover the Crown Jewels of the Holy Roman Empire

Sydney D. Kirkpatrick

CD 940.53 KIR

Hook, Line & Sinister: Mysteries to Reel You In

T. Jefferson Parker, editor

CD F HOO

Imperfect Birds

Anne Lamott

CD F LAM

In a Heartbeat

Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy

CD B TUOHY

In the Name of Honor

Richard North Patterson

CD F PAT

The Island

Elin Hilderbrand

CD F HIL

The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of Little Bighorn

Nathaniel Philbrick

CD 973.82 PHI

The Last Time I Saw You

Elizabeth Berg

CD F BER

The Lion

Nelson DeMille

CD F DEM

Lowcountry Summer

Dorothea Benton Frank

CD F FRA

Lucid Intervals

Stuart Woods

CD F WOO

Making Toast: A Family Story

Roger Rosenblatt

CD B ROSENBLATT

The Man from Beijing

Henning Mankell

CD M MAN

Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War

Karl Marlantes

CD F MAR

My Name Is Memory

Ann Brashares

CD F BRA

The New Frugality: How to Consume Less, Save More and Live Better

Chris Farrell

CD 332.024 FAR

Nomad: From Islam to America—A Personal Journey Through the Clash of Civilizations

Ayaan Hirsi Ali

CD B HIRSI ALI

Oprah: A Biography

Kitty Kelley

CD B OPRAH

The Overton Window

Glenn Beck

CD F BEC

The Pacific

Hugh Ambrose

CD 940.5426 AMB

The Poacher’s Son

Paul Doiron

CD F DOI

The Postmistress

Sarah Blake

CD F BLA

Private Life

Jane Smiley

CD F SMI

The Rule of Nine

Steve Martini

CD F MAR

The Shadow of Your Smile

Mary Higgins Clark

CD M CLA

61 Hours

Lee Child

CD F CHI

Solar

Ian McEwan

CD F MCE

Spoken from the Heart

Laura Bush

CD B BUSH

The Spy

Clive Cussler and Justin Scott

CD F CUS

Think Twice

Lisa Scottoline

CD F SCO

This Body of Death

Elizabeth George

CD M GEO

The Three Weissmanns of Westport

Cathleen Schine

CD F SCH

War

Sebastian Junger

CD 958.104 JUN 2010

The Watchers: The Rise of America’s Surveillance State

Shane Harris

CD 363.32 HAR 2010

New DVDs: TV Series, Nonfiction and Feature Length Films – October 2010

The Big Bang Theory: Season Three

The third season of this hit comedy follows the further adventures of pals Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon (Emmy winner Jim Parsons), brilliant young physicists and hopeless dweebs, as they try to attract members of the fairer sex, especially their sizzling hot neighbor, Penny (Kaley Cuoco). As Penny and Leonard flirt with an actual relationship, fellow geeks Howard (Simon Helberg) and Rajesh (Kunal Nayyar) contend with their own hang-ups about women.

Bones: The Complete Fifth Season

After a provocative Season 4 finale, a new dynamic heats up between our heroes — brilliant forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and FBI Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) — in the latest installment of the slyly comic Fox mystery series. Together they team up on a new slate of cases in which Bones employs her trademark methods of digging up clues from victims’ skeletal remains.

Brothers and Sisters: The Complete Fourth Season

Tireless matriarch Nora Walker (played by Sally Field, who won an Emmy for the role) leads her affluent progeny through more triumphs, tragedies and surprises in the fourth season of this classy ABC soap opera. A whole new round of professional and personal dramas unfold for Justin (Dave Annable), Kitty (Calista Flockhart), Tommy (Balthazar Getty), Sarah (Rachel Griffiths), Julia (Sarah Jane Morris), Rebecca (Emily VanCamp) and Saul (Ron Rifkin).

Clash of the Titans

This epic mythological adventure stars Harry Hamlin as Perseus, son of Zeus (Laurence Olivier), who embarks on a series of perilous quests in the hopes of rescuing Princess Andromeda (Judi Bowker) and winning the keys to the kingdom of Joppa. With winged horse Pegasus as his steed, Perseus must answer vexing riddles, capture the head of Medusa and slay a ravenous sea monster. Burgess Meredith and Ursula Andress co-star in this classic tale.  (1981) Rated PG

Clatterford: The Complete Season Three

Provincial eccentrics crowd the life of nurse Sal Vine (Sue Johnston) in the third and final season of the BBC comedy created by Jennifer Saunders (“Absolutely Fabulous”). Sal’s daughter Tash (Sally Phillips) leaves home, but just barely, moving into a van parked outside the house. Meanwhile, the Clatterford Women’s Guild works itself into a maelstrom of excitement when a rumor spreads that a famous actor plans to take up residence. Not rated

Criminal Minds: Season Five

Special Agent Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson) leads the Behavioral Analysis Unit — a crack team of FBI profilers who examine the country’s most inscrutable criminal minds and determine when and how these villains will strike again. The fifth season of the CBS crime drama also stars Joe Mantegna as veteran agent David Rossi; Paget Brewster as high-powered diplomat daughter Emily Prentiss; and Shemar Moore as obsession expert Derek Morgan. Not Rated

Dalziel & Pascoe: Season Two

Warren Clarke and Colin Buchanan star in this BBC crime-solving series as polar-opposite Yorkshire detectives Andy Dalziel and Peter Pascoe, a seemingly oddball duo whose vastly different styles make them the perfect match. Among other cases, the second season finds the detectives searching for a connection between three so-called “accidental” deaths. The catch, of course, is that the first one occurred 30 years earlier. (1997) Not rated

Glee: Season One, Volume  Two

A musical comedy that follows an optimistic high school teacher as he tries to transform the Glee Club and inspire a group of outcasts to make it to Nationals. Includes the episodes from the second half of season one and bonus features.

The Good Wife: The First Season

Art imitates life in this television drama starring Golden Globe winner Julianna Margulies as Alicia, a politician’s wife who’s forced to return to the workforce after a sex and corruption scandal lands her husband in jail. Resuming her career as a defense attorney after more than a decade away from the legal profession, Alicia slowly recaptures her identity in this series co-starring Chris Noth, Christine Baranski and Emmy winner Archie Panjabi.

Grey’s Anatomy: Complete Sixth Season

With the fates of Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) and George O’Malley (T.R. Knight) hanging in the balance as the series’ fifth year came to a close, the new season brings more drama into the lives of the young doctors at Seattle Grace Hospital. Returning for another round of hope and heartbreak are Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh and Patrick Dempsey. Rated TV-14

House, M.D.: Season Six

Two-time Golden Globe Award winner Hugh Laurie returns for a sixth season of this Emmy-winning drama series as Dr. Greg House, the brilliant yet incorrigible MD who heads up the team of infectious disease specialists at Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital. Omar Epps, Robert Sean Leonard, Lisa Edelstein, Jennifer Morrison and Jesse Spencer also return as the irascible House’s team of skilled diagnosticians.

The Mentalist: The  Complete Second Season

Simon Baker returns for another season as Patrick Jane, a phony psychic who turned over a new leaf and now uses his extraordinary powers of observation to help California law enforcement solve high-profile crimes. But as Jane helps bring dangerous criminals to justice, he must also contend with fallout from his past, including the sinister presence of Red John, the at-large serial killer who murdered Jane’s wife and child.

Midsomer Murders: Set 16

The cozy villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in these contemporary British television mysteries. Inspired by the novels of Caroline Graham, modern master of the English village mystery, the series stars John Nettles as the unflappable Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, with Jason Hughes as his earnest, efficient protégé, Detective Sergeant Ben Jones. Guest stars include Tim Pigott-Smith, Ronald Pickup, Pooky Quesnel, Simon Williams, Anton Lesser, Tom Goodman-Hill, Niamh Cusack, and Judy Parfitt.

Moonshot

From their incredible lunar landing to their safe return back to Earth, shadow the intrepid astronauts of Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong (Daniel Lapaine), Buzz Aldrin (James Marsters) and Michael Collins (Andrew Lincoln), as they explore outer space and take “one giant leap for mankind.” Blending convincing reenactments with original NASA footage, this Emmy-nominated docudrama offers viewers an insider’s perspective of one of modern history’s most important events. Not rated

Paulie

Wise parrot Paulie (voiced by Jay Mohr) can ask for more than crackers, as Misha (Tony Shalhoub), the janitor at an animal-research lab, discovers. Paulie reveals via flashbacks how he ended up at the facility after being separated from his original owner, 5-year-old Marie (Hallie Kate Eisenberg), then embarked on a decades-long search to reunite with her. Upon hearing Paulie’s tale, Misha decides to help the loquacious bird realize his dream. (1997) Rated PG

Pie in the Sky: Series Three

This whimsical crime drama stars Richard Griffiths as Detective Inspector Henry Crabbe, an outstanding police officer who longs to quit the force for good and indulge his other passion: cooking in the restaurant he owns with his wife (Maggie Steed). But every time Crabbe’s stubborn boss on the force (Malcolm Sinclair) faces a tough case, he drags Crabbe back from the brink of retirement to help solve the crime. (1996) Not Rated

The Prisoner

Ian McKellen and James Caviezel star in this miniseries remake of the British cult classic about Number Six, a government agent exiled to a mysterious town called the Village that’s run by an enigmatic leader known as Number Two. With no memory of his former life or why he’s a captive in this strange prison, Number Six (Caviezel) begins the daring task of plotting his escape. (2009) Not Rated

Private Practice: The Complete Third Season

Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) continues to adjust to her new life at a fancy Los Angeles medical practice in the third season of this hit Grey’s Anatomy spin-off. While working alongside old friends from medical school, divorced couple Naomi (Audra McDonald) and Sam (Taye Diggs), the renowned surgeon finds herself handling complicated health problems and juggling potentially knotty romantic issues. Rated TV-14

Rick Steves’ Austria & the Alps

All 7 half-hour shows on Austria and the Alps, filmed entirely on location.  Originally broadcast as episodes from the public television series Rick Steves’ Europe in 2000-2009.

Stories of a Third Generation Independent Oil Producer, As Told by Bill Huber

Independent oil producer Bill Huber discusses oil production in Pennsylvania from the birth of the industry in the mid-nineteenth century to the present day, sharing his insights into the trade and relating stories passed down to him from his grandfather and father.

Supernatural: The Complete 5th Season

Regrouping after a tumultuous year, brothers Sam and Dean Winchester (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) continue their quest to rid the world of demons. Has darkness gone underground for good, or will the brothers require more help from beyond to keep evil at bay?

Temple Grandin

From HBO, Emmy winner Claire Danes stars as Temple Grandin, a brilliant young woman coping with the stigma of autism at a time when it was misunderstood. With the support of her loving family, Temple dedicates herself to learning and becomes a famed animal behaviorist. Her passion for animals gives her a unique ability to understand them, and she fulfills her love of education by teaching about autism and the most humane ways to treat both livestock and pets. Not Rated

The Valley that Changed the World

Documentary on the birth of the oil industry in Titusville, Pennsylvania. Film was produced to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Edwin Drake’s discovery of oil on August 27, 1859.

You Don’t Know Jack: The Life and Deaths of Jack Kavorkian

Al Pacino stars in this enthralling, Emmy-winning HBO biopic that focuses on the life of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the controversial physician who boldly advocated the legalization of euthanasia and personally helped over 100 terminally ill patients commit suicide. Directed by Hollywood veteran Barry Levinson, this drama co-stars Susan Sarandon as vocal activist Janet Good and John Goodman as Kevorkian’s trusted friend and supporter Neal Nicol. Rated TV-14

New Releases on DVD – October 2010

Agora

As Christianity gains steam in Roman Egypt toward the end of the fourth century A.D., a young slave (Max Minghella) weighs his desire for freedom against his growing love for his mistress (Rachel Weisz), an atheist as well as a professor of philosophy. Alejandro Amenábar (The Others) directs this epic drama based on the life of Hypatia of Alexandria, a noted Greek scholar and mathematician. Rupert Evans co-stars. Rated R

Arn: The Knight Templar

Based on Jan Guillou’s Crusades trilogy about Swedish Knight Templar Arn Magnusson (Joakim Nätterqvist), this adventure saga follows the son of nobility from his monastic education to his return to the family to help fight for the crown of Sweden. That mission is interrupted, however, when Arn impregnates his lover and is sent to the Holy Land, where as penance he must become a warrior for Christ in the battles of the Crusades. Rated R

Babies

Documentary filmmaker Thomas Balmes charts the simultaneous early development of four babies from different parts of the world, illustrating what makes human life unique, similar and precious wherever it occurs. Training his camera on newborns Hattie from San Francisco, Ponijao from Namibia, Bayarjargal from Mongolia and Mari from Tokyo, Balmes captures everything from first screaming breaths to first steps. Rated PG

The Back-up Plan

When Zoe (Jennifer Lopez) tires of looking for Mr. Right, she decides to have a baby on her own. But on the day she’s artificially inseminated, she meets Stan (Alex O’Loughlin), who seems to be just who she’s been searching for all her life. Now, Zoe has to figure out how to make her two life’s dreams fit with each other. Alan Poul directs this hilarious, heartfelt tale of confusion, confession and romantic slapstick. Rated PG-13

City Island

When he recognizes his son, Tony (Steven Strait), whom he hasn’t seen in more than 20 years, among a crop of new inmates in the jail where he works, Vince Rizzo (Andy Garcia) decides to bring the troubled young man home with him, much to the surprise of his wife and kids. Writer-director Raymond De Felitta helms by this offbeat comedy that also stars Julianna Margulies, Emily Mortimer, Dominik Garcia-Lorido and Alan Arkin. Rated PG-13

The City of Your Final Destination

After duping school officials into awarding him a grant to write a biography on novelist Jules Gund, grad student Omar Razaghi (Omar Metwally) must travel to Uruguay to get legitimate authorization from the late author’s three executors. James Ivory (A Room with a View) directs this moving adaptation of author Peter Cameron’s novel of the same name. Anthony Hopkins, Laura Linney and Charlotte Gainsbourg also star. Rated PG-13

Furry Vengeance

When real estate developer Dan Sanders (Brendan Fraser) finalizes plans to level a swath of pristine Oregon forest to make way for a soulless housing subdivision, a band of woodland creatures rises up to throw a monkey wrench into the greedy scheme. Just how much mischief from the furry critters can the businessman take before he calls it quits? Roger Kumble directs this family-friendly, madcap comedy. Rated PG

Get Him to the Greek

Ambitious young record company intern Aaron Green (Jonah Hill) will let nothing get in the way of his planned rise to the top in the music business — not even the unruly rock star (Russell Brand) he must escort to Los Angeles for the start of his anniversary concert. Doing whatever it takes to get the rocker from Point A to Point B, Aaron encounters all manners of mishaps in this comedy directed by Nicholas Stoller and produced by Judd Apatow. Rated R

Good

Professor John Halder (Viggo Mortensen) has a lot on his plate — a neurotic wife, two small children and a mother suffering from dementia — in this drama set in World War II Germany. But his life changes after he writes a book promoting compassionate euthanasia. When the Nazi party embraces his ideas, Halder faces a series of subtle ethical choices that gradually compromise his morality and his relationships. Rated R

Harry Brown

When a crew of drug-dealing gang members takes the life of his only friend, Leonard (David Bradley), retired Marine and widower Harry Brown (Michael Caine) decides to take the law into his own hands — but his old-school training might be overmatched. Helmed by first-time feature director Daniel Barber, this gritty vigilante thriller set in England also stars Emily Mortimer, Iain Glen, Jack O’Connell, Ben Drew, Joseph Gilgun and Liam Cunningham. Rated R

Iron Man 2

Wealthy inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) — aka Iron Man — resists calls by the American government to hand over his technology. Meanwhile, Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) has constructed his own miniaturized arc reactor, causing all kinds of problems for our superhero. Sam Rockwell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle and Samuel L. Jackson co-star in director Jon Favreau’s sequel based on Marvel comic book characters. Rated PG-13

Jackie Chan: Kung Fu Master

Kung fu master Jackie Chan stars as himself in this feel-good story about a 15-year-old Chinese martial arts student (Yishan Zhang) who seeks out the world-famous movie star for fighting lessons. But tracking down Chan proves to be the challenge of a lifetime. In the process of looking for Jackie, he finds far more shenanigans than he expected! This comic actioner also includes cameos from Bing Bai, Jing-wei Tu and Di Yao. Rated PG

Jonah Hex

Enlisted by a Union soldier (Will Arnett), scarred bounty hunter Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin) scours the Wild West in pursuit of Turnbull (John Malkovich), a crazed voodoo master with a scheme to assemble a devastating weapon that will destroy the government and lift the Confederacy. Based on the cult DC Comics hero, this action Western co-stars Michael Shannon as strange circus impresario Doc Cross Williams and Megan Fox as beautiful gunslinger Lilah. Rated PG-13

Just Wright

Good-hearted physical therapist Leslie Wright (Queen Latifah) is looking for romance but keeps finding duds until she meets professional basketball player Scott McKnight (Common). When Scott suffers a major injury, it’s up to Leslie to save his career. Leslie and Scott become close as they work together, but Leslie’s beautiful, gold-digging childhood chum — who is also Scott’s estranged girlfriend — threatens their relationship. Rated PG

The Karate Kid

After moving to Beijing with his mother, Dre (Jaden Smith) falls prey to a bully, so he takes lessons from martial arts master Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) in this remake of The Karate Kid. While Mr. Han teaches Dre to defend himself, he also imparts some important life lessons. Meanwhile, Dre struggles with the unfamiliar language and cultural barriers he encounters in his new country. Taraji P. Henson co-stars. Rated PG

The Killer Inside Me

West Texas Deputy Sheriff Lou Ford (Casey Affleck) is harboring a deep dark secret — while the small town’s residents think him a bit dim, Lou is actually affected by a “sickness” that turns the mild-mannered peace officer into a brutal, psychotic killer. Set in the 1950s, Michael Winterbottom’s adaptation of Jim Thompson’s classic noir novel co-stars Kate Hudson as Lou’s innocent girlfriend and Jessica Alba as Joyce, a local prostitute. Rated R

Killers

When an elite assassin (Ashton Kutcher) marries a beautiful computer whiz (Katherine Heigl) after a whirlwind romance, he gives up the gun and settles down with his new bride. That is, until he learns that someone from his past has put a contract out on his life. Now, the couple must go on the run if they hope to survive and settle the score once and for all. This action comedy from director Robert Luketic co-stars Tom Selleck and Catherine O’Hara. Rated PG-13

Letters to God

Faith and hope are the twin engines that power this uplifting, bittersweet tale based on the true story of Tyler Doherty (Tanner Maguire), an 8-year-old boy who battles brain cancer and turns to God as his own private pen pal. Tyler writes and mails his missives daily, and his steadfast undertaking not only moves his family and friends, but it also alters the life of despairing postman, Brady (Jeffrey Johnson), who opens the boy’s letters. Rated PG

Letters to Juliet

By responding to a letter addressed to Shakespeare’s tragic heroine Juliet Capulet, a young American woman (Amanda Seyfried) vacationing in Verona, Italy, sets in motion a series of events that leads her — and the missive’s lovelorn author (Vanessa Redgrave) — in search of romance. Directed by Gary Winick, this deeply tender and uplifting drama also features Gael García Bernal and Franco Nero. Rated PG

MacGruber

Based on the “Saturday Night Live” sketch, this action-packed comedy stars Will Forte as incompetent former special ops agent MacGruber. When he’s called back into action to deactivate archenemy Dieter Von Cunth (Val Kilmer), MacGruber is on the case. Now, he must thwart Von Cunth’s plans to destroy Washington, D.C., with a nuclear warhead. Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillippe, Maya Rudolph and Powers Boothe co-star. Rated R

The Mother

A murder rocks a South Korean town and suspicion quickly falls on a reclusive, mentally challenged — and alibi-free — young man (Bin Won). When an inept public defender botches the boy’s case, his mother (Hye-ja Kim) sets out to prove her son’s innocence. Acclaimed director Joon-ho Bong (Memories of Murder) explores the lengths a mother will go to protect her child in this atmospheric crime thriller. Korean dialogue, English subtitles. Rated R

Ondine

An Irish fisherman (Colin Farrell) hauls in an unexpected catch when a mysterious girl (Alicja Bachleda) gets tangled in his nets and soon affects the lives of everyone around her in this fantastical seaside tale from director Neil Jordan (Interview with the Vampire). Is it possible this beautiful stranger is a mythical sea nymph who’s been summoned from the ocean’s depths … or is she something far more common? Rated PG-13

Prince of Persia

Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Prince Dastan, who pairs with spunky Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton) to keep the Sands of Time — a mystical dagger that gives its holder control over the flow of time — from falling into the wrong hands and putting the world in peril. Mike Newell directs this sweeping live-action adventure based on the popular video game series, co-starring Ben Kingsley and Alfred Molina. Rated PG-13

Robin Hood

Russell Crowe stars as Robin Longstride in director Ridley Scott’s big-budget twist on the celebrated legend. When soldier Robin happens upon the dying Robert of Loxley, he promises to return the man’s sword to his family in Nottingham. There, he assumes Robert’s identity; romances his widow, Marion (Cate Blanchett); and draws the ire of the town’s sheriff (Matthew Macfadyen) and King John’s henchman, Godfrey (Mark Strong). Rated PG-13

Sex and the City 2

Set two years after the wedding that almost wasn’t, this sequel finds gal pals Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Charlotte (Kristin Davis), Samantha (Kim Cattrall) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) embarking on a much-needed vacation to exotic Abu Dhabi. They’re still the same soul mates despite responsibilities of motherhood and marriage, but a new romance for Samantha and a little thing called Aidan, Carrie’s ex, keep things interesting. Rated R

Small Town Saturday Night

One decision ripples across the lives of his neighbors when aspiring country singer Rhett (Chris Pine) must choose between pursuing a career in Nashville and remaining in his small hometown to be with his sweetheart, Samantha (Bre Blair). Meanwhile, local cop Tommy (Shawn Christian) keeps tabs on troublemaker Donny (John Hawkes) as all their lives intertwine in unexpected and irrevocable ways. Ryan Craig directs this ensemble drama. Rated R

Solitary Man

Michael Douglas stars as a former car dealership owner who sees his personal and professional lives take a nosedive when the repercussions of years of shady business dealings and chronic womanizing finally catch up with him. Susan Sarandon, Mary-Louise Parker, Danny DeVito and Jenna Fischer co-star in this comedic drama written and co-directed by Brian Koppelman. Rated R

That Evening Sun

Frustrated with being confined to a nursing facility, Abner Meecham (Hal Holbrook) breaks out and walks all the way back to his farm. When he realizes his biggest enemy (Ray McKinnon) now lives in his house, Abner devises a plan to reclaim what rightfully belongs to him. Based on William Gay’s short story, this Southern drama co-stars Walton Goggins as Abner’s son, Paul, and Holbrook’s real-life wife, Dixie Carter, as Abner’s spouse, Ellen. Rated PG-13

Why Did I Get Married Too?

An annual Caribbean retreat turns into a week of life-altering revelations when four couples bust their relationships wide open in filmmaker Tyler Perry’s take on modern love, devotion, unfaithfulness and forgiveness. Angela (Tasha Smith) can’t trust sportscaster Marcus (Michael Jai White) anymore, Sheila’s (Jill Scott) ex (Richard T. Jones) toys with her new marriage and more. Janet Jackson, Malik Yoba, Lamman Rucker and Sharon Leal also star. Rated PG-13

Winter’s Bone

In this noir drama set deep in Ozark territory, resilient teenager Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) goes on the trail of her missing drug-dealing father when his absence jeopardizes the safety of their family. The deadbeat dad has a critical court date pending, and Ree is determined that he make it — despite the objections of the insular Dolly clan. Director Debra Granik’s unflinching drama won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. Rated R