Hit the Beach with THE WAR AT THE SHORE

Here in Manhattan where sheets of rain have been falling in waves and a thick fog hovers at the top floors of the skyscrapers, you would never guess that we are mere days away from the summer solstice or that this weekend is the unofficial kickoff of the sunny season.  But in a few short hours many Overlookers will be hitting the road and heading to the Shore, all of us with books in tow.

Whether or not you will be celebrating beachside this holiday, yesterday's new release The War at the Shore by Richard “Skip” Bronson couldn’t be a more tantalizing read. This sensational true story reveals the epic battle between two casino titans at the helms of Mirage Resorts and Trump Resorts, over prime real estate in the Las Vegas of the Eastern Shore—Atlantic City. A modern day “Boardwalk Empire” saga, the War at the Shore chronicles all the gripping details of this infamous brawl between Las Vegas resort entrepreneur Steve Wynn and New York City real estate mogul Donald Trump, two of the most notorious businessmen of our time.

In the late 1990s as Donald Trump was maintaining three struggling casinos in AC, Las Vegas resort pioneer Wynn made the bold decision to move in on Trump’s “turf,” in an attempt to expand his successful casino-resort complexes cross-country. From 1995 to 2000, one of the most famous resort towns in America remained embroiled in this chaotic power struggle that hit the pages of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, TIME, and Newsweek.

The War at the Shore is told by an insider who, as a one-time college dropout turned CEO, is a true American success story in his own right. Richard “Skip” Bronson was a partner to Steve Wynn at the time of the attempted takeover and had been described as “the toughest mild-mannered man I know” by Atlantic City mayor, James Whelon. At the center of this white-hot clash, Bronson knows the real story better than anyone.  And when he said that Donald Trump did everything in his power to stop Wynn’s empire from spreading, he meant everything.

Early Praise for The War at the Shore

“An engaging insider’s account of the down-and-dirty machinations that go into high-stakes real estate development.”—Kirkus Reviews

“What an amazing backstage look into the world of casinos, moguls, and politics.  The Trump vs. Wynn struggle over Atlantic City is fascinating, and Skip Bronson tells it in a unique way.”—Peter Morton, Chairman and Founder, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and Hard Rock Cafes

“The War at the Shore is not only a crash course in casino development, it’s a primer to getting things done as a business person—through creative problem solving, fierce tenacity, and simple hard work.  This is a great story of titans, power, and ego, and that never goes out of style.” –Millar “Mickey” Drexler, Chairman and CEO, J. Crew Group

Travel Back in Time with THE SEVENTH GATE & DEAD MEN

Out this month from Overlook, two new novels explore the darker sides of twentieth century history, from a lesser known chapter in Hitler's rise to power in 1930s Germany, to Captain Robert Falcon Scott's tragic Terra Nova polar exploration.

In The Seventh Gate, acclaimed novelist and author of The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon and The Warsaw Anagrams Richard Zimler offers the first ever fictional exploration of the Nazi sterilization and murder of handicapped people, one of history's most overlooked crimes against humanity. Set in Berlin in the 1930s, The Seventh Gate tells the story of a young woman, Sophie Riedsel, who is forced to lead a double life when her father and brother join Hitler's Nazi movement. When a close childhood friend is sent to Dachau, Sophie begins to investigate, and eventually confronts one of the 20th century's most notorious crimes.

As the Nazis tighten their grip over German society, they begin to sterilize all those they consider "unhealthy" to the German race—individuals who are disfigured, epileptic, congenitally blind and deaf. Based on recent research and first person testimony into this moral crime, The Seventh Gate is a suspenseful, immensely moving, and ultimately shocking historical mystery that artfully reconstructs the chilling atmosphere of 1930s Berlin. 

Praise for THE SEVENTH GATE 

"Zimler (The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon) surpasses himself with this coming-of-age epic set in Berlin at the start of the Nazi era ... The whodunit is captivating enough, but the book's power lies in its stark and unflinching portrayal of the impact of Hitler's eugenic policies on the infirm and disabled." — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

"Mixing profound reflections on Jewish mysticism with scenes of elemental yet always tender sensuality, Zimler captures the Nazi era in the most human of terms, devoid of sentimentality but throbbing with life lived passionately in the midst of horror." — Booklist (Starred Review)

"Zimler, a seasoned American writer living in Portugal, combines sexy coming-of-age adventures with coming-of-Hitler terrors in this powerfully understated saga." — Kirkus Reviews

Birdie Bowers is a woman with a dead man's name—a secretive artist tortured by the mysterious death of her namesake, Henry "Birdie" Bowers, who along with Captain Robert Falcon Scott was one of five Polar explorers to perish during the 1912 Terra Nova expedition to claim the South Pole. Adam Caird is a bored computer geek—an unfocused drifter, a lonely romantic, and a self-described emotional vagrant. In Richard Pierce's debut novel Dead Men, a gripping Antarctic adventure and contemporary love story, Birdie and Adam are brought to life as they form an unlikely romantic partnership, joining forces to solve a historical puzzle one hundred years in the making.

Coinciding with the 2012 centennial anniversary of Captain Scott's fateful excursion, Dead Men tells the story of two journeys: one a century-old exploration of the world's coldest continent and the other a voyage of self-discovery and passion set in the present day. The 1912 discovery of Captain Scott's frozen body, located mere miles from a nearby food depot and shelter sparked global fascination with the remarkable story of his unlikely death. One hundred years later, Richard Pierce offers a luminous depiction of Scott's ill-fated mission, reimagined through a modern tale of obsession, pride, curiousity, and lust. As Birdie and Adam work together to discover the site of Scott's remains, now buried below ninety feet of ice, they learn as much about each other as they do about the men they are trying to find. Retracing the lives of Scott, Admundsen, Shackleton, and the other major characters involved in the race for the Pole, Dead Men combines a deep historical understanding with a sharply focused narrative to provide a picture of a time and a place both realistic and emotional.

Praise for DEAD MEN 

"An expertly told story that captures the detail and spirit of the Antarctic adventure, then and now. Not only a compelling novel but an excellent tribute to Captain Scott and his men."  — Sir Ranulph Fiennes

"The story of Captain Scott gets under your skin ... fascinating." — The Telegraph

"A book that had me captivated from start to finish. You don't have to be interested in exploration to enjoy this thrilling read." — Andrew Gulli (Strand Magazine) 

ORPHEUS: THE SONG OF LIFE by Ann Wroe

Coming this week from Overlook, a new book exploring the mythological biography of history's first poet, Orpheus: The Song of Life by Economist editor Ann Wroe.

Perhaps you've heard Orpheus's song. The story of "the young man with the lyre" has been told and retold across the ages. A king, a shaman, and a traveler through the realms of the dead, his music has the power to change landscapes, seasons, and hearts. Since the dawn of time, his figure has wandered history through the evocation of countless poets, artists, and composers. Half-man, half-god, musician, magician, theologian, poet and lover we've seen him tantalizing Cicero and Plato, breathing new music in Gluck and Monteverdi, occupying the mind of Jung and the surreal dreams of Cocteau, and scandalizing the Fathers of the early Church.

In Orpheus, Ann Wroe journeys to discover the origins of the evanescent wizard wonderer, tracing both the man and power he represents through the myriad versions of a fantastical life. Inspired by a sequence of sonnets composed by Rilke in the space of weeks beginning in 1922, Wroe draws on all available sources, both ancient and modern including those attributed to Orpheus himself, to form the coherent life story of history's first great artist and muse. Divided into seven chapters, each representing a string of Orpheus's lyre, Wroe captures the influence of her subject on a veritable pantheon of writers and musicians including Ovid, Virgil, Milton, Shelley, and Keats as well as a host of others. More than a simple retelling of the Orpheus legend, under Wroe's creative spell this genre-defying synthesis of history, biography, and criticism pays homage to a character whose life we may not fully understand, but whose legacy continues to remain foundational to our own.

Advance Praise for Orpheus 

"Orpheus is a book of wonders, learned, playful, and passionate ... For all her studies, her wide reading, her historical diligence, Wroe's method is instinctive, as she searches for inspirations and connections across the millennia." — John Banville (The Guardian)

"A transformative adventure of myth ... A book to make readers laugh, sing, and weep." — Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

"The book sings in a learned, singular manner." — Publishers Weekly

"Wroe combines a scholar's attention to evidence with a poet's flair for words in this startlingly original history that traces the obscure origins and tangled relationships of the Orpheus myth from ancient times through today." — Library Journal

2012 Havana Biennial and CUBA: Contemporary Art

Jose Emilio Fuentes Fonseca,
Memoria & Memory, 2009

May 11 marked the commencement of the 11^th Annual Havana Biennial, which originated in 1984 as a tribute to the 25^th anniversary of the Cuban revolution. While the show originally featured artists exclusively from Cuba and the Caribbean Islands, it has since expanded to showcase 180 artists from 40 countries around the world including the U.S., Brazil, and Austria. It will run until June 11.

Overlook Press is proud to fuel interest and enthusiasm for the rich culture and art of the Pearl of the Antilles with the publication of CUBA: Contemporary Art (ed. Andreas Winkler and Sebastiaan A. C. Berger) this June. This beautifully produced bilingual volume features over 50 contemporary Cuban artists working today, revealing the unique, provocative, and influential composition of this burgeoning art epicenter.

Michel Perez, Sympathy, 2008

Like the cultural climate of the country, the diverse embodiment of Cuban art continues to change and develop, and the evolution of the art scene and equivalent social consciousness is eloquently captured in this stunning survey. Profiling contemporary artists across various mediums including photography, painting, performance art, sculpture, and installation, it is the hope of editor Andreas Winkler that this stunning volume “creates another bridge to and from the island.”

CUBA: Contemporary Art profiles over 50 of Cuba’s most influential living artists including Juan Carlos Alom, Sandra Ceballos, and Felipe Dulzaides, and includes 500 color images of their work. This timely tome is an essential contribution to the understanding and appreciation of Cuba’s contemporary art landscape today and over the last fifty years.

JR/Jose Parla street art at
2012 Havana Biennial

Advance Praise for CUBA: Contemporary Art

“It is rare that a collection of this breadth presents works of such a uniformly high standard that are so consistendly provactive and experimental.  The book provides exceptional insight into contemporary Cuan art and the aesthetic and critical innovation it embodies.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT: Theresa Collier, Publicity

If you're reading our little publishing blog, chances are you're already a lover of literature. But as a devotee of the printed word, do you ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes at an independent book publishing company? How a jacket gets designed or how a manuscript becomes a book? For curious minds, there's no better way to learn the nuts and bolts of the book business than to meet the people behind the magic. That's where we step in.

If you've been following our employee spotlight series, you've already met some of the creative individuals responsible for bringing Overlook titles to the shelves of your favorite neighborhood bookstores. We've introduced editors, designers, marketers, and even our publisher Peter Mayer to highlight the ins-and-outs of the job of book production. Today we're thrilled to bring to the blog publicity pro and social media maven Theresa Collier to shed some light on her role as a publicist at Overlook.

Theresa hails from north eastern Pennsylvania, where she attended Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia and has been a New York native for more than two years. When she isn't coordinating author tours, writing press releases, or pitching story ideas to journalists, Theresa can be found whiling away her time in her tiny NYC kitchen. Please welcome Theresa!

OP: Describe your job in 140 characters or less.

TC: I've turned procrastination into a valid job: I read umpteen magazines, papers, blogs, even Twitter & Pinterest to stay up on news & trends.

OP: What are you currently reading?

TC: Changing My Mind by Zadie Smith, Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, and roughly 101 cookbooks. Those count, right?

OP: What is your favorite book that Overlook has published?

TC: Graphic Design by Milton Glaser and Deadline Artists ed John Avlon.

OP: If you didn't work in publishing, what would you be doing?

TC: Scheming a way to open a bakery or letterpress studio...preferably both.

OP: What is your favorite word (Can be in any language—bonus points if there is a funny/interesting story behind it).

TC: Pamplemousse. I love grapefruit. I love saying grapefruit en Français more.

Announcing Open Season on Spring Paperbacks

Spring is (finally) in the air. Although we officially left winter behind almost two months ago, only recently have the pre-summer months begun to offer their full bounty. Birds are chirping, trees are blooming, flowers are blossoming, and baseball season is in full swing.

Because spring is a season to celebrate rebirth and renewal, there's no better time to dive into a paperback. This month brings yet another collection of Overlook hardcover favorites into print, in beautifully repackaged paperback editions. So whether you're looking to discover the true story of one woman's journey to break into the brutal world of professional boxing, a riveting literary murder mystery set in the Warsaw Ghetto, or a fascinating account of American history in the making, grab your favorite picnic blanket, find a grassy patch of park, and dig into one of the latest paperbacks from Overlook!

The Warsaw Anagrams
Richard Zimler
Available Now

It is autumn, 1940. The Nazis have sealed 400,000 Jews into the Warsaw Ghetto. Erik Cohen, an elderly psychiatrist, moves into a tiny apartment with his last remaining relatives. Then, his beloved great-nephew Adam goes missing and his body is discovered, strangely mutilated. Soon afterward, another body turns up, this time a young girl. Could there be a Jewish traitlor luring children to their deaths? With an unlikely hero and hair-raising suspense, The Warsaw Anagrams is a profoundly moving and darkly atmospheric thriller.

"Part murder mystery and part historical fiction ... thrilling." — Boston Globe

The Mabinogion Tetralogy
Evangeline Walton
Available Now

The Mabinogion is to Welsh mythology what the tales of Zeus, Hera, and Apollo are to Greek myth. These tales constitute a powerful work of the imagination, ranking with Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and T.H. White's The Once and Future King. Evangeline Walton's compelling rendition of these classic, thrilling stories of magic, betrayal, lost love, and bitter retribution include the encounter between Prince Pwyll and Arawn, the God of Death, which Pwyll survives by agreeing to kill the one man that Death cannot fell, and the tale of Bran the Bless and his family's epic struggle for the throne.



The Ancient Guide to Modern Life
Natalie Haynes
Available Now

Is Buffy the Vampire Slayer our Aeneid? Do the Beckhams have parallel lives with The Satyricon's Trimalchio? What does Barack Obama have in common with Pericles? In The Ancient Guide to Modern Life, Natalie Haynes brings her scholarship and wit to the most fascinating true stories of the ancient world. Haynes not only reveals the origins of our own culture in classical philosophy, politics, language, and art, she also draws illuminating connections between antiquity and the present day.

"A constantly amusing but quite serious book." — Associated Press


The White-Luck Warrior
R. Scott Bakker
On-Sale: 5/29/2012

 Widely praised by reviewers and a growing body of fans, R. Scott Bakker has established his reputation in the fantasy genre. In The White-Luck Warrior, the second book in the Aspect-Emperor series, Anasûrimbor Kellhus and his Great Ordeal march ever farther into the Ancient North. Meanwhile, his consort Esmenet finds herself at war with not only the Gods, but her own family. And Achamian leads a ragtag expedition to the ruins of Sauglish, and to a truth he can scarcely survive. Into this tumult, walks the White-Luck Warrior, assassin and messiah both. The White-Luck Warrior delves into a universe of myth, violence, and sorcery. Dazzling and suspenseful, it is a magnificent portrayal of war itself. 

"A must-read that will not only appeal to fans of R. Scott Bakker's brilliant Prince of Nothing trilogy, but also new readers wanting to see what all the fuss is about." — FantasyBookCritic

Reporting America

Alistair Cooke

On-Sale: 5/29/2012

"For nearly sixty years, Alistair Cooke reported on American life for the BBC. His beloved radio show, Letter from America, saw eleven presidents, four wars, and an incredible shift in culture. Compiling his most striking and significant essays and "letters," many of which were previously unpublished in America, Reporting America is a fascinating account of history in the making. Cooke adored the United States as only a naturalized citizen could, and his reports were incisive and often moving. He traveled extensively across the country to convey the views of citizens in all the nuances of regional opinion as well as those of the presidents and policy makers to whom he had easy access. Here, in Cooke's own signature voice, are the triumphs, disasters, and vicissitudes of American life—from Korea, McCarthyism, the civil rights movement, JFK, the moon landings, Watergate, Nixon's resignation, Clinton's scandals, the attacks of 9/11, right up to the war in Iraq—as told by one of the world's most admired reporters.

"A peerless observer of the American scene for almost 70 years ... his observations were not only insightful but also gracefully written and often gently witty." — The New York Times

The Boxer's Heart

Kate Sekules

On-Sale: 5/29/2012

Published to coincide with the first Olympic event for women's boxing, The Boxer's Heart is a brilliantly candid memoir of the world of this headline-grabbing sport. In raw and vivid style, and updated with a new afterword by the author, it tells the story of how a young writer moves to New York City and, despite disappointments in her personal life, rises through the ranks at the famed Gleason's gym to box professionally. Any woman who has grappled with anger or trust within a relationship, felt insecure at the gym, or wondered what it feels like to throw a punch will identify with this remarkable account of the "sweet science of bruising."

"The best sportswriting often touches on the fundamental of human nature, and Sekules has that skill nailed. In prose both sensitive and muscular, she relates in candid detail how good it feels to land a punch." — US Weekly

Last Minute Mother's Day Gifts

We hope we need not remind you, but this Sunday is the day to celebrate the most important women in your life—mothers, godmothers, grandmothers, aunts—all the indispensable ladies that have shaped the person you are today.  On a day dedicated to honoring their unique role in your life, it’s often difficult to find the perfect gift to show your appreciation and gratitude to the ladies that you love. For all that they do, for all that they are to you, they should receive a thoughtful, unique representation of who they are. Are you still on the hunt for something special? Hurry up! While flowers may be a an easy go-to gift, we think books are better.  No matter what your mom loves most, an art studio or fitness center, flowers in her garden or goodies in the oven, we have countless personal presents for the ones you love.  Here are a some of our favorites:

For the Bookworm: Daughter of Providence by Julie Drew

For those literary-loving moms, this beautifully written debut novel about family, tragedy, and redemption, is just what she was looking for.  Set in small town Rhode Island during the Great Depression, Ann Dodge must come to terms with the realization that she has a half-sister from the Portuguese mother she was told abandoned her as a young child.  When Ann meets her sister, Maria Christina, a shocking truth begins to surface about what actually transpired between her parents, catalyzing events that end in loss and rediscovery. 

"Haunting, mesmerizing debut . . . This atmospheric and compelling historical tale will surely sweep the reader into the past as Drew's word artistry paints a perfect poignant portrait of a bygone era."—Library Journal

For the Gardener: Garden of Reading by Michele Slung

For the green thumb in your life, author Michele Slung has collected an enchantingly rich bouquet of captivating, memorable, and frequently surprising stories about gardens and gardening. Eudora Welty, James Thurber, Doris Lessing, Lisa St. Aubin, Saki, V.S. Prichett, Colette, and Robert Graves are included, along with unexpected finds from Stephen King, J.G. Ballard, Sandra Cisneros, Jane Smiley, and Garrison Keillor, among others. The gardens featured in these stories are both cultivated and wild, while the gardeners can be lethal, lazy, rueful, or philandering. There are moments of nearly overpowering sensuousness, and there are moments of tenderness that will touch your mother’s heart.

"A surprising variety of authors offer fine writing about how plants and gardens shape our dreams and daily lives." –Seattle Times

 Fort the Domestic Goddess: Cakes by Design by Scott Woolley

If your mother rivals the likes of Martha Stewart and some of your fondest childhood memories involve licking the icing spatula, Cakes by Design might just be the perfect gift for your her.  Master cake decorator Scott Woolley demonstrates the best-kept secrets and tips behind making amazing sugar decorations and the cakes of your dreams.  With step-by-step instructions on how to make dozens of varieties of flowers, detailed information on the tools one needs to get started, delicious cake recipes, and a profusion of inspirational photographs, this stunning book will delight the baking novice and expert alike.

The secrets to awe-inspiring cake decorations, written by "master bakers" -Martha Stewart Weddings

For the Fitness Buff: The Boxer’s Heart, A Woman Fighting by Kate Sekules

Whether your mom lives to hit the pavement, or can’t live without her Tae Bo workout videos, she will relish in this empowering memoir by Kate Sekules. Just in time for the 2012 Summer Olympic Debut of women’s boxing, Sekules recounts the fascinating true story of how she was swept up in the burgeoning movement before it reached mainstream headlines. From the offices of glossy magazines to the gorgeous grit of the ring, this British-born NYC writer and editor turned fashion entrepreneur fought her way into the world of professional boxing and shares the incredible journey in this timely memoir.

"It's a knockout, folks . . . The Boxer's Heart is a winner, on all cards." --Newsweek

For the Collector: Wallpaper, An Illustrated Guide by Charlotte Abrahams

Illustrated book hoarder, design junkie, or collector of all things beautiful, it matters not. This stunning full color volume illustrates the contemporary wallpaper scene in hundreds of beautifully reproduced samples. Throughout their 300-year history, patterned paper wallcoverings have alternated wildly between being absolutely ‘of the moment’ or totally out of fashion. Recently, after more than a decade of blank white walls and minimalism, wallpaper has made a grand comeback - and its popularity shows no signs of abating. If ever there existed the supreme coffee table book for mothers, this gorgeous and unique edition would fit the bill. 

“There is no doubt that wallpaper is enjoying something of a renaissance, and Charlotte Abrahams ably captures the zeitgeist ...with a look at current trends, before deconstructing the history of each theme.” --House & Garden

For the Artist: A Curator’s Quest by William Rubin

For the artist or art enthusiast this incredible volume dedicated to a 20-year period at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in NYC is a lifetime in the making. Distinguised curator,critic, collector, art historian, and teacher William Rubin was a forceful presence for over two decades at the museum from the late 1960s through the 1980s. The exhibitions he mounted as Chief Curator and later Director of the Department of Painting and Sculpture at the Museum set a standard of curatorial excellence. A Curator's Quest is the story of the professional life of a pioneering curator who built the Modern's unparalleled collection, and a history of MoMA itself during that key period.

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