Neosho/Newton County Library

In this slender novel by the Norwegian writer Per Petterson, a lonely protagonist grapples with divorce, death and the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Letter in response to Jay Parini’s review of “Sophia Tolstoy: A Biography.”

Letter in response to Pankaj Mishra’s review of “The Subtle Body” and “The Great Oom.”

“Congratulations on the cover of the issue of Aug. 1, announcing the review of ‘Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food.’ ”

Letter in response to Elizabeth Royte’s review of Jane Brox’s “Brilliant: The Evolution of Artificial Light.”

Recently reviewed books of particular interest.

Letter in response to Abraham Verghese’s review of “Long for This World,” by Jonathan Weiner.

Paperback books of particular interest.

In the mid-1990s, Olen Steinhauer recalled in a recent e-mail, he spent a few drunken months in Prague trying to write like James Joyce.

Top 5 at a Glance
1. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, by Stieg Larsson
2. THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE, by Stieg Larsson
3. LITTLE BEE, by Chris Cleave
4. THE LACUNA, by Barbara Kingsolver
5. ONE DAY, by David Nicholls

Top 5 at a Glance
1. _____ MY DAD SAYS, by Justin Halpern
2. THE OBAMA DIARIES, by Laura Ingraham
3. ANGELINA, by Andrew Morton
4. THE BIG SHORT, by Michael Lewis
5. CHELSEA CHELSEA BANG BANG, by Chelsea Handler

Top 5 at a Glance
1. BLACKEST NIGHT, by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis
2. TROUBLEMAKER, by Janet Evanovich, Alex Evanovich and Joelle Jones
3. KICK-ASS, by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.
4. BLACKEST NIGHT: BLACK LANTERN CORPS, VOL. 1, by various
5. BLACKEST NIGHT: RISE OF THE BLACK LANTERNS, by Geoff Johns and others

Top 5 at a Glance
1. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, by Stieg Larsson
2. THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE, by Stieg Larsson
3. CHARLIE ST. CLOUD, by Ben Sherwood
4. THE 8TH CONFESSION, by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
5. NINE DRAGONS, by Michael Connelly

Top 5 at a Glance
1. LEGO STAR WARS, by Simon Beecroft
2. OOH LA LA! IT’S BEAUTY DAY, by Jane O’Connor
3. STAR WARS, written and illustrated by Rufus Butler Seder
4. HOW ROCKET LEARNED TO READ, written and illustrated by Tad Hills
5. LADYBUG GIRL AT THE BEACH, by David Soman and Jacky Davis

Top 5 at a Glance
1. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING, by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel
2. THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES, by Gary Chapman
3. THE BELLY FAT CURE, by Jorge Cruise
4. THE LOVE DARE, by Stephen and Alex Kendrick with Lawrence Kimbrough
5. RADICAL, by David Platt

Top 5 at a Glance
1. WOMEN FOOD AND GOD, by Geneen Roth
2. THE MENTOR LEADER, by Tony Dungy
3. DELIVERING HAPPINESS, by Tony Hsieh
4. THE CARB LOVERS DIET, by Ellen Kunes and Frances Largeman-Roth
5. THE LAST LECTURE, by Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow

Top 5 at a Glance
1. WOMEN FOOD AND GOD, by Geneen Roth
2. DELIVERING HAPPINESS, by Tony Hsieh
3. THE LAST LECTURE, by Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow
4. CAN AMERICA SURVIVE?, by John Hagee
5. THE SECRET, by Rhonda Byrne

Top 5 at a Glance
1. EAT, PRAY, LOVE, by Elizabeth Gilbert
2. THREE CUPS OF TEA, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
3. THE GLASS CASTLE, by Jeannette Walls
4. MY HORIZONTAL LIFE, by Chelsea Handler
5. WHERE MEN WIN GLORY, by Jon Krakauer

Top 5 at a Glance
1. THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST, by Stieg Larsson
2. THE RED QUEEN, by Philippa Gregory
3. THE HELP, by Kathryn Stockett
4. STAR ISLAND, by Carl Hiaasen
5. THE REMBRANDT AFFAIR, by Daniel Silva