'Caribou Island,' by David Vann: review
Wayne Harrison, Special to The Chronicle
Caribou Island By David Vann (Harper; 293 pages; $25.99) In his turbulent first novel, "Caribou Island," David Vann portrays a failing marriage with stinging precision. The slow boil of pent-up resentments rang so true,...

'I Love a Broad Margin to My Life': review
Joan Frank, Special to The Chronicle
I Love a Broad Margin to My Life By Maxine Hong Kingston (Alfred A. Knopf; 229 pages; $24.95) Maxine Hong Kingston's name has become a touchstone, not only for the legions of fans of her books but also for those who've...

First sentences from new books, Jan. 16
Two harassed men were driving down a lane. "The Year of the Hare," a novel by Arto Paasilinna I come from a land of tragedy called Afghanistan. "A Woman Among Warlords: The Extraordinary Story of an Afghan Who Dared to...

'Punching Out,' by Paul Clemens: review
Brian Ladd, Special to The Chronicle
Punching Out One Year in a Closing Auto Plant By Paul Clemens (Doubleday; 271 pages; $25.95) Detroit means cars . And lately it appears that Detroit - that is, the U.S. auto industry - may be rising from the dead, with...

Recommended books, Jan. 16
We recommend these recently reviewed titles: The Empty Family Stories By Colm Tóibín (Scribner; 275 pages; $24) Tóibín is in top form in his second collection of stories, which revolve around the theme of displacement...

'Gryphon,' by Charles Baxter: review
Bart Schneider, Special to The Chronicle
Gryphon New and Selected Stories By Charles Baxter (Pantheon; 400 pages; $27.95) It gets stuffy in the best Charles Baxter stories. With formidable skill and only a few brushstrokes of description, Baxter deftly draws...

'The Black History of the White House'
Craig Fehrman, Special to The Chronicle
The Black History of the White House By Clarence Lusane (City Lights; 575 pages; $19.95 paperback) "More than one in four U.S. presidents were involved in human trafficking and slavery." That's the sentence that opens...

'Pictures of You,' by Caroline Leavitt: review
Meredith Maran, Special to The Chronicle
Pictures of You By Caroline Leavitt (Algonquin; 335 pages; $13.95 paperback) It happens to the best of us: I started reading "Pictures of You," the new book by Caroline Leavitt - author of "Girls in Trouble" and "Coming...

Book recommendations from Spectator Books
Recommendations of recent books from the staffs of a rotating list of Bay Area independent bookstores. This week's list is from Spectator Books, 4163 Piedmont Ave., Oakland (510) 653-7300. www.spectatorbooks.com ....

Literary guide
Today Sasha Davies "Guide to West Coast Cheese." 3 p.m. Omnivore Books, 3885 Cesar Chavez St., S.F. (415) 282-4712. www.omnivorebooks.com . Julie Gilgoff "A Granddaughter's Rite of Passage." 3 p.m. Frank Bette Center...

'Molotov's Magic Lantern,' by Rachel Polonsky
Bob Blaisdell, Special to The Chronicle
Molotov's Magic Lantern Travels in Russian History By Rachel Polonsky (Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 390 pages; $28) A British writer living in Moscow in the late 1990s was at an impasse between her academic work and a...

San Francisco Chronicle Best-Sellers / Jan. 16
This week FICTION Bay Area Last week Weeks on list 1 THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST, by Stieg Larsson (Knopf; 563 pages; $27.95) 3 33 2 SQUIRREL SEEKS CHIPMUNK, by David Sedaris (Little, Brown; 176 pages; $21.99)...

Book news and notes, Jan. 16
News and notes from the world of books Joe Gores, the Bay Area mystery writer who died Monday, at age 79, was remembered fondly by colleagues and admirers. The author Kelli Stanley ("City of Dragons"), wrote in an...