Summer Getaway

’Tis the season to get lost in a good read. But with these new releases, you’ll at least have an idea of where you’re going.

	THE WITCH OF PORTOBELLO by Paulo Coelho (HarperCollins)	A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead Books)	MERE ANARCHY by Woody Allen (Random House)	CAN'T WAIT TO GET TO HEAVEN by Fannie Flagg (Ballantine Books)
PRICE	$24.95 (hardcover)	$25.95 (hardcover)	$21.95 (hardcover)	$13.95 (paperback)
DROPS	May 15	May 22	June 12	June 19
HEFT	288 pages	384 pages	176 pages	384 pages
STREET CRED	Doesn’t get much better. Coelho, the author of the New York Times best-selling novel The Alchemist, is the fifth best-selling novelist in the world, according to Newsweek International.	This is only Hosseini’s second novel, but his first — The Kite Runner — earned many accolades, including Entertainment Weekly’s Best Book of 2003.	A writer, director, and actor for over 50 years, Allen has never failed to deliver his personal brand of humor and wit.	The Fried Green Tomatoes author has a long-standing reputation for telling heartfelt and humorous stories about the South.
ROAD MAP	This story carries fiction lovers through the tumultuous life of a London gypsy named Athena, who creates controversy by sharing her spiritual insights with others.	Afghan history — three decades of it — forms the backdrop for this story of two generations of characters who collide in love and friendship amid the tragedy of war.	This 18-piece collection offers Allen’s unique take on topics like nanny tell-alls and film camp. At least one laugh per page is practically guaranteed.	In Flagg’s tale, the unbelievable experiences of an old woman named Elner Shimfissle cause many in her town to ponder what life is all about.

— Deblina Chakraborty

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