Thursday, June 10 – 7 p.m.

SEBASTIAN JUNGER:  War

They were collectively known as “The Rock.” For one year, in 2007–2008, Sebastian Junger accompanied 30 men—a single platoon—from the storied 2nd battalion of the U.S. Army as they fought their way through a remote valley in eastern Afghanistan.Over the course of five trips, Junger was in more firefights than he could count, as men he knew were killed or wounded and he himself was almost killed. His relationship with these soldiers grew so close that they considered him part of the platoon, and he enjoyed an access and a candidness that few, if any, journalists ever attain. 
      War is a narrative about combat: the fear of dying, the trauma of killing and the love between platoon-mates who would rather perish than let each other down. Gripping, honest and intense, War explores the neurological, psychological and social elements of combat, as well as the incredible bonds that form between these small groups of men.

Wednesday, June 16 –– 7 p.m., Washburne School, 515 Hibbard Rd., Winnetka

ALAN FURST: Spies of the Balkans, the new thriller by the master of the spy novel 

Greece, 1940. Not sunny vacation Greece: northern Greece, Macedonian Greece, Balkan Greece--the city of Salonika. In that ancient port, with its wharves and warehouses, dark lanes and Turkish mansions, brothels and tavernas, a tense political drama is being played out. On the northern border, the Greek army has blocked Mussolini's invasion, pushing his divisions back to Albania--the first defeat suffered by the Nazis, who have conquered most of Europe. But Adolf Hitler cannot tolerate such freedom; the invasion is coming, it's only a matter of time, and the people of Salonika can only watch and wait.
At the center of this drama is Costa Zannis, a senior police official, head of an office that handles special "political" cases. As war approaches, the spies begin to circle, from the Turkish legation to the German secret service. There's a British travel writer, a Bulgarian undertaker, and more. Costa Zannis must deal with them all. And he is soon in the game, securing an escape route--from Berlin to Salonika, and then to a tenuous safety in Turkey, a route protected by German lawyers, Balkan detectives, and Hungarian gangsters. And hunted by the Gestapo.

Photo: HarperCollins.com,

by Marion Ettlinger

Mary Karr joins us for two appearances on July 8 --

7 p.m. in the store, and

Noon at Corner Cooks

MARY KARR, whose first memoir The Liars’ Club kick-started a memoir revolution, talks about her third memoir, Lit, the story of her recovery from alcoholism and mental illness.  Lit, just out in paperback, was named a Best Book of 2009 by numerous publications, and The New York Times Book Review called it “a master class on the art of the memoir.”  Times book critic Michiko Kakutani described Lit as “a book that lassos you, hogties your emotions and won’t let you go.”  

For luncheon reservations, call Corner Cooks at 847 441-0134.

for 7 p.m. event, no reservation required. You're always welcome at The Book Stall.

It's true... meet Rick Tramonto on July 16 at 12:00 noon for a luncheon at Corner Cooks.

Reservations required: Call Corner Cooks at 847-441-0134.