Sometimes a book that arrives on the Front Table appeals to a wide range of readers. These are the sure fire bestsellers, the books that you might even read about in People magazine. Often, however, the staff at Wide World manages to find books that are going to appeal to a small segment of the market that we recognize as our clientele. Sometimes we’ll even order a book because we know of one specific customer who will be excited to see it on the Table. It’s one of the advantages of being an independent bookseller; we can cater to the special interests of our customers.

Eileen Nielsen’s new book, Buying a Piece of Paris, is aimed at a niche reading market that includes many of our customers. Since business took them frequently to France from their home in Australia, Nielsen and her husband decided to invest in a small pied-a-terre in the City of Light. Setting out to fulfill her dream of becoming a true Parisian even though her French still requires frequent use of her trusty phrasebook, Nielsen enters a world of snobby real estate agents and decrepit walk-ups. We follow breathlessly–partly from anticipation and partly from laughter–as she learns the peculiarities of buying property in France such as rooms vs. meters, when and how to make an offer, and how to not gasp at astronomic prices for tiny spaces. We know quite a few of our customers will find this not just an entertaining piece of travel literature but also a how-to guide for their own Parisian dream. ($24.95)

The Lost Art of Walking: The History, Science, Philosophy and Literature of Pedestrianism by Geoff Nicholson is not going to appeal to you speedsters out there but those of us who embrace the experience of exploration by foot (I’ve been walking three miles a day for the last year) will be fascinated. Nicholson weaves personal experience together with historical accounts and literary references while considering such topics as the perfect walk, photowalking, walking firsts like the poles or the moon, even walking as performance art. I’m pleased that the author spends so much thought on urban walking-my favorite form-instead of just trekking through deserts and mountains. If you prefer not to let your Jimmy Chus ever touch pavement, this is probably not your cup of tea. For the slow travelers of Wide World, though, this is lovely stroll. ($24.95)

I knew Napoleon was young when he was conquering the world but I admit that I had forgotten that he was only 28 when he embarked on his famous campaign in Egypt. Our customers who love a well-written, in depth examination of military history with side excursions into science, linguistics, religion and biography will be happy to learn much more than that tidbit from Napoleon in Egypt by Paul Strathern. The author tells the story of Napoleon’s determination to liberate Egypt from its Muslim Mameluke overlords, the battles fought in extremes of heat and dust, and a native insurgency that destroyed the Emperor’s declared victory. Anyone remember a saying about people who don’t know history being doomed to something? Strathern, a British academic and an award-winning author, writes in a lively style that brings the successes and failures of this epic campaign vividly to life. ($30.00)

Even people who love many forms of music and drama may find the esoteric world of Chinese opera difficult to understand. Fortunately, Bi Feiyu, a rising star in Chinese literature and film, has written The Moon Opera, a short novel being described by reviewers as a “piercing gem” and a “tiny, perfect novel.” In the first chapter we learn the back story of the title opera: condemned as counter revolutionary when first written, its performance in 1979 was marred when the starring actress, Xiao Yanqiu, attacked and disfigured her understudy with boiling water. Twenty years later a wealthy industrialist offers to bankroll a revival but only if Xiao is again offered the lead. Now the aging actress must deal with her own demons as well as a young and beautiful rival as she attempts to create great art on stage. With precise and poetic language the author draws a compelling portrait of the mix of drama, jealousy, ambition and tradition that inhabits the world Beijing opera. ($18.00)

With the huge successes of Indian and Indian-American authors in the last decade or so, this niche market has gone mainstream. Indu Sundaresan has been part of this success with bestselling novels like The Twentieth Wife. Born and raised in India and now a Seattle resident, her latest collection of stories, In the Convent of Little Flowers, focuses on a favorite theme of this genre, the clash between old values and new lives. She strives for a shocking honesty in her descriptions of child widows about to be burned on a funeral pyre and the brutal abuse of an older couple by their son in stories that show that neither the old nor the new ways can claim moral superiority. With complex characters and a true understanding of the forces at work in society changing at light speed, her stories offer portraits of people struggling to maintain balance in the modern world. ($22.00)

Our customers at Wide World have always been wonderful at supporting one special group of writers: our local authors. The Front Table offers you a chance to do that again with a new novelist (and Holly’s friend and co-author) Erica Bauermeister. Her book, The School of Essential Ingredients, has received great reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist and hopefully will shortly make the “word of mouth” hotlist. The story is set in a cooking class. Each week a diverse group of characters gathers at Lillian’s restaurant to learn from her thirty years of cooking experience. As they work their way through various succulent recipes, they also learn to use their own tastes, memories and experiences to create something wonderful both in the kitchen and in their lives. Erica will present at the store this Tuesday evening (February 3). We encourage you to come discover a wonderful new book and support your local literary community. ($24.95)

Come in and find your own special interest on the Front Table.