‘Out To Canaan’ Author Reading At Auntie’s

Two books with similar names have just appeared on the New York Times best-seller list. Both are newcomers to the land of big sell.

The explanation for the appearance of Sheri Reynolds’ “The Rapture of Canaan” is obvious: Oprah Winfrey picked it for her book club.

But the reason for Jan Karon’s “Out to Canaan” is less clear. Part of Karon’s Mitford Series, of which this is the fourth installment, “Out to Canaan” no doubt has fans.

According to a Viking Penguin press release, some 500,000 copies of the four books are in print. (The other three are “At Home in Mitford,” “A Light in the Window” and “These High, Green Hills.”)

Whether those fans are enough to rank the books on the Times’ list is another question altogether.

In fact, there’s some industry speculation that readers have mixed the two books up, and that Karon - as well as Reynolds - is benefiting from Winfrey’s recommendation.

Whatever, we’ll get the opportunity to ask Karon what she thinks. She’ll read from “Out to Canaan” at 7:30 p.m. on May 26 (Memorial Day) at Auntie’s Bookstore.

A notable no-show

Those of you who were looking forward to hearing the husband-wife team of Beverly and Adolph Hungry Wolf read from their respective books will be at least half-disappointed.

Beverly Hungry Wolf has cancelled her reading, which was to have been on Thursday at Auntie’s Bookstore. According to Auntie’s spokesman Mitch Finley, Hungry Wolf, the Blackfoot author of “The Ways of My Grandmother,” is recovering from a car accident.

Husband Adolph Hungry Wolf, a native of Germany (he changed his name from Adolph Gutohrlein) who has written books on Blackfoot culture and railway travel, will appear as scheduled (see reader board below).

For more information, call 838-0206.

A Butte of a statue

If you’ve ever driven east on I-90 far enough to pass through Butte, Mont., you’ve likely seen Our Lady of the Rockies.

She’s the 90-foot iron statue that stands on a ridge east of town. Set in place on Dec. 20, 1985, the statue - built by Butte welder Leroy Lee - was the result of much negotiation.

One of the project sponsors, truck dealer Joe H. Roberts, has now told the story. His self-published book is “Memories of Our Lady of the Rockes” (390 pages, $29.95).

To order a copy, call (800) 963-8885. MasterCard and Visa orders will be accepted (add $4 for shipping and handling).

The reader board

Adolph Hungry Wolf, author of “Mountain Home: Seeking a Family Life in Harmony with Nature,” will read from his book at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Auntie’s Bookstore.

Dan Gookin, author of “Dan Gookin’s Web Wambooli,” will talk about his book at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Auntie’s Bookstore.

Florence Boutwell, author of a three-volume history of the Spokane Valley, will sign copies of her books from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Halpin’s Pharmacy, Sprague and Bowdish.

, DataTimes