Tyler's Picks

Set in atmospheric coastal Japan, this epic story centers on an earnest young clerk, Jacob de Zoet, who arrives in the summer of 1799 to make his fortune and return to Holland to wed his fiancee.  But Jacob's plans are shaken when he meets the daughter of a Samurai.

The hypnotic tale of two men's twisted fates, The Painter of Battles is a beautifully written contemplation on beauty, evil, and fate itself.

In Sideways, Rex Pickett creates an addictive synthesis of hilarity and sensuality, detailing the "last Hurrah" of two middle-aged friends who play off each other's personality like a slapstick comedy duo. You may have seen the movie; now read the book.