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Book reviews and concert previews brought to you by Betsy Burton, co-owner of The King's English Bookshop, and Austen Diamond, producer of 13% Salt. Books & Beats airs Saturdays at 7:35 a.m. and 9:35 a.m. during NPR's Weekend Edition.

Books & Beats: December 26, 2015

Courtesy of the Artist
Hot Buttered Rum will play two shows at The State Room, on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

Pulitzer-prize winning author Anthony Doerr’s first novel was About Grace(Penguin Books).  In it, protagonist David Winkler is troubled by dreams of his daughter’s death; he leaves his family to keep her safe.  The book’s been selected by the Indie Backlist Revisit and Rediscover Program. In her review, Betsy Burton says, “In rereading About Grace I found myself bewitched, just as I was in All the Light We Cannot See, by Doerr’s dazzling prose, his sense of wonder, and perhaps most of all by his abiding compassion.”

There are all kinds of ways to ring in the New Year.  If you want to celebrate with a concert, Austen Diamond has a few recommendations.

Bluegrass band Hot Buttered Rum performs at The State Room on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Australian electronic duo Knife Party take the stage at The Great Saltair on December 31st.

The Depot is putting on a New Year’s party called Resolution.  DJ Felix Cartal is headlining the event.

And introspective soundscape artist Emancipator has a New Year’s show at O.P. Rockwell in Park City.

Music heard on this Books & Beats:

1: “Guns or Butter” by Hot Buttered Rum

2: “Parliament Funk” by Knife Party

3: “Something to Live For” by Felix Cartal

4: “Ocelot” by Emancipator

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