New Salem Books publishes comic literary novels concerned with democracy’s crisis and promise in America and beyond. We’ve released two books by Eric Giroux: Zodiac Pets and Ring On Deli. Click on each title for free samples, interviews, our online store, and more!
Zodiac Pets
A novel about small towns and democracy
Middle-school newshounds confront dark forces aiming to sell their hometown and plunk a giant dome over it.
- Zany, manic, absolutely crackers, Zodiac Pets is a smart, snarky satire of American idealism crashing headfirst into its mortal enemy, human nature. Stewart O’Nan, author of The Speed Queen and Last Night at the Lobster
- Zodiac Pets brings to the page one of the most unique,
whip-smart, and hilarious characters in memory in seventh grader Wendy Zhou. Giroux’s
energetic prose combines with a mastery of voice, character, and place for a wildly
entertaining yet poignant ride through a madcap world where even the most unconventional
lives can find balance and acceptance.
Beth Uznis Johnson,
author of Coming Clean - Smart, witty, and savage, Zodiac Pets is the perfect
read for anyone who believes that novels still matter and can challenge us to be better
human beings and citizens—all while making us laugh till our sides split.
Robert Kerbeck,
award-winning author of RUSE and Malibu Burning
Ring On Deli
A novel about supermarkets and democracy
When the Bounty Bag supermarkets erupt with worker protests, deli-clerk Ray is forced to take a side.
WINNER
National Indie Excellence Award for Comedy
- Quirky characters take a stand against a supermarket in Giroux’s nimble debut. . . . This author has talent to burn. Publishers Weekly
- Giroux’s prose is reminiscent of Richard Russo’s writing: intricate and incisive, though always full of warmth and humor. . . . A well-balanced comic tale that deftly grapples with larger contemporary themes. Kirkus Reviews
- It has the charm of some heady contemporary fable, in which the
whole business model we call America is turned back into a weirdly plausible, almost
utopian experiment.
Robert Cohen,
author of Going to the Tigers: Essays and Exhortations and Amateur Barbarians
About
Our name. New Salem Books is named for the defunct village of New Salem, Illinois, where Abraham Lincoln first struck out on his own. You can visit a recreation of it.
Who and what we publish. So far, only novels by Eric Giroux. Dan Visel of Circumference Books edited and designed the text for our new release, Zodiac Pets. Hillary Read proofread it and Dan O. Williams designed its cover.
How to reach us. newsalembooks at gmail dot you-guessed-it.