David Guterson had a smash success about a decade ago with his novel "Snow Falling on Cedars," later made into a movie starring Ethan Hawke. Guterson's latest novel, "The Other," explores two star-crossed childhood friends: Neil, from an Irish-American family of carpenters, and John, who becomes so disenchanted with life that he seeks to vanish from the face of the earth. Neil is a family man, but takes a risk in the name of helping out his old pal, a choice which has potentially tragic consequences. ($24.95 / 272 pages / Knopf)