Customer Comments

K N has commented on (10) products.

The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi

K N, January 1, 2013

Of all the sci-fi I've read recently, this is the most unique in its vision and one of the most thought-provoking. A little like Philip D Dick meets Margaret Atwood, with a little early William Gibson thrown in, this steam-punk meets cyber-punk dystopic vision still haunts me.

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The Perfect Summer: England 1911, Just Before the Storm by Juliet Nicolson

K N, September 1, 2011

A fascinating blend of social, political and economic history with a bit of fashion and below-stairs gossip thrown in, this is a highly readable and thoroughly enjoyable account of England on the brink during one hot, long summer. Those of us who live in Portland may never have known such a sultry time, but 1911 was a time of social and political unrest that cut across all strata of society - and these Edwardians could barely guess at the horrors of World War I that were looming just around the corner. Told through the eyes of young debutantes, society mavens, a new queen, and even a young Winston Churchill, this is summer reading that will still engage the brain.

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Chasing Aphrodite: The Hunt for Looted Antiquities at the World's Richest Museum by Jason Felch

K N, August 1, 2011

This book is fascinating - a real page turner that was not only well-written but had me staying up nights to see what would happen next. Written by two investigative reporters for the L.A. Times who were short-listed for the Pulitzer for their articles on the Getty, this book helps shed light on some of the darkest and most destructive secrets in America's great museums - the repeated and willful buying of looted antiquities. If you are an art lover, a museum goer, or just want a good summer read, I recommend this highly-entertaining book.

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Miette: Recipes from San Francisco's Most Charming Pastry Shop by Meg Ray

K N, July 19, 2011

This is a very pretty book - lovely design, gorgeous photographs. If, however, you are actually looking for a book to bake from, this is not your book. After going on about how "less is more" Meg Ray then includes recipes that are ludicrously large (she claims they can't be cut down). So, if you want to look at the pictures, by all means, go ahead. If however you don't want to bake 12 dozen chocolate chip cookies, I'd suggest moving on to a book more suited to the home baker.

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(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)

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The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi

K N, January 13, 2011

Part Neuromancer, part BladeRunner, part Oryx and Crake, this is a wonderfully interesting and unique on a not-too-distant future. If you enjoy dystopian fiction, you'll love this. I couldn't put it down.

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(6 of 12 readers found this comment helpful)

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