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Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
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Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
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Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
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Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
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Customer Comments
T Howard has commented on (4) products
Alchemist
by
Paulo Coelho
T Howard
, September 10, 2012
An Imperfect Gem The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho won’t change your life dramatically, but it will make you pause for a moment to consider the world. On the surface, it’s a simple fable about a shepherd who chooses to follow his dreams. If you can look deeper into the book, though, you begin to understand people’s fascination with it. The choice of whether or not to delve further into it is yours, but if you do, be prepared for a novel that you won’t soon forget. The lessons The Alchemist teaches are ones most of us have known since we could tie our shoes--listen to your heart, work hard and reap the rewards, and most importantly, follow your dreams. Coelho has a way of sharing his philosophies without shoving them down your throat. Were there things I didn’t agree with? Sure. But I still thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It’s nice to take a step back and reflect on the basics. I stopped several times just to absorb what I had read. I was frequently touched by Coelho’s simple but whimsical words. The main character, Santiago, learns and grows so much through his journey, that you can’t help but feel like you grew a little bit alongside him. However, no book is without its flaws--The Alchemist is no exception. It’s not an artful masterpiece. The characters aren’t complex enigmas. The language is blunt and Coelho’s lessons are clearly outlined parables. The plot is mediocre and offers few surprises along the way. But through these imperfections is still a small gem. Imperfect or not, this book can remind us of the important things that your average day rarely does. If you want a book to touch you in a way that most can’t, I suggest picking up a copy of The Alchemist to see what you think of it for yourself.
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Alchemist
by
Paulo Coelho
T Howard
, September 10, 2012
An Imperfect Gem The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho won’t change your life dramatically, but it will make you pause for a moment to consider the world. On the surface, it’s a simple fable about a shepherd who chooses to follow his dreams. If you can look deeper into the book, though, you begin to understand people’s fascination with it. The choice of whether or not to delve further into it is yours, but if you do, be prepared for a novel that you won’t soon forget. The lessons The Alchemist teaches are ones most of us have known since we could tie our shoes--listen to your heart, work hard and reap the rewards, and most importantly, follow your dreams. Coelho has a way of sharing his philosophies without shoving them down your throat. Were there things I didn’t agree with? Sure. But I still thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It’s nice to take a step back and reflect on the basics. I stopped several times just to absorb what I had read. I was frequently touched by Coelho’s simple but whimsical words. The main character, Santiago, learns and grows so much through his journey, that you can’t help but feel like you grew a little bit alongside him. However, no book is without its flaws--The Alchemist is no exception. It’s not an artful masterpiece. The characters aren’t complex enigmas. The language is blunt and Coelho’s lessons are clearly outlined parables. The plot is mediocre and offers few surprises along the way. But through these imperfections is still a small gem. Imperfect or not, this book can remind us of the important things that your average day rarely does. If you want a book to touch you in a way that most can’t, I suggest picking up a copy of The Alchemist to see what you think of it for yourself.
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Lorien Legacies 01 I Am Number Four
by
Pittacus Lore
T Howard
, January 14, 2011
This book brings one word to mind: WOW. To take pleasure in reading I am Number Four, I would suggest a vast interest in all things alien and characters with out-of-this-world (literally) super powers. I don’t know what I was expecting, but this book was very bipolar… in some parts, it was talking about the main character’s (a 15-year-old boy under the current alias of “John Smith”—How creative, right?) personal relationships with people, including an oh-so-cliché blonde girl who he falls head-over-heels in love with and a nerdy alien-loving geek who he becomes fast friends with. Then, then the book transforms into an action-packed drama about saving the world and hiding from the super-powerful bad guys. It gets a bit old after a while. Whilst I found the storyline unusual and the fighting scenes very descriptive (but also very cluttered), it had a very predictable plot and dead-pan narrations. One gushy, romantic scene I wasn’t too impressed with is as follows: “We fall back on the bed, on our sides. Our eyes are closed. I keep opening mine to see her. She catches me watching and we stop kissing. She puts her forehead to mine and stares at me.” It’s like the author couldn’t decide whether he wanted the book’s theme to be ‘Action-y Alien Battles’ or ‘A High School Love Story.’ In my opinion, they’re a bit of an odd pairing. Don’t get me wrong, though, some people who love this kind of book will be able to look past the lack of literary value, and will be eagerly awaiting book number two—and I’m definitely not one of them. I don’t know though, maybe if I hadn’t bought this book on a whim, or that I actually sought out books about aliens with cardboard characters and dramatic, over-detailed battles, then maybe my opinion would be different—maybe.
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Graceling
by
Kristin Cashore
T Howard
, November 30, 2010
Once upon a time, a girl named Katsa was born with the incredible ability to kill people. What would you do with this power? This skill, her Grace, put her at the mercy of her uncle Randa—the king. As royal thug, Katsa punished those who disobey Randa… until one day, when she decides to disobey the king by NOT doing his dirty work—casting herself on a breathtaking adventure. This whimsical book is the perfect mixture of action, romance, tragedy, and everlasting friendship that exceeds that of most other young adult literature. This book does exhibit a little bit of sexual content, although it isn’t disturbingly graphic, and the story doesn’t revolve around sex. Cashore really brings the characters and overall book to life with vivid descriptions, poetic narrations and humanistic behaviors. One of my favorite recitations of the book is as follows: “… It was unreal, like something out of a tapestry, or a song. Dark cliffs rose from the sea, snow-covered fields atop them. Rising from the fields, a pillar of rock, and atop a rock a city… gleaming so bright that at first Katsa was sure it was made of gold.” Portraitures similar to this lie interlaced throughout Graceling, which is one of the many reasons that this novel has made the list of my top-ten favorite books ever.
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