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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
durhamm has commented on (10) products
Seeds of America 02 Forge
by
Laurie Halse Anderson
durhamm
, June 29, 2012
Laurie Halse Anderson is always dependable as an evocative writer with strong characters and a realistic, heart-breaking plot. Forge, the sequel to Chains, lives up to her talent and I appreciate that. It’s not my favorite book by her but it’s pretty interesting and impressive how she was able to create such a small story that could place her two main characters in such diverse places. Curzon, the protagonist, is placed with both rich and poor people, slave and free, officers in the war as well as the enlisted, male and female. The way he is able to be such a chameleon and bring the young reader so close to the issues of freedom framed in the constitution takes real flexibility on the part of Anderson. In reading this book I never ceased to be impressed with her grasp of the humanity in history and of just the facts she utilized for her characters. I did not feel as close to Curzon in Forge as I felt to Isabel in Chains. He was a likable enough protagonist but I thought him rather aimless for someone who had just gained his freedom in the beginning of the book. In Chains, the book preceding Forge, Curzon was seen by Isabel as a boy completely infatuated with the idea of freedom and with the war��"he was a convert. I don’t see that in this book. I guess that’s my only complaint about the book and it’s a small complaint. It was so well done��"I’d recommend it to anyone over the age of 11.
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Seeds of America 01 Chains
by
Laurie Anderson
durhamm
, June 29, 2012
The “genre-fication” of writers like Laurie Halse Anderson frustrates me so much because it blocks a large chunk of passionate readers from great literature. Chains is exemplary of Anderson’s rather incredible power of humanization. I mean, Anderson is a white woman, the daughter of a pastor, who writes in the perspective of a slave girl during the Revolutionary War and I felt as if I were friends with her protagonist, Isabel. Isabel was such a strong, believable character and I felt what I imagined her feeling and was drawn into her small, complex life completely. This is a great book dubbed “YA” or “Young Adult” but it is not only for young people but for anyone interested in creative rethinking and humanization of history. The plot of Chains is pretty simple, it’s about the status of slavery and the theory of slavery in the backdrop of the Revolutionary War. The history Anderson uses is sound. She gave heart to the archaic and quaint and anyone reading this book is bound to learn more about the strange hypocrisies and ironies in the wonderful and often horrible story of the young years of the United States. Isabel’s story is riveting and painful, her voice in Anderson’s translation is a voice all Americans, young and old, should know and treasure. I did lend this book to three young sisters (11, 12, and 14) at my workplace. I haven’t heard back from them about how they enjoyed it. I’m a little worried how the youngest will relate to Isabel’s story, there’s some seriously difficult subject matter in the book, but I’m confident that with guidance from those older they will be able to step into Isabel’s world and grow empathy and understanding from the book and gain tools for their own world. Further than that, despite the pain in the story, I think they’ll have a fun time reading the book on this rainy weekend.
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Dork Diaries 1: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life
by
Rachel Ren�e Russell
durhamm
, June 06, 2012
I bought "The Dork Diaries" for the daughter of my housemates. I had recommended "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" and saw this "girl version." I bought it for her instead and decided to pre-read it to make sure it would fit what she wanted and needed. I'm glad I did pre-read it because it wasn't what she wanted or needed. The injection of popular culture in every other word of the book removed this particular girl from the customer base for the book. The main character, Nikki, is obsessed with materialism, boys and pop culture. The main character was 14 yet the book targets 8-10 year olds. It felt like Seventeen, not like a way for kids to deal with and come out of the isolation of cliques. It didn't have the fun and realistic feel of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid." Rather this book felt like "Shopaholic Tween Goes to Prep." I like the shopaholic series and I liked this book and I would buy it for some kids but it will only fit a certain customer base. This book is not for kidsss struggling with bullies, it's a humorous book on materialism and pop-culture for young girls. Buy for some girls but the better version is by Kinney.
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Spinoza Very Short Introduction
by
Roger Scruton
durhamm
, June 06, 2012
I don't think this book sticks to the proposed subject matter very well. Scruton expresses his opinions about Spinoza's theories in a very certain fashion--his interpretation of Spinoza is the only interpretation represented. Scruton's interpretation is not always positive and certainly not global although he presents his interpretation as writ. As such, this book is not a short introduction to Spinoza but rather a short introduction to Scruton on Spinoza. That being said Scruton has quite a lot of really important opinions on Spinoza. His interpretation, while I don't personally agree with it, is both intelligent and feasible logically. His book was an interesting read. It wasn't the first book I would have chosen if I had known the subject matter but I did enjoy it.
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Dies the Fire Emberverse 01
by
Stirling, S. M.
durhamm
, May 30, 2012
I did enjoy this book. I've always had a soft spot for apocalypse sci- fi and the book is set in Portland! I read the rec at the Burnside location and knew I had to read it. The good news is that it's quite good, both creative and original. The characters and dialogue are not the best but they're also not terrible. They're 2d characters written by someone who seems to be a person I'd actually find like able. I do recommend this book. I wish he'd lay off the rape scenes and write good characters who are morally gray but I do recommend it.
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Sunshine
by
Robin Mckinley
durhamm
, May 30, 2012
One of the best books I've read of any genre. Sunshine had me enraptured from page 3 (which is where the story started in my edition). The characters were strong and gladly the main vampire was not a paragon of testosterone and biceps. He was a monster and did monster like things-- like kick butt and have a life and pasttimes that did not involve self-loathing or stalking. Sunshine, the main human character was interesting and love able. She likes being human and could outsmart and outmaneuver a great many scary creatures. I am waiting for the sequel!
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Midnight in Austenland
by
Shannon Hale
durhamm
, May 30, 2012
I've always liked Hale from the first (Goose Girl) but she hasn't put out anything worthy of her talent for a little while. That's fine, it will come given more time and this book really was a fun and easy read. I liked her main character and I enjoyed reading the happily ever after brain candy.
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Apothecary 01
by
Maile Meloy, Ian Schoenherr
durhamm
, May 30, 2012
I enjoyed this whimsical YA historical fantasy. The characters are quite well done and the chemistry between different characters was not only interesting but believable. The magical side of the book was founded on the general idea of chemistry which would create interest in children. I genuinely enjoyed this book, it was original, sweet and fun. I hope there'll be a sequel.
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Villette
by
Charlotte Bront�
durhamm
, January 03, 2011
Like all Bronte sister books, while my tendency is to speed through because of the glorious writing, it isn't conducive to understanding. In Villette's case it is particularly marked because of all the French. This book is dense and delightful, and set me weeping and reading it from page one again. The heroine, Lucy Snowe, is a dowdy unfortunate spinster working as an English teacher at a French school, always unable to connect with others because of her deep grief of losing her family. She awkwardly yet intelligently stumbles through her life, never to grasp her grief and throw it away from herself for love's sake. Or perhaps her grief is grasped for love's sake. I love this book. One of my favorite books of all time. The world lost when the Bronte sisters died one by one by one.
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Complete Stories
by
Dorothy L Sayers
durhamm
, January 03, 2011
This is the first Dorothy Sayers I ever read, and I enjoyed it immensely. The preface/introduction is written as a critical analysis of Sayers' formidable career, giving a brief synopsis of each of her novels. Unfortunately this book doesn't include her novels--that edition has yet to come out. I just went out and bought Triple Wimsey to tide me over for a while. Sayers is clever and much unsung in today's world given her talent, her stories are crafted and then written, not stream of thought as some unfortunate modern so-called mysteries. They are interesting and the characters drive the story at most times, although she does sometimes let the plot take over. I recommend this book full heartedly. It's brainy and sweet and wonderful winter fireside reading.
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