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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
cerabe1 has commented on (9) products
Orphan Train
by
Christina Baker Kline
cerabe1
, September 13, 2015
Normally I don't take to books that alternate from modern day to events in the past. However, Kline has done a superior job with Orphan Train in blending the stories of abandoned children during the Depression with the tale of a foster child discovering the evidence of one such orphan. Reading this book made me realize how profoundly upbringing affects character. Knowing this was based on true events made this even more interesting - the author obviously did her research. After I finished I read all of Kline's other books; she is a writer to watch.
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Brick Lane
by
Monica Ali
cerabe1
, September 09, 2015
This story of a woman transplanted from Bangaladesh to London grabbed me from the first pages. Nanzeen's life is so harsh, so unrelentingly filled with struggle and hard work, that it seems anyone would become bitter and forlorn - but that is not the case. She's a realist, but somehow always has faith that if you do the right thing in life, everything will be ok. I loved the description of day to day life in Nanzeen's household with her daughters and husband, their struggle to adjust and make a living in a foreign land, and Nanzeen's inner battles with her own desires and needs. Read it. Definitely.
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The Distant Land of My Father
by
Bo Caldwell
cerabe1
, June 01, 2015
I'd heard Shanghai called the "Paris of China" and after reading this book I can see why. This is an atmospheric story about an expat family in 1930's China living in wealth, luxury - and lots of problems, both political and personal. The young narrator of the story tells, matter of factly, about the horrors of political unrest in that city and of the family's subsequent return to the US. The story shifts to a more domestic drama, with the eventual return of Anna's father, after a frenzied life of riches, danger and intrigue. Can't say much more without spoiling the effect. Read it and see for yourself.
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Patron Saint Of Liars
by
Ann Patchett
cerabe1
, April 30, 2015
This novel delivered a lot more than I expected, based on the description. Girl gets pregnant - moves to convent - decides to keep baby. It's been done before, with many different twists, but this one really drew me in. Much more than a coming of age story or one woman's struggle to find meaning and solace in her life, the book is a character study of some really interesting people. For a first novel, it's amazingly well written, too. Ann Patchett is obviously a natural observer of human behavior.
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The Glass Castle: A Memoir
by
Jeannette Walls
cerabe1
, April 28, 2015
I normally shy away from memoirs of dysfunctional families - after all, those are all families with more than one person in it (a description that is uncannily accurate if you think about it). But Jeannette Walls' portrayal of life with her uber-bohemian parents and confused siblings is not morbid or self-pitying. Instead, it's a fascinating peek into the unconventional unbringing that led Walls to her career in journalism and a stirring account of her love for her parents, especially her mother.
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Dive From Clausens Pier
by
Ann Packer
cerabe1
, April 09, 2015
This one stayed with me long after I closed the book. How do we separate love from duty - or should we? How much of our lives is our own to live, and how much do we owe others? The central character in this novel wrestles with these issues as she comes face to face with the responsibility of loving - and caring for - the person who she thought would be the love of her life. Lots of food for thought here.
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Father of the Rain
by
Lily King
cerabe1
, April 09, 2015
A coming of age story that handles all the big topics - family, love, connection and identity - with skill and a quiet sort of pathos. King is a great one for character development, and I found that while I didn't like all the people in this novel of a dysfunctional WASP family, I could relate to their struggles just being human. Definitely a keeper.
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Buddha in the Attic
by
Otsuka, Julie
cerabe1
, March 21, 2015
Riveting. I'm not Japanese, and I was born years after the events of this book took place, but I felt an immediate connection to the war brides in Otsuka's narrative. The struggle she describes is universal - a quest for for belonging and place, the yearning for love and family that is part of us all. I live in Arizona, where two of the internment camps were located; it was only after I read this that I realized I had driven past one of the camps on many trips out of town. I must return with fresh eyes after reading this account of the heroism of these women. An engrossing true life story, sparely and masterfully written.
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All Fall Down
by
Weiner, Jennifer
cerabe1
, March 18, 2015
This is "chick lit" with an edge - a story of one woman's slide into addiction. Weiner manages to tell this tale without diminishing the trauma and grittiness of a truly god-awful pill habit, yet retains her signature sly humor and optimism throughout. I raced through this book and found it truthful without being depressing and inspiring without being cloying. A great read for anyone who has ever known, or will know, an addict (and isn't that most of us)?
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