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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
Shannon Geiger has commented on (20) products
Children Act
by
Ian McEwan
Shannon Geiger
, October 06, 2014
When I read that the Children Act was about a British judge faced with a very difficult decision while dealing with an apparently crumbling marriage, and it was by Ian McEwan, I knew I needed to read it. And Mr. McWean doesn't disappoint. The book is relatively short, but stays with you. There is very little conversation between the characters. The book is more of an internal meditation on what Fiona Maye, the judge, thinks or feels about what is going on. Some may found it off-putting, but it made the story telling even more profound for me. I do not want to give too much of the plot away, but Fiona Maye is a Family Judge in England and is married to a professor, who informs her that he would like to have an affair and still remain married to Fiona. She dismisses the idea as preposterous and asks him to leave. Seven weeks ago, she had a very difficult decision to make regarding separation of conjoined twins. And just as she is getting over that, she receives notice that there is a petition waiting for her from a hospital who wishes to give a 17 year old a blood transfusion, which is against his religious beliefs. He is a Jehovah's Witness. The story centers on Fiona's decision and the ramifications of the decision on her and on the boy whose life hangs in the balance. This is a book that is going to stay with me for a long time. Not only for its content, but for its beautiful, poetic language and imagery.
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Divorce Papers
by
Susan Rieger
Shannon Geiger
, May 19, 2014
I loved this book. It is about a criminal defense attorney who gets roped into doing a divorce. The uniqueness is the book is told in the epistolary style. It is made up of letters, memoranda, legal pleadings, case law and emails. Despite the variety of documents included, the story is well told and easy to follow. I highly recommend this book.
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Ghostman
by
Roger Hobbs
Shannon Geiger
, March 23, 2013
Ghostman is a roller coaster ride from beginning to end. It's the story of "Jack Delton" (the only name you know, but you know it's not his real name). He's the person that makes people disappear after a heist. He was involved in a botched heist and the mastermind comes to him to get other guys out of a jam after another heist. Jack flies to Atlantic City and the questions begin: why is the FBI waiting for him? Who is he really working for? Is someone plotting to kill him? Will he complete this job? I would never have guessed that this was Roger Hobbs' first novel. It's fast moving and obviously well-researched. I loved it.
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Watergate
by
Thomas Mallon
Shannon Geiger
, March 11, 2012
Thomas Mallon writes a fictional account of the Watergate scandal. The book is riveting from the first page. Mr. Mallon focuses on several different people in the book and writes from their point of view. There are the usual suspects - Nixon and Howard Hunt. And then there are the unusual suspects - Fred LaRue, Rose Woods (Nixon's secretary and the person who created the infamous "gap" in the oval office tapes), and Alice Longworth, daughter of Theodore Roosevelt. What I enjoyed most about this book is that fact that Mr. Mallon neither passes judgement on nor condemns the players involved in the scandal. He tells the story in a way that draws you in and offers explanations of certain people's behavior. I loved this book.
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Black Banners The Inside Story of 9 11 & the War Against Al Qaeda
by
Ali H Soufan, Daniel Freedman
Shannon Geiger
, January 01, 2012
This book was written by an Arabic-speaking FBI agent and it is his story of trying to prevent 9/11 and catch Osama bin Laden. The book reads like the best spy fiction you can think of but it's all fact. The CIA even made him redact information, which I hope will appear in future editions. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand not only the terrorists, but the bureaucratic roadblocks that helped 9/11 happen.
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Running the Books The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian
by
Avi Steinberg
Shannon Geiger
, September 30, 2011
Avi Steinberg is a Harvard graduate and writer of Obituaries for the Boston Globe. He decides to apply to be a librarian at the county jail in Boston. He actually gets the job, despite having no library experience. During his time at the jail, he learns about desperate prisoners with big dreams, grudge-holding correction officers, and fellow staff. He is mugged by a former prisoner and mourns the deaths of others. This is not a story about books, but about freedom. I loved this book because it is the epitome of the saying "you get what you give". Avi gave attention and time to those who needed it and he gained more education and wisdom than he received at Harvard.
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My Korean Deli Risking It All for a Convenience Store
by
Ben Ryder Howe
Shannon Geiger
, March 20, 2011
Mr. Howe, an editor for the Paris Review, is married to a Korean-American woman. She is trying to be a dutiful Korean daughter, so she talks her husband into staying in her mom's basement, not using their savings to buy a house, and instead buying a deli in Brooklyn. The book is a memoir of that time and Mr. Howe does an excellent job describing all the wacky people that come to inhabit his life while he and his family try to successfully run a deli. The city and the neighborhood become characters as well. The book not only provides insight into the Brooklyn neighborhood where they have purchased the deli, but the last year of George Plimpton's life - who happens to be he owner of Paris Review. The clashing of the different cultures, lifestyles, values and traditions is a great subplot to the story as well.
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Help
by
Kathryn Stockett
Shannon Geiger
, January 01, 2011
I first head of Kathryn Stockett's book on NPR. After the story aired, I ran out and got a copy. The book, about a young white woman who wants to be a writer and the African-American maids she knows. The story is set in the South at the very beginning of the civil right movement. Ms. Stockett writes this book with an eye for the time and an ear for the language. I was pulled into the story from the beginning. The characters took on their own personalities and own lives. You felt as though you were right there with them. And that is the highest compliment I can give a book.
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Imperfectionists
by
Tom Rachman
Shannon Geiger
, January 01, 2011
This book follows the staff of an English-language newspaper in Rome. The story starts in the present but does a good job in interweaving stories from the paper's past. Not only does it do an excellent job of telling the tale of a newspaper, it tells it from a unique perspective. Every chapter in the book is written from a different employee's point of view. Instead of just seeing everything through one person's eyes, you get to see how the paper works from a lot of different eyes. I found the book really entertaining and easy to read. It was by far one of the best books I read this year.
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Talking to Girls About Duran Duran
by
Robert Sheffield
Shannon Geiger
, September 23, 2010
I have been a fan of Rob Sheffield's writing for a long time and I loved his first book. I also grew up in the 80s and 80s music is my music. Each chapter in this book is named after an 80s song and Rob Sheffield paints a vivid picture of growing up in that decade. The book was entertaining and well-written. I enjoyed every word.
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Happiness Project Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning Clean My Closets Fight Right Read Aristotle & Generally Have More Fun
by
Gretchen Rubin
Shannon Geiger
, May 24, 2010
I read The Happiness Project as part of an online book club. I was surprised to find that not only did I really enjoy Ms. Rubin's book, I leared a lot from it. Ms. Rubin decided that she wanted to be happier. But she didn't have the time or money to "go find herself". So she decided to find more happiness in the life she already had. She committed to making changes that would bring her more happiness. She changed the way she related to her kids and her husband. She cahnged her attitude about how she dealt with other. She found things that made her happy and emphasized those things. In the end, she was happier, though she concedes that some of the things she decided to do were a lot of work. Our book group made a committment to write commandments and try to live by them to bring some more happienss into our lives. So far, it seems to be working for me. I don't usually take memoirs to heart and try to mimic what the authors have done. But in this case, I can say that the book did make me think about my own happiness and the changes I have made have been positive ones. I would recommend this book.
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Help
by
Kathryn Stockett
Shannon Geiger
, May 05, 2010
This is an amazing book. Kathryn Stockett manages to transport you to the South in the 1960s. The story is told from different points of view. And it is so well written, you feel like you are right there. THe characters are rich and well developed. Her style is easy to read. It's a wonderful story about tolerance and a history lesson on race relations in this country.
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(3 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
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The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (Millenium #1)
by
Stieg Larsson
Shannon Geiger
, November 03, 2009
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is one of the best mysteries I have read in a long time. Steig Larsson does an excellent job of building the suspense. The book is well-written and it provides twists and turns. As one mystery is resolved, another begins. He keeps you guessing throughout. An overall excellent book.
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Netherland
by
Joseph ONeill
Shannon Geiger
, July 16, 2009
Joseph O'Neill uses lush language and knowledge of both New York and how people from other countries see it to create a beautiful story. The images he presents in this book stay with you long after you finish it. The comparisons to The Great Gatsby are warranted and accurate.
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(9 of 16 readers found this comment helpful)
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Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto
by
Chuck Klosterman
Shannon Geiger
, March 18, 2009
I discovered this book by accident and am so glad I did. Closterman is a genius. The book made me laugh out loud in every chapter. He is an encyclopedia of pop culture and his tone is easy and conversational. I can't wait to read the rest of his books.
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(5 of 11 readers found this comment helpful)
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Forever War
by
Dexter Filkins
Shannon Geiger
, October 17, 2008
This book had a profound impact on me. Dexter Filkins writes in such a way that I felt I was in Iraq with him, watching the country slide into anarchy. The book is written telling stories of American soliders, Iraqi insurgents, ordinary Iraqis, and the American government personnel. He tells their stories in way that is poignant but not sappy. I highly recommend this book.
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(37 of 62 readers found this comment helpful)
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Great War For Civilisation the Conquest of the Middle East
by
Robert Fisk
Shannon Geiger
, August 13, 2007
This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the politics of the Middle East and western attempts to intervene in the region. Mr. Fisk does a wonderful job of showing through statements and examples how British intervention in the region in the early 20th century mirrors current events. Mr. Fisk is a talented story teller and the book is immensely entertaining. I highly recommend this book.
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(10 of 28 readers found this comment helpful)
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Mighty Heart The Brave Life & Death of My Husband Danny Pearl
by
Mariane Pearl
Shannon Geiger
, July 14, 2007
I finished this book a month ago and it has stayed with me. The story is not just about Daniel Pearl's kidnapping. The story is about a wife's courage, how much the West does not understand the politics and culture of the Pakistan and how there are brave, decent people of all nationalities who want to live in peace. Anyone who is interested in the war on terror and the middle east should read this book.
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(14 of 20 readers found this comment helpful)
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Emma's War: A True Story
by
Deborah Scroggins
Shannon Geiger
, July 14, 2007
A true story of how easy it is to be caught up in the politics and passion of a region and of how misguided the West can be in its policies and politics. The book also does a good job of describing how Western-based relief agencies often do more harm than good, unintentionally, in trying to provide aid to the poor and displaced in third-world countries.
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(9 of 17 readers found this comment helpful)
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In An Instant
by
Lee Woodruff
Shannon Geiger
, March 16, 2007
Bob and Lee Woodruff tell the story, not just of Bob's injury in Iraq, but of their relationship. The book is well written and the tone is almost conversational. The book does a wonderful job of not just explaining what happened to Bob and his family, but their journey to recovery. The book also discusses the toll that such injuries take on the family, not just the injured. It was an inspiring look at how you can find strength you didn't know you had and that miracles really do happen.
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(8 of 14 readers found this comment helpful)
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