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Daily Dose Archives
August 01
Selected by Christine from Pasadena, California
Grammar Girl's 101 Troublesome Words You'll Master in No Time (Quick and Dirty Tips)
by Mignon Fogarty
Christine's Comments:
"I'm a copy editor who reads Grammar Girl's books regularly and many other language books too. It's important to keep up on the English language, because it's always changing. This book confirmed quite a few things for me, including that yes, the usage of a few words has changed, and yes, I'm going to be a better editor for reading this book and keeping up with the industry....I feel so empowered with great knowledge after reading Mignon's books. Some of it can be the most basic, but a refresher is always in order, and you learn something new that you didn't before." (read more)
Your price $5.99
New - Trade Paper
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August 02
Selected by Rebecca from Camas, Washington
Hoot
by Carl Hiaasen
Rebecca's Comments:
"This is an amazing book, great for all ages and a real page turner!" (read more)
Your price $3.50
Used - Trade Paper
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August 03
Selected by Rachel from Houston, Texas
The Light between Oceans
by M.L. Stedman
Rachel's Comments:
"After finishing this read I found something extremely irresistible about this morally complex story. It comes complete with a cast of flawed characters you find yourself cheering on, even when they're at odds with one another. 'The Light Between Oceans' (Scribner), is M.L. Stedman's debut novel that really takes you in -- and once you are in, you get to unravel a high-concept plot that keeps you wanting more from the first page....A good read from a debut author will have you ready for a next book from her!" (read more)
Your price $16.50
Used - Hardcover
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August 04
Selected by Pete from Lebanon, New Hampshire
Pete won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $80.
My Cross to Bear
by Gregg Allman
Pete's Comments:
"A journey through past, geography, music, and madness. If you remember The Allman Brothers with some fondness, this book takes you there, with the expected thrills, and some welcome kindness." (read more)
Your price $9.95
Used - Hardcover
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August 05
Selected by Diane from Woodinville, Washington
Diane won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
Mudbound
by Hillary Jordan
Diane's Comments:
"'Mudbound,' the first novel written by Hillary Jordan is the powerful tale of lives lived in the 1940s South, under the Jim Crow laws. This is a novel that brought silent tears to my eyes and the question 'Is this a true story?' No, it is not non fiction, but the truth it holds is commanding. What a tragic but important piece of our American history to remember! This portrait of two families -- one white, one black -- caught up in the blind hatred of prejudice is a real page turner and creates, in the reader's heart and mind, a profound experience." (read more)
Your price $8.00
Used - Trade Paper
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August 06
Selected by Sofi from Pendleton, Oregon
Sofi won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
Drawing Lab for Mixed-Media Artists: 52 Creative Exercises to Make Drawing Fun (Lab)
by Carla Sonheim
Sofi's Comments:
"This is a fantastic book of drawing exercises that are a lot of fun and really work for jump-starting your creativity. I recently starting drawing again after a 15-year hiatus from art, and the most difficult thing was figuring out what to draw. This book gave me the push I needed to get going again, and I still pull it out when I'm having a bout of 'artist's block.' This is also NOT one of those art books that require you to go out and spend gobs of money on obscure art supplies before you can get started." (read more)
Your price $22.99
New - Trade Paper
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August 07
Selected by Susan from Rutherford, New Jersey
Susan won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
Canada
by Richard Ford
Susan's Comments:
"People will debate for hours what this book is really about, and not because it's some cryptic, obtuse, full of itself self indulgence -- it's just that you can look at it in so many different ways; I hated having to put it down between reading sessions. It's a hardcover worth schlepping around, which, to my mind, is the fastest praise you can give to any book." (read more)
Your price $10.95
Used - Hardcover
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August 08
Selected by Christina from Goleta, California
The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying and Start Making
by Alana Chernila
Christina's Comments:
"This is the cookbook I have been searching for for years. I read it cover to cover, and it has changed the way I think about preparing food....The images and the anecdotes in this book are very thoughtful. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is concerned about where their food comes from, and I think many people will find it an easy guide to start making everyday items from scratch, or to maybe just pick up a few new recipes." (read more)
Your price $24.99
New - Trade Paper
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August 09
Selected by Nancy from Edmonds, Washington
Nancy won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $40.
Gold
by Chris Cleave
Nancy's Comments:
"This new novel by Chris Cleave concerns Olympic cycling and is a very timely look at a grueling sport. Mr. Cleave presents us with a fascinating look at the stamina and perseverance required to compete at this level. He also creates believable characters, and gives them personal lives that are worthy of medals in themselves. If you loved 'Little Bee,' you must read 'Gold.'" (read more)
Your price $10.50
Used - Hardcover
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August 10
Selected by M. Kelly from Portland, Oregon
M. Kelly won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
Evel Knievel Days
by Pauls Toutonghi
M. Kelly's Comments:
"What a treat! Learn about the copper mines of Butte, Montana. Enjoy Egyptian food and culture. Laugh with the narrator at himself and family foibles. Recognize emotional truths given in fine lyric passages. More than a coming-of-age story, the voice of this novel will propel you through the streets of Cairo, through a family's story you will always remember." (read more)
Your price $19.50
Used - Hardcover
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August 11
Selected by Rachel from Seattle, Washington
Rachel won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
The American Way of Eating: Undercover at Walmart, Applebee's, Farm Fields and the Dinner Table
by Tracie McMillan
Rachel's Comments:
"'Nickel and Dimed' meets 'Fast Food Nation.' McMillan has written a well-researched (and annotated) yet accessible book on our modern food system. On her journey from California fields, to Detroit and its environs, and back to Brooklyn, she thoroughly debunks the myth that only the relatively wealthy want to eat healthy, fresh food. While the bulk of the book focuses on her journey through the food service industry, she also profiles organizations and campaigns that address food justice issues, such as urban farming and the fresh fruit and vegetable vouchers distributed by WIC. A must-read for anyone interested in issues of food accessibility and class." (read more)
Your price $9.98
Sale - Hardcover
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August 12
Selected by Christine from Denver, Colorado
Christine won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
by William Joyce
Christine's Comments:
"Not only is this another delightful William Joyce story, but it is a profound commentary on literacy and how readers absorb, transmit, and are transformed by the stories they read. The illustrations are lovely and clever, infused with beauty and charming wit. The story itself reminds us that we all have our own story to tell, influenced and composed by the event of reading other tales. What a profound message to bring to readers of all ages, but especially to young readers first setting out on their own journey of literacy." (read more)
Your price $17.99
New - Hardcover
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August 13
Selected by Theresa from El Granada, California
Theresa won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
End This Depression Now!
by Paul Krugman
Theresa's Comments:
"Paul Krugman explains what is wrong with our economy currently, and the steps that should be taken to improve it to end the suffering so many are going through right now. He does it in a style that is easy to understand even if you don't have a degree in economics." (read more)
Your price $13.00
Used - Hardcover
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August 14
Selected by Michael from Winchester, Massachusetts
Michael won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Vintage International)
by Jean-Dominique Bauby
Michael's Comments:
"Elegant, sophisticated, and illuminating. Short vignettes that are poetic in their prose, and often transcendent. Bauby reflects his inner and outer worlds in ways that make us rethink and appreciate our own. The fact that he could do this all by blinking only one eye is astonishing, but really almost a side note." (read more)
Your price $2.50
Used - Trade Paper
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August 15
Selected by Britton from Tulsa, Oklahoma
Britton won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
The Art of Eating
by M. F. K. Fisher
Britton's Comments:
"M.F.K. Fisher is the original foodie. Her sumptuous prose is as much a feast as the ones she describes, and as she says, to write about food is to write about human hungers. Hemingway said she was the best writer of their age. But completely different -- with a wit and an eye for detail unequaled by the rest. Pick up your favourite thing to eat, pour a cuppa, and enjoy. It's that good." (read more)
Your price $5.95
Used - Trade Paper
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August 16
Selected by Lindsey from Rochester, New York
Lindsey won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar
by Cheryl Strayed
Lindsey's Comments:
"This book is nothing short of incredible. I can't describe Strayed's work as Dear Sugar as that of an advice columnist without feeling I'm slighting Strayed and the beautiful essays she's written here. These are essays, not columns, brimming with compassion and delving into all of life's trickiest mysteries. This is a book I couldn't put down once I'd started it -- it's so profoundly satisfying I'll be reading it again as soon as my best friend gives it back to me." (read more)
Your price $14.95
New - Trade Paper
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August 17
Selected by Denise from Duxbury, Massachusetts
Denise won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
Rules of Civility
by Amor Towles
Denise's Comments:
"F. Scott Fitgerald must have been Towles' muse...what a delight to get lost in the images and characters of 1930s New York City. Pour yourself a gin and let Katey Kontent show you a glimpse of classes and choices that define our lives. I can't wait for Towles' next novel." (read more)
Your price $9.95
Used - Trade Paper
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August 18
Selected by Jacqueline from Portland, Oregon
Jacqueline won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
August 19
Selected by Julie from Ogden, Utah
Julie won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
August 20
Selected by Becky from Miamisburg, Ohio
Becky won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
Gallop!: A Scanimation Picture Book
by Rufus Butler Seder
Becky's Comments:
"If you have a child in your life you should buy this book. The movement of the pictures is wonderfully captivating and the nonsensical rhyming text, 'Can you gallop like a horse? giddy-up-a-loo. Can you strut like a rooster? Cock-a-doodle-doo' is just silly fun for children and adults. My granddaughter was only 2 when I purchased 'Gallop' for her and she still loves it after more than a year of playing with and reading to the point of memorizing this book. This is the perfect anytime read book to get or keep children interested in books and reading." (read more)
Your price $7.95
Used - Hardcover
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August 21
Selected by Lindsay from Portland, Oregon
Lindsay won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
This Is Where I Leave You
by Jonathan Tropper
Lindsay's Comments:
"This is one of the funniest, laugh-out-loud books that I have read in a long time! I'd not heard of Jonathan Tropper, but this book was recommended by a friend and I thought, 'why not.'...Tropper creates three dimensional characters that are so real, I wonder if they are fully drawn from the people around him. The tale is not just funny -- it is sad and enlightening as well about human behavior and the individuals who comprise a family." (read more)
Your price $4.50
Used - Trade Paper
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August 22
Selected by Paige from Reno, Nevada
Paige won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
Away
by Amy Bloom
Paige's Comments:
"What a captivating read. Amy Bloom is so good at character development. Her characters have flaws but also elements to their personality that makes the reader empathize with them and want to root for them. 'Away' is full of life -- an excellent drama that one could easily read in a weekend. I cannot wait until Ms. Bloom's next novel!" (read more)
Your price $2.95
Used - Trade Paper
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August 23
Selected by Molly from Guilford, Connecticut
Molly won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
August 24
Selected by Catherine from Seattle, Washington
Catherine won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
Maine (Vintage Contemporaries)
by J. Courtney Sullivan
Catherine's Comments:
"This is such a great book that I had to buy a copy to read at night while listening to the audio book in the car to and from work. It's a rare book that will do that to me. The characters are beautifully rendered, believable and strong. This multi-generational novel will take you away and keep you mesmerized by the question, 'what's going to happen next?'" (read more)
Your price $5.95
Used - Trade Paper
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August 25
Selected by Wilma from Anchorage, Alaska
Wilma won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
Momofuku Milk Bar
by Christina Tosi
Wilma's Comments:
"Great cookbook for foodies, home baker, but also the hardbodies. Not only is this a great cookbook, it is a great book. The stories that come along with the recipes are wonderful. Christina Tosi took great care in going over the ingredients, tools and techniques as well as why the recipes were written the way they were....Some of the recipes were so simple and made me think, 'Now, why didn't I think of that?' while others made me feel that I'm better off just buying a plane ticket to NY to buy the gosh darn thing directly from Milk Bar. But, I'm a hardbody and will eventually try all the recipes." (read more)
Your price $35.00
New - Hardcover
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August 26
Selected by Owen from Portland, Oregon
Owen won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
Mortal Engines (Hungry City Chronicles)
by Philip Reeve
Owen's Comments:
"This is the kind of book that you will start reading when it's getting dark and will stop reading when the sun rises again. The story sucks you in, and although I have read it many times, it never ever gets old. With exciting fights as well as mundane relatable moments -- all wrapped up in the delicious covering of a post-apocalyptic crepe -- I hope I never get tired of this book." (read more)
Your price $5.50
Used - Mass Market
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August 27
Selected by Carol from Cambridge, Massachusetts
Carol won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
A Summons to Memphis
by Peter Taylor
Carol's Comments:
"A beautiful book; a masterpiece. I have found that, as a general rule, writers who are best known for short stories write good novels, but not great ones. 'A Summons to Memphis' is certainly an exception. As Peter Taylor is one of the best short story writers in the world, you wouldn't expect that he could sustain that fine observational skill that creates such wonderful stories over the course of a novel, but he does. While perhaps the novel seems repetitive to some, I would say it is necessarily meditative -- a word that is often overused in describing fiction, but which fits here." (read more)
Your price $6.95
Used - Trade Paper
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August 28
Selected by Wendy from San Diego, California
Wendy won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
Castle in the Air
by Diana Wynne Jones
Wendy's Comments:
"Diana Wynne Jones turns cliches on their heads in a wonderfully unexpected way. A story about a genie holding princesses captive sounds familiar, but when Diana Wynne Jones takes on the story, it becomes funny and brand new. I was happily surprised to like this book even more than its predecessor, 'Howl's Moving Castle.' I love it!" (read more)
Your price $6.99
New - Mass Market
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August 29
Selected by Jeff from Newnan, Georgia
Jeff won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
Radio Shangri-La: What I Learned in Bhutan, the Happiest Kingdom on Earth
by Lisa Napoli
Jeff's Comments:
"'Radio Shangri-La' is the story Lisa Napoli's adventure in establishing a radio station in Bhutan....This book is about Miss Napoli's midlife crisis that led her there and what she learned from the Bhutanese that has made her life happier and more fulfilling. She also worries about the encroaching modern world on Bhutan and what that may mean to the the people there. Along the way, she meets some very interesting characters and experiences some culture shock over plural marriages and the poverty in some parts of Bhutan. Overall, it is an enjoyable book about a place many people have never heard of and might inspire you to explore a mid-life crisis of your own." (read more)
Your price $13.50
Used - Hardcover
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August 30
Selected by Mary from Eugene, Oregon
Mary won a Powells.com gift certificate worth $20.
The Dog Stars
by Peter Heller
Mary's Comments:
"If you've read Peter Heller's nonfiction, you know he's a solid, skilled writer. After you read 'The Dog Stars,' you will know that he is an amazingly talented and gifted author. This is a wonderful book. Yes, there is post-apocalyptic violence, turmoil, and heartbreak. And yes, the world ended with a whimper, but that's followed by plenty of bang. Amidst the despair and struggle, life still has its small joys, growth, tenderness. The style of writing suits the story wonderfully. It's almost prose poetry. I finished it yesterday; I think I'll read it again today." (read more)
Your price $24.95
New - Hardcover
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August 31
Selected by John from Washington, District of Columbia
The Book of Illusions
by Paul Auster
John's Comments:
"This is an amazing book, the kind I might have read in one ten-hour sitting, if life hadn't intervened....This was my first Auster book, recommended by a friend, but I will most certainly be back. There are layers upon layers within this book for academic analysis, but please, choose this book if you are looking for a completely absorbing story, thrilling for the mind as well as the heart." (read more)
Your price $6.95
Used - Hardcover
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