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Original Essays | April 18, 2013
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Indiespensable: Past InstallmentsBelow you'll find a showcase of past Indiespensable shipments.
Standard Edition:
Volume 35
A Million Heavens
Shipped August 23, 2012
Read the Powells.com interview with John Brandon. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:We've loved John Brandon for quite a while now, and when we heard from our friends at McSweeney's about his third novel, A Million Heavens, which showcases Brandon's deadpan, precise, and inventive language with an eerie, semi-magical story and lots of fascinatingly flawed characters, we knew it was time to introduce him to Indiespensable subscribers. Another McSweeney's project that has long excited us is David Byrne's How Music Works, and since it was scheduled to be published one month after Indiespensable #35 shipped, it seemed a perfect fit to include a chapbook of some of those essays alongside A Million Heavens, in which music plays such a central role. (And if you'd like to read How Music Works in its entirety, you can save 30% on it at Powells.com.) By now we were on a roll — or, at least, a theme: the "music box"! So, after reading so much fiction and nonfiction about music, if you're inspired to make your own, you'll have a Hohner Old Standby harmonica, in the key of C. It's particularly good for blues, but it'll work for rock, country, folk, or pretty much anything... including songs from the afterlife. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 34
The Age of Miracles
Shipped June 27, 2012
Read the Powells.com interview with Karen Thompson Walker. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:From start to finish, The Age of Miracles had us mesmerized. With grace, intelligence, and startling realism, Karen Thompson Walker, in her haunting debut, creates a snapshot of a world changing beyond recognition. It should come as no surprise, then, that Walker's story piqued our paranoia. In the interest of maintaining some semblance of civilization amidst worldwide societal collapse, we outfitted our subscribers with our reusable Powell's To-Go Ware Utensils! Just as useful for an apocalyptic meltdown as they are for your next backyard BBQ or camping trip, the sustainable-bamboo knife, fork, spoon, and chopsticks are practically indestructible. Plus, for those of you without a "direction auxiliary indication" (we still don't know what that is — but it sounds important), we included a multiuse survival tool, which fits in your wallet and is good for opening bottles, sawing through wood, or tinkering with your emergency generator. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 33
The Listeners
Shipped May 2, 2012
Read the Powells.com interview with Leni Zumas. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:Leni Zumas's debut novel, The Listeners, hit us like a bolt of lightning. Hypnotic and dazzlingly written, we couldn't put this deeply moving and disquieting book down. So, we got together with our neighbors, independent publisher Tin House Books, to create an exclusive hardcover edition of The Listeners (with an embossed purple octopus on the cover, which is probably our favorite detail). We knew that whatever we chose to accompany this book had to be equally remarkable, and an exclusive excerpt of Christopher R. Beha's forthcoming debut novel, What Happened to Sophie Wilder was ripe to the task. No less so was a rather provocative essay by the enchanting Chloe Caldwell, taken from her collection Legs Get Led Astray and lovingly letter-pressed by the local artisans at Stumptown Printers. Last and very much not least: Chocolate! Portland-based Alma Chocolate created special octopus boxes just for our subscribers. Nestled inside was Alma's famous Habanero Caramel Crown, a rich lemon bonbon, and a traditional truffle sporting organic 74% Dominican chocolate mixed with organic cream. Volume 34 was quite possibly our most locally grown Indiespensable yet. We love it when these things work out so perfectly. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 32
The Book of Jonas
Shipped March 28, 2012
Read the Powells.com interview with Stephen Dau. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:Stephen Dau's fabulous debut novel, The Book of Jonas, impressed us. Significantly. And by the time we got to the end, we were more than impressed: we were moved to tears by Jonas's story. It was an easy choice to feature it in Indiespensable #32. We were also excited to include an advance reading copy of Battleborn by Claire Vaye Watkins. Her voice is utterly remarkable and this debut collection of short stories is garnering comparisons to Denis Johnson and Annie Proulx. Watkins's spare, lovely prose probes the physical and emotional landscapes of the American West, and, in one story, she takes on and reimagines her own history (her father was involved with the Manson Family). We were thrilled to be introduced to these remarkable new writers and hope you will be, too. Apropos of nothing, we've also included a set of Powell's magnets, for pinning whatever you like to your refrigerator. Or bike rack, car door, desk lamp, cocktail shaker... They look like tattoos, but they won't stick to your arm — unless your arm is made of metal. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 31
Running the Rift
Shipped January 25, 2012
Read the Powells.com interview with Naomi Benaron. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:Our first installment of 2012 found us rekindling our Indiespensable relationship with Algonquin Books. We had the perfect opportunity to work with them again when Naomi Benaron's Bellwether Prize-winning debut novel, Running the Rift, blew us away. In addition to the special edition of Benaron's novel, we included the marvelous inaugural issue of the Algonquin Reader, in which five Algonquin authors (including Robert Olmstead and former Indiespensable author Robert Goolrick) introduce their work in their own words. Also included in this package was a tea and postcard set from the book Glaciers, the gorgeous novel by former Powell's employee Alexis Smith. Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia!, raved of Glaciers, "Alexis Smith's brilliant debut novel, is filled with kaleidoscopic pleasures....Line by line, in and out of time, this is a haunted, joyful, beautiful book — a true gift." 
Standard Edition:
Volume 30
The Marriage Plot
Shipped October 19, 2011
Read the Powells.com interview with Jeffrey Eugenides. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:Given his previous success with The Virgin Suicides and Middlesex, Jeffrey Eugenides' newest book had a lot to live up to. We're happy to say, it succeeded. As Publishers Weekly put it, "[The Marriage Plot] so impressively, ambitiously breaks the mold of its predecessor that it calls for the founding of a new prize to recognize its success both as a novel — and as a Jeffrey Eugenides novel." Our inclusion of Silas Marner was greatly inspired by The Marriage Plot's protagonist Madeleine. Madeleine is many things, but at heart she's a student of literature. In homage to her tastes, we included a copy of the Penguin Classics Edition of one of George Eliot's greatest works. Not only is this edition particularly beautiful, it contributes to a good cause: Penguin will donate half the profits from the sale of the book to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. We thought it a good opportunity to revisit the beloved classic or discover the story for the first time. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 29
The Night Circus
Shipped September 14, 2011
Read the Powells.com interview with Erin Morgenstern. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:After initial skepticism (circuses? magic? romance?!), we dove into Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus and became thoroughly bewitched. Soon after, Jill announced that she was similarly taken with another book that combines elements of magic, darkness, whimsy, and whip-smart writing. The Vanishers by Heidi Julavits is set for a March 2012 release, but we thought our subscribers would enjoy giving it a read a full six months before the rest of the world does. Not surprisingly, all the circus talk had us salivating for caramel corn. So, from Salted Caramel — the Chicago-based company "where sweet meets savory" — we included a bag of their irresistibly tasty Smoked Pecan Bourbon Caramel Corn. It was difficult, but we were happy to share the sweet, sticky (and literary) magic. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 28
Turn of Mind
Shipped August 5, 2011
Read the Powells.com interview with Alice LaPlante. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:In choosing Turn of Mind, we once again had the pleasure of working with independent publisher Grove/Atlantic (who you may remember published Matterhorn, from volume 17). From the first paragraph of Alice LaPlante's debut novel, we were hooked (Jill and Heidi both finished it in one evening). And, with the long, hot days of summer upon us, we invited subscribers to join us in celebrating grilling season with a delicious Moroccan spice rub, from Portland's own Dulcet Cuisine, along with three recipe cards providing ideas to amplify meats, fish, vegetables, and tofu. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 27
State of Wonder
Shipped June 23, 2011
Read the Powells.com interview with Ann Patchett. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:Ann Patchett's State of Wonder was the perfect Indiespensable summer pick. This compelling page-turner, by a master of the form, infected the entire Indiespensable team with Patchett fever, and we just couldn't seem to devour the book fast enough. As a complement, we enclosed Jill's insightful and charming interview with Patchett, printed on our special custom-designed author cards. Old-school subscribers found a familiar name in this box — way back in volume 5, we featured Miriam Toews's fantastic novel The Flying Troutmans. Her latest, Irma Voth, the story of 19-year-old Irma and her life in a Mennonite outpost in Mexico, isn't due out till September, so we were especially delighted at the chance to include an advance copy. Finally, the discovery of Lucky Peach, the new food quarterly from McSweeney's and Momofuku's James Beard Award-winning chef David Chang, filled us with joy, as did including the first issue in this installment. A feast for all senses, Indiespensable #27 was packed with escapism, perfect for the onset of summer. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 26
Bright before Us
Shipped May 5, 2011
Read the Powells.com interview with Katie Arnold-Ratliff. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:We've emerged from Volume #26 smitten with Tin House and the delightful Katie Arnold-Ratliff. The author visited our warehouse and not only signed every copy of the limited-edition hardcover of her debut novel, Bright before Us (we'll admit to bribing her with cookies), she also sat down with Jill for an exclusive interview. With insufficiently disguised glee, we also presented an exclusive, signed excerpt from Scott Sparling's debut novel, Wire to Wire. Like Arnold-Ratliff, Sparling is a Tin House New Voice author, and, also like Arnold-Ratliff, his book is garnering critical acclaim, including a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Impossible to resist were the eye-catching postcards featuring art by Matt Kish, whose book Moby-Dick in Pictures will be coming out in October. And just in case you're inspired, we also included a journal, for writing, drawing, recording past loves — whatever strikes your fancy. Finally, to keep everything (and anything) safe from spring rains, we included one reusable Powell's tote. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 25
Townie: A Memoir Shipped March 16, 2011
Read the Powells.com interview with Andre Dubus III. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:When we received advance copies of Townie, Andre Dubus III's page-turning memoir, we thought, Hmm... Indiespensable? After reading it, we were certain. As Jill put it, "I have loved all his books. But Townie is better. It's astonishingly good." To complement this heart-wrenching book, we included Jill's interview with Dubus on collectible author cards. It deftly touches on several of the book's themes — violence, memory, familial tensions. While intensely rewarding, reading Dubus's memoir can really put you through the ringer. So, we also included a pot of salted caramel sauce, hand-crafted in Portland by Xocolatl de David, as a sweet refreshment. Our favorite method of consumption? On a spoon, straight out of the jar. Refreshment to the 10th degree. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 24
The Fates Will Find Their Way Shipped February 2, 2011
Read the Powells.com interview with Hannah Pittard. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:We could spend hours gushing about how enamored we are with Hannah Pittard and her first novel, The Fates Will Find Their Way. Our Q&A with Pittard, plus Megan's interview — both of which we enclosed on a set of author cards — only solidified our adoration. We were equally excited about the other fun stuff included in this installment. It's not often that you get to read a book six months before its publication date, but we gave Indiespensable subscribers the opportunity to do just that, with an advance copy of Eleanor Henderson's Ten Thousand Saints, due out in June 2011. Finally, we thought these two debut novels might go well with another debut, our brand-new and — if we may brag a bit — truly handsome meadowlark mug, created by our surprisingly-knowledgeable-about-all-things-Oregon graphics team, to whom we say, well done. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 23
The Instructions Shipped December 8, 2010
Read the Powells.com interview with Adam Levin. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:We were presented with so many fine options for inclusion in this year's special holiday box, we just couldn't say no to any of them. Jill's interview with the very charming and funny Adam Levin (The Instructions) was a clear choice. And what's a holiday without a sweet treat? After rigorous, and very taxing, quality-control testing, it was determined that Indiespensable #23 could not leave our warehouse without a fluffy confection from A Little Bit of Sweet, a local business that has become quite dear to our hearts. To top it all off, we included one of our limited-edition holiday tote bags in the package. Even the grinchiest in our ranks can't fight the warm feelings achieved from tossing this natural cotton bag over a shoulder and hitting the town with a few favorite books in tow. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 22
The Wilding Shipped October 27, 2010
Read the Powells.com interview with Benjamin Percy. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:After Jill spoke with Benjamin Percy about his work, we knew we had to include her in-depth interview on collectible author cards, and, considering the novel's setting, it wasn't hard to decide what the special gift in this installment should be. The limited edition Indiespensable Klean Kanteen isn't just any liquid receptacle; it's a top-of-the-line model with double-walled vacuum insulation that keeps things hot for 6 hours or cold for 24. It's perfect for those ordinary days when you're looking forward to savoring some hot soup at work, or on the more adventurous days when you're in the woods... and your car won't start... and you hear something in the bushes... and... (We'd better stop there, or we'll need a spoiler alert!) 
Standard Edition:
Volume 21
Freedom Shipped September 22, 2010
Read the Powells.com interview with Jonathan Franzen (2006). Read the Powells.com interview with Paul Murray. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:Skippy Dies, a mesmerizing display of literary aptitude from Irish writer Paul Murray, completely stole our hearts, and we're certain that it will quickly find its way onto many best-of-the-year lists. The one drawback to two dazzling books in one box? If you're anything like us, you'll be up till the wee hours devouring both, hence, delicious, freshly roasted coffee beans from an independent Portland staple, Stumptown Coffee. It all adds up to the material for hours of literary gratification, plus the java power to stay up all night absorbing it. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 20
I Curse the River of Time Shipped August 11, 2010
Read the Powells.com interview with Per Petterson. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:We can't argue with Time magazine's assessment of Per Petterson: "Reading a Petterson novel is like falling into a northern landscape painting — all shafts of light and clear palpable chill." It was our fascination with the Norwegian author's spare and limpid prose that brought us to work with Graywolf Press and to create the collectible, custom-designed edition of I Curse the River of Time featured in this installment. Graywolf is also to thank for introducing us to another brilliant writer to watch, Jessica Francis Kane. So, with delight, we added an exclusive chapbook preview of The Report to this package. Then, perhaps spurned by Petterson's references to the North Sea, our seasoned staff opted to include a delicious gourmet finishing salt from a local shop The Meadow, run by salt aficionado and (how apropos!) author Mark Bitterman. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 19
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake Shipped July 7, 2010
Read the Powells.com interviews with Aimee Bender: 2005 and 2010. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:What a delicious installment! We were already devoted fans of Aimee Bender, and the interview we did with her further sealed the deal. Myla Goldberg is another favorite of ours, so we were thrilled to include an advance reading copy of her new novel more than three months before its release. Finally, we though it'd be torture to read Bender's amazing food descriptions without something nearby to sip — hence the limited edition coasters from Tin House inspired by Bernard DeVoto's The Hour: A Cocktail Manifesto, a reprint of the 1950s classic that still proves an applicable and humorous treatise for the modern drinker... er, reader. Yes. Reader. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 18
The Lonely Polygamist Shipped May 12, 2010
Read the Powells.com interview with Brady Udall. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:We were so impressed by Brady Udall's candor during our interview with him, that we couldn't resist sending along another set of collectible author cards. Over some fish tacos at ¿Por Que No? on N. Mississippi, Megan came up with the idea that perhaps our subscribers (and Golden Richards, the transgressing polygamist in question) could benefit from some soul-saving suds — thus, the "Wash Away Your Sins" industrial strength cleansing bar, guaranteed effective enough for most liars, cheaters, and general wrongdoers. Should temptation strike while out and about, the included moist towelettes are the ultimate in on-the-go redemptive purification. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 17
Matterhorn Shipped April 7, 2010
Read the Powells.com interview with Karl Marlantes. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:Since Matterhorn is over 600 pages, we thought we'd help readers tote around the husky hardcover by outfitting them with a stylish Powell's rucksack, an item exclusive to Indiespensable subscribers. Speaking of exclusive, Chris Faatz, a long-time fixture at Powell's City of Books, became such an evangelist for the book, he offered to conduct an interview with Marlantes, which we proudly presented in Volume 17 on our collectible author cards. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 16
Shadow Tag Shipped February 3, 2009
Read an original essay by author Lionel Shriver. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:Louise Erdrich's Shadow Tag has everything to do with diaries. We figured, if ever there was an Indiespensable volume meant to include a journal, this was the one. (Whether to fill it with truth or lies — well, we left that up to you.) Then, along with the custom-slipcased, signed first edition of our featured title, we were thrilled to include a pre-publication copy of So Much for That, the latest novel from Lionel Shriver, author of The Post-Birthday World. We'd also been itching for a reason to include some pint-sized delicacies from Two Tarts, a lovely bakery here in Portland. So, we went on a field trip to taste test their delicious morsels — just to make sure they were of the highest quality, of course! Happily, they passed our rigorous testing with flying crumbs — uh, colors. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 15
The Wild Things Shipped December 11, 2009
Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:While reading about Max's escape to the Island of the Wild Things, we thought our subscribers might appreciate a little escape themselves. Our friends over at Stash Tea hooked us up with an organic tea sampler, to be sipped with the tasty gourmet chocolates provided by our pals at Dagoba. Yum! But, not to be outdone ourselves, we decided to include our shiny new Powell's Oregon mug, along with a $5 Powell's Card, to put toward a future literary adventure. Indiespensable #15: everything needed to escape while in the comfort of your favorite reading chair. (Magical monster-filled islands are overrated.) 
Standard Edition:
Volume 14
The Cry of the Sloth Shipped October 28, 2009
Read the exclusive Powells.com interview with Sam Savage. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:Literal interpretation became the reigning theme in Indiespensable's 14th installment. McSweeney's #17, titled "Other People's Mail," a hilarious mélange in its own right, echoed the epistolary nature of our featured title, Cry of the Sloth by Sam Savage. Thumbs up to Coffee House Press for a broadside of an Edward Sanders poem, hand-pressed on 100% cotton rag paper from France; this seemed the perfect complement to Sloth and the references to ephemera peppered throughout its story. Intrigued (though mildly disturbed) by a selection from Brian Evenson's new book Fugue State, we gulped when those same crafty folks at Coffee House Press suggested that we print the short story "Invisible Box" on a DIY box — each signed by Evenson! We were in awe. Finally, we added our brand new Powell's Oregon sticker, to seal the deal. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 13
Stitches Shipped September 11, 2009
Read the exclusive Powells.com interview with David Small. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:We had a hard time deciding what goodies were worthy to be packed side by side with David Small's amazing Stitches. Finally, it came down to this: pair Small's gorgeous images with beautiful words. Sarah Hall's How to Paint a Dead Man, a paperback original long-listed for the Booker Prize, fit the bill beautifully. Then we thought, why not hear more from Small himself, who, in his interview with Dave, so eloquently expressed the motivation behind his masterpiece? Hence, the inclusion of the interview card. It should also come as no surprise that we have a soft spot for Merge Records, a scrappy independent record label celebrating its 20th anniversary, and so we happily added a sneak peek into Our Noise, the book celebrating their achievement. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 12
Into the Beautiful North Shipped July 29, 2009
Read the exclusive Powells.com interview with Luis Alberto Urrea. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:Poor Claudia? Nothing poor about it. This small, local press turned out an elegant little volume, chock-full of illustrations and works by Portland's up-and-comers — signed by them, too! — with the first edition of their sure to be popular Bucket Book lit journal series. We also learned a new trick with this volume: entice authors with bacon-maple bars from Voodoo Donuts. Jessica Anthony noshed hers while patiently signing a thousand (really — 1,000!) author cards for us. (She earned that pastry.) Clever design by Lenore combined with juicy tidbits revealed Q&A-style ("Turkey in the Straw"!) make it one of our favorite cards yet. Finally, we gave subscribers a challenge, how to fill the 16-ounce void presented by our new Powell's pint glass. We imagine you discovered (and possibly invented) dozens of tasty libations to do the job. Why not, share your favorites! We're always looking for delicious new ways to achieve maximum refreshment. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 11
The Twin Shipped June 23, 2009
To receive an Archipelago catalog, please email info@archipelagobooks.org. Read specially translated excerpts from Gerbrand Bakker's interview with Libelle magazine. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:Everybody's talking about the scoutbooks. Could they be Indiespensable's best gift so far? Dunno, but they may be the most useful. Dressed in Nikki McClure's gorgeous, paper-cut illustrations, one comes lined, a second with graph paper, and the third with blank pages. Following our crow theme (whose inspiration was an interloping bird in The Twin), we custom-printed an excerpt from Lyanda Lynn Haupt's fascinating Crow Planet. And we jumped at the chance to share a sneak peak at three novels (1, 2, 3) that McSweeney's will be publishing this summer, even if those aren't crow's feet on the cover. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 10
A Reliable Wife Shipped May 5, 2009
Read the exclusive Powells.com interview with Robert Goolrick. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:How do you follow gourmet chocolate? With basil, apparently. When Kim introduced us to Garden-in-a-Bag, we thought, Cool — little did we know that the herbaceous goodie would prove almost as popular as the confection in Volume 9. And because Algonquin has been such a stellar Indiespensable partner (see Volume 2), we decided to round out the box with another literary treat from the Carolina-based publisher: a chapbook featuring "Me and Big Foot," from Jill McCorkle's forthcoming story collection, Going Away Shoes. We do harbor quite a Big Foot fascination round these parts. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 9
Sunnyside / A Day's Pleasure Shipped March 18, 2009
Read an exclusive essay by Glen David Gold. Read posts by Glen David Gold on the Powells.com blog. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:"Quick," went the cry in our office. "Let's include Alma chocolate before the summer heat makes shipping it too complicated!" And so it was done. In Volume 9, subscribers received a small box of delicious confections to enjoy while admiring their limited edition, autographed, 56-page hardcover chapbook of "A Day's Pleasure," the first section of Glen David Gold's forthcoming novel, Sunnyside. But we couldn't tease you with just the start of the book; that's why we also included an advance copy of the complete novel more than a month before its publication. But wait — there's more? Yes: two original stories from Amplified, a new collection of short fiction by great songwriters. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 8
Tinkers Shipped January 22, 2009
Winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction Read the exclusive Powells.com interview with Paul Harding. Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:Sometimes — rarely, but it does happen — you don't want to read. Must you abandon the couch, however? Heavens, no! Not with more than three hours of DVD goodness curated by the fine folks at McSweeney's: Wholphin is a DVD magazine of short, independent films. (A wholphin, in case you're wondering, is a cross between a whale and a dolphin.) And while you're lounging in flannel pajamas, admire Andi Watson's beautiful cover art in our limited edition print autographed by Couch author Benjamin Parzybok. 
Volume 7
The Lit-Journal Collection Shipped December 2, 2008 Indiespensable subscribers received four of our favorite literary journals:
Read about this shipment on our blog!What we included in the box:Nothing satisfies in winter like delicious, organic, fair-trade chocolate from Dagoba in Ashland, Oregon. We worried, however, that some subscribers might be a bit overzealous upon opening the package, so we included a limited edition Powell's mug (not available in stores), just in case. Understand, there's a reason why they call it hot chocolate. Use the mug, people, not your hands! 
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Volume 6
The Crow Road Shipped October 23, 2008
Read the Powells.com interview with Iain Banks. What we included in the box:"Going down the crow road," we learned from Iain Banks, is a slang expression for death. Our Halloween edition of Indiespensable, then, quite logically brimmed with fatality. Dearly Departed features 15 original songs by some of Portland's best bands, each inspired by a resident of the Lone Fir Cemetery. Meanwhile, we were inspired by Graeme Thomson's book, I Shot a Man in Reno: A History of Death by Murder, Suicide, Fire, Flood, Drugs, Disease, and General Misadventure, as Related in Popular Song, so we asked the publisher, Continuum, to reproduce the epilogue ("The Forty Greatest Death Records") in 'zine form — and Graeme was kind enough to pen a special introduction for our subscribers. Volume 6 also included a deck of our famous (well, in the way that your corner pizza joint claims to be famous) Indiespensable cards. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 5
The Flying Troutmans Shipped September 30, 2008
Read the 2004 Powells.com interview with Miriam Toews . Read the original essay by Miriam Toews. What we included in the box:What better complement to Miriam Toews's great road trip novel than a pocket atlas? And what's a road trip without a bumper sticker from your favorite independent bookseller? While you're cruising some blue highway, enjoy another installment of Indiespensable cards. But wait until a rest stop to unfold the John Hodgman poster. His taxonomy of complete world knowledge WILL SURELY BLOW YOUR MIND (and send you careening off the shoulder). 
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Volume 4
Clown Girl Shipped July 31, 2008
Read the INK Q&A with Monica Drake. Read the original essay by Monica Drake. What we included in the box:Our first Portland-centric box — featuring the only hardcover edition of Monica Drake's critically acclaimed debut, Clown Girl — introduced subscribers to another local artist with a bright future, Aron Nels Steinke, whose Super Crazy Cat Dance is a joy for readers of all ages. Of course it was the rubber chicken keychain (to match Clown Girl's jacket photo) that got all the attention. People do love goofy toys. And author cards. 
Standard Editions:
Volume 3
The Outlander The Story of Edgar Sawtelle Shipped May 30, 2008
Read the Powells.com interview with Adamson and Wroblewski. What we included in the box:Two signed first editions in one box?! It's true. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle would go on to become 2008's mega-selling debut; Indiespensable subscribers got copies long before the buzz. (Dave will tell you that The Outlander is just as good a novel, if not better. But do not trust Dave. He's irrationally infatuated with Canadian authors.) Two novels — that's a lot of reading. But we were so excited about Ecco's forthcoming State by State collection that we also included a 107-page sampler. And another deck of cards. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 2
Mudbound Shipped April 17, 2008
Read blog posts by Hillary Jordan What we included in the box:Around the time we shipped Mudbound, Anchor Books published Ian McEwan's latest novel in paperback. Would readers of Hillary Jordan's debut enjoy On Chesil Beach? We thought they would — odds were favorable, certainly. So we added a DVD of Powell's very first Out of the Book film to subscribers' packages. And set number two of the author cards. 
Standard Edition:
Volume 1
How the Dead Dream Shipped March 5, 2008
Read the Powells.com interview with Lydia Millet. See all books by Lydia Millet. What we included in the box:Volume 1 featured our first-ever batch of Indiespensable cards. In the die-cut deck, readers found three fancy author trading cards, an interview with Lydia Millet, and more. But it's the cookie they won't stop talking about. All this time later, it remains the gift that subscribers reference most often. Thank you, Elephants Deli, baker of delicious shortbread cookies dipped in mint white chocolate. You see, our debut Indiespensable selection, How the Dead Dream, featured an elephant on its cover. So we thought... Well, we'll let you connect the crumbs. 
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