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Original Essays | June 22, 2009
By Bethany Moreton
"In the 'culture wars' narrative of the Republican ascendancy, this slippage represents the greatest con in recent history: while you rush to defend marriage or protect the unborn, please pay no attention to the financier behind the curtain."
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Okay, class, settle down. We hope you've all had a fun, carefree summer — but now it's time to turn your brains back on. We're pleased to welcome our guest, Junot Díaz, whom you know from the story collection Drown, and whose debut novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, is earning raves. For those of you still recovering from the end of Harry Potter, we have signed first editions of a new young adult fantasy series, The Alchemyst, that's sure to be the next big thing. Before we get started, let's call roll. First, our essayists: Jesse Ball ( Samedi the Deafness)... David Bornstein ( How to Change the World)... Jason Mark ( Building the Green Economy). INK Q&As: Ann Packer ( Songs without Words)... Kate Christensen ( The Great Man). And, finally, guest bloggers: M. J. Rose and George Saunders. A simple "here" or "present" will do, Mr. Saunders — no need to get all clever with your responses.
signed editions
 Leaping back and forth between the Dominican Republic and New Jersey, pouring across pages in a "combustible mix of slang and lyricism" (quoth Booklist), The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao bridges several generations and distinct cultures with exhilarating doses of Caribbean history and old-fashioned drama. Politics, corruption, romance, fantasy, faith, despair — the novel, as Díaz explains, contains multitudes. Kirkus, in a starred review, called it "a compelling, sex-fueled, 21st-century tragi-comedy with a magical twist." Order signed first editions, while they last.
 Nicholas Flamel discovered the secret of eternal life from the powerful book of Abraham the Mage — a book he has protected since his death in 1418. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. When the book is stolen, Sophie and Josh Newman find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time. Michael Scott's YA fantasy The Alchemyst is "enthralling...a fabulous read," according to School Library Journal. Get your signed first editions today!
 preorder signed editions by authors coming to Powell's
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FEATURED INTERVIEW
 Spend a bit of time in the book business — or, never mind, just read a few litblogs — and soon enough you'll stumble into an evangelist for the story collection Junot Díaz published in 1996. Indeed, Drown introduced a powerful new voice in fiction. Eleven years ago. "I don't write enough," Díaz admits. To say that readers have been eagerly awaiting his first novel would be an understatement of significant proportions. Finally, here it is, and — if you can you believe it — The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao arguably exceeds expectations. A few weeks prior to his reading in Portland, Díaz talked about Oscar Wao, bright lights, dialogue that sucks, and the silences that draw writers in.
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NEW ARRIVALS
HARDCOVER
 Baltimore; or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden
From celebrated comic artist Mike Mignola (creator of Hellboy) and award-winning novelist Christopher Golden comes a work of gothic storytelling like no other. Reminiscent of the illustrated tales of old, Baltimore is a lyrical, atmospheric novel of the paranormal — and a "haunting allegory on the nature of war," says Publishers Weekly. "Stark monochromatic illustrations from Mignola enhance this dramatic tale of war and fear." Pick up Baltimore at 30% off the retail price!
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 The Shotgun Rule by Charlie Huston
The first stand-alone thriller by critically acclaimed author Charlie Huston (Caught Stealing), The Shotgun Rule is a raw tale of four teenage friends who go looking for a little trouble — and find it. Stephen King declares: "Anyone not acquainted with Charlie Huston's blistering, unputdownable novels will want to tie their sneakers nice and tight before starting The Shotgun Rule, or they are apt to be blasted clean out of them." See for yourself — grab your copy of The Shotgun Rule and save 30% off the publisher's price.
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Sale $15.36 | Hardcover
List Price: $21.95 (You Save: $6.59) |
 Dexter: The Complete First Season
Based on the novels by Jeff Lindsay and starring Michael C. Hall (Six Feet Under), Dexter is Showtime's breakthrough series about a charismatic serial killer who only preys on other killers. The Chicago Sun-Times pronounces the series "fantastic, fascinating, creepy, charming and gruesome," while the New York Times calls it a "temptation that is almost impossible to resist." Make a killing when you order Dexter: The Complete First Season at 30% off the regular price — and as always, all DVDs ship free from Powells.com!
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PAPERBACK
 The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine
If you've ever wondered why women are more verbal than men, or why women remember details of fights that men can't recall at all, this book is for you. In The Female Brain, pioneering neuropsychiatrist Louann Brizendine brings together the latest scientific findings to show how the unique structure of the female brain determines how women think, what they value, how they communicate, and who they'll love. Whether your brain is male or female, buying The Female Brain at 30% off the cover price is a smart move.
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Sale $10.46 | Trade Paper
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 The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
The bestselling phenomenon that helped change the way Americans think about food, The Omnivore's Dilemma is now out in paperback. Michael Pollan, the bestselling author of The Botany of Desire, explores the ecology of eating to unveil why man consumes what he consumes in the 21st century. "After reading the book, you will want to change how you eat," swears BusinessWeek. Revisit our interview with Pollan and save 30% off the cover price when you buy The Omnivore's Dilemma.
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Sale $11.20 | Trade Paper
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 Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World by Bill Clinton
From former president (and bestselling author) Bill Clinton comes Giving, an inspiring look at how each of us can change the world. First, it reveals the extraordinary and innovative efforts now being made by companies and organizations — and by individuals — to solve problems and save lives both "down the street and around the world." Then it urges readers to seek out what each of us, "regardless of income, available time, age, and skills," can do to help, to give people a chance to live out their dreams.
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Last week we were honored to have as our guest blogger Michael Marshall, author of the acclaimed thriller The Intruders. We liked his posts so much we had to share one with you.
So, it's Wednesday, then.
How's it looking?
For a start, kind of rainy. As you may have heard, England lost this year's summer in a late-night game of poker. Got over-excited by a pair of kings and lost out to Paraguay, who was holding a straight flush the whole time. Paraguay didn't really need the extra summer and so part-exchanged it for some wrought iron yard furniture, which is admittedly pretty classy but means the denizens of London have spent several months staring out at relentless drizzle. (A mildly interesting thing about the word 'denizen', incidentally, is that the word actually relates to the history of London. It's derived from the medieval Anglo-French 'deins' (which would now be 'dans', meaning 'in'), and makes a distinction between those who lived within the old city walls, and those who lived outside — who were thus 'hors', which mutated to 'fors', and ultimately became the word 'foreign'. Or so I gather, though my etymology dealer is a notoriously shady individual who once did time in a Louisiana jail for transporting a verb across state lines for immoral purposes)....
Read the rest of Michael Marshall's post and visit the Powells.com blog every day for book reviews, guest bloggers, Brockman's Book News, and more!
From the Authors: SAVE 30%
JESSE BALL: ORIGINAL ESSAY
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Jesse Ball's Samedi the Deafness is a unique, intriguing debut that will leave you reeling. When a man dies in James Sim's arms, whispering his final word — "Samedi" — the event triggers a spellbinding game of cat and mouse as James is abducted, brought to an asylum, and seduced by a woman in yellow. "A strange modern thriller — Kafka meets Hitchcock," says Keith Donoghue, author of The Stolen Child. Read this original essay from Jesse Ball and pick up your copy of Samedi the Deafness at 30% off the cover price. |
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Samedi the Deafness
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Sale $9.06 |
Trade Paper
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ANN PACKER: INK Q&A
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Ann Packer's newest novel, Songs without Words, is the stunning follow-up to her bestselling The Dive from Clausen's Pier that takes readers on a journey into a life-long friendship tested by a harrowing crisis. ("Commendably ambitious and ultimately rewarding," hails Kirkus Reviews.) Check out Ann Packer's exclusive INK Q&A and get your copy of Songs without Words for a song — 30% off the publisher's price! |
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Songs without Words
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Sale $17.46 |
Hardcover
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KATE CHRISTENSEN: INK Q&A
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From the acclaimed author of The Epicure's Lament, The Great Man is Kate Christensen's scintillating comedy of life among the avant-garde in this story of a New York City painter living in the heroic generation of the 1940s and 1950s. Read Kate Christensen's INK Q&A and save 30% on the book the New York Times calls "as unexpectedly generous as it is entertaining." |
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The Great Man
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Sale $16.76 |
Hardcover
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GEORGE SAUNDERS: GUEST BLOGGER
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The breakout book from "the funniest writer in America" (The Nation) — not to mention an official genius (seriously: he won a 2006 MacArthur Foundation "genius grant") — The Braindead Megaphone, George Saunders's first foray into nonfiction, is composed of essays on literature, travel, and politics. "[T]hese essays contain much to delight," swears Publishers Weekly. So do the author's blog posts, which you can read all this week at Powells.com. Check out what Saunders has to say — and pick up your copy of The Braindead Megaphone for 30% off. And if you're in Portland, stop by Powell's City of Books on September 7 to see Saunders read from his new work in person. |
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The Braindead Megaphone
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Sale $9.80 |
Trade Paper
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M. J. ROSE: GUEST BLOGGER
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Next week we're thrilled to welcome M. J. Rose to our blog. In her latest novel, The Reincarnationist, a bomb erupts in Rome, forever changing the life of photojournalist Josh Ryder. As he recovers, his mind is invaded by emotionally intense and vivid memories — but they aren't "his" memories. Publishers Weekly calls the book "a Da Vinci Code-esque tale of intrigue that's more believably plotted and better meets its ambitions than Dan Brown's ubiquitous book." Pick up your copy of The Reincarnationist for 30% off the cover price and check out M. J. Rose's blog posts all week long. |
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The Reincarnationist
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Sale $17.46 | Hardcover
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in our stores
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With more than five million copies sold, Prescription for Nutritional Healing is the most trusted, comprehensive source on dietary supplements, vitamins, minerals, and herbs.
(read more) |
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SEPTEMBER 11: Sherman Alexie
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Based on the author's own experiences, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is the first young adult novel by bestselling author Sherman Alexie, featuring poignant drawings by acclaimed artist Ellen Forney. These reflect the main character's art as it chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy attempting to break away from the life he was destined to live. |
SEPTEMBER 13: Nell Freudenberger and Ben Fountain
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In The Dissident, the acclaimed first novel by PEN/Malamud Award-winning author Nell Freudenberger (Lucky Girls), a famous performance artist and political activist accepts an artist's residency in Los Angeles and becomes increasingly involved in the lives of his wealthy Beverly Hills host family. Ben Fountain's prize-winning debut, Brief Encounters with Che Guevara, speaks to the intimate connection between the foreign, the familiar, and the inescapably human. |
view all events
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IN OUR NEXT EDITION:
"Does Fup get paid for this?" someone asks.
Bear hears the question but doesn't turn to see who asked. He can't think straight with the Great Dane clomping like a loose-limbed pony around the deck. Clomp clomp clomp clomp. Brutus, the Dane is called.
"Paid for what?" another voice by the rail wants to know.
"Just for risking her life, I guess."
Brutus stretches his long, front legs, bows his chin to the wooden flooring, and lifts his hindquarters high in the air. He wants so badly to play. He must weigh close to two hundred pounds.
Bear curses Chester and Zooey for disappearing at a time like this. Useless dogs.
Fup sits down.
Brutus, in turn, lowers his gigantic butt to the deck.
For just a moment, Fup stares at him. Slowly she stands and approaches. When she nudges her head against Brutus's ear, he immediately turns and licks her. His tongue is literally half the size of her body, minimum. It is a strange sight to witness, Fup's involuntary, slobbery bath.
"That, she should get paid for," the first voice notes.
"Time-and-a-half."
In case of emergency, break glass. (Any glass should do.) In case of questions, comments, or suggestions, email newsletter@powells.com. And break glass.
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by Bolton and Dave
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