en Copyright 2008, Powells.com Thu, 15 May 2008 01:00:21 PST Thu, 15 May 2008 01:00:21 PST webmaster@powells.com http://powells.com/favicon.png Powells.com, yo! not going to cry! No matter how many tearful confessions she might wring from Dave while he's trying to control the interview, we shan't shed a tear. True, original essays from Marisa Silver (The God of War) and Simon Winchester (The Man Who Loved China) are deeply touching. And we're practically moved to tears of joy by the INK Q&As from Elizabeth George (Careless in Red), Victor Wooten (The Music Lesson), and Taras Grescoe (Bottomfeeder) — practically, but not quite. I have to confess, guest blogger Mary Roach (Bonk) prompted some tears of laughter, but those don't count. You won't get us, Barbara! Not even... oh, damn. [Sob!]]]> Thu, 8 May 2008 00:00:01 PST Unaccustomed Earth) sets the stage for original essays by Howard Jacobson (Kalooki Nights), Christine Schutt (All Souls), Kelly McMasters (Welcome to Shirley), and Martin John Brown (Knitalong), plus an INK Q&A with Mario Batali (Italian Grill). Then get your toes tappin' and your head bangin' with guest bloggers Marc Acito (Attack of the Theater People) and John Darnielle (Black Sabbath: Master of Reality). For those about to read, we salute you!]]> Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:01 PST Our Story Begins give us a perfect excuse to sit outside and read. Between original essays by Melanie and Steve Rasnic Tem (The Man on the Ceiling) and William Calvin (Global Fever); Q&As from Ann Patchett (What Now?), Siri Hustvedt (The Sorrows of an American), and Joanne Harris (The Girl with No Shadow); and guest blogger Brian Copeland, we're positively giddy as schoolchildren!]]> Wed, 9 Apr 2008 00:00:01 PST Peanuts cartoons where Snoopy dances with bunnies. We know exactly how they feel, as we've been traipsing through tulips over our interview with Jodi Picoult (Change of Heart), line-dancing over lilies with original essays by Sadie Jones (The Outcast) and Gerard Woodward (A Curious Earth), pliéing around peonies with INK Q&As from Scott Huler (No-Man's Lands), Pope Brock (Charlatan), and Jeff Gordinier (X Saves the World) — and, of course, dirty dancin' on the daisies with guest bloggers Sebastian Horsley and A. M. Homes. Save a dance for us, won't you?]]> Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:00:01 PST Lush Life. Chris Hedges (I Don't Believe in Atheists) and Michael Connery (Youth to Power) swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in their original essays. We cannot attest to any embellishment in the Q&As by Joshilyn Jackson (The Girl Who Stopped Swimming), Tony Earley (The Blue Star), or Tim Guest (Second Lives), but we feel confident they're being straight with us. And we only wish guest bloggers Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan were lying about the horrific celebrity outfits that adorn their book The Fug Awards! No, seriously — we wouldn't lie to you!]]> Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:01 PST The Monsters of Templeton is earning more raves than we could engrave onto one little statue. Best Original Essay is a tie between Ed Begley, Jr., (Living Like Ed) and Nick Taylor (American-Made). We've given a statue each to INK Q&A contributors Kim Harrison (The Outlaw Demon Wails), Tracy Chevalier (Burning Bright), and Bart Ehrman (God's Problem), because why can't there be a category with one nominee each? Best Guest Blogger was a tough one, but we handed it to Peter Barnes (Climate Solutions) once we decided to create a category for Best Next Guest Blogger for Donald Ray Pollock (Knockemstiff). We would never presume to create a Best Newsletter Award, but we feel honored to accept the award for Best Newsletter-Award-Makers on behalf of everyone at Powells.com.]]> Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:00:01 PST How the Dead Dream to kick off our new Indiespensible subscription club? But we can't pretend we didn't also fall for the Romantic original essay by Eli Gottlieb (Now You See Him). Nor can we erase those meaningful glances we exchanged with INK Q&As from Charles Baxter (The Soul Thief), Peter Carey (His Illegal Self), Samantha Hunt (The Invention of Everything Else), and Jennifer Finney Boylan (I'm Looking Through You). And what about guest bloggers Samara O'Shea and Trevor Paglen — are we just supposed to pretend they didn't happen? It's all so confusing — if only we'd brought enough candy to share with everyone!]]> Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:01 PST The Thing about Life Is That One Day You'll Be Dead. We're also occupying ourselves with original essays by Victoria Zackheim (For Keeps), Michele Zackheim (Broken Colors), John Burnham Schwartz (The Commoner), and Kim Sunée (Trail of Crumbs), plus guest blogs from Ethan Clark (Leaning with Intent to Fall) and April Smith (Judas Horse). And when the Oregon winter gets too dreary, we like to dive into the INK Q&A from Tim Dorsey (Atomic Lobster) and daydream about Florida weather. ]]> Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00:01 PST free Putumayo track, "Dimba" by Ousmane Toure, and listening to it while you read the newsletter. It keeps you tappin' your toes while our 2006 interview with Michael Pollan taps your mind. Dance your way into a drum circle of original essays by Tim Harford (The Logic of Life), Neil Shubin (Your Inner Fish), Neil Swidey (The Assist), Tahmima Anam (A Golden Age), and Shalom Auslander (Foreskin's Lament). To make up for a lack of INK Q&As, we've got accomplished solos from guest blogger Neil Strauss — and of course, you'll want to make sure you cast your vote for this year's Puddly Awards before the music stops! ]]> Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:01 PST interview with T Is for Trespass author Sue Grafton. While we're at it, the perfect cure for too much cheap champagne (pardon us, "sparkling wine") might just be a batch of original essays by Jeff Garigliano (Dogface), Susan Wicklund (This Common Secret), Ron Leshem (Beaufort), and Charlotte Mendelson (When We Were Bad), followed by bubbly INK Q&As from Eric Weiner (The Geography of Bliss) and Laurie R. King (Touchstone). When it no longer hurts to laugh (or breathe), we'll check out guest bloggers Kelly Corrigan (The Middle Place) and Beth Lisick (Helping Me Help Myself). Happy pounding, aching, groggy, weary, hair-of-the-dog-that-bit-ya New Year.]]> Thu, 3 Jan 2008 00:00:01 PST interview with Deborah Madison, plus two signed editions of her vegetarian cookbooks, will keep our tummies full and warm. We'll be sure the sumptuous meals are well-digested before we crack open signed limited editions of controversial author Chuck Palahniuk's latest novel, Rant. Meanwhile, original essays by Alex Prud'homme (My Life in France), Elena Forbes (Die with Me), Anthony Lappe and Dan Goldman (Shooting War); INK Q&As from Taylor Clark (Starbucked) and Kyle Mills (Darkness Falls); and guest bloggers Chuck Thompson (Smile When You're Lying) and Robert Mack (Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street) give us ample reason to stay inside, safe and dry and curled up with a good book.]]> Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:00:01 PST The Tenth Muse), then follow it with toasty signed editions of Dave Eggers's What Is the What, Mark Strausman and Pino Luongo's Two Meatballs in the Italian Kitchen (yum!), and Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert. Then we've got an embarrassment of Dean Koontz riches in time for his latest, The Darkest Evening of the Year: an exclusive video from the author, an original essay, and an INK Q&A! Add to that original essays from Esther Perel (Mating in Captivity), Nina Burleigh (Mirage), and Elizabeth Little (Biting the Wax Tadpole); an INK Q&A from New York Times-bestselling master of fantasy George R. R. Martin (Dreamsongs Volume 1 and Volume 2); and guest bloggers Miriam Peskowitz and Andrea Buchanan (The Daring Book for Girls) and Christopher Moore (The Stupidest Angel) — and we feel ready to face the cold!]]> Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:00:01 PST holiday catalog to help you with your shopping needs, with something for every book lover on your list! And if you aren't ready to face another onslaught of those holiday jingles, we've got a free Putamayo world music download to play while stringing up tinsel. We also have a cornucopia of great reading and amazing deals in this newsletter, beginning with our interview with Steven Pinker (The Stuff of Thought); a trio of signed editions; essays by Daniel Walker Howe (What Hath God Wrought), Yannick Murphy (Signed, Mata Hari), and Daniel Lord Smail (On Deep History and the Brain); INK Q&As by Steve Erickson (Zeroville) and Cesar "The Dog Whisperer" Millan (Be the Pack Leader); and much more!]]> Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:00:01 PST Musicophilia) to signed first editions of the latest from Susan Faludi (The Terror Dream) and Garrison Keillor (Pontoon). Plus, original essays from Molly Gloss (The Hearts of Horses) and Poe Ballantine (501 Minutes to Christ); Q&As from Michael Chabon (Gentlemen of the Road), Alan Lightman (Ghost), and Ha Jin (A Free Life); guest bloggers Lauren Weedman (A Woman Trapped in a Woman's Body) and PostSecret.com's Frank Warren (A Lifetime of Secrets); and more.]]> Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:00:01 PST Abstinence Teacher author whose interview you'll find below. Dave and Darin were embarrassed to learn they'd both dressed as Richard Russo, while Nathan actually came as a signed first edition of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author's latest novel, Bridge of Sighs. Other costumes included Ann Patchett (Run), Frances Moore Lappé (Getting a Grip), Dean Cycon (Javatrekker), and Rudolph Delson (Maynard and Jennica). C. J. got to dress as a vampire in honor of guest blogger Ben Templesmith's 30 Days of Night, while Kenneth C. Davis (Don't Know Much about Anything) was represented by the giant question mark Jill wore on her head. We aren't sure who Fup was supposed to be — she just lay around in her usual fur coat and watched the rest of us with obvious bemusement.]]> Wed, 17 Oct 2007 00:00:01 PST