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Staff Picks
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The Plover by Brian Doyle Staff Pick The Plover is not exactly a sequel to Mink River — more of a companion piece — but fans of the latter will be thrilled to find out what happened to one of the most beloved characters. After sailing his little boat off the final pages of Mink River, the story of Declan O'Donnell continues in The Plover. Declan is a man of serious solitude, and he is pleased to be starting a journey of peace and quiet. But there is no quiet in Brian Doyle's head — it is full of magic, mutterings, and musings, and once these things are in motion, there is no stopping them. Before Declan knows what has hit him, he has a boat full of bodies — both human and otherwise — along for the ride, "...ranging in size from [enormous] to an infinitesimal acorn barnacle, just born as this sentence began, and no bigger than the period which is about to arrive, here." No, there will be no solitude for Declan — and how lucky for us. The Plover is a rambling, charming sea voyage, full of thrills, danger, and narrow escapes. It's also an excellent observation on the nature of things unseen: on what may be, on ideas, on imaginings, aspirations, and dreams. There is so much substance underneath Doyle's dazzling, rich language, I just wanted to read each sentence over and over until every whisper of nuance was absorbed, recognized, and experienced. Reading Doyle's writing is an enchanting discovery of how shattering and awe-inspiring language can be, and his literary contortions are both improbable and captivating at the same time. Remember the first book you loved as a child? Remember how you wished so hard you lived in that book? That feeling is Doyle's "normal," and we should all be so lucky to live in his world. |
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Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes Staff Pick This is Charlie's moving journal detailing both the extreme enhancement of his intellect by an experimental drug and his subsequent loss of intelligence. As I get older, I appreciate it even more for its insights into loss of abilities, because I see an analogy to aging. Recommended by Kathy H, Powells.com List Price $12.95 Your price: $8.50 Used - Trade Paper
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I Remember by Joe Brainard Staff Pick I remember the first time I read this funny, amazing book. I remember thinking: What is this? Is it poetry? Is it prose? Is there going to be a plot? Is the entire book going to be statements that begin with the same two words? I remember, a couple of pages later, not caring about my questions anymore. I remember turning the final page, and then immediately starting over because I couldn't bear for it to end. I remember buying every copy I came across, so I could hand it out to friends and still make sure I had one left for me. Recommended by Adam P., Powells.com Your price: $14.95 New - Trade Paper
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The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo by Tom Reiss Staff Pick The Black Count is the story of Alex Dumas, the father of Alexandre Dumas and inspiration for some of the best adventure fiction ever written. Alex Dumas's life is stranger than fiction in a time when hope for the common man, equality, and emancipation are vying to be the ideals of a revolution. Recommended by Desiree, Powells.com Your price: $16.00 New - Trade Paper
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Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel Staff Pick Fun Home is a memoir told in the form of a graphic novel, a collage of comic artist Alison Bechdel's impressions of her life — from her childhood spent growing up in a funeral home to her college years discovering women and burying her closeted father. Bechdel layers her methodical drawings with precise, searching prose, allowing her readers to live beside her as she tries to make sense of herself in light of her father's secrets and possible suicide. Recommended by Caitlin D., Powells.com List Price $14.95 Your price: $8.00 Used - Trade Paper
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Broken Music by Sting Staff Pick Most celebrity musician memoirs amount to not much more than an inevitable litany of the excesses that come with the dubious position of rock star. Sting, however, makes the interesting (and refreshing) choice to stop his memoir right before The Police hit it big. While the opening recollection of his first experience with the entheogen ayahuasca is worth the price of admission alone, Broken Music unfolds itself into a wonderfully written memoir. Melancholic and beautiful, the story of the people, places, and events that carried Sting to the world stage is a rewarding experience no matter how one feels about his musical output. Recommended by Brian S., Powells.com List Price $14.00 Your price: $2.50 Used - Trade Paper
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Cunt: A Declaration of Independence by Inga Muscio and Betty Dodson Staff Pick This book is for any woman who has been frustrated at the world but doesn't know why. Muscio is unforgiving and blunt in her delivery of her fantastically liberating experiences that make her a woman. Relatable, funny, and completely shocking at times, this headfirst dive into feminism will leave you empowered to take on the inequalities that people face every day. Recommended by Kalii, Powells.com List Price $14.95 Your price: $8.00 Used - Trade Paper
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Little Green (Easy Rawlins Mysteries) by Walter Mosley Staff Pick Mystery is not a genre I dive into very often, but I always make an exception for the well-written characters of Walter Mosley: Socrates Fortlow, Fearless Jones, Leonid McGill, and — my favorite — Ezekiel "Easy" Rawlins. Over the course of 10 novels, spanning from 1948 to 1967, the L.A.-based black detective and World War II vet has solved murders while confronting the racial inequities that are sadly still a part of the African American experience. When the author appeared to kill off Rawlins in 2007's Blonde Faith, I mourned the end of a great series. But Mosley delighted his fans with Easy's return this past summer. In Little Green, Easy is cruising the Sunset Strip during the Summer of Love, recovering from his injuries as he investigates the disappearance of a young black man on a bad acid trip and his reappearance with over $200,000 he can't explain. If you're an Easy fan, reading Little Green is like slipping on a comfortable pair of shoes. All your favorite supporting players are back (plus a surprise return). And if you've never read the series, I urge you to start at the beginning with Devil in a Blue Dress. You won't be sorry. |
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The Faraway Nearby by Rebecca Solnit Staff Pick In The Faraway Nearby, Rebecca Solnit weaves seemingly disparate topics, from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to the birdman cult on Easter Island, with elements of her own life: her mother's advancing Alzheimer's, the collapse of a long-term relationship, a brush with cancer. The result is a book that is as fluid and boundless as a dream, and just as revealing. Solnit is a master at drawing connections in surprising ways, and in The Faraway Nearby, she marries the personal with the universal to create a fascinating read. Recommended by Renee P., Powells.com Your price: $25.95 New - Hardcover
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The Color Master: Stories by Aimee Bender Staff Pick With this new collection, Amy Bender reminds us why she is a master of the odd and surprising. I'd recommend The Color Master to anyone looking for a book that will thrill and linger and maybe wig you out a little. Her growing canon of stories is like an army that destroys boring writing. Recommended by Kevin S., Powells.com Your price: $25.95 New - Hardcover
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The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch Staff Pick Scads of witty dialogue, a story packed full of twists and turns, and two of the cheekiest thieves you'll ever meet... What more could a reader ask for? The Lies of Locke Lamora is the first book in the Gentleman Bastard series, and the two books that follow are equally entertaining. Scott Lynch weaves an absorbing tale that will whisk you right out of this world and keep you thoroughly entertained. Recommended by Mary Jo, Powells.com Your price: $7.99 New - Mass Market
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When She Woke by Hillary Jordan Staff Pick When She Woke is a particularly good nod to Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, but even more, it is a fabulous tale of self discovery. When Hannah Payne wakes up with red skin (a punishment as well as an indicator of her crime), it catapults her into a... (read more) List Price $14.95 Your price: $7.98 Sale - Trade Paper
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The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson Staff Pick An amazing history that recounts the inconceivable events surrounding the Chicago World's Fair in 1893, Larson's tale captures a time and place that vividly come to life. The central characters in this tale are Daniel H. Burnham, the architect... (read more) List Price $16.00 Your price: $6.95 Used - Trade Paper
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MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood Staff Pick In the powerful finale to her too-close-for-comfort dystopian/apocalyptic trilogy (following the mind-blowingly awesome Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood), Atwood leaves us with an epic tale filled with survival, humor, and — ultimately — hope. If you haven't read Oryx and Crake yet, go buy it immediately. And save yourself a second trip by grabbing The Year of the Flood and MaddAddam while you're at it. You can thank me later. Recommended by Kim, Powells.com List Price $27.95 Your price: $19.57 Sale - Hardcover
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You Can't Win by Jack Black Staff Pick Train hopping, diamond heists, safe cracking, jailbreaks, hobo conventions, opium dens, and murder are littered throughout these pages. Jack Black recounts his stories of organized and honorable thievery in the waning years of the Wild West with such a romantic charm that it's hard not to fall in love with the many characters surrounding his journey. Surprisingly insightful, this book makes a good companion to Iceberg Slim's Pimp. Recommended by Paul J., Powells.com List Price $16.00 Your price: $10.95 Used - Trade Paper
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BestsellersTuesday,October 1, 2013 |
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