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A graduate of Pacific University and a non-graduate of Brandeis University, Portland State University, and Arizona State University, Erik has spent an awful lot of time going to school for a simple — and useless? — degree in creative writing and literature (with an equally worthless minor in philosophy). After getting his degree, Erik spent five years wandering amongst child care and corporate bookstores before finding his way to Powell's Catacombs warehouse, where he currently enjoys the power he wields as the Triage Tyrant of Catacombs. Erik has recently married, causing him to believe that his "brief stay" (ten years and counting) in Oregon is likely to go on for quite a while. Erik's taste in books leans towards highfalutin lit (because he's a ridiculous elitist) and graphic novels and comic strip collections (because he's a geek). He is glad to be writing these picks; now he can claim to be making use of his degree. (Feel free to let Erik know what you think of his picks at ericb@burnside.powells.com)
by Richard Russo  For those readers who loved Straight Man and Empire Falls, you will find familiar subject matter. Really familiar. Two of the stories in Russo's new book, his first collection of short stories, are different ways of looking at some of the same events that took place in Straight Man and Empire Falls. But for those who are not familiar with Russo and his blue collar, small-town folk, welcome to this wonderful world. There are surprises around every corner: a nun who cannot write fiction but cannot bring herself to stop writing in her creative writing class; a young boy who flees across the country with his mother, only to discover he has no idea as to the real reason why; a retiring professor who is not nearly as capable of taking care of his life as he would like to think. As with all of his novels, there is a great deal of humor offset by some truly somber scenes. If you have never encountered Russo, never met the likes of Ned Hall (of Risk Pool) or Hank Devereaux Jr. (of Straight Man), then come on in and welcome to a world of humor, a world of pain, a world where brilliant, straightforward writing is the medium and Richard Russo is the creator. 
by A. S. Byatt For years I talked about Holden Caulfield and Rob Fleming as the only two characters in literature I ever identified with, the only two I ever read about and thought, "That is my life." Then I read Possession. Then I met Roland Michell. As I read the book, I devoured every word, trying to decide if Byatt was a masterful author, an insightful literary critic, or a brilliant poet, and in the end deciding on all three. I flew through the book, knowing I would have to complete it before the movie was released, only to find myself absolutely compelled to turn every page. This is the first book of the year that kept drawing me back since Kavalier and Clay. Then I hit the last fifty pages. What Roland goes through in the last fifty pages, the choices he is forced to make with his life, where to go, how to proceed, these were indeed the self-same choices I had been facing for the last two years. At that point it was no longer just a brilliant book; it was speaking to me in a way only Catcher in the Rye and High Fidelity had spoken to me before. Perhaps it will not speak to you as it spoke to me, but perhaps it will, for this is a powerful, masterfully written book, and believe me, it does speak.
by Salman Rushdie Everyone knows about Satanic Verses by now. Indeed, when all is said and done, it will be unfortunate if Rushdie is remembered more for the fatwah then for the brilliance of that novel, perhaps the best novel written in the 1980s. Many people also know about Midnight's Children, his brilliant book that won the "Booker of Bookers": the best book awarded the Booker in the first 25 years of the prize. Some even know about Ground Beneath Her Feet and Fury, his last two novels, one about rock and roll, and one, ostensibly, about New York City. Not enough people offbeat know about The Moor's Last Sigh. It might be Rushdie's best book. It might be the best book of the 1990s. It captures all of Rushdie's brilliance: his offbeat, surreal sense of humor; his powerful sense of narrative; his desire to write intelligently about the complexities of his native country of India; his sense of wandering; and his hope of finding a permanent home. At its heart, Moor's Last Sigh is the story of a spice trading family, a long chronicle of the hatreds and passions which drive the family apart, sending "the Moor," the last child of this family, on a desperate quest from India to Spain. When all is said and done, perhaps people will look at this book, and at his other brilliant work, and remember Rushdie for what he has been: one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, one who never stopped daring to take new steps.
by Philip Roth I will say this right up front: Philip Roth is America's greatest living writer. And with the possible exceptions of Salman Rushdie and Gabriel García Márquez, he is the world's greatest living writer. Everyone in literary circles (and most people in nonliterary circles) knows Roth by now. The author of Goodbye Columbus, the supposed "self-hating Jew." The author of Portnoy's Complaint, one of the funniest books ever written. The winner of nearly every major literary award in the '90s: the Pen/Faulkner, the National Book Award, the Pulitzer. I will say this here: The Ghost Writer is Roth's best book. Published in 1979, the first of the Zuckerman Trilogy, The Ghost Writer introduces us to the young author, Nathan Zuckerman as he spends a weekend at the house of the brilliant writer E. I. Lonoff and a woman who may or may not be Anne Frank. The Ghost Writer is a short book, a powerful book, a funny book, a book that encompasses everything about Philip Roth's writing, Nathan Zuckerman's writing, and the relationship between the two that has since developed through many novels, until the brilliant postmodern communiqué between them at the conclusion of The Facts. Philip Roth is our greatest living writer. The Ghost Writer is his best book. Treasure them both.
by Aaron McGruder Unfortunately, The Boondocks is not carried in the Oregonian, our local paper. This is unfortunate because Boondocks is a Doonesbury for the nineties: a sharp political commentary disguised as a comic strip. Fortunately for everyone, though, Boondocks is available in a collection. Huey and Riley are two young African American kids growing up in the suburban sprawl of Woodcrest with their grandfather, who forces them to attend (of all places) J. Edgar Hoover Elementary School. Huey is an up and coming revolutionary, whereas Riley is too concerned about "keeping it real" and considers Huey's efforts to politicize him as evidence that Huey is simply a geek. Much like the characterization in Doonesbury, this is just an excuse for McGruder to give us some of the best political commentary to be found in any section of the newspaper. Here's hoping that before too long we in Portland can enjoy it on a daily basis.
by Jan Eliot When a number of people in Eugene went to 12th and Alder looking for a "new Krispy Kreme," it was not just evidence that Krispy Kreme is fantastic, but also that people had been reading Stone Soup. After all, it was the mention of such a store at that address by Eugene comic strip writer Jan Eliot that caused such a gathering in the first place. The family of Val, Alix, and Holly works hard to make ends meet. They drive each other nuts, especially with Aunt Joan and Uncle Wally next door and Gramma upstairs. They strive to learn how people grow up when they are constantly bumping up against each other. But they are nice people, the kind you would like to meet, and they are funny and they are, most of all, true to life. And we can all thank Oregon's comic stip treasure, Jan Eliot, for bringing them to us everyday. And for anyone who wants to catch up, anyone who doesn't get Stone Soup in their paper, or best of all, for anyone who just loves the strip, this, the third collection, is a must have.
by Matt Groening I hate television, but I love The Simpsons.And I'm not the only one. The Simpsons is the most intelligent show on television and millions know it. Portland certainly knows it: Matt Groening is from Portland and many of the characters on the show are named after Portland streets. Every devoted Simpsons fan should own this book. Complete through the 1997 season (there is a small second guide and a third one to be released later this year), this is a wonderful record of all the trivia, great quotes, and wonderful moments from the show, not to mention a full list of all the couch gags and what Bart writes on the chalkboard.
by Alan Moore To call The Watchmen a graphic novel is to not understand the complexities of its story. The Watchmen is a dark, brooding novel, full of unrelenting characters, a bitter sense of humor, and a cynical worldview It's just a coincidence that it is a novel about superheroes so Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, and Barry Marx decided to draw it instead of just putting the text on paper. Alan Moore is one of the most talented people to ever work in comics, the dark, brooding genius who has given us The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and From Hell. In The Watchmen he gives us a dark group of superheroes that perhaps cause more problems for the world than they solve. When one of them is murdered, it begins a chain of events that will lead to the deaths of over three million people and, perhaps, a new world order. A "superhero" graphic novel that changed the way the genre is looked at long before Neil Gaiman came along, this is one not to be missed.
by Frank Miller, illus. by David Mazzucchelli He is a blind man whose other four senses are superhuman. He is a lawyer about to have his life ripped away from him. He is a good, honest, decent man, who is about to be pushed over the edge. As he says: "My name is Matt Murdock. I live in Hell's Kitchen and I do my best to keep it clean. That's all you need to know." Except he is also Daredevil, one of the most interesting comic book characters to ever emerge from Marvel Comics. Born Again is the definitive Daredevil tale, the only that catapulted the title to the height of its popularity. It is the story of how one villain manages to drive a hero to the brink of insanity and of how he fights his way back.
by Chris Claremont It was the early '80s and the rule for comic book readers (before the highly publicized deaths of Flash, Supergirl and later, Robin) was that someone who was dead never stayed dead. I never had to worry about any of my favorite characters dying, at least not for real. Then my brother gave me The Dark Phoenix Saga to read and everything changed. To read X-Men now, you might never know that once upon a time the character of Jean Grey was called Phoenix and that she was the most powerful being, perhaps, in the universe. She became so powerful that it corrupted her absolutely and she destroyed an entire galaxy. She was also a member of the group of mutants known as the X-Men. And she was in love with its leader: Scott Summers, Cyclops. And her love for him, his love for her, perhaps saved the entire universe. This is the classic X-Men story that blew apart the comic world: the original rise to full power of Phoenix, the corruption as she became Dark Phoenix and the battle which almost destroyed the X-Men. Powered by the now classic new X-Men lineup of Cyclops, Phoenix, Storm, Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Collosus this is also the storyline that introduced Dazzler and Kitty Pryde. I learned that a great character can die. Unfortunately, years later, I learned that the character will be brought back, but Marvel's back stepping didn't change the impact of Phoenix's death the first time I read it, oh those many years ago, when my brother came home from college and said, "you might like this, Erik."
by Mark Waid Imagine a world where the best of heroes have turned their backs on man. A world where Superman lives in quiet solitude. Where Batman rules Gotham City through martial law. Where Wonder Woman is exiled from Paradise Island for failing to bring peace to the world of man. A world where a final battle is brewing, an apocalyptic battle between good and evil, between all the super powers when the common man must decide where his place is in this new world. Kingdom Come brings all of this together, highlighting the differences in philosophy between Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman that were first brought to light in The Dark Knight Returns, a powerful look at a world where those with the super powers rule and the rest of mankind is forced to endure and die — or must take power into its own hands. Drawn in a set of paintings, different from the standard superhero comic book art, this is a powerful tale of dangerous powers intersecting.
by Herge Growing up with the Tintin books, it was difficult to find copies of the books we didn't have. It is gratifying to see now that Tintin has his own web site and stores around the world devoted to him (and even, along with Asterix, his own subsection in our store). Of all the Tintin stories, this was always my favorite. It's one of
the earlier adventures and makes a great introduction to Tintin. The
young reporter and his dog Snowy investigate political misdoings in the country
of Syldavia. A metaphor for the events going on in Europe in the '30s, the is
a fantastic adventure story: it's easy to read and is usually available in a
number of different languages (not surprising, since the Tintin books
were all originally written in French). When I was in high school, I helped
myself learn Spanish by taking a Spanish version of a Tintin book and
translating it and then checking it against my English copy. A great story,
a fun read, and a great beginning to a Tintin collection.
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