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Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
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Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
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Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
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Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
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Customer Comments
Wendy Beckman has commented on (4) products
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
by
Larson, Erik
Wendy Beckman
, August 21, 2015
"Dead Wake: The Crossing of the Lusitania," Erik Larson's latest historical nonfiction, is a masterpiece. It is also a master class for any would-be writer of historical nonfiction in how to juggle research, back story, anecdote, and revelation. Many of us grew up thinking that the sinking of the "Lusitania," a luxurious British cruise ship, drew the United States into World War I because of the shocking, heinous, and unprovoked attack on a civilian vessel that was carrying Americans. What Larson reveals through his extensive research into all the "players" on this world stage is that the Germans pretty much came out and said they would attack the Lusitania. The details are almost as shocking as the attack itself. Although Larson's past works have crossed the line of nonfiction into fiction by his use of conjecture (such as including the thoughts of a woman who died alone without pen and paper nearby: she could not have possibly written her thoughts down), there are no instances of such "creative license" here. "Dead Wake" will enlighten, engage, and enrage you.
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Poxland
by
Bryan Cassiday
Wendy Beckman
, June 13, 2015
Poxland, by Bryan Cassiday, is an interesting take on the zombie apocalypse scenario. (I was given a review copy.) Is the Federal government involved? Added to the zombie mess that survivors have to deal with is another twist: radiation from the atomic bombs the government dropped to get rid of the zombies. Cassiday's story and story-telling are engaging, and his descriptions of setting are great. The reader can feel as if he or she is right there, choking on dust along with the survivors. Many scenes made me feel quite claustrophobic! His knowledge of weapons and government and military operations gives a strong feeling of authenticity to the work. The biggest negative I would note is Cassiday's extensive vocabulary. It threw me out of the tale each time I had to go look up a word (and friends tease me because of my "fancy vocabulary"!). When I volunteered as a librarian in an elementary school, I learned that librarians tell young people that if they have to look up five words, the book they're reading is too advanced for them. If I went by that rule on Poxland, I would have had to stop reading less than halfway through. Bottom line: good read if you have ready access to a dictionary or thesaurus.
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Freedom
by
Jonathan Franzen
Wendy Beckman
, May 12, 2011
Like a horrible bloody accident involving a car that you think you recognize, "Freedom" by Jonathan Franzen was nearly impossible for me to tear my eyes away from, yet I found myself disgusted at what my eyes were taking in as I read. I couldn't wait to put it down while I quickly turned the pages. His writing is mostly captivating, through all 562 pages of it, though when the reader is faced with six- and eight-page stretches of straight exposition I have to admit that I started skimming. Thank god I was already married when this book came out or I would have shot myself at the altar or had an affair with one of the groomsmen just to get it over with. I suppose all of us are faced with moral dilemmas most days of our lives, through which we question our choices and wonder if it wouldn't be easier to open a hot dog stand on the beach. But jeez, if that's what "freedom" is, I need better antidepressants.
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Good Thief
by
Hannah Tinti
Wendy Beckman
, January 05, 2011
At first I bought this book thinking that one of my sons might like it. I kept it in my car as my "traffic jam" book -- to be read when caught in traffic jams, when waiting for the car pool, etc. Then I found myself hoping for traffic jams, eagerly eyeing the book at red lights and sitting in the driveway after I had shut the car off catching up on a few pages. I absolutely could not put the book down. I had to bring it inside and make it my #1 reading book. So many loose ends were strewn about the place that I could not imagine their being sewn up -- but I needed to trust in Tinti's sure hand. It is exciting right to the end. There were just two scenes of nudity that I thought didn't add to the story that made me think Tinti had lived in a literary world too long, given her day job as editor of an adult magazine. Otherwise, The Good Thief would be enjoyed by adults as well as children from tweens on up.
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