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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
Deb Rhodes has commented on (29) products
Accidental Tourist
by
Anne Tyler
Deb Rhodes
, July 26, 2018
This may be my favorite Anne Tyler novel. I love her portrayal of Macon, a man who lives his life with such precise regimen that he is effectively shielded from the messiness of human lives. That is, until he loses his son and his wife, and meets the quirky, unpredictable Muriel. It's not just that Muriel is much younger than he, it's that her outlook on life is at such odds with his staid existence, his too-easy acceptance of whatever life throws his way. He is at times intrigued and repulsed by her, never knowing what she's going to say or do next. One thing's for sure, with the advent of Muriel in his world things will never be the same again. This novel is a poignant and sometimes amusing look at love in the midst of a deep and constant grief.
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Two Faced An Elaine Hope Mystery
by
A R Ashworth
Deb Rhodes
, May 14, 2018
I’m alone now. This three word opening to Two Faced (the sequel to A.R. Ashworth’s Souls of Men) pulls no punches. With this short sentence the reader is immediately brought into Elaine Hope’s new normal. What her world looks like now is nothing compared to was it was when she first began investigating the vicious murder of a fifteen year old girl. I admired Elaine’s strength and grit in Souls of Men, where she first begins the investigation that nearly took her life. In Two Faced, I found myself drawn even more to this complex woman who wrestles daily with self-condemnation, guilt, and an all-consuming need to not be pitied. My affection for her deepened as her determination to be independent clashed with a growing need to allow someone to be her soft place to fall. Her near brush with death has left her feeling raw and vulnerable, not at all sure she’ll be able to continue the relationship with Peter, the man she’d begun to care for before violence nearly destroyed her. While confined to desk duty and conducting her own secret investigation on the side, Hope crosses paths with the rich and miserable Fiona whose life has also taken a turn for the worse. Their stories become intertwined as both contend with forces beyond their control which will either break them, or hone them into stronger versions of themselves. Hope fights with every fiber of her being against her physical and emotional limitations. I love this about her; she’s a fighter not a victim. Peter is beyond patient with her, but he eventually reaches the point where he isn’t willing to be left hanging indefinitely, which I found credible. And Fiona? She is spirited, but sickened by the masquerade of lies her marriage has become. Ashworth has gone deeper with this book, exploring the underside of human nature in a way that makes the story throb with life. His women are strong, always evolving in ways that test their truest selves. This is one suspense novel that is so finely tuned and rich with credible characters that it will stay with me a good long while.
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Souls of Men An Elaine Hope Novel
by
A R Ashworth
Deb Rhodes
, May 03, 2018
Souls of Men is a crisp suspense novel debuting veteran detective Elaine Hope. When a fifteen year old girl is found murdered in East London, Hope and her team enter the dark hunt for the vicious killer. Hope is a realistic mixture of gritty and vulnerable. Finding herself drawn to a man who was a suspect in the earlier stages of the investigation, it's obvious that she is much more comfortable in her professional persona than in the confusing arena of romance. She is courageous tracking a murderer, even as more bodies show up, but will she be able to bring the same courage into her personal life and allow someone in? Ashworth's dexterity at mingling a tightly woven plot with credible character development kept my interest from flagging, and his ability to portray Elaine Hope as the beautifully flawed woman she is made it possible for me to emotionally connect with her. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good suspense, richly drawn characters, and a female protagonist who is strong without being a bitch, and vulnerable without being a victim.
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The Betrayal
by
Laura Elliot
Deb Rhodes
, August 05, 2017
I'm beginning to think no one explores the nuances of relationships quite like Laura Elliot. Her novels are studies in human nature. What makes us human and how do our interactions with one another determine our path in life? I felt that Nadine, who is suffering a bit of the empty nest syndrome, was a protagonist easy to identify with. She is the glue that holds her family together, the kind of person so many of us women become as we raise our families, love our spouses as best we can, and yearn for, perhaps, something just a little bit more. Nadine and Jake got married for the typical reason most young couples do, and now she remembers that they had agreed that if they were not happy together after all their kids flew the nest they would let one another go. This in itself would not have been such a big deal--after all, she and Jake gave their all to their marriage and their children, and could go their separate ways amicably--if not for someone from the past who is intent on destroying Nadine's family. In the beginning this person doesn't seem much like a threat, more of a nuisance than anything. But as she begins setting into motion a series of actions aimed at hurting Nadine to the core, the entire family must band together against what has become more than an idle threat. They must fight evil itself. There is nothing predictable about this novel. I was never quite sure how things would go which left lots of room for my intrigue to grow. This is the kind of story I will be wanting to read more than once. And Laura Elliot is quickly becoming my new favorite author.
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Missing Pieces
by
Joy Fielding
Deb Rhodes
, June 14, 2017
Joy Fielding has long been one of my favorite authors, and Missing Pieces is just one of many reasons why. In this novel she portrays a family struggling to keep its equilibrium while slowly unraveling. At its center is wife and mother, therapist Kate Sinclair, a woman with just the right words to encourage her patients as they struggle through personal struggles, but who is not so adept at dealing with the forces ripping apart her own family. When Kate's sister, Jo Lynn, becomes involved with a serial killer it sets into motion a series of events that tests family loyalties. Torn between wanting to support her sister but not being able to endorse this baffling romance, Kate's disapproval comes between them, and creates a wedge between her and her oldest daughter, Sara, who sides with her aunt. Add to this Kate's confused mother, recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's, a younger daughter who feels she has to be perfect to make up for her older sister's snotty attitude, and a husband who becomes more aloof every day and it's no wonder Kate is strongly tempted to begin an affair with an old high school flame who sweeps into town--and tries to sweep her off her feet. I loved the fast moving plot and the strong personalities in this novel. This family could be just about any family in crisis because this story is told with warmth, a wry humor and honesty.
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Garden of Last Days
by
Andre III Dubus
Deb Rhodes
, June 01, 2017
The Garden of Last Days is a book packed full of intriguing characters, all of them in one form or another on a different road in life than what they'd planned. When April, a divorced stripper, takes her 3 year old daughter to work one night, she sets in motion a chain of events that will forever change many lives. This is the type of novel that grows on you as you read it. The plot is expertly interwoven and we're told the story from many different points of view. Having just finished reading it, I can look back and see that the author made a good choice in using many narrators. Because the characters portrayed are all so uniquely themselves, the story is all the more richer for their varied perspectives. There is a depth here I don't think could have been achieved by using a single point of view. This is now one of my favorite novels. I'd read House of Sand and Fog by Dubus and loved it, but in my opinion The Garden of Last Days surpasses it on so many levels.
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The Soul of Kindness
by
Elizabeth Taylor
Deb Rhodes
, May 23, 2017
This is another gem by the English novelist, Elizabeth Taylor. With her usual wit Taylor depicts the self-love of the narcissistic Flora, a woman wholly unfit for adulthood, let alone marriage and motherhood. Flora is not the typical narcissist in that she exudes the air of one who is only interested in the good of others. She simply wants to help, and can't understand what could be wrong that. At the same time she is pretty helpless in living her own life, thus frustrating those who love her and burdening them with the constant need to assure her that nothing is ever her fault. This is penetrating look at how such a personality interacts with others and impacts their lives will long be a favorite of mine for many reasons--but especially for what Taylor says between the lines.
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Bishops Mantle
by
Agnes Turnbull
Deb Rhodes
, May 19, 2017
This novel explores the landscape of faith and the human heart. The characters are so real that it's hard to believe they are fictional. Hil, a man of the cloth, falls wildly in love with Lex, a charming and beautiful young woman who is not in the slightest religiously inclined, but she does adores him. Hil finds himself tested as his love for this impetuous woman clashes with his duties to his God. He longs desperately to make her his wife but is this possible when they have nothing spiritually in common? Through a cast of characters full of life, and sometimes just as frustrating as those we know in real life, Turnball takes Hil and Lex through credible circumstances that test their love and courage. There is nothing predictable about this book. Every time I thought I knew what would become of this or that situation I was proven wrong, and yet the outcome was entirely believable. I would recommend this novel to anyone whose reading tastes tend toward characters who wrestle with deep issues of the heart.
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Lullaby For The Nameless
by
Sandra Ruttan
Deb Rhodes
, April 24, 2017
Lullaby for the Nameless captured me from the first sentence. This is crime fiction at its best, with everything you could hope for in such a novel. The aptly drawn characters are each tormented by something in their past that drives them to near despair. There are secrets here, plenty of them, and intrigue and a plot so unexpected that I was never able to predict what might be around the next corner. Sandra Ruttan has created a world full of ordinary people who just happen to be the good guys trying to solve ghastly murders while attempting to come to terms with their own histories, and the bad guys they pursue. The pain they struggle through is raw and dark and totally credible. I would recommend this mystery for anyone who like a story action packed from start to finish--and full of characters that are relatable and well worth rooting for.
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Tree Of Hands
by
Ruth Rendell
Deb Rhodes
, April 12, 2017
This is one of my favorite Ruth Rendell novels that I try to read once a year. This story is written very matter of factly, which I think was a good choice on Rendell's part for it underscores the ominous forces at work in the lives of three mothers. One of these mothers has been battling mental illness for decades, and this contributes to the course of events that are about to shake many lives to their very foundations. This is the kind of story that contains a delicious mix of mystery and sorrow culminating in a kidnapping and, inevitably, murder.
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A Wreath of Roses. by Elizabeth Taylor
by
Elizabeth Taylor
Deb Rhodes
, April 11, 2017
I loved this novel centering on an English summer holiday shared by two old friends, Liz and Camilla. The characters in this novel are colorful and intriguing, and (as is true in life) most of them haven't a clue as to what the others are really thinking, or what motivates them. Camilla and Liz have a feeling of estrangement between them for the first time, though neither could say exactly why for they haven't quarreled. Richard, the strange man Camilla has been sort of seeing on the sly, is not in the habit of telling the truth about anything. Perhaps because of this she finds him challenging and hard to let go of when she knows it would be in her best interest. Liz's husband, a clergyman, proves to be a trial to Camilla and to Liz a constant source of worry and obstinacy. She wants to please him but at the same time chafes at the duties expected of her as his wife. Their summer hostess, Frances, wants nothing more but to spend her days painting, but she shuns the typical trappings of an artistic lifestyle, deliberately not allowing herself to act like an artist. She is at an age when physical limitations begin to slow her down and she realizes that she is probably about to paint her last painting ever. These characters (and more) populate this novel that carries its own deceptively delicate rhythm. Once more Elizabeth Taylor triumphs in showing us the inner lives of every day people.
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Jean & Johnny
by
Beverly Cleary
Deb Rhodes
, April 08, 2017
I first read this book when I was 12; that was decades ago, but the issues that Jean, the heroine, deals with are ones that teen girls today still find challenging. Jean is a bit shy, doesn't know how to fit in at school, and considers herself lacking in charm and grace. When the handsome, popular Johnny asks her to dance one evening her world is turned upside down. Her entire universe now revolves around Johnny, and how to keep his attention. How far will she go to win his love? Will she drop her loyal best friend now that Johnny occassionally walks her home from school, and will she put up with his inconsideration just because he is so handsome, and she is desperate to win his love? This is my all-time Beverly Cleary favorite. I read it at least once a year, and enjoy it every time.
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Bad Boy
by
Peter Robinson
Deb Rhodes
, December 13, 2015
This is Robinson at his finest. When Inspector Banks' daughter Tracy goes missing, all hell breaks loose. I've come to expect interesting plot twists from this author, as well as characters who are credible. This book doesn't disappoint. I always appreciate the fact that Robinson's writing is lacking in melodrama and cliches. This is one writer I will never tire of reading.
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Ethan Frome
by
Edith Wharton
Deb Rhodes
, December 09, 2015
This is one of those novels I read every winter. This tale of love turned to tragedy, which is told with simplicity against the harsh landscape of a New England winter, is moving and credible. There isn't one wasted word here. My heart goes out to Ethan, who despairs of ever experiencing the pleasures of true love, but I also can't help but be touched by his wife's cold-hearted nature which prevents her from being able to either give or receive love.
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Charles Dickens
by
Claire Tomalin
Deb Rhodes
, March 25, 2015
As a lifetime Dickens fan, I totally immersed myself in this biography, done with such intelligence and depth. Claire Tomalin's knowledge of her subject is thorough, and infused with empathy and humor. I would recommend this book for anyone wanting an in depth rendering of the life and genius of Charles Dickens.
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Seventh Heaven
by
Alice Hoffman
Deb Rhodes
, September 29, 2014
If I could read only one book a year, I would choose Seventh Heaven by Alice Hoffman. This novel is written straightforwardly, but with such beauty that it has a lyrical quality about it. Nora Silk, divorced mother of two, buys a suburban home and promptly becomes the only divorcee' in the neighborhood. Her very presence in the early 1960's community is a threat to every married woman, and a source of wistful dreams for many of their husbands. Nora has a big heart, more than eager to make friends and establish herself in the community, but it isn't going to be easy to win over the housewives who are more eager to judge than to accept.
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View Of The Harbour
by
Elizabeth Taylor
Deb Rhodes
, September 28, 2014
As usual Elizabeth Taylor's insightful take on human nature never fails to disappoint. In this novel we are introduced to a group of misfits from a small coastal village. These neighbors keep tabs on one another, perhaps because life in the village is slow and uneventful, and often dull. With compassion and wit Ms. Taylor weaves together the tapestry of the lives which are more intertwined than they themselves would have thought.
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Small Sacrifices a True Story of Passion & Murder
by
Ann Rule
Deb Rhodes
, September 16, 2014
In this true story of obsessive love, Diane Downs does the unthinkable. She shoots her children in an attempt to work things out with her married lover, who has made it plain he doesn't want any kids. Anne Rule is at her best as she takes us through the harrowing night that tragedy strikes Diane's children, and how it effects everyone around them, from their grandparents to the medical personnel trying to save their young lives, to the detectives who work so tirelessly to win justice on behalf of the children. This is a chilling read, for it examines the heart, mind and motives of a woman living without a conscience or moral compass.
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Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne
by
Brian Moore
Deb Rhodes
, September 16, 2014
Brian Moore writes a compassionate, compelling tale of a spinster whose life slowly unravels. After her bedridden aunt dies, Judith Hearn discovers there is not near enough inheritance money to live on and so she sells the house, and takes to living in bed-sitting rooms. The loneliness of her life, compounded by her lack of physical beauty and charm (which might have gained her a companion) leads her to begin the habit of drinking cheap wine whenever she is especially discouraged. As the story progresses Judith's life begins spinning out of control. She still has the O'Neill family (for whom she worked years ago) to visit every Sunday. She doesn't really like them anymore than they like her, but she has built up a fantasy in her imagination that they find her fascinating and look forward to her weekly visits. In reality, the children all scatter when they know she's about to make another appearance, and their mother, Moira, can barely keep her eyes open during the dull visits. This tale of loneliness turned into self-pity is an honest rendering of the life of one who doesn't know how to fit in, and has over the years become her own worst enemy.
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The Hidden Writer: Diaries and the Creative Life
by
Alexandra Johnson
Deb Rhodes
, July 16, 2014
This volume is invaluable for female writers who are passionate about writing their lives down, and who seek to understand more fully their creative process. I found the chapters intriguing and inspiring, and was left with a greater sense of how important it is to write one's truth.
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Game of Hide & Seek
by
Elizabeth Taylor, Caleb Crain
Deb Rhodes
, July 15, 2014
The British writer, Elizabeth Taylor, has long been unappreciated in the world of fiction. Her novel, "A Game of Hide and Seek" is a wonderful example of the depth of her understanding of human psychology and the nuances of the relationships between men and women. Harriet falls in love with Vesey when they are teens. He is lazy and self-focused, fond of her in a vague sort of way. His aloofness increases her desire for his affections, which are few and far between. They go their separate ways without Vesey having declared his love for her. Harriet tells no one of her love for him; she holds it deep within her heart, marrying the older, less exciting Charles only because she despairs of ever seeing Vesey again. But of course he eventually pops up in her life again, resurrecting all those long-buried feelings she's tried so hard to ignore. Will she stay with her faithful, if boring, husband, or once more give her heart to the one least deserving of its affections?
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Ladder Of Years
by
Anne Tyler
Deb Rhodes
, May 23, 2013
This novel explores the landscape of marriage, as well as maternal ties. What would compel the mother of 3 teens to walk away from the emotional security of her long marriage, and motherhood, to begin a brand new life? With her usual love of human foibles, Anne Tyler tells this quirky story with humor and compassion. What I love best about her novels is that you can always see how her characters grow, glimpsing their true selves perhaps for the first time by the novel's end.
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Chilly Scenes of Winter
by
Ann Beattie
Deb Rhodes
, May 21, 2013
The 70's was an era of much social change, following on the heels of the turbulent, idealistic 60's. In Chilly Scenes of Winter, Anne Beattie explores the lives of twenty-somethings who can't seem to get their bearings. The characters in this novel are all seeking a sense of their unique identities, while with quiet desperation they struggle with feelings of apathy. The dialogue is realistic, the portrayal of characters about as flawless as any you'll come by in any work of fiction. The book is hauntingly beautiful, for while Beattie doesn't pull any punches she doesn't leave these individuals without a sense of humor, nor the hope of some day coming into their own.
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Turtle Moon
by
Alice Hoffman
Deb Rhodes
, May 21, 2013
Turtle Moon explores the vast landscape of human emotions and relationships, and what can only be called redemption. The meanest boy in town doesn't care what anyone thinks of him--but one night his true character is tested when he becomes a younger child's rescuer. This novel contains lots of lonely divorced women and, for one of them, murder. Never sensationalistic in her writing style, Hoffman's approach to the darker side of human nature is matter of fact and true to life. As with her other novels, Turtle Moon is written with the kind of magic of which we've come to expect from her work.
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Beginners Goodbye A Novel
by
Anne Tyler
Deb Rhodes
, May 21, 2013
The Beginner's Goodbye is a quiet little novel that explores the nuances of grief, and how we see ourselves in the wake of the loss of a loved one. With her customary form, Anne Tyler writes with understated drama of the hopes, dreams and heartaches of human relationships. This tale is deceptively simple; beneath the surface lies a depth of compelling emotion, expressed through one man's attempts to come to terms with his unexpected role of widower.
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Set This House in Order A Romance of Souls
by
Matt Ruff
Deb Rhodes
, January 01, 2013
This tale of what it's like living with multiplicity (or Dissociative Identity Disorder, as it is now commonly called) is a wild ride into the mind of one who experiences life as many different personalities, or "souls" as the body's host refers to them. The author's ability to create so many fascinating characters, as well as his skill in keeping them (and the intricate plot) all straight, is stunning. His creative abilities seem boundless, and his powers of description are a pure delight.
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Cruel Harvest: A Memoir
by
Fran Grubb
Deb Rhodes
, September 07, 2012
Fran Grubb’s memoir, Cruel Harvest, might have been slated to be no more than a dark, depressing tale of woe, were it not for her underlying determination to survive. Coupled with an unshakeable faith in God, that determination saw her through the type of horrific childhood which nearly defies belief. That evil can hold an entire family in its iron grip for so many years, and yet be the means of molding the likes of Fran Grubb is a powerful testament to the reality that God is deeper, broader and more comprehensive than all the forces of hell combined. This book inspires, moves to tears, but never sinks to the level of sensationalism to which a memoir can easily fall into. To read this book is to acquaint oneself with a modern-day hero.
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Blue Nights
by
Joan Didion
Deb Rhodes
, January 25, 2012
In Blue Nights Joan Didion steadfastly refuses to explain away suffering, or to present neatly tied ends by the book's conclusion. What she does do, and with beautifully haunting prose, is share her journey of sorrow without glossing over its ravagings. She considers her readers intelligent enough to not want to insult them with the kind of half-truths which render any memoir dull and trite.
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Lucky
by
Alice Sebold
Deb Rhodes
, September 30, 2011
In Lucky Sebold writes of her rape, at the age of 18, with intelligence and candor, refusing to plunge into a well of self-pity. There is humor here, and a briskness of style which makes for an interesting, absorbing read. If it's not what happens to us, but how we respond to the tribulations and traumas in life, then we have every reason to believe that Sebold will go beyond survival to become all the more strong because of these very sufferings.
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