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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
SomewhatBent has commented on (6) products
Glass Butterfly
by
Louise Marley
SomewhatBent
, October 09, 2012
The Glass Butterfly by Louise Marley Kensington (2012), Edition: 1 Original, Paperback, 400 pages This book was received via the LibraryThing Early Reviewer Program. No spoilers. A skillfully woven pair of tales; one, the lengths a mother will go to save her son, the other, the loyalty and devotion of a servant in the household of composer Giacomo Puccini. Fast-paced despite the alternating perspectives, and, like all Marley books, expressing the author's love of music in a way completely integral to the story. You'll want to put on Madame Butterfly and settle in to read this delightful book.
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More than Petticoats Remarkable Washington Women 2nd Edition
by
L E Bragg
SomewhatBent
, January 04, 2012
More than Petticoats: Remarkable Washington Women, 2nd (More than Petticoats Series) by L. E. Bragg Globe Pequot (2010), Edition: Second, Paperback, 224 pages A fascinating collection of vignettes, featuring names familiar to almost any Washingtonian, and less familiar names, but women of significant accomplishments, provides a look at a collection of women who have shaped the culture, history and character of Washington from the 19th into the 21st centuries. Featuring stories from the founding days of Seattle to 21st century social activism we get a glimpse into lives such as Mary Ann Boren Denny, known as the “Mother of Seattle”, Thea Christiansen Foss, the original “Tugboat Annie” and founder of Foss Maritime, still operating the largest tugboat enterprise on the West Coast, to Mother Joseph, founder of Seattle's Sisters of Providence and Providence Hospital. Dr. Nettie J. Craig Asberry, the nation's first black woman to hold a Doctorate of Music (and thought to be the first doctoral degree in any subject) resided in Tacoma for many years providing not only instruction in music, but in social and cultural change. Further illuminating Washington culture is the iconic photographer Imogen Cunningham. Adding adventure are Fay Fuller, the first woman to summit Mount Rainier, Kathleen Rockwell, also known as “Klondike Kate” and Maude C. Lillie Bolin, aviatrix, cowgirl and rodeo performer. Washington's first female judge, Justice Reah Mary Whitehead, Seattle's only female mayor, Bertha Knight Landes, Environmentalist and Social Activist Hazel Wolf and a host of others share drive, foresight, determination and colorful long lives to contribute significantly to Washington as we see it today. The author has done a thorough job of research and reconstruction of these ladies' lives as we know them. There are a few slightly rough and disjointed segments, but I suspect that is more due to lack of consistent source material than the author's effort. Even as a long-time Washington resident and history geek there are many places where I paused to say “Gee, I didn't know that”. Remarkable Washington Women, indeed.
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Left Neglected
by
Lisa Genova
SomewhatBent
, December 28, 2011
Left Neglected by Lisa Genova Gallery Books (2011), Paperback, 352 pages As I was reading this I had to keep reminding myself it was FICTION, not clinical history. Written by a neuroscientist it is much closer to fact than one might think. As someone who experienced a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) in 1986, a stroke in 2007 and a spinal cord injury in 2011 I could relate intimately to this story. The process of identifying and internalizing the nature and extent of the injury is just the beginning of a Physio/Rehab process that may be life long. Lisa Genova describes the experience and emotion with vivid (and amazingly accurate) intensity. She relates enormously complex processes with such detail that I'm willing to believe there's a real Sarah out there and I can find her exactly where the author says she is. A very strong work which gets into your head - in more ways than one. ** While the specific condition described in the book is, in fact, very rare, the process of identification and adaptation is true of many types of sudden onset neurological deficit. I would not hesitate to share this with family members and intend to suggest it be added to the resources at the Physio/Rehab facility that provided my own excellent care.
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What Happens in Vegas, Dies in Vegas
by
Mark Everett Stone
SomewhatBent
, December 21, 2011
What Happens in Vegas, Dies in Vegas (From the Files of the Bsi) by Mark Everett Stone Camel Press (2011), Paperback, 302 pages If you haven't read Book One of the BSI it will take a chapter or two to get oriented. Figuring out who does what and how; magic, mayhem or maven, but once you've got that in place the story flows quite smoothly. Stone does change perspectives every chapter or two, but it's generally clear who's voicing the tale at any given moment. That may give a challenge to those readers who are not accustomed to a multi-threaded perspective. Despite the title, most of the story does not take place in Vegas, though that is the nexus point from where things develop. Along the way we encounter people and places from the near and distant past. While undertaking their mission the team members are conscious of the Paradox Principal -- how much that they interfere in the past without irrevocably changing the future? Kal and Mouth make some interesting connections with people in the past who they'd recognize from their own future and have to figure out the best way to handle those alliances. In all a very well constructed paranormal thriller and I look forward to the next book in the BSI (Bureau of Supernatural Investigation) Series.
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Germline Subterrene War 1
by
T C McCarthy
SomewhatBent
, September 03, 2011
Germline (Subterrene War Trilogy, Book 1) T. C. McCarthy Orbit Mass Market Paperback. (2011), Edition: ARC This is an intense book. Intense enough that I had to read it twice before I could begin to fairly review it. It is set in a near future war-that-could-be. It is a strange sort of coming-of-age story about a Stars & Stripes reporter who has the assignment because his drug addiction and related screw-ups have effectively excluded him from any 'polite' reporting of the shiny upper echelons stationed in and around his home of Washington, DC. It is an extremely gritty story with some very evocative descriptions of war. The protagonist, Oscar Wendell, remains a civilian throughout, but finds himself thinking and acting more and more like a soldier for survival and in support of the collection of companions he acquires in his journey. Along the way he loses his drug addiction and gains more than maturity. The author was a CIA analyst when the American entered the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. He clearly used that experience to create an extremely complex and believable landscape through which our complement travel. It challenges survival, perseverance, adaptability and strength of spirit. None of the principal characters come out at the far end bearing any resemblance to who they were in our first encounters. The 'ringer' troops that the multi-national forces are fielding are "genetically engineered supersoldiers" -- who always take the appearance of beautiful young ladies aged 15-18. At age 18 they begin to degenerate and are generally 'discharged' from service by way of a well aimed flechette. The 'Gs' are emotionally indifferent to the 'normals' with whom they deploy, except in terms of purely practical deployment discipline. There are a few who are more curious about humanity and a couple spend time getting to know Oscar very well -- including in the biblical sense. This seems to be part of a much bigger story. I would not be surprised to learn that the author finished the whole trilogy and only upon editorial consideration did it become the three books it's expected to be. I look forward to books two and three because I know there's got to be more to this striking realistic near future scenario. It is a book that leaves me with very strong impressions, but very few words.
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Nothing in Reserve: true stories, not war stories.
by
Jack Lewis
SomewhatBent
, August 18, 2011
Nothing in Reserve: true stories, not war stories. Jack Lewis Litsam Press (2011), Paperback, 310 pages I would be somewhat disingenuous if I said I'd cheerfully read anything Jack Lewis writes; I suspect his grocery lists are as mundane as yours and mine. Short of that, however, I have yet to read something by him that failed to make an impression. Nothing in Reserve is both a highly personal and broadly engaging account of how Jack ended up in Iraq within spitting distance of his 40th birthday, when he thought he'd finished his Army hitch about 20 years before. He shares the things that go on and on and on but won't ever make the CNN 3-minute clips back home. He introduces us to the colorful cast of characters who share this deployment and relates funny things, tragic things and everyday things that are part of Army life. He creates rich and evocative word pictures that let even someone without military experience viscerally understand where he's been, and for someone who's been there's a sense of “Yep, I can relate to that”. The transition back to civilian life is easily as poignant. There is no instant 'Home' switch ��" post-deployment is tough enough that there are whole sections in the military devoted to making the transition smoother. Everyday actions that most of us do without a second thought are very much against the conditioned nature of our returning troops. Getting back into civilized humanity is a full-time job. Jack shares that with us as well, helped along the way by his Pretty Wife and his Tucker-pup. I look forward to seeing more of his adventures for a very long time.
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