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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
dejonghes has commented on (3) products
Truth About Alice
by
Jennifer Mathieu
dejonghes
, May 29, 2014
THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE may be a culturally defining book. The way that it mixes perspectives to bring awareness reminds me of Palacio’s WONDER (definitely not for the same age group) and the sordid awareness that came with THE SCARLET LETTER. Two guys, one night: you have to ask yourself about your personal beliefs on this. For a small town, much like the one I grew up in, this is shocking. When the town’s star football player is one of those boys, whose life ends in a deadly crash, supposedly caused by the same “loose” girl, the town goes on the proverbial witch hunt. Not only are we asked what to accept as truth, but, more importantly, is anyone ever deserving of being ostracized? There are some typical characters here: the best friend who betrays; the drunken jocks; and, the clique of popular girls. One character I was drawn to was that of the smart kid whose parents had died. I liked this kid because he saw through the muck of gossip. He saw through the ugliness, wanting to help a fellow human in their time of suffering. He is the symbol and example that should triumph within us all. This book is paced well. The mix of perspectives and the calculated reveal of secrets worked well. Sure, many things could be predicted, but this is more about introspection and awareness. It kept my attention throughout, drawing me from page-to-page quickly and leaving my mind to ponder after the cover has been closed. Thanks to Macmillan and Roaring Book Press for providing an electronic review copy of this book.
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Beautiful on the Mountain: An Inspiring True Story
by
Jeannie Light
dejonghes
, May 29, 2014
This book surprised me. I enjoy eclectic reading, and wasn’t expecting much here, maybe a nice story. What I didn’t expect was to see the transformation of the author’s character. Jeannie Light appears to come from a world of affluence and high education: the total opposite of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Some readers may see Ms. Light as a bit “stuck up” at first. Things like: not willing to buy at a local farmers’ market; having custom furniture and instruments brought in; and such. This reminds me of the highly enjoyable POISONWOOD BIBLE, where a missionary family goes to Africa with pre-conceived expectations and manners of living, only to be taught the lesson by the environment and the natives. Granted, natives aren’t as restless in the mountains as they were in Africa, but the transformation is still evident (plus, this is a true account, versus POISONWOOD’s fiction). The book’s description makes a nod to lovers of CHRISTY. I can’t speak to the comparison, but Sherri on Goodreads seems to have a legitimate case of this book not living up to those expectations. I can say, this book takes a leisurely pace through the author’s encounters. Dulcet would be a good adjective to describe it. The author’s MBA in literature pays off here and what surprised me the most. It is very well written. So yes, the book is a wonderful story with a loveable cast. The changes brought about, both in the locals and in the author, were a pleasure to behold. I can’t say this book had enough stand out moments to be long memorable, but it was a nice read for what it was. Thanks to Tyndale for providing an electronic review copy of this book.
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To Rise Again at a Decent Hour
by
Joshua Ferris
dejonghes
, May 27, 2014
“Ha, ha.” As far as epigraphs go, these two interjectory words from the book of Job do as good a job as any at describing the book’s content: humorous, yet poignant. At first, I was laughing along at reading about the life of a seemingly obsessive Manhattan dentist: taping every Red Sox game for 30 years; ruminating about being an outsider to the clique of hand lotion users; upset at not knowing the celebrities on a tabloid’s front cover "but then I realized it. This dentist could be any one of us. TO RISE AGAIN AT A DECENT HOUR is a marvelous exploration of everything we are. Paul O’Rourke plays that dentist that wonders such things as “why was I always on the outside looking in, always to the in?” Or, “We are consuming ourselves alive as our physical grotesqueries grow in direct proportion to our federal deficits and discount gun shops.” The author Joshua Ferris’s writing is such that it tickles you with one hand and slaps you aside the head with the other. Those quotes above, in context, were taken from the protagonist’s seemingly neurotic ruminations: funny, but powerful pondering points. Another of my favorites to kick around: “Everything was always something, but something "and here was the rub "could never be anything.” O’Rourke’s life comes alive through Ferris’s skilled writing. For instance, when he wants to describe his poor upbringing, he doesn’t just say he had a poor upbringing; he says, “There were no poorly attended funerals in the Santacroce family, no scrounging for quarters under the car seats, non runs to the recycling center for macaroni money, no state-appointed psychologists; no suicides.” So much more is offered thanks to his lively descriptions. You’ll also be treated to some new terminologies (which I may have to borrow, too), such as the “me-machine”, the “thunderbox”, and being “c___ gripped” (as opposed to being “p____ whipped”). This book is funny, yes, but so much, much more. You’ll sit beside O’Rourke as he watches people in the mall, and you’ll nod your head in agreement. When he upgrades his equipment in his office, you’ll get the point when he says “so that we could do everything electronically better than we could do it electronically before.” And when his e-mail tormentor replies to him, “what do you really know of your life?”, you’ll pause your reading, set the book in your lap, and think about what you really know of your life. And if anything else, you’ll want to floss more. Thank you Little, Brown and Company for sending this book to me for review: I really loved this book.
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