Customer Comments

The book’s protagonist, Taj, is a sin-eater who is trying to provide for his family. Much to his surprise, he is thrust into the middle of multiple conspiracies and whispers of revolution, all the while just trying to do his job, stay alive, and protect his friends and family. However, Taj develops confusing new skills while exploring his own ambitions and desires, and those of the people around him. This novel ended on a cliffhanger, so I really want to know what happens next!

Julia Alvarez's essays discuss what it's like to acculturate to the US, and also what it's like to work and grow as a writer. I liked how honest she is while balancing it with her sincerity and delicacy. She talks about how she felt after doing dead-end research and other struggles as well as her triumphs. I especially liked the essay in which she details her changing attitude towards food and cooking, mostly because I'm also slowly and very reluctantly becoming more present (but not adept) in the kitchen.

Svetlana Alexievich brings the post-Soviet era of Russia into sharp relief through multiple eyes. It was moving, fascinating, and a little disturbing to see the rapid cultural shift through so many perspectives, including a Romeo and Juliet-esque Azerbaijan and Armenian romance, or the woman who left her husband for a man imprisoned for murder. Alexievich doesn't let the reader get complacent and be able to skim the pages. Instead, she challenges each person to think about who they feel sympathy for or realize a disquieting resemblance to, and why. A very powerful and deeply thought-provoking book.

I was pleasantly startled by how much I liked this book! When I picked it up, I thought it might have a couple of good sushi tips, but I found that reading about Shiro's life and philosophy was inspiring. For a book about one man and the various pictures of his life, he's very humble and extremely personable. Just from reading his story, you would have never guessed how incredibly influential he is for elevating sushi in the US, especially Seattle. I also am now dying to eat more ocean smelt!

I loved this book! I've always had a secret fantasy of owning my own restaurant, and this book taught me what it's really like to be on the line. I still have my fantasy, but it's been tempered (in a healthy way) with a strong dose of good reality.

Gloria Naylor captures a cross section of social misfits who regularly come to Bailey's Cafe. Having weathered problems such as domestic violence, racism, and failed relationships, the customers of Bailey's Cafe still find a way to survive their difficult lives, and work towards thriving in spite of the difficult issues facing them.

Louise Erdrich's novel traces the complex family relationships complicated by histories of abduction, ethnic and racial tensions, and love gone awry. I loved how she used the legend of the Antelope Wife to show that an ending with all the ends tied up doesn't exactly equate to a happy one and how families and individuals can find fulfillment no matter what is happening.

This collection of short stories brings to life the feelings and the sensory pleasures of summer in Fresno. You can practically taste the sun-heated peaches and enjoy the coolness of a pool. While Soto's other novels and short stories focuses more on the relationships within communities, this book appeals to the fact of being alive in a particular season in a specific place.

Calpurnia Tate's childhood in 1899 Texas abruptly changes when she discovers the fascination of nature and evolution, her grandfather's intriguing personal history, and her own sense of what it means to be an adventurous young woman in a society that frowns upon her forward thinking attitudes. I love how Callie rebels, but still tries to maintain a sense of love and respect to the family that is lovingly holding her down. Callie triumphs in an unusual way at the end while still leaving a sense of impatience in both herself and the reader who are both wondering what comes next.

I especially liked how Andrew Smith makes a broad swath of history of one subject very approachable and sustains interest. Some of the new information that I learned while reading this book is how fries became a popular side dish due to World War II rationing and also how in 18th century England that high quality beef was known to come from Hamburg, so Hamburg steak was named to market lower quality ground beef as a higher quality product.

Simon Renier is taking a seemingly simple journey to South America with a cousin. However, in between realizing that this cousin may not be who he claims to be, the struggle over an heirloom painting, and deeply buried family mystery, Simon has a lot of growing up to do on this trip to figure out who he really is.

A beautifully written novel on love, sisterhood, and finding happiness, even if you are a witch. The book centers on two sisters, one who follows her impulses and the other who tries to control her life and create happiness through conventionality. Both sisters have to learn how to explore their desires and what really makes them happy and fulfilled.

A beautifully written story on sisterhood and love, who also happen to be witches. While one sister follows her impulses, the other sister tries to button down her life to appear as normal as possible. Overall, both of them have to learn that their attempts to control or not control their lives has a different effect than intended while still working towards becoming and being happy and fulfilled.

This book is almost as good as eating chocolate! It's definitely funnier, which is satisfying in a different way. I loved each section so equally well that I can't make up my mind which is the best part. Trying to choose between reading about milk chocolate, or semisweet, or even bittersweet chocolate is as difficult as figuring out which form of chocolate I like the best. In short, if you have ever liked chocolate for a fleeting second, you're going to love this book.

What I like about this novel is it's realistic portrayal of academia, and the intense, neurotic aura that surrounds research ideas. University research can often be idealistically portrayed as a people living for ideas, which can ignore the desperation when someone is stuck in a dead end project. Goodman doesn't sneer at academia or overly optimistically celebrate it, but gives readers a chance to see what this world is really like.

I have to confess that I read every Robin McKinley related work that I can find in the vague, desperate hope that there will be another Damar story. It's nice to be rewarded! Reading the other stories was also a real pleasure, because then I discovered Michael de Larrabeiti, Joan Vinge, and found more stories by other favorite authors like Jane Yolen.

I try not to think a lot about spoiling myself, but when I do, I love reading the sections about the second home, the private jet, and the wonderful Parisian bistro where they encourage you to eat tons of great food.

Reading about food makes me hungry...so what better book to read while you're eating? Mayle's previous books about Provence are always fun reads, but I especially like this one because he gets really serious (and sometimes even down and dirty) with food. From snails to smelly cheeses and even diet food, everything in this book made me want seconds.

I like thematic anthologies because it's so much fun to consider all of the different aspects of what seems to be an easily identifiable thing. I also just really like every time Robin McKinley slides in another Damar story.

I love this book because it reassures me my madness is not only normal, it's good! Nicholas Basbanes brings up so many great examples of book collecting that I feel the need to catch up. Now I have a great reason to increase my book collecting.

Kerri Sakamoto's first book is spectacularly good and incredibly hard to put down. The protagonist Asako finds herself enmeshed in the turmoil after her neighbor Chisako is found murdered along with Chisako's lover. Asako and all of the Japanese Canadian community are reeling from the aftermath of this event and the unspoken yet obvious scars from bring interned in World War II camps. All of the characters are struggling to deal with their trauma and the resulting inability to move forward in order to move into a place of emotional healing and peace.

This is the first Joyce Carol Oates book I've ever read, and the reason why I'm hooked on her writing. The novel fleshes out so many different characters while keeping them within the same world while also balancing out the Gothic with American magical realism. I keep on reading more and more of Oates' works to recreate this feeling of wonder and horror.

Gwyn is a tough, scrappy girl who stands against the injustices of the nobility in the Kingdom. My favorite part is how Gwyn learns to think for herself and rebel against the cultural norms by learning how to read, and how this leads her to defend the other peasants who are ground down under the heel of the domineering nobility and royalty. Voigt makes this into an action packed, yet believable tale that has you celebrate alongside Gwyn and her friend Burl.

Pagnol's writing revels in his nostalgia for his idyllic Provencal childhood. I love how the landscape feels so immediate and tangible to the reader, and how Pagnol adoringly describes the little details that really make these two novels so wonderful. For anyone who have ever yearned for their childhood days, this is the book for you!

Jack Zipes' new translation of 17th century French fairy tales is amazing. These tales really bring out the sophisticated nature of fairy tales, not the watered down versions. These characters are complex and intelligent, which makes reading this book into a delightful discovery of cultural values and not just a recitation of happily ever afters. You can see why people are still fascinated by fairy tales, especially the ones that preserve and explore these ideas.

Mr. Campion's ineffectual demeanor and speech patterns disguise his razor sharp wits and derring-do. What I really like about this particular Campion mystery is how he fearlessly tackles everything from mysterious international syndicates and haunted groves to ancient treasure legends. Margery Allingham doesn't make Campion infalliable, but rather shows he he recognizes and uses his strengths and weaknesses to stay one step ahead of his adversaries.

What a great book! If Jane Eyre wandered into a swashbuckling adventure story, this would be the result. Bonnie and Sylvia Green are two intrepid orphans who come up against a dreadful governess, a plot to take over their ancestral home, and the man-eating wolves of Willoughby Chase. I love any book that makes me so excited to read more books by the author that I can't do anything else except track down all of their other books.

Peter Beagle writes this book as though it's been retold from ancient legends, and yet makes these characters feel like real, flawed, and very alive people. The three protagonists-Nyanteri, Lal, and Lukassa-along with the innkeeper's stable boy, are all struggling with their personal demons while trying to figure out what has happened to Nyanteri's and Lal's wizard mentor. What I like is the blend and balance of agelessness and contemporary tales and people.

Banana Yoshimoto writes intelligently and sweetly about contemporary Japanese life. Instead of focusing on the hollowness of the rat race, she talks about the unexpected corners of life that add meaning, like finding pleasure in spending time with a friend and his transsexual mother, or reconnecting with a ghost. Yoshimoto brings sensitivity and compassion to her subjects and the subcultures they inhabit.

While many people associate Joseph Conrad with Heart of Darkness, this short novel was the precursor for modern political/mystery thrillers. Conrad's London is both dark and bleak, with only faint sparks of affection and loyalty to light this world. The suspense is even more powerful when the reader is able to anticipate what will happen. This a powerful Conrad work that will leave the reader looking around for yet more Conrad writing.

This novel combines fast paced adventure with political intrigue through the eyes of Theo, a printer's devil. After getting in trouble by printing the wrong pamphlet at the wrong time, Theo falls in with a con artist's gang. At the same time, the kingdom of Westmark is falling apart because the king can't stop mourning the loss of his only child. Theo''s journey falls in with these other events, and Lloyd Alexander brings the whole story together in an interesting and satisfying way.

I really love how Midori Snyder makes a whole world come alive. The political maneuvers, the complex characters, and the realistic details makes me believe that this may be able to happen. The world of Oran, shaped and ruled by magic, is being torn apart by external political struggles and internal magical and grassroots-based rebellions. This book is the first in the series, and it just keeps on getting better from here.

I first heard about MFK Fisher through listening to one of the stories in this collection featured on NPR's "Selected Shorts". When I read the book, I liked the story even more. I love food writing, and reading MFK Fisher makes me both hungry and satisfied at the same time. These stories made me want to hop onto the first flight to Europe and gobble everything she wrote about.

I read this book before reading "Moonheart", and, I have to say, I didn't even notice at the time. Charles de Lint makes the characters so vivid and the characters are so compelling that I took it for granted that these characters had individual stories of their own. Only later, when I realized that this book is a sequel did I think of how much de Lint built upon their previous adventures. I can't stop reading de Lint's work, and it has never crossed my mind to even think about stopping.

Alifa Rifaat has magnificent prose, even in translation. She evokes haunting images and makes Egypt come alive through individualized portraits and highly complex characterizations.

This is the first book I ever read by Mark Helprin, and it's the reason why I'm hooked on his writing. His use of language is stunning, and he makes New York into a magical yet very real land at the same time. I love his use of magical realism in a place which I thought I knew.

Gerard Durrell's book of short stories are knee slapping hilarious. Only he could talk about a perfumed pig and a gambling nun in the same book and make you almost believe it. If you love reading about absurd animals and even more nutty humans, read this book!

Ama Ata Aidoo's writing is a sophisticated examination of polygamous marriage in Ghana. Esi, the female protagonist, challenges her husband's idea of "a woman's place" in marriage by divorcing him when he makes too many demands upon her to conform to his idea of marriage. However, Esi falls in love with an already married man and agrees to become his second wife. Aidoo creates a nuanced character study that does not take sides, but rather asks the reader to consider his or her own emotional baggage when it comes to the subject of gendered roles in marriage in an African context.

I loved this book the first time I read it, and just kept on reading it over and over. Aerin, a princess of the land of Damar, is socially outcast from her father's court with the exception of her father and her friend Tor. However, with sheer persistence, a magic sword, and a horse just as determined as she is, Aerin fights against the dragon and the evil magic threatening her country.

While these tales are definitely not meant for kids, you almost forget that you're reading fairy tales due to the sophistication of the writing. Michael De Larrabeiti makes the reader feel how much of Provence was shaped by French and Spanish culture as well as make the medieval culture come alive. Strongly rooted in history, these tales nevertheless feel contemporary.

This book is a fascinating glimpse into American food history. I especially liked seeing the accounts of how regional culture shaped dishes long before mass commercialization, and the deep sense of pride and identity that people took in specific dishes.

As the sequel to Kogawa's novel "Obasan", what I love about this book is the personal and group journey toward healing through social and political action. Naomi is still grappling with her inner demons, but this book shows how she reaches out to her aunt Emily, other fellow members of the Japanese Canadian community, and other Canadians struggling with their own personal and group history of dispossession and discrimination.

Diana Wynne Jones turns cliches on their heads in a wonderfully unexpected way. A story about a genie holding princesses captive sounds familiar, but when Diana Wynne Jones takes on the story, it becomes funny and brand new. I was happily surprised to like this book even more than its predecessor, Howl's Moving Castle. I love it!

This is such a beautifully written book! I love Mark Helprin's elegant and luminous prose. Odette and Siegfried's tragic love story become the focus of a wider struggle. Helprin hasn't changed the story and characters so much as he's deepened them and given them a wider palette.

This collection of diaries and personal accounts is a fascinating look into the personal struggles of Japanese Canadians during World War II. Instead of focusing upon personal hardships, the writers also comment upon their interactions with other marginalized groups, including First Nations people. It's a different point of view about how personal, group, and national identity were irrevocably altered by World War II, and how this change created new perspectives on what identity for Japanese Canadians and anyone who has felt an outsider in their own country.

I loved reading this book because of the sheer quality of the poems. Hughes' collection of "Montage of a Dream Deferred" is especially poignant, socially incisive, and incredibly pithy. I'm usually not a fan of anthologies of selected poems, stories, or essays, because I can get skeptical of what constitutes a good work by an author. I really liked how Hughes himself chose these poems and to see which poems he thought worthy of the collection. Hughes is a spectacular example of the great work from the Harlem Renaissance.

Charles de Lint provides fans of Jilly Coppercorn with the missing link of her life between turning her life around from a teenage runaway to her life in "Widdershins". I've loved his urban fantasy works ever since I picked up "Spiritwalk" , but Jilly and Newford are my favorites among his creations. What I especially liked about this book is that it shows us some of the struggles that Jilly underwent to go from being Jillian Carter to becoming Jilly Coppercorn. Charles de Lint makes no bones about how hard it is to change such a fundamental part of oneself, and how much Jilly is haunted by both good and bad memories in the midst of her change.

A brilliant and fascinating work! This book is tailored for the reader who loves thinking about the intersections of culture in a globalized world. It juxtaposes commentary on Japanese opinions on foreigners with Japanese Brazilian views on what it's like to live as an outsider in a tightly-knit society. The shifting points of view challenges the reader to think about the different opinions on who truly belongs in a place and who does not. It's an incredible read that evokes many ideas about belonging, nationality, and culture in a world that is constantly changing.

I read this book after finishing graduate school...but I wish I had read it before I went! Adam Ruben's comments are laugh out loud funny while also painfully accurate. For people who are thinking about graduate school, but aren't really sure what it entails, please read this book first! By defenestrating the idealistic stereotype that grad school is a good way to avoid confronting a bad job market or a means to prolong a great college experience, Adam Ruben explains what grad school really means, such as explaining that money and a social life are unnecessary to the "true" grad student. His wry tone delivers this information about grad school in a humorous and accessible way for people struggling to figure out if it is a viable life choice or not.