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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
Ian Middleton: Travel Writer, Photographer and author of Mysterious World: Ireland has commented on (6) products
Another Place to Die
by
Sam North
Ian Middleton: Travel Writer, Photographer and author of Mysterious World: Ireland
, May 30, 2007
A powerful portrayal of an underestimated threat. The invisible killer. We?ve all seen the media frenzy over the latest deadly outbreaks: SARs, Avian flu?. We?ve all been gripped with fear as they sensationalize the story, only to have it disappear soon after; leaving us to wonder if this was just another scare story. Yet history is riddled with stories of deadly plagues and killer viruses ravaging populations and wiping out civilizations. What makes us think that it could not happen again? Sam North?s latest novel is not a work of Science Fiction. It?s not even a work of fiction. It is potential fact! Set in Vancouver, this is the tale of a world ravaged by a mutated version of the avian flu virus. People are dropping dead in the thousands, society has broken down and anarchy is slowly ensuing. In the midst of all this turmoil are three sets of characters, Fen and her dog Red who, along with her family, flee to a remote island in an attempt to wait out the epidemic. Arno flies from Toronto to Vancouver to find Rachel, the woman he loves, and together they try to outrun the virus. Finally there?s Deka, a cab driver whose good friend Dr Borov somehow helps them both to survive the virus with his own medicinal cocktail. The so-called experts have failed to develop an effective vaccine and now most of these experts are also dead. People are afraid of people. No-one knows who to trust. The government are no longer able to protect you. The economy is all but destroyed. The world seems doomed. Yet out of the ashes emerge these three sets of characters who prove that all is not lost. When all is said and done it?s the ordinary people who save the day. Through all the doom and seeming despair, hope remains alive with some. When you?ve hit rock bottom and survived, the only way is up. What makes this book so much more compelling is Sam?s easygoing and free-flowing style of writing. Rarely have I discovered a new author who can draw you into his world so easily. His writing is alive and engaging, and the dialogue is so down to earth that you feel like the people are next to you acting it out. Sam has the enviable ability to create a diverse group of characters that the reader is able to vividly picture and instantly like or dislike; something that should be commonplace, but is sadly lacking in many of today?s books. Fascinating, frightening and compelling, Another Place to Die is the ultimate page-turner which I guarantee will result in many late nights under the bedside light with you uttering, ?just one more chapter!!? Reviewed by Ian Middleton: Travel Writer and photographer, and author of Mysterious World: Ireland.
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Rough Guide Slovenia 2nd Edition
by
Rough Guides
Ian Middleton: Travel Writer, Photographer and author of Mysterious World: Ireland
, March 23, 2007
Insightful and informative, Rough Guide to Slovenia is an essential part of anyoneâs Slovenia travel kit! As a seasoned traveller, having an accurate and useful travel guide is an essential part of my kit. Recently I have grown tired of mainstream and established guides leaning more towards database listings of where to go and what to do. I want insight. I want to know about a place, its history, culture and the authorâs personal views. I want to feel inspired to visit a place by the writing. So itâs refreshing to see that the Rough Guides still manage to maintain an acceptable balance between information and insight. The Rough Guide to Slovenia is now in its second edition and there have been many improvements. The most obvious is the new glossy cover; a full page photo with a translucent band across help to make the book much more aesthetically appealing to the eye, which is a vast improvement from the bland cover of the previous edition. The colour intro contains a useful quick reference guide to the countryâs highlights, and scattered throughout the book youâll also find two new colour inserts that help to give more emphasis on the two things the country is most famous for: caves and outdoor activities. More importantly though, is the content. The author manages to maintain an easygoing style which almost makes you feel like he is actually talking to you. Whilst striving to provide accurate information he is also not afraid to give blatantly honest reviews of places and accommodation. His description of a place in Bled where I have personally stayed is right on the button: âThis popular lakeside place has a convivial atmosphere despite the rooms being dated and cramped.â Itâs for this kind of honesty that people buy a travel guide. If we just wanted a simple list of places to stay and go we would ask at the tourist office, or read the brochures. But independent travellers who want to plan their own itinerary want to know what the place is really like, so they can make an informed decision as to where to go and stay. While boxed sections highlight special events or places of interest, the bulk of the information is neatly woven into sectioned paragraphs each written with a clarity and authority that is indicative of the authorâs thorough research and in-depth knowledge of the country. The second edition also contains more detailed maps than the previous edition and its map of the Triglav National Park is the best Iâve seen yet. Extremely well written and packed with accurate and useful information, the Rough Guide to Slovenia is an essential aid to anyone planning a trip to this beautiful and diverse little country. Reviewed by Ian Middleton: Travel Writer and photographer, and author of Mysterious World: Ireland.
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Bendigo Shafter
by
Louis LAmour
Ian Middleton: Travel Writer, Photographer and author of Mysterious World: Ireland
, February 21, 2007
A LâAmour classic that stands out above the rest. I first picked up a LâAmour book years ago from a used book store. Iâd never read westerns books before, but always loved the movies. Instantly I was drawn into his stories and found them so much more riveting than the movies. LL has a wonderful writing style and a gift for drawing the reader into the world of his characters. Bendigo Shafter is a classic that stands out above the rest. It tells the story of a young man who comes of age in the harsh world of the American Frontier. Having travelled far from the east his wagon train decides to stop well before the winter comes and build a small settlement to wait it out. Bendigo, along with the other men, sets to work to build houses for all to live in. But this man is more than just muscle and hard work, he discovers a love for reading through the books given to him by the widow Macken, a strong, intelligent woman for whom Bendigo builds a house. She sees in this young man someone of great intellect and promise, and introduces him to a way of learning about the world through reading. While others move on come summer, many decide to stay and continue to build a town. While the story focuses mainly on the young manâs journey from teenager to manhood, itâs also a reflection of the real people that made the Wild West, through hard work, strength, courage, dedication and reliance upon each other. Unlike the Hollywood movies, this book paints a realistic picture of how tough life was on the frontier. Over the years the settlers battle harsh winters, the threat of starvation, renegade outlaws and see their town grow from a small settlement into a thriving community, not all of it good. Bendigo ventures off now and then in search of his destiny, but such is his dedication to the people of this town, that the moment trouble flairs he heads straight back to stand shoulder to shoulder with his friends and defend the place they built with blood and sweat. LLâs descriptions of the land are so vivid that as a traveller I feel I was there with Bendigo, riding across the plains on horseback with the wise old Indian. This book has it all, action, love, wisdom, history and adventure. Reviewed by Ian Middleton: Travel Writer & Photographer Ian is the author and photographer of four books, his latest being a travel guide to Irelandâs ancient myths and legends, Mysterious World: Ireland.
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Sacred Stone Oregon Files Uk Edition
by
Clive Cussler
Ian Middleton: Travel Writer, Photographer and author of Mysterious World: Ireland
, February 21, 2007
A great adventure, as expected from a Cussler book! There has been much criticism surrounding the factual details within this book. Sure, the book clearly shows how the authors have likely never studied a map of the UK, and perhaps some British people might get annoyed at the inaccuracies of train station announcements or a barman being called a bartender, but these are just small details and can be forgiven seeing as this is not real life, but a work of fiction! (I wonder how many British authors get American places and expressions correct.). So what if the book puts Edinburgh west of Glasgow; it's not a geography book, but an adventure novel set in a make-believe world. Perhaps the writer was holding the map upside down? Either way, it would be nice if facts could be researched, but I feel that many publishers put such stringent deadlines on these mass paperback authors that they simply don't have the time to fact check the smaller things. It's also likely that most of this book was written by Craig Dirgo, but seeing as Clive Cussler invented the characters in a Dirk Pitt novel he owns the copyright and therefore the co-writer writes the book under his guidance. The style is very different from his Pitt and Austen novels, and it does tend to jump about and is sometimes hard to keep up. And itâs true that there are far too many characters involved. However, all this aside, the book is a refreshing change from the standard Pitt and Austen adventures (Kurt Austen is in fact pretty much just another Pitt with a different name and some different hobbies (Instead of collecting antique cars he collects antique pistols)). The Oregon files introduces us to a completely different hero, the ever-inventive leader of a band of mercenaries with a conscience, who only go into battle for what they believe in and feel will have a positive effect on mankind (Sounds like another leader I know!). Sacred Stone is a compelling read and it did keep me wanting to turn the pages to see what happens next, which is always the mark of a good author. I put another unfinished book down to read this Cussler book, and did not regret it. This just goes to show that Cusslerâs books are still a cut above the rest. Reviewed by Ian Middleton: Travel Writer & Photographer Ian is the author and photographer of four books, his latest being a travel guide to Irelandâs ancient myths and legends, Mysterious World: Ireland.
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Sacred Stone Oregon Files
by
Clive Cussler
Ian Middleton: Travel Writer, Photographer and author of Mysterious World: Ireland
, February 21, 2007
A great adventure, as expected from a Cussler book! There has been much criticism surrounding the factual details within this book. Sure, the book clearly shows how the authors have likely never studied a map of the UK, and perhaps some British people might get annoyed at the inaccuracies of train station announcements or a barman being called a bartender, but these are just small details and can be forgiven seeing as this is not real life, but a work of fiction! (I wonder how many British authors get American places and expressions correct.). So what if the book puts Edinburgh west of Glasgow; it's not a geography book, but an adventure novel set in a make-believe world. Perhaps the writer was holding the map upside down? Either way, it would be nice if facts could be researched, but I feel that many publishers put such stringent deadlines on these mass paperback authors that they simply don't have the time to fact check the smaller things. It's also likely that most of this book was written by Craig Dirgo, but seeing as Clive Cussler invented the characters in a Dirk Pitt novel he owns the copyright and therefore the co-writer writes the book under his guidance. The style is very different from his Pitt and Austen novels, and it does tend to jump about and is sometimes hard to keep up. And itâs true that there are far too many characters involved. However, all this aside, the book is a refreshing change from the standard Pitt and Austen adventures (Kurt Austen is in fact pretty much just another Pitt with a different name and some different hobbies (Instead of collecting antique cars he collects antique pistols)). The Oregon files introduces us to a completely different hero, the ever-inventive leader of a band of mercenaries with a conscience, who only go into battle for what they believe in and feel will have a positive effect on mankind (Sounds like another leader I know!). Sacred Stone is a compelling read and it did keep me wanting to turn the pages to see what happens next, which is always the mark of a good author. I put another unfinished book down to read this Cussler book, and did not regret it. This just goes to show that Cusslerâs books are still a cut above the rest. Reviewed by Ian Middleton: Travel Writer & Photographer Ian is the author and photographer of four books, his latest being a travel guide to Irelandâs ancient myths and legends, Mysterious World: Ireland.
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Frugal Book Promoter How to Do What Your Publisher Wont
by
Caro Howard Johnson
Ian Middleton: Travel Writer, Photographer and author of Mysterious World: Ireland
, February 21, 2007
The Authorâs promotional bible. Always keep it close it times of need. What can I say about this book that hundreds of other authors havenât? As a writer and self-publisher, the onus has always been on me to promote my own books; a task Iâve always found extremely difficult and laborious. Iâm a writer and photographer, not a sales and marketing expert. I hate feeling like Iâm talking to someone just to sell them something, or boast about my fantastic book. I always imagine them thinking, âOf course you would say itâs good, you wrote it!â And like most writers, I want to write, not be a salesman. But Carolyn Howard Johnson has shown me a whole new way to not only promote, but make it fun and tie it in with the thing you are passionate about: writing! The Frugal Book Promoter shows us how you need to brand yourself as an author, and publicise yourself as much as your work. You donât have to boast about your work, just simply let people know itâs there. If your book is good, others will boast about it for you. Exposure is the word Carolyn uses often. She teaches us that the trick is to simply brand yourself as an author and let people know who you are, and what you write. Carolyn shows us a prolific amount of ways to do this, from writing articles for free to blogging, joining discussions groups, writing book reviews and so much more. Itâs so simple, and in most cases completely free. I often hated the thought of writing articles for free, but the book emphasises that although you may write for free, the tagline at the end could well result in book sales, so effectively you are likely to get paid indirectly. Think about it, these publications wouldnât have paid you anyway, and you would have to pay for advertising, so effectively you are working for your advertising. And of course you are writing, which is what a writer wants to be doing. This is just one example of the priceless advice offered in the Frugal Book Promoter. This book is an absolute treasure chest of useful information, and not only inspires you to get up off your backside and start promoting, but is also packed full of useful websites for you to get started. Iâve committed the ultimate sin with this book by folding over numerous page corners (something I never do with a book) to bookmark all the useful reference points. The websites listed here, often lead on to other useful sites. Iâd always dreamed of the day when I would snag a major publisher so they could do all the promotion for me, but the Frugal Book Promoter has taught me that even with a major publisher, the onus will still be on me to promote my books; after all, ultimately the author cares more about the book than the publisher. So now I plan to forget about that and march best foot forward into a new world of endless promotional opportunities that this book brings. If you are an author then this is one book you cannot afford to be without. Written with Carolynâs free-flowing and easy prose, the Frugal Book Promoter stands out head first above the rest and is the sort of book that you will always want to refer back to. I donât know how I ever survived without it. Reviewed by Ian Middleton: Travel Writer & Photographer Ian is the author and photographer of four books, his latest being a travel guide to Irelandâs ancient myths and legends, Mysterious World: Ireland.
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