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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
Denise Barnett has commented on (42) products
Faith
by
Jennifer Haigh
Denise Barnett
, March 27, 2014
This is the story of a family and their reaction to allegations that their brother, the Catholic priest, has molested a small boy. It is not about the situation so much as it is about each character and his or her place in the family. It is so well written and the story is so intense that it is like a punch in the gut! I love, love, love this story and its' family!
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Impossible Lives of Greta Wells
by
Andrew Sean Greer
Denise Barnett
, August 20, 2013
A depressed Greta Wells turns to electroshock therapy as treatment. With each encounter, Greta travels to three different periods of time in which she is surrounded by the same people she knows but in each world they have different personalities. As she travels and learns of each life, she must eventually decide where to land. This story is beautiful and haunting, even heart-wrenching. I could not put it down, I HAD to find out how Greta determines her ultimate fate. A must-read for 2012!!
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Fault Lines
by
Nancy Huston
Denise Barnett
, May 07, 2012
This is a heartbreaking yet beautiful tale told from each child of a generation going backwards - ending with the great grandmother from the beginning as a child. It really opens up each person to a new perspective because you first meet them as an adult then you go back to see the child they were and why they became the way they did. Such an intriguing way to approach this story of this interesting family and the stories they tell.
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Faith
by
Jennifer Haigh
Denise Barnett
, January 01, 2012
The characters and story this novel tells stay with me still. I love, love, love this haunting tale - so much more than a story about a priest and his alleged transgressions. It is about a family, the people they love, and their different reactions to crisis. What an excellent book!!!
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Grapes of Wrath
by
John Steinbeck
Denise Barnett
, September 28, 2011
I have never loved a book the way I love The Grapes of Wrath. When I read it, I feel the anger, the angst, the powerlessness and, most importantly, the pride that created the Joad family. John Steinbeck combines the story of the actual journey, loves and loses with his heart-wrenching opinion of the horrible conditions that people of the Dust Bowl era suffered. Though it is one of the most widely read classics of our time, I still feel like it is MY book; it has become that much a part of me. The feelings in the story are palpable. Even if you do not read the whole book, read chapter 25. I feel it is some of the best prose ever put to paper.
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Sister
by
Rosamund Lupton
Denise Barnett
, September 16, 2011
Written as a letter from one sister to her recently deceased sister, this book is not just about the unusual events surrounding the mysterious circumstances that led to the death of Tess. It is truly beautifully written and explores the self-discovery of the surviving sister, Beatrice. It is definitely a page-turner but it also portrays the changes Beatrice encounters and how, even through this tragedy, she is slowly becoming a different, more caring and insightful person. I could palpate Beatrice's immense pain at the loss of her sister. The story and characters become so real - they stay with me still. Just when I thought I had the mystery figured out, the story changed - up until the very last page!! Excellent read!!
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Turn of Mind
by
LaPlante, Alice
Denise Barnett
, August 19, 2011
Well written with an interesting plot but very depressing. Want to know what your dementia will feel like? Read this book! If you are fortunate enough to keep your mind intact, this story will let you know what you will be missing.
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State of Wonder
by
Patchett, Ann
Denise Barnett
, July 19, 2011
This is a wonderful, interesting and page-turner of a story!! I fell in love with the characters and the intrigue of the research being done in the jungle. Just when I thought I had the story figured out, it changed! Highly recommend!!
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Moonstone
by
Wilkie Collins
Denise Barnett
, March 28, 2011
Excellent! Considered the first detective novel, this book from the 1860's about the theft of the precious Moonstone, could have been written today. Wilkie Collins is credited with creating elements such as the "least likely person", the "red herring", and multiple wrong suspects. This epistolary book is told from several different narratives, each one sly and funny in their own way. The story of Rachel Verinder and the theft of her birthday gift, the Moonstone, keeps you guessing from beginning until the very last page!
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Little Bee
by
Chris Cleave
Denise Barnett
, January 01, 2011
A heartbreaking yet beautiful story. I could not put it down!
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Great House
by
Nicole Krauss
Denise Barnett
, December 09, 2010
What an incredible read! If you loved Ms Krauss's History of Love, you will love this book! The characters stay with you and the plot does not disappoint. I read this book straight through! The history of a desk and the parent-child relationship keep this novel moving but you will not want to go too fast and miss the beautiful prose. Nicole is an extraordinary talent!
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Poisonwood Bible
by
Barbara Kingsolver
Denise Barnett
, July 14, 2010
I can't believe I let this book sit on the shelf for so long. The story of a couple and their four daughters on a mission trip into the Congo is enthralling! You are able to read it through the eyes of each person as they see it happen. Beautifully written with characters that you will not forget. Heart-breaking, exciting, and lovely all at once while this family turns into individuals.
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Dark Places
by
Gillian Flynn
Denise Barnett
, June 28, 2010
This is the kind of book you cannot read fast enough! The characters are so different and you cannot decide who is good, who is bad and who is really a killer. What a great thriller!
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The Slate Diaries
by
Michael Kinsley
Denise Barnett
, May 07, 2010
I first bought this book because I will read anything Dave Eggers has to say &/or write. I did not realize this included diary entries kept by not only a myriad of famous people (Mavis Gallant, Amy Bloom, David Sedaris, Bill Gates, Muriel Sparks just to name a few) but also entries by nurses, journalists, and camp counselors at the request of Slate Magazine, the first literary journal to do so. It is incredibly interesting and insightful as each entry differs by the author's definition of "a day in the life of." Actually, I found the little details (Malcolm Gladwell is a Buffalo Bills fan, who knew?) the most enjoyable! Great book, I read the whole thing in one night!
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Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
by
Dave Eggers
Denise Barnett
, May 03, 2010
What an incredible book, once I started it, I read it straight through. To think that Dave Eggers started where he did and has come as far as he has boggles my mind. Funny, sweet, sad and thoroughly fascinating!!
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(5 of 9 readers found this comment helpful)
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Away We Go (Widescreen)
by
Denise Barnett
, October 04, 2009
I cannot count the ways I am in love with this movie! It is beautiful and deeply moving. I love all of the characters. Funny, sweet and just lovely to watch. Great soundtrack too!
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(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
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Stitches A Memoir
by
David Small
Denise Barnett
, October 01, 2009
I honestly did not think I would like this book as an Indiespensable selection. I was so wrong. The story is very sad but alive with the message that you can pull yourself out from your stuggles and take charge of your destiny. It was much deeper than I could have imagined! This is my 1st graphic novel and I absolutely love the art! There are details everywhere. Just fascinating! I am a graphic novel convert!
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The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (Millenium #1)
by
Stieg Larsson
Denise Barnett
, September 25, 2009
Odd characters and page by page intrigue - I loved it. There are parts that actually made my heart race and my adrenaline rush!!
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Hour I First Believed
by
Wally Lamb
Denise Barnett
, September 25, 2009
I love Wally Lamb and this book did not disappoint. Very heart-breaking but a true testament to our inate ability to survive the hardships of life. It is a story within a story that Mr Lamb created from Columbine High School to the Civil War. Sounds strange but it is honestly a great book.
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Straight Man
by
Russo, Richard
Denise Barnett
, September 25, 2009
I did not want this book to end! The story, the characters, the Russo dry wit - what a great read. It stayed with me for a long time.
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Alias Grace
by
Margaret Atwood
Denise Barnett
, August 31, 2009
Excellent book - I could not read it fast enough! Atwood's research into this "based on a true story" novel is incredible and the plot is fascinating. This is the kind of book that leaves you searching for another one like it!
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1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
by
Peter Boxall
Denise Barnett
, July 29, 2009
Incredible!!! Pictures of original book covers, photos of authors rarely seen, and blurbs of interest about each different book/author. Enthralling to read. Any bibliophiles dream of a book!! I just LOVE it!!
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Charms For The Easy Life
by
Kaye Gibbons
Denise Barnett
, July 27, 2009
I adore this book. It is beautiful, sad, and unforgettable. Easy read that sticks with you. Great companion to Sue Monk Kidd's "Secret Life of Bees" but holds its' own wonderfully.
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Asta in the Wings
by
Jan Watson, Tin House Books
Denise Barnett
, July 12, 2009
A different kind of story told from the eyes of smart, funny, and heartbreaking little Asta. I felt her in my heart. Great book!
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Love You Forever
by
Robert Munsch and Sheila McGraw
Denise Barnett
, July 05, 2009
To this day, as my son is off to grad school, I cannot read this book without crying - just the way I did about 20 yrs ago as I read it to that same little boy. What a timeless and beautiful book.
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Rapt Attention & the Focused Life
by
Winifred Gallagher
Denise Barnett
, June 16, 2009
This book is completely amazing and empowering! The simple concept of "focus" is expounded upon in a way that it will help you at home/at work/at school/with relationships, etc. I started using the suggestions immediately and have already noticed a tremendous change in how I view and handle situations at work. Fascinating read!
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Complicated Kindness
by
Miriam Toews
Denise Barnett
, May 25, 2009
Like a female Holden Caulfield, the 17-year old Mennonite (or meno's, as she calls them) and narrator, Nomi, is dead-pan funny. Like "The Catcher in the Rye", this book is darkly humorous but most effectively bitterseet - in a way that makes the reader want to take Nomi in and give her the family life back that she so desperately wants.
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Backyard Homestead Produce All the Food You Need on Just 1/4 Acre
by
Carleen Madigan
Denise Barnett
, May 18, 2009
This book is incredible! The information provided is definitely 1st hand knowledge from the author. It gives instructions on how to put together your crops with or without animals in different configurations according to the shape and size of your yard. The garden shape or size space recommendations for the type of plants you want to grow, how to prepare soil, suggestions for crop rotation, how to grow fruit, nuts, beans, any vegetable, even fruit trees and grape arbors - are ALL in this book! It gives you great ideas on how to container garden, use raised beds, make compost, make hotbeds and how to can your harvest to last through the winter..it is exciting and motivating to read this and know that it really can be done in your own space, even an apartment can grow veggies with a patio. There are also guides on how to raise and care for a few farm animals. Did you know you could cut an X in the top of a bag of compost and grow a few tomato plants? I can't wait to get started!
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James & the Giant Peach A Childrens Story
by
Roald Dahl
Denise Barnett
, May 08, 2009
I still have my old, dog-eared copy that I read over and over again as a young girl. I would imagine that I too could fly up in that peach! Timeless.
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The powells.com Interviews: 22 Authors and Artists Talk about Their Books
by
Dave Weich
Denise Barnett
, May 03, 2009
I love to read author interviews and especially enjoy Dave's interviews on Powells.com so I knew I would like this book. What I didn't know was that I would read it cover to cover in a day! Dave asks interesting questions and seems to establish great rapport instantly with each interviewee. The notes about the unique quirks of each author are equally entertaining. This would make a great gift for anyone but I think an aspiring writer would just love it!
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Hippie Handbook How to Tie Dye A T Shirt Flash a Peace Sign & Other Essential Skills for the Carefree Life
by
Chelsea Cain
Denise Barnett
, April 22, 2009
This book will definitely get you in touch with your "inner" hippie! Chelsea tells about her personal experience growing up (her parents did not name her for 6 wks until they "got to know her") and includes all the funny stuff you remember (or have heard of) from the hippie movement. Make some rightous food, decorate your humble abode, and get into the right (old) clothes! You can even give yourself a hippie name. Sorry folks, August Sunflower is already taken!
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Best American Short Stories of the Century
by
Updike, John
Denise Barnett
, March 30, 2009
This book is worth its' weight (big book!) As someone who will sit down with an old english textbook for a good short story, this volume impressed me with the most interesting variety of writers and stories. Great book to use as an introduction to writers you were not sure you would like but most likely will love!
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Parting the Waters America in the King Years 1954 63
by
Taylor Branch
Denise Barnett
, February 02, 2009
Growing up in a predominantly white community, I cannot say that I completely understood the Civil Rights movement until I read this book - the 1st in the Taylor Branch trilogy about the Martin Luther King years and civil rights activism. Although I was repulsed with so many of the accounts I read, I was intrigued and amazed by the courage and endurance of the individuals and groups of people who were willing to sacrifice everything for the right to be recognized as equal - something taken, so often, for granted. Yet this occured in our lifetime. An incredible read.
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Couldn't Keep It to Myself: Testimonies from Our Imprisoned Sisters
by
Wally Lamb and the Women of York Correctional Institution
Denise Barnett
, January 20, 2009
Wally Lamb agreed to teach the women inmates of York Correction how to express themselves through writing, at the request of the warden, in an attempt to help lower suicide rates at the institution. Prisoners are not allowed to benefit financially in any way from an account of their crime so these are stories he helped them write about their lives. They are tragically true - sometimes funny, sometimes sad - memories that the women were able to express like never before with Mr Lamb's help. Couple that with the fact that Wally took the time and interest to help those in the most unfortunate of circumstances, chosing to see the person and not the deed, makes for not only a great book but an inspiration for other's to care about our fellow man (or women in this case.)
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Infinite Jest
by
David Foster Wallace
Denise Barnett
, November 24, 2008
Always buy 2 copies of David's books. One will be ready to read for your next generation. One you will carry with you, flip open in line at the bank, read something you have read before and find new meaning. This is the one you will underline in, write notes in, laugh at, cry with and completely consume as your own.
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Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
by
Robert C. O'Brien
Denise Barnett
, October 29, 2008
My 5th grade teacher read this enchanting book to us. I thought we were too old to be read to...I was wrong. Aside from being a tremendous adventure, it is a beautiful and triumphant story. Never trust the movie..the book is always better!!
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Travels with Charley In Search of America
by
John Steinbeck
Denise Barnett
, October 18, 2008
Steinbeck never wastes a single word. Honest and heartbreaking but the writing is so lovely, you will still enjoy the story.
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Prodigal Summer
by
Barbara Kingsolver
Denise Barnett
, October 13, 2008
I want land..lots of land to grow my own food! You will too after you read this interesting, informative and true tale. At the very least, you will want to buy organic and for all the right reasons.
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East of Eden
by
John Steinbeck
Denise Barnett
, July 23, 2008
I know this is an established literary classic but I just have to say this is an AWESOME book. Steinbeck never wastes his words. Every sentence and description is perfect - you can SEE Salinas as you read. The story is weird, wonderful and full of twists.
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Death In The Family
by
James Agee
Denise Barnett
, July 20, 2008
Wow, what a beautiful book. Agee, in Steinbeck tradition, does not waste a single word. Every description is so perfect you can actually see and FEEL it. So sweet and sad but really lovely. James Agee must have been a treat to know because I don't think you could write something this heartfelt without being a kind and gentle soul.
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Charms For The Easy Life
by
Kaye Gibbons
Denise Barnett
, July 16, 2008
I simply adore this book! It has the ups with the downs in a wonderful story that will leave you loving the Birch women.
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Best American Short Stories of the Century
by
John Updike
Denise Barnett
, July 08, 2008
What a great way to discover author's you have not read or to find unique stories from those that are your favorites! This collection is from the best of the best and will likely have you adding different author's to your shelves. This beautiful, interesting book is an essential addition to your library. Makes a great gift for anyone - even the "person who has everything" loves to read, right?
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