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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
Mosca has commented on (2) products
Sleepwalkers How Europe Went to War in 1914
by
Christopher Clark
Mosca
, July 24, 2014
Some tried to prevent this war. Some aggressively pushed along the steps that were needed to made it happen. Some watched, seemingly helpless, as the dominoes tumbled around them. How that happened, this book lays out in detailed, compelling prose. Why that happened is gingerly evaded. But the questions will not go away. I will rethink this book often, I am sure. And I will probably re-read it in time. This book is well done and well written.
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Zazen
by
Vanessa Veselka
Mosca
, January 01, 2013
What an extraordinary new voice! Vanessa Veselka is unlike any other author that I know. Her biting observations of our times are couched as a protagonist's wit navigating her own very-soon-to-come times. And she pulls no punches in a world that spares no one. Almost anything I say will insufficiently describe this book. But I will try. Vanessa Veselka is one of those priceless writers who speak their own language with skill, wit, compassion, and vision. I have read no other writers who write like she does. As far as I can tell, she imitates no one. But she may, indeed, inspire imitators. Vaselka's prose is a treat. She repeatedly teases us with humor, hopes, snide judgements, poetic absurdities, fears, panics, despairs, and then circles us around again the way we came. She keeps us disoriented, but like her numerous perverted characters we keep coming back, unashamed, for more. As this book progresses, the ambiance and the tone shifts many times surprising the reader, and charting its course in an unexpected new direction. In retrospect, it is clear to me at least, that she is creating emotional and intuitive platforms onto which she is continually adding--a stage of sorts for the story to play out upon. The reader is lead through and onto these platforms blindfolded, it feels. An unspoiled reader will find him/herself continually turning unexpected corners; and arriving repeatedly into new understandings. These "surprises" serve to keep the reader off-guard and ready for unimagined perspectives. It is these unimagined perspectives that are at the heart of Zazen Veselka swims us through many, many of the terrors and repugnant experiences of our times. She waves under our collective noses the odious pretensions we live through; and has us laughing so hard that we begin to think this book is a comedy. She sets us up against the eternal despair that our daily experiences incline us to fall into--and for good reason. But Vaselka is not so foolish as to let us draw escapist or cynical conclusions from her alarming observations. She wants more. And she wants us to want more. I will not belabor this writing with psychological analyses of the endearing protagonist, Della. Nor will I examine the numerous political questions debated by a host of other characters. I will not debate whether this book is science fiction, dystopian, gender politics, moral fable, or revolutionary screed. As I have said, I feel that Vanessa Veselka wants more. And she has trained me to want more. Bless you, Vanessa. --Mosca
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