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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
Lisa Brown has commented on (54) products
Passing
by
Nella Larsen
Lisa Brown
, July 09, 2012
Like Orwell's Animal Farm, this stands as a novella that could single-handedly justify and serve to reify the form. Sure, there's something to be said for the Great American Novel of 400, 700, 1,000-plus pages, but this slim little volume proves that stories clocking in well under 150 pages can still be just as great. Larsen's understanding of domestic conflict is as subtle and layered as her portrayal of race relations, lending her story a certain degree of nuance that seems lacking in Invisible Man or Beloved, in my opinion anyway. Definitely worthy of a required reading list or two.
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Hero With A Thousand Faces 2nd Edition
by
Joseph Campbell
Lisa Brown
, July 09, 2012
Meh. One. Big. Giant. M E H . For years, I've heard nothing but glowing reviews of this book, and I just don't get it. I'm sure it would be an amazing read if you actually read it really early on in your education so that you hadn't already received a distilled version of Campbell's song and dance from one high school English teacher or another, but given that I read it over a decade too late, I'm just stuck with an overwhelming sense of underwhelment. Hero's Journey + Monomyth = tell me something I don't know, Campbell. Not his fault, I know. But definitely not high on my to-read-again list. Definitely seems like a solid secondary source for literary research papers though.
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Dark Half
by
Stephen King
Lisa Brown
, July 09, 2012
One of the first books I ever read by America's reigning king of horror and suspense, and still one of the best by far. Also the first and only time that reading a work of fiction has made me a little... well... scared of its author. It also piqued my curiosity re: King's pseudonym, but I haven't made the time to check out any of the Bachman books yet. Based on On Writing, I know King's motives for employing a pen name differ greatly from those of Thad Beaumont, but still: It kinda makes you wonder...
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Bright Before Us
by
Katie Arnold Ratliff, Tin House Books
Lisa Brown
, July 09, 2012
Got myself a signed copy of this little beauty through Powell's Indiespensible program, and once again, my favorite independent bookseller did not disappoint. The protagonist weaves a trainwreck of a tale, but if you're anything like me you won't be able to tear yourself away. An asshole, yes, but not a wholly unlikeable one [though he comes awfully close at times]. That being said, it's a story that rings fairly true, and for as reprehensible as the protagonist's actions may at times seem, he's not all bad and you have to wonder why certain other characters insist on being such gluttons for punishment. If you typically shy away from stories designed to make you sad without following the downer up with some sort of uplifting positive message, then this probably isn't the book for you. It's sad and depressing, through and through. Which I guess is largely why it feels real to me. If you can find something worthwhile in pain and angst and some hopelessness and regret, then do yourself a favor and give this a shot.
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Full Dark No Stars
by
Stephen King
Lisa Brown
, August 11, 2011
I enjoyed this book, as I more or less was guaranteed to since SK is just the man. It's not his best, but by no means his worst (and even his worst always seems to be worth reading). Of the four stories contained, I think "Big Driver" was the best. Absolutely flawless in execution. "A Good Marriage" strikes quite a few chords, and "Fair Extension" had a strong Needless Things/Thinner vibe to it, both of which are books I really enjoyed, so that worked. "1922" was easily the least enjoyable of the bunch (though still interesting), but if you can make it through, it's smooth sailing.
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Lady Gaga Just Dance The Biography
by
Helia Phoenix
Lisa Brown
, August 11, 2011
In the interest of full disclosure, let me say that I know the author personally, and she is an absolutely amazing writer. That being said, I didn't get much out of the book. This could be due to the fact that I'm used to reading Phoenix's fiction, and nonfiction (particularly biography) is an entirely different animal. So my expectations were naturally unrealistic, and that felt dissatisfying. To be fair: That's wholly to do with me, not at all the quality of writing. There's some interesting information in here, it's certainly well researched, and the color photography is a nice touch. But it felt to me like a pretty one-sided representation, and while I enjoy Lady Gaga's music, I just don't find her particularly interesting (and after reading this book, I fear I find her regrettably pretentious). If, on the other hand, you're fascinated by Lady Gaga, I think you're bound to enjoy it.
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Pride & Prejudice & Zombies Deluxe Heirloom Edition
by
Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen
Lisa Brown
, August 11, 2011
Unlike the vast majority of die-hard bookworms I seem to know, I am not an Austen fan. In fact, the professor of my undergrad survey on 1800s literature would probably be mortified to know that I've never read her. But Hollywood seems to love her, and every time I've caught part of a filmic adaptation featuring the leading lady who just happened to be in particular vogue when they started production, I received one message loud and clear: There is no appeal in Austen's plots for me. Throw in zombies and ninjas, on the other hand... now we're talking. I've gotta say, I think I prefer Little Women & Werewolves, but this was nearly as good. Great fun, excellent summer reading material. Supposedly a movie is forthcoming. Finally, a Jane Austen(esque) picture I'd actually have a desire to see on the big screen!
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Ender's Shadow: Ender's Shadow 1
by
Orson Scott Card
Lisa Brown
, August 11, 2011
I'd heard that this was as good as, if not better than, Ender's Game, which I thoroughly enjoyed, so needless to say I was a tad skeptical. Happily, this didn't disappoint. Rather than Ender Wiggin, this book focuses on Bean, and aside from the opening section (if this were a comic, it'd be Bean's origin story), the rest of the plot is more or less identical to its predecessor. Yet in this second telling, we see all the events from the Battle School and Command School through the lens of Bean's perception, which is fascinating. Can't say that I find Bean to be anywhere near as likable as Wiggin, but there's a pretty satisfying character arc, so that's a bonus. I also really enjoyed the fact that this book investigated the role of religion in Card's imagined society (or any wartime society, really). Throw in some Lord of the Flies overtones, and it's hard to go wrong here.
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No, David!
by
David Shannon
Lisa Brown
, August 11, 2011
My boyfriend's mom gave him this for his birthday, so of course I gave it a read. The concept is pretty self-explanatory after a glance at the cover: David does something he's not supposed to; David's mom says, "No!" It's a cute little book with some good laughs to be had, but the best part is the art. Shannon's illustrations have a definite whimsy, but of a sort not typically found in children's books (at least in my experience). And the colors are absolutely fantastic. Highly recommended for anyone with children (your inner child counts).
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Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter
by
Tom Bissell
Lisa Brown
, July 06, 2011
Full disclosure: I am not��"nor have I ever been��"a gamer. That being said, I have friends in the industry, so despite the fact that I do not own a console of any kind, video games are incredibly close to my heart. And Tom Bissell delivers the goods. From the get-go, he lets it be known that his book will focus squarely on AAA titles with a narrative bent. Meanwhile, my favorite video games of all time are (not necessarily in order) Tetris, Duck Hunt, and Dr. Mario��"all of which have at best the most minor suggestion of story. That I found the book absolutely fascinating speaks volumes to its relevance in the fields of critical theory, gaming, and pop culture. If you like story (books, films, theatre, the age-old oral tradition, any/all of the above), video games, visual and aural forms of art (whether high or low), then chances are Bissell will strike a chord with you. The book's final chapter��"which delves into the author's battle with coke addiction in the heart of Sin City��"goes a little too confessional for my tastes (particularly in light of the fact that this is meant to be a work of criticism), but then again, it's a chapter about the Grand Theft Auto franchise, so really, it's decidedly apropos. I typically reserve 5 stars for books that, upon finishing, I can confidently say that I wouldn't change a thing about them if given the chance. Though this book gets 5 stars handily, I did have one teeny, tiny gripe: In the Appendix, the author��"while discussing whether or not comedy is the next great untapped video game genre��"asks his interview subject if he's a fan of Monty Python, he is, and neither one of them makes any reference to 7th Level's Monty Python & the Quest for the Holy Grail. But throw in a Stephanie Meyer/Ibsen joke, and all is forgiven. I'll definitely be seeking out works by Bissell in the future.
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Ender's Game: Ender Wiggin Saga 1
by
Orson Scott Card
Lisa Brown
, June 30, 2011
I'm not a big consumer of genre fiction, so it's rare that I delve into sci-fi, but I'm so glad that I did this week to meet Ender Wiggin. It'd be hard for me to talk about the book at length without giving some of the goods away, so I won't. Suffice it to say, the book does just about everything a well-crafted sci-fi story ought to do: Envisions futuristic technology a few decades early, paints a realistic picture of a thoroughly alien world, calls upon the reader's imagination to help create the fabric of this alternate reality, and then uses this supposedly "other" landscape to provide astute and biting commentary on contemporary society. A unique take on standard coming-of-age fare with occasional homoerotic and incestuous leanings. Interesting to say the very least.
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Who the Hell Is Pansy O'Hara?: The Fascinating Stories Behind 50 of the World's Best-Loved Books
by
Jenny Bond and Chris Sheedy
Lisa Brown
, June 30, 2011
I was really excited to read this book, as nonfiction books about books is one of my new favorite obsessions. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a letdown. It's a good, entertaining enough book, I just had unfairly high expectations for it. A lot of the anecdotes are stories I'm familiar with from high school and/or college (Frankenstein, Charles Dickens' father in debtor's prison, &c), so there just wasn't enough new information for me to take much away from it. Still, makes for some fun light reading.
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Akbar & Jeffs Guide To Life
by
Matt Groening
Lisa Brown
, June 30, 2011
I was first introduced to Akbar & Jeff in 1996 by my high school drama teacher. Along with School Is Hell, Life Is Hell, and Work Is Hell, Akbar & Jeff's Guide to Life provides us with a glimpse of Matt Groening's genius in the pre-Simpsons days. In fact, some of the characters are clearly the nascent versions of America's favorite yellow family. And as a bonus, the fez-wearing, Ziggyesque pair are homosexual partners. Sold!
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Burn This Book Pen Writers Speak Out on the Power of the Word
by
Toni Morrison
Lisa Brown
, June 30, 2011
There are some interesting essays in this collection about the power of words, writing and politics, author as witness, the role of art and literature in society... northing particularly earth-shattering, but some thought provoking stuff nonetheless. I also got some good book recommendations out of it, things a contributor might reference that I'd never heard of before that sound remarkably interesting, and some great points about censorship and banned books.
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Bossypants
by
Tina Fey
Lisa Brown
, June 30, 2011
Another audiobook (my commute feels productive again!), thanks to which I finally realized that, just like me, Tina Fey has a slight lisp. I feel newly bonded to her, like kindred spirits, and I am reminded that one of my very best friends has at times referred to me as her Liz Lemon (as we are both smart, funny, and utterly hapless). I expected to enjoy this book, but I ended up getting a lot more out of it than I thought I would. I hadn't realized that Fey's quite the feminist, and while I don't self-identify as such, a lot of what she has to say resonates in a way I can appreciate. Far from simply a strong female voice or an entertaining woman's perspective, hers is a strong voice. Period. If I had a daughter, I would encourage her to read it in the hopes that she might find a role model of her own gender early on. If I had a son, I'd encourage him to read it so that he might empathize with women in seemingly male-dominated professions, as well as working mothers. Plus, it's really funny, and my kids will enjoy reading, dammit, or I shall disown them. Also, the stuff about the 2008 election is pretty fantastic.
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Uncle Shelbys ABZ Book A Primer for Tender Young Minds
by
Shel Silverstein
Lisa Brown
, June 30, 2011
In case you can't tell from the subtitle, the beauty of the book is that it's a children's book for adults (or an adults' book for children (either way, it's hilariously inappropriate humor)). If you're familiar with Shel Silverstein's Dr. Demento/Playboy stuff, then you already know what's in store. If not, but you're a fan of Silverstein and Roald Dahl (especially his darker stuff), then you really can't go wrong with this.
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Go the Fuck to Sleep
by
Adam Mansbach
Lisa Brown
, June 30, 2011
Another audiobook, narrated by Samuel L. Jackson. If you haven't heard of this by now, you more likely than not live under a rock as it's been all over the Faceyspaces and YouTubez. Anywho, the long and the short of it: six minutes of sheer bliss. I have no offspring to speak of, but something tells me that this hits the nail on the head of what it must mean to live the life of a parent. I laughed so hard I almost cried, my misgivings about the potentiality of my future reproduction were once again solidified, and I laughed a little mischievously as I thought of all my friends with children, you poor bastards. Personally, I would let my child read this book once they hit an age where they could recognize the truth of it and actually get the joke. So seven or eight probably. But possibly younger if they were precocious enough. And that's why I probably shouldn't be allowed to have kids.
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Life
by
Keith Richards, James Fox
Lisa Brown
, June 30, 2011
Listened to this on audiobook actually, and all the narrators did an excellent job (although I'd recommend listening at 2x speed for the most part (even 3x at the end)). Some really interesting stuff in here for any music fan: the backstory of how Keith and Jagger first met, the Rolling Stones' various influences, the progression from tiny clubs in the U.K. to the playing support on the first U.S. tour to headlining to super stardom and beyond. Plus you get to hear Richards' first-hand account of his gradual descent into/out of/into/&c heroin addiction, and he even addresses some of the larger-than-life myths surrounding him. My favorite parts are probably those that deal with the relationship between KR and MJ, the interspersed first-hand accounts of the myriad characters the Stones have encountered along the way, and especially the glimpses behind the scenes of the band's songwriting and recording process. Kudos to Keith for being honest about his history as a parent as well.
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Mr. Peanut
by
Ross, Adam
Lisa Brown
, June 30, 2011
Every so often, a novel comes along that's a complete game changer, surpassing your expectations and taking you to places you'd never have dreamed of (or had at least forgotten existed), and as you turn the final page of the story to find blank space and the back cover on the other side, all you can do is release a breathless, blissful "wow." This is one of those novels. Deftly weaving fact and fiction, Ross puts on an elegant display of the infamous (and exhaustively researched) Sam Sheppard murder case infused with his own insightful conjecture beautifully mirroring the marital strife of two fictional couples in the narrative. Pull the old "novel within a novel" out of Ross's bag of authorial tricks, and you're left with a metafictional masterpiece. If thoughts of unreliable narrators, the theme of illusion v. reality, and/or metafiction turn you on, I think you're in for a treat. If, on the other hand, that previous sentence made you want to cry/scream/vomit/hide under the covers whilst sucking your thumb... it's probably not the book for you.
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The Late American Novel: Writers on the Future of Books
by
Jeff Martin, C Max Magee
Lisa Brown
, June 07, 2011
This was an impulse buy off the "employee recommendations" display at my local Barnes & Noble while killing time before seeing "Thor" in 3D. One look at the cover art, and I couldn't very well not buy it. Throw in the fact that I've been kicking around the idea of entitling my thesis "This Is Not a Book: Reading as Tactile Experience and the Fetishization of Print," and it's fairly obvious that this particular book was tailor-made for me. Happily, it did not disappoint. The common consensus appears to be that the bulk of the book is dedicated to a bunch of bibliophiles waxing David Foster Wallace-esque about their love of the book as an object/art form. Ain't gonna lie: That's more or less true. But so what? The fact of the matter is that the book as an object and/or art form is more than worthy of exaltation and all the praise one can manage to heap upon it. And with David Foster Wallace gone, why shouldn't other writers at least attempt to carry that torch? But while The Late American Novel certainly appeals to my fellow bibliophiles, the earliest of early adopters and the most elite of technocrats could undoubtedly take something worthwhile away from this easily digestible, well-under-200-page read. While I was initially skeptical upon reading the first paragraph of the introduction, in which Martin and Magee appear to completely miss the mark with respect to the infamous F. Scott Fitzgerald quote, "There are no second acts in American lives," tying it into the notion of a cultural comeback rather than the three-act structure of American drama, it was an interpretative mistake that was easy enough to forgive since everything else was pithy, spot-on, and exceptionally well-written. I could quote passage after passage of the book in an attempt to entice you, but I'd hate to give too much away. The essays range from vibrant enthusiasm and an embracing of technological advances and the wealth of new possibilities they bring to the downright luddite in nature, and all make valid enough points. There's even something to appeal to those with a post-modern/post-po-mo/meta bent. That childhood favorite of anyone raised in the 1980s, Choose Your Own Adventure, plays fairly heavily, so that ought to be an incentive to pick up a copy right there. Perhaps my favorite essay of the lot is "The Crying of Page 45." First things first, a solid Pynchon reference means I'm pretty much sold straight out of the gate. But then there are diagrams, illustrations, tongue-in-cheek humor, references to the near-forgotten art of textual illumination, old school Mac pop-ups ... it's a thing of beauty, really. ...and I just added ~45 books to my "to-read" list thanks to this book, so that should tell you something.
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Skin That We Speak Thoughts on Language & Culture in the Classroom
by
Lisa Delpit
Lisa Brown
, April 19, 2011
it's not often that i say "this book changed my life," but this one did - insofar as it changed the way i think about the various forms of english spoken on either side of the pond, which is more than a mildly important part of my world. it formalized and validated some things i had sort of intuited about certain dialects and speech patterns, and it shed valuable light onto the crucial role language plays in the learning process, regardless of subject matter. some of the essays are a little dated, some of the rhetoric is a bit much, but overall, i can't recommend it highly enough.
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Sin City 01 The Hard Goodbye New Edition
by
Frank Miller
Lisa Brown
, April 15, 2011
a lot of the art really isn't my style, but the moments that stand out are pretty spectacular. the writing, on the other hand, is more or less spot on from start to finish. hard-boiled/pulp/noir at just about its finest. miller has a great ear for dialogue & writes a mean interior monologue.
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Death Of Superman
by
Dan Jurgens
Lisa Brown
, March 30, 2011
never been a superman fan, but much like "for all seasons," this shows supes in a better (read: far more interesting) light. just as the bay of pigs fiasco served to improve JFK's approval ratings, the man of steel becomes infinitely more attractive as a character when we see him as fallible. what better way to do that than to underline his mortality by killing him off? lovely :)
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One of Our Thursdays Is Missing
by
Jasper Fforde
Lisa Brown
, March 30, 2011
much as anyone who's read fforde would expect, there are some great jokes for bookworms, grammar enthusiasts, & general nerds alike. by no means the best entry in the thursday next series, but definitely a fun, worthwhile read.
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Batman A Death In The Family
by
Jim Starlin, Jim Aparo
Lisa Brown
, March 30, 2011
simply amazing. references to iran-contra, strong emphasis on the relationship between batman & the joker, great meta foreward, interesting afterward about how the readers�"not DC�"killed off robin... it more or less exemplifies everything there is to love about comics. minus one star, cos it's by no means my favorite art in the world, but the story & overall writing is a solid 5.
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The Partly Cloudy Patriot
by
Vowell, Sarah
Lisa Brown
, March 21, 2011
part anecdotal american history, part autobiographical sketch comedy, "partly cloudy" is certain to please chuck klosterman/jon stewart/stephen colbert/david sedaris/augusten burroughs fans alike. definitely has more to offer nerds of a more pop cultural bent than your average history buff, but a quick, fun read for all.
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Atlas Shrugged
by
Ayn Rand
Lisa Brown
, March 15, 2011
ayn rand is a great writer, particularly adept at plotting and characterization. that being said, atlas shrugged could have used a more forceful editor, as much of the copy is redundant and takes away from the story and overall narrative impact. rand appears to underestimate her readers' intelligence and takes far too heavy a hand to get her point across... not to mention the holes in her philosophy and rhetoric, which she chooses to ignore (or, perhaps worse, simply doesn't see). a great story, a good read, just nothing mind-blowing about it for me.
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Three Cups of Tea One Mans Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time
by
Mortenson, Greg and Relin, David Oliver
Lisa Brown
, January 10, 2011
kind of silly that greg mortenson is credited as co-author, considering he's actually a source. but the publisher probably figured that would sell more copies. other than that: interesting book, a little too sentimental for my tastes at times, but features a nice jon krakauer cameo. worth a read, but definitely not a "must" by any means. deals with 9/11 towards the end, gives you an on-the-ground perspective from pakistan, as well as some insights into afghanistan once the "war on terror" relocated to iraq.
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Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
by
Aimee Bender
Lisa Brown
, January 01, 2011
amy bender is a master at the tightrope walk that is her readers' suspension of disbelief. there are plot elements that are utterly fantastical, but the relationships are so true to life & the situations so fully realized, you're able to buy into the world of the story hook, line, & sinker. the narration is well crafted, the dialogue believable, with plenty of quotable passages. maybe not as "fun" as "the girl with the flammable skirt," but i'd dare say it's a stronger effort overall. great book.
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It
by
Stephen King
Lisa Brown
, December 25, 2010
classic king, & dark tower fans will find a little something extra. sadly, the movie (well, tv miniseries, technically) pales in comparison, but that's not much of a surprise.
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Bonk The Curious Coupling of Science & Sex
by
Mary Roach
Lisa Brown
, December 25, 2010
not nearly as good as stiff, but i personally found it more enjoyable than spook. any fan of mary roach is sure to eat it up.
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Under the Banner of Heaven A Story of Violent Faith
by
Jon Krakauer
Lisa Brown
, October 22, 2010
you know a book is good when random strangers approach you in shanghai to strike up a conversation about it. equally skilled as a balanced reporter and engaging storyteller, krakauer consistently delivers informed, insightful, and thought-provoking books that resonate long after you've reached the back cover. as much a story about specific violent episodes in the history of both mainstream and fundamentalist mormonism (from pre-civil war to the murders perpetrated by two of the lafferty brothers) as it is about the nature of faith, organized religion, and extremism, "under the banner of heaven" provides a glimpse into part of the modern american story largely missing from our textbooks.
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Reading the OED One Man One Year 21730 Pages
by
Ammon Shea
Lisa Brown
, September 27, 2010
the next best thing to owning a copy of the OED that you can read yourself, "reading the OED" has an easily digestible, letter by letter breakdown of little-known, oftentimes fun/hilarious/possibly disturbing words that you probably had no idea actually existed. not as great of a read as "the professor and the madman," but recommendable nonetheless.
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Miss Lonelyhearts & the Day of the Locust
by
Nathanael West
Lisa Brown
, September 21, 2010
my executive editor at the magazine i worked at in washington, DC, recommended that i read "miss lonelyhearts" awhile ago, but i was actually a bigger fan of "the day of the locust." both stories ring true, as if they had been written during the current recession rather than circa 1933. the plight of miss lonelyhearts—a man with a bizarre brand of savior complex—is a tragicomical train wreck from which you just can't look away, although each & every character (save for his column's anonymous, faceless readers) is intensely unlikeable. that being said: the typos & egregious misspellings that plague the letters to miss lonelyhearts made me want to take my trusty red pen & stab myself in both eyes. no offense to mr. west, as the grammatical & spelling errors (not to mention largely absent punctuation) are clearly intentional. it's just my cross to bear as an editor. although the protagonist of "the day of the locust" isn't 100% sympathetic as far as characters go, he & the rest of the cast of characters are largely relatable—& none are without their flaws. the result is a startlingly honest portrait of california as america's ill-conceived "promised land," moved forward by glimpses into the lives of individual players who are at once unique/fully realized and archetypal. mostly, it's a commentary on the nature of violence & humanity's attraction to it. mob as living organism, yadda yadda yadda. clocking in at just 185 pages for both novels combined (novellas, really, but why split hairs), it's definitely worth the day or two you'll spend burning through its pages.
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Ballad of the Whiskey Robber A True Story of Bank Heists Ice Hockey Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling Moonlighting Detectives & Broken Hearts
by
Julian Rubinstein
Lisa Brown
, September 12, 2010
stellar reporting, a well-crafted narrative with a cutthroat pace and pitch perfect flow, larger than life characters, coincidences and ironies that are simply too hilarious to be believed—and yet it's all true. this is the sort of nonfiction that appeals to those of us who traditionally gravitate toward novels. and the ways in which the author grounds his subject in a geopolitical context are organic to the story and may even prove edifying for readers who are perhaps less-than-well-informed about the fall of communism and america's influence (whether financial or otherwise) in eastern europe.
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Third Policeman
by
Flann OBrien
Lisa Brown
, September 12, 2010
i may never look at a bicycle the same way again... lots of laughs, some interesting thoughts on the nature of life, death, and eternity. plus, the ending is absolutely flawless. i wouldn't say flann o'brien is of the same caliber as samuel beckett, but he certainly appeals to a similar reader. definitely worth picking up a copy.
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Dissident
by
Nell Freudenberger
Lisa Brown
, September 08, 2010
as a californian living & working in china for the time being, a book about a chinese artist living in working in california on a sort of cultural exchange seemed fitting. it's certainly not a fast-paced page turner by any stretch of the imagination, but it's an interesting story with dynamic characters that will successfully hold your interest despite its slow pace. i figured out the "twist" ending really early on, but it was still fun to find out how the author intended the reader to get there over time.
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Of Mice & Men
by
John Steinbeck
Lisa Brown
, September 06, 2010
100 pages and change of absolute brilliance. there are very few books that i would characterize as essentially flawless, but this is one of them. the face that steinbeck is able to draw such vividly realized characters and fully develop timeless themes with just the right amount of symbolism thrown into the mix is a testament to his literary genius. anyone who loves a well crafted story would be doing themselves a favor by picking this one up.
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Madeleine Is Sleeping
by
Sarah Shun-lien Bynum
Lisa Brown
, September 01, 2010
from the gypsy who isn't really a gypsy to the female alto who only wishes to play male heroes, from the title character to the difference between the waking world and dreaming, nothing in this book is as clear-cut as it might at first appear. from cover to cover, the story is drenched in a syrup of surrealism that is sure to delight while at the same time keep you guessing. not your average narrative. highly recommended for fans of salvador dali or the films of michel gondry.
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Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
by
Aimee Bender
Lisa Brown
, August 30, 2010
amy bender is a master at the tightrope walk that is her readers' suspension of disbelief. there are plot elements that are utterly fantastical, but the relationships are so true to life & the situations so fully realized, you're able to buy into the world of the story hook, line, & sinker. the narration is well crafted, the dialogue believable, with plenty of quotable passages. maybe not as "fun" as "the girl with the flammable skirt," but i'd dare say it's a stronger effort overall. great book.
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I Curse the River of Time
by
Per Petterson
Lisa Brown
, August 27, 2010
just finished this book today (thanks, indiespensible!), and it was time well spent. while the dust jacket makes reference of the fact that the book deals with communism circa 1989, the real meat of this story (for me, anyway) was the investigation of a 37-year-old man's relationship with his mother &, to a lesser extent, father. there's no coincidence that petterson makes reference to the fall of the berlin wall, as it represents the cathartic release the narrator longs to find. but does he? you've got to read it to find out.
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Eating the Dinosaur
by
Chuck Klosterman
Lisa Brown
, August 27, 2010
i'm a sucker for chuck klosterman's writing style and with, so it's no surprise that i dig this book. what was a bit of a surprise is that i prefer the majority of these essays to those found in "sex, drugs, and cocoa puffs." from the unabomber to in utero to a deconstruction of the very strange moment in pop music history that is chris gaines, this is a fun, quick read for anyone who takes their lower culture a little seriously (but loves a good laugh in the process).
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Water for Elephants
by
Sara Gruen
Lisa Brown
, August 27, 2010
as far as books about the circus & sideshows go, this book lacks the same shock value as "geek love," but it more than makes up for it with pitch-perfect prose, extensively researched details, realism that's second to none, and a plot and pace that will have you turning the page as often as possible. 4/5 instead of a solid 5 only because i'm not 100% sold on the ending.
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Lost on Planet China Or How I Learned to Love Live Squid
by
J Maarten Troost
Lisa Brown
, July 29, 2010
from the introduction, in which troost proclaimed that "there [would] be no fucking sunsets" in his book, i knew i was hooked. an exceedingly well-written, insightful, and humorous account of what it means to be a laowai in a nation 1.5 billion strong.
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Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto
by
Chuck Klosterman
Lisa Brown
, July 29, 2010
i love, laugh, & agree with chuck klosterman about as often as i disagree with &/or feel marginalized by him, which is to say roughly 50% of the time. nevertheless, it's certainly enlightening to meet a republican hipster (if only in print), & he knows his way around a sentence. also, his understanding of print journalism is right on. read this. & if you don't get it, come find me. please. p.s. i primarily feel marginalized by him because he fails to grasp that much of the gen-x experience is equalled shared & embraced by gen-y.
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Shanghai The Rise & Fall of a Decadent City
by
Stella Dong
Lisa Brown
, July 29, 2010
a quick, easy read. history that reads like a trashy novel. smart, sexy smut. unlike most books that cover the period of chinese history from the first opium war to the successful rise of the CCP and PLA, this book tells the story through a lens pointed squarely at shanghai. definitely a refreshing and specific perspective.
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Modern China A Brief Insight
by
Rana Mitter
Lisa Brown
, July 11, 2010
A thought-provoking perspective on China and its evolving relationship to modernity from the Qing dynasty to the present day. Some of the chapters contain redundant information, but I can understand and appreciate the author's attempt to drill down more complex and important points. Plus, at just about 200 pages, it's a very quick read - light, accessible, and informative.
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Because I Am a Girl
by
Irvine Welsh
Lisa Brown
, July 11, 2010
I came across this book as part of my ongoing quest to read everything that Irvine Welsh has ever written. Although much of the factual information contained in the book was old news for me (female genital mutilation, sexual abuse, HIV/AIDS exposure, second-class citizenship, &c, &c), yet the intimate perspective derived from retellings of what are essentially first-person accounts was a refreshing change of pace. Definitely a valuable read for anyone interested in learning more about the struggles of women in developing nations.
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Little Women & Werewolves
by
Porter Grand
Lisa Brown
, July 11, 2010
As someone who typically doesn't enjoy literature written prior to World War I, the addition of werewolves to Little Women makes it infinitely more readable! That being said, I think I was even more disappointed in how Jo & Laurie/Teddy's relationship plays out than I was when I read the original...
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Salad Days
by
Charles Romalotti
Lisa Brown
, June 14, 2010
I haven't read this since college, but it was fun enough. If memory serves, I picked it up at a punk rock show. If you're under 20 and listen to 1980s punk, it's not a must-read (but an enjoyable one). If you're over 21, it's probably a little juvenile but could be an ok trip down memory lane. That being said: So not worth a $90-plus price tag. Unbelievable...
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Among the Thugs
by
Bill Buford
Lisa Brown
, June 10, 2010
nonfiction that reads like fiction, not so much by virtue as the writing style as by the fact that some of the stories beggar belief. solid & compelling reporting.
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Pop Gun War
by
Farel Dalrymple
Lisa Brown
, June 10, 2010
good, but not great. the art is easily the best part about it. the story is ok: interesting, kind of surrealist, but not exactly cohesive.
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Professor & the Madman A Tale of Murder Insanity & the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary
by
Simon Winchester
Lisa Brown
, June 10, 2010
a must read for anyone with an obsession for the printed word.
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Let The Great World Spin
by
Colum McCann
Lisa Brown
, June 10, 2010
funny, tragic, circuitous, clever, what more could you ask for in a book?
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