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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
Courtney Young has commented on (13) products
Fledgling
by
Octavia E Butler
Courtney Young
, November 30, 2012
Octavia Butler's Fledgling is a solid read. A book that is many parts fantasy with a bit of action and mystery, it tells the story of Shori, a 52 year old vampire in the body of an 11 year old who wakes up one day badly injured with no memory of her past. The novel charts her journey to find out who and what she is as well as her efforts to steer clear of those who want her dead. Fledgling is an intelligent vampire novel with themes that span the gamut of race, family, gender, and age. An enjoyable and smart read!
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Harlem is Nowhere A Journey to the Mecca of Black America
by
Sharifa Rhodes Pitts
Courtney Young
, November 28, 2012
Harlem is Nowhere is one of the best books that I've read all year. In the way that Joan Didion writes about California and Suketu Mehta wrote about Bombay, Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts has done the same for Harlem. An exhaustive and well-written account of the cultural, historic, and political legacies of one of America's most well-known cities, Harlem is Nowhere is not to be missed!
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The Round House
by
Erdrich, Louise
Courtney Young
, November 28, 2012
The Round House, winner of the National Book Award, is simply superb. Told in the first person perspective of a 13 year old boy named Joe, the book chronicles his family's trauma after the rape of his mother. Erdrich's language is exquisite as is the book's pacing. Through the microcosm of this wonderfully told story, Erdrich also brings light to the issue of sexual assault on reservations. This book is definitely one of the must reads of 2012, excellent from beginning to end!
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Linchpin Are You Indispensable
by
Seth Godin
Courtney Young
, August 09, 2012
If you are starting your own business or interested in changing your professional path, this book is a must read. Godin is a brilliant entrepreneur who can distill innovative, interesting ideas into conversational, relatable prose. Linchpin, like his other books Purple Cow and Tribes, is full of common sense advice that is applicable to anyone looking to change their professional course. This book does not disappoint!
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Bitter in the Mouth
by
Monique Truong
Courtney Young
, August 08, 2012
Bitter in the Mouth is a great novel. Truong's language is spot on in this tale of family and secrets set amid a Southern backdrop. It's clear Truong was inspired by Harper Lee and Carson McCullers when writing this novel. Her first book, The Book of Salt, was a more powerful read for me. But Bitter in the Mouth is strong in its own right. Definitely a worthwhile read!
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St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
by
Karen Russell
Courtney Young
, May 08, 2012
I'm a huge fan of short stories, in particular those that explore bold, fabulous, and spectacular plots and characters. So for me, Karen Russell's first collection of short stories is a treat. Each of the short stories in this collection is an excellent pairing of entertaining and well crafted prose. An added bonus is the story "Ava Wrestles the Alligator" which eventually evolved into her wonderful novel Swamplandia! This is definitely a wonderfully inventive collection and I highly recommend it!
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When I Was a Child I Read Books
by
Robinson, Marilynne
Courtney Young
, May 02, 2012
Marilynne Robinson's latest collection of essays is a true gem, a must read. The prose is beautiful and rigorous and she covers a wide range of topics from Christianity to the global debt crisis. My favorite essay is the titular one, in which Robinson recounts her voracious and discriminating reading choices during her childhood in Idaho. This discussion lends itself to a broader discussion on individualism and the American West. I first became acquainted with Robinson through her fiction works: Housekeeping, Gilead, and Home. Robinson's non-fiction is equally as sharp and smart. I highly recommend this book!
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sic
by
Joshua Cody
Courtney Young
, March 31, 2012
[SIC] is simply incredible. Its a gorgeously written memoir about a promising composer who receives a diagnosis of cancer and begins treatment while a PhD candidate at Columbia University. Not only does Cody chart his hospital stays and the effects of chemo, but he also graciously interweaves references to art, sex, life and love. Its no surprise to me at all that [SIC] was included as one of the best 100 books written in 2011. Pick up this book, you won't be disappointed!
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Say Her Name
by
Francisco Goldman
Courtney Young
, January 28, 2012
This book is as beautifully written as it is stunningly evocative. Francisco Goldman's Say Her name is an autobiographical novel that recounts his less than 2 year marriage to his beloved Aura, who died at the age of 30 in a body surfing accident. Say Her Name is as much a book about the transforming properties of love as it is about the paralysis of grief. In my opinion, Say Her Name is Goldman's best work. I highly recommend it!
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Gryphon
by
Charles Baxter
Courtney Young
, January 21, 2012
There are many champions of the short story form --- Amy Hempel, Alice Monroe, Leonard Michaels, Jhumpa Lahiri, Mavis Gallant, etc. Charles Baxter's 2011 collection of short stories is proof that he should be added to this list. I first became acquainted with Baxter after reading his widely praised novel Feast of Love. Gryphon is no less brilliant. Baxter utilizes the midwestern locale customary to his works to bring to his readers a panoply of characters whose interior lives are just as fascinating as their actual ones. Of the 23 stories included here, 16 were previously published and the remaining 7 are brand spanking new. My personal favorites are "Gryphon," "Royal Blue," "Fensted's Mother," "The Cousins," "The Winner," "Poor Devil," "Mr. Scary," and "Shelter." If you're looking for good fiction, look no further. Gryphon is as good as it gets.
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Strength to Love
by
Martin Luther Jr King, Coretta Scott King
Courtney Young
, January 15, 2012
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was a great man of incredible talents and leadership ability. His speeches, essays and letters as well as his legacy are part of the national fabric. At once a primer of the Civil Rights Movement and a testimony to the core themes and beliefs of Dr. King, Strength to Love is a must read for anyone interested in learning more about Dr. King, the Civil Rights movement and/or strategies for non violent protest. More specifically, Strength to Love is a collection of Dr. King's most powerful sermons informed by his core beliefs. Its important to remember that the iconic Dr. King honed his talent as an orator while pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA. These sermons are part of that legacy. Dr. King's range and knowledge are encyclopedic. Within these sermons, he references Gandhi, Communism, Shakespeare, Greek and Roman classics and philosophy for starters. Perhaps no other theme resonates as loudly as his call for a robust, enduring love that can reach even one's enemies. I personally found his sermons entitled "On Being a Good Neighbor," "Transformed Nonconformist," and "Antidotes for Fear" among the most compelling. As riveting as each sermon is to read, one can only imagine how that power would be magnified through the oratorical prowess of Dr. King. After finishing this collection, I felt hopeful, rejuvenated, and self-reflective. This aptly titled book Strength to Love is classic King and an absolute must read.
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Room UK
by
Emma Donoghue
Courtney Young
, January 06, 2012
Emma Donaghue's ambitious seventh novel Room is not for the faint of heart. The novel's subject matter traces the harrowing moments of a mother and her son, forced for years to live in a room measuring at 11 ft. by 11ft. by a madman. Recent news cases such as the Jaycee Duggard or Josef Fritzl cases immediately come to mind, making the horror of Room even more tangible. The subject matter is tempered only by the five year old narrator, who relays to us, the readers, the events through the prism of his limited understanding of them. Room is a successful novel because its much more than a story about evil or survival --- its a tale about the power of storytelling. Ma, as the narrator Jack affectionately calls his mother, tells Jack story after story after story to make their dire situation a little more bearable. Jack tells us stories about his Ma, their lives and, indirectly, his own development and growth over the course of the novel. Room is also an example of how literature can be used as a tool for dialogue around the unimaginable and the seemingly unbearable. Though this book will not be an attractive pick to all readers, for those who do chose to read it, its contents will most likely stay with you long after you've finished it.
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Virgin Suicides
by
Jeffrey Eugenides
Courtney Young
, January 03, 2012
An exquisite, beautifully written book, from the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Middlesex. The narrators are a chorus of teenage boys and in love with the Lisbon sisters who commit suicide one by one. The prose is magnificent and takes us through the devastating deaths during one summer amidst the background of Michigan's deteriorating automobile industry. This book is not to be missed. Eugenides doesn't disappoint!
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