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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
Ballard Reader has commented on (10) products
Superfans Into the Heart of Obsessive Sports Fandom
by
George Dohrmann
Ballard Reader
, December 24, 2017
Being married to a somewhat obsessive New England sports fans I picked this up with the hopes of getting some insight into what fuels his crazy come football season. While I didn't find any specific answers -- or cures! -- I really appreciated how this book humanized some of the seemingly insane fans that you see in the stands at games and shared motivations for their behaviors that were at times surprising, inspiring, even a little depressing. I do wish there was more of a focus on the science behind what drives these 'superfans' but, apparently, there just isn't much of it. I find that crazy seeing how sports 'entertainment' all around the world brings in billions of dollars for owners and I'm sure they'd love to know how to squeeze a few more nickels out of their fans if they could . . . Folks in the Pacific Northwest and particularly Portland will appreciate the focus on some key Timbers fans though the book does not focus singly on this region of the country, digging up crazed fans all across the country. This was an interesting read and hopefully it will only add to the on-going conversation of the benefit of sports and the importance of keeping players healthy, no matter what sport they play.
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Dried & True: The Magic of Your Dehydrator in 80 Delicious Recipes and Inspiring Techniques
by
Sara Dickerman
Ballard Reader
, May 30, 2017
This book is a great addition to any preserver's library! The recipes have a totally fresh spin on drying and feel very modern with interesting flavor profiles that are a little outside-the-box compared to the basic stuff one usually does with a dehydrator. The storage recommendations have been great, meaning legitimate and safe to follow, as far as I have read, letting you know when to store things in the fridge and how long they will keep. The caramelized onions are amazing! Once you try them and the dip recipe you will be ready to toss out any of that old Lipton mix and enjoy the depth these add to your dip, meats, even a baked potato! If you're looking for new ways to utilize your dehydrator I'd highly recommend checking this book out, especially with the onslaught of produce summer is about to bring!
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Lumberjanes Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy
by
Stevenson, Noelle and Watters, Shannon and Allen, Brooke A.
Ballard Reader
, September 18, 2015
Friendship to the max! These adventures of a group of girls away at a oddly fantastic summer camp are a fun read and have an awesome message for young female readers. The girls have all sorts of outdoor adventures, take risks, use their brains and a little brawn to beat up the odd monster they come across. The drawings are great, the story lines are fun, what more can you ask for? I would highly suggest picking up the series for your young reader; though the series is definitely directed at females I think an open-minded young lad might get a kick out of them as well! My only complaint? They're too short!
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Sugar Rush: Master Tips, Techniques, and Recipes for Sweet Baking
by
Iuzzini, Johnny and Martin, Wes and Greenspan, Dorie
Ballard Reader
, July 08, 2015
I dare you to pick up this book and even after just flipping through not be making mental plans about what you are going to make first, all the while wiping the drool from your chin after glimpsing the beautifully-put-together desserts! Johnny Iuzzini has gifted bakers with an amazing resource that would be suitable for any level. His style is evident throughout, from the flavor combinations and dessert pairings to the styling of the book, which is beautiful on its own. The formulas are written in a straight forward, approachable way with pictures demonstrating key steps for some, not all, of the recipes. One of the things I loved most was the truly supportive way Iuzzini introduces each recipe, imbuing readers with the courage to attempt anything, and how he puts forth the skills that are necessary for successful baking in general. Coming from a professionally-trained baker, this is a book that I will keep close by any time I am in the kitchen!
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Foxglove Summer Rivers of London Book 5
by
Ben Aaronovitch
Ballard Reader
, January 13, 2015
This is a great series -- really original concepts, fun writing, interesting characters -- but this installment fell totally flat for me. This felt like a middling plot that should have been a teaser-type short story as opposed to a full-length novel; in a shorter format I think it would have read much better. The author would start to introduce a character or hint and some major occurrence and then just move on, never fully developing the character or idea so you're left wondering through most of the book, why was that there, was it important, only to not see it again. The author has a great imagination and can vividly portray some really interesting non-human or part-human characters and he started to set up some interesting ones here and then just dropped it, never really explaining what they were or what he was getting at, leaving this reader rather frustrated. This series is a lot of fun to read -- I even heard Nancy Pearl recommend it on NPR when the first book came out! -- and deserves your attention, despite this lackluster installment. Fans of the series will definitely be glad to check in with thee characters but not enough is happening to make this novel as satisfying as the others in the series.
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Truffles Candies & Confections Techniques & Recipes for Candymaking
by
Carole Bloom
Ballard Reader
, December 27, 2014
Carole Bloom writes such approachable books, both for experienced home cooks and professionals alike, and this book is no exception. The recipes are all clearly written and detailed enough for experienced home cooks to be able to handle some of the more difficult confections with ease. The recipes range from fairly simple ganache truffles to more complicated brittles, nougats and some jellies. The only reason I am giving four instead of five stars is due to her directions on tempering chocolate; the directions aren't as detailed as I think they could be and is lacking some pictures or examples of techniques and out-of-temper chocolate that would be helpful. That being said, this is a great collection of formulas and would be a great addition to your cookbook shelf if you enjoy chocolates and confections and want to explore making some of your own.
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Greenglass House: A National Book Award Nominee
by
Kate Milford
Ballard Reader
, December 18, 2014
This was such a fun read! The author does a great job of creating a wonderfully quirky cast of characters and the environment where it takes place is totally unique and fun. Milo, the main character, is painted as such a real boy -- smart and shy and a little bit moody at having his Christmas encroached upon! -- and really helps to ground the story and connect to the reader. The mystery is very middle-reader appropriate and while the pacing of the book is a little slow at the beginning it definitely picks up after the first few chapters. There isn't a whole lot of action going on in the book but readers who enjoy more of a 'thinking' book will like trying to solve the many little mysteries going on around the house. This would be a great book for cozying up and reading during the winter months or even as a read-aloud with slightly younger kids, doing a chapter or two each night.
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More from Macrina New Favorites from Seattles Popular Neighborhood Bakery
by
Leslie Mackie, Lisa Gordanier
Ballard Reader
, December 15, 2014
Get ready for another round of amazing recipes from one of Seattle's best bakeries, Macrina! Leslie Mackie is so generous and has provided, once again, the recipes that are so popular in her bakeries so fans can create them at home. For anyone who is unfamiliar with Macrina bakery and their delectable goods, the recipes contained within are for somewhat rustic, very flavorful products. The recipes range from sweet to savory and focus a bit more on breads and more breakfast-type items, with some cookies, cakes and pies as well. The recipes for fresh herb bread and savory bread pudding alone are worth the cost of the book; the bread recipe has always turned out beautiful, delicious loaves for me and the bread pudding is a great base recipe that can be adjusted to include what you have on hand. I do feel that the recipes are written for folks who have had some baking experience so, while I would totally encourage a beginner to pick up this book, be mindful that some techniques aren't explained in great detail. This book would be a great addition to any baker's collection whether they have been to Macrina and are fans or just are fans of great baked goods!
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Huckleberry Stories Secrets & Recipes from Our Kitchen
by
Zoe Nathan, Josh Loeb, Laurel Almerinda
Ballard Reader
, December 10, 2014
This is so much more than just a cookbook! First and foremost, the look of the book, from the pictures to the layout to the adorable polka dots on the exposed sides of the pages, is so well put together you can really tell a lot of love and care went into the creation of this book. The accompanying text isn't just recipe after recipe but tells a story of a day in the bakery and gives insight into the dishes and people that make this bakery run. Zoe Nathan has such an engaging way of writing that I found myself skipping over the recipes to continue on with her narratives at the beginning of each chapter! Getting down to the meat of the book, the recipes, you will find a wide variety of sweet and savory items, ranging in difficulty from simple tea breads to more complicated yeasted breads, such as the beautiful blueberry brioche on the cover. Being a professionally trained baker I found all the recipes to be very approachable and most able to be executed by home cooks with a little experience. The recipes are well-written with clear directions and measurements in both volume and metric. That being said, I have come across a recipe or two that didn't work so well for me but for the most part things have been delicious. Her english muffin recipe is one of my favorites -- if you haven't made home-made english muffins this is a great one to try, totally worth the effort! All in all, this book is a great read on its own with some delicious recipes, beautiful pictures and definitely worth checking out.
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Baking Bible
by
Rose Levy Beranbaum
Ballard Reader
, November 06, 2014
I picked up this book, anxious to see what new delights Ms. Beranbaum had for me to bake up . . . and after sitting and thumbing through the entire book I found there was not one thing that even remotely interested me. The recipes are all thoroughly written out, very detailed in the steps the way Ms. Beranbaum's always are BUT this causes the reader to have to flip back and forth between pages while baking which I find to be a major pain; plus it isn't just one or two or a few that are like this, they pretty much all are like that. The items themselves seem very dated, like straight from the '50s meringue desserts and photographs that look ripped from '80s cookbooks. The collection is cake heavy with some tarts/pies, cookies and bread items but the focus is really on cakes. (The 'candy' inclusions were laughable and should have been omitted entirely in my opinion) I really only see this book appealing to novice home bakers who are looking to step up their game a bit or for die-hard fans of Ms. Beranbaum; as a professionally trained baker I found it to be dated and uninspiring.
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