When presented with what looked like a mountain of a novel, we were admittedly a little apprehensive. Not for long.
Mere pages in, Jill was lavishing praise on Adam Levin’s debut. Once through it, she didn’t stop, going on to say:
The Instructions is awe-inspiring. Addictively quotable, violently funny, insanely intelligent, and utterly compelling, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever read, in the best possible way. Read this book. You’ll savor every word on its thousand-plus pages.
We did. And so did the New York Observer:
This is a life-consuming novel, one that demands to be read feverishly. When it is over, other fiction feels insufficient, the newspaper seems irrelevant...
We were thrilled when McSweeney’s suggested printing an edition just for our subscribers — the cover design is unique, and they also created a special Indiespensable copyright page. Adam Levin was happy to sign these exclusive editions and to talk to Jill about his first novel. You’ll find her interview (during which Levin was charming, self-deprecating, and funny, even while his parrot squawked vociferously throughout) on the enclosed cards. (And here, on the Powells.com blog.)
Michal and Heidi met with local business owner Sabrina, from {a little bit of sweet}, and conducted the compulsory quality control inspection of her fluffy confections. After a lengthy tasting session (for business purposes only, of course), we were sold. Quality = exceptional. But, we apologize, once you’ve had a hand-crafted marshmallow from this Portland sweet shop, the store-bought brands will no longer measure up.
Finally, we couldn’t help but get into the spirit of the season and include one of our limited edition holiday tote bags. Even the grinchiest in our ranks can’t fight the warm feelings achieved from tossing this natural cotton bag over a shoulder and hitting the town with a few favorite books in tow. It’s adorned with a festive (but not too festive) version of our logo, perfect for creative gift-wrapping or keeping for oneself. And, we promise the handles are secure enough to even carry around your new copy of The Instructions.
Happy reading!
The Indiespensable Team