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Kelsey Ford: Twelve Days of Horror (0 comment)

While putting this post together, I realized that the original song this is based on, “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” needs very little amending to become horrific: why is someone gifting their lover so many different kinds of birds? That can’t be safe? But we love notching the horror up whenever we can, so in our version of the song...

Keith Mosman: Best Books of 2023: Audiobooks (0 comment)
Powell's Staff: New Literature in Translation: November 2023 (0 comment)

No Plot? No Problem!: A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days

Chris Baty

Who better to get advice from for NaNoWriMo than the man who invented it? Chris Baty makes novel writing less intimidating by cutting it into bite-sized pieces. Been chewing on a few ideas? Sink your teeth into this book and devour easy instructions for writing stories that apply to more than just NaNoWriMo.
Recommended by Alex K.

Buddhas Brain The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness

Rick Hanson, Richard Mendius

"We are what we think." — Gautama Buddha
Discover the neuroscience and psychology behind the principles used in Buddhism to achieve peace of mind. By offering practical methods and applications to change the way you think, this book can change your life. Like the muscles in the body, with the correct exercise and maintenance, the mind can change its constitution over time. Mindfulness, contemplation, and meditation are just a few... (read more)
Recommended by Alex K.

Writing Down the Bones

Natalie Goldberg

This is a book about not only how to write well, but also how to find fulfillment in writing. Writing Down the Bones differs from other how-to-write books by providing useful writing exercises to promote inspiration and improve writing skills, instead of just offering clichéd advice or standard grammar rules. Natalie Goldberg equips writers, whether they are seasoned or just starting out, with tools to effectively reduce stress and the... (read more)
Recommended by Alex K.

Oranges

John McPhee

Who knew oranges could be so interesting? John McPhee succeeds at making them so in this nonfiction narrative of the history, science, culture, and art of oranges and orange products. Nonfiction can be dry, but this book is as juicy as the fruit it's about. He writes with humor and poetic prose that reads more like insightful literature than typical nonfiction. This book about a favorite staple produce has become a favorite staple on my shelf.
Recommended by Alex K.

The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories: 75th Anniversary Edition

Angela Carter

A collection of the best adaptations of classic fairy tales, with a feminist flare, modern twists, and carnal delights. Carter's writing is everything that is great about the perfect short story. Every word synergizes with the others to create layers of meaning that resonate with the soul, heart, and mind. Reading it is an intense experience.Carter uses visceral prose to exhilarate and titillate. Each tale offers suspense and satisfaction on a... (read more)
Recommended by Alex K.

Stardust

Neil Gaiman

Stardust is Neil Gaiman's dazzling fairy tale odyssey. A young man ventures into another realm in search of a fallen star to prove his love, but the star is not what he expects. He will have to fight to protect the fallen star from witches and princes, which, along with a merchant airship, will guide him to discover his past, and his future.
Recommended by Alex K.

Welcome to the Monkey House

Vonnegut, Kurt

Welcome to the Monkey House is an evocative collection of short stories that best express Kurt Vonnegut as a writer: blunt, complex, and well developed, making it the best translation of his unique style, perspective, and humor. Included in this collection is one of my all-time-favorite short stories,"Harrison Bergeron." This is a great collection for creating new Vonnegut fans and pleasing old ones.
Recommended by Alex K.

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