Staff Picks Books, Jun L - Powell's Books

Don't Miss

Visit Our Stores

Eye of the World Wheel of Time Book 01

Robert Jordan

The Wheel of Time series is an ambitious transition from the Tolkien-inspired books that dominated much of the fantasy market decades ago. The plot, the world-building, and the characters are all products of traditional and contemporary themes. If you like traditional, pre-'90s fantasy, you'll appreciate this series. If you enjoy much of our current era of fantasy, you'll enjoy this series. I strongly believe everyone can find something they... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.

The Name of the Wind

Patrick Rothfuss

This is the book that hooked me into the fantasy genre. This is the book that transformed me into an avid reader. This is fantasy in its most beautifully meticulous, subtle form. The world-building is dense, but not so dense that you become overwhelmed by exposition or your own retention. The characters become real products of this world, and they act so genuinely human that it sometimes hurts. The prose is poetic and rarely matched by other... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.

Convenience Store Woman

Sayaka Murata and Ginny Tapley Takemori

It may be taken for granted what we have in our ability to understand and connect with other people. Keiko Furukura doesn't want to be othered. She seeks a place and a purpose in the world like anybody else. The trouble arises from the fact that she can understand the what and the how of humanity, but she can't understand the why. She can exhibit tactfulness and social norms, but only as a means of blending in. Convenience Store Woman is... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.

Daughter of the Samurai

Etsu Inagaki Sugimoto, Karen Tei Yamashita, Yuki Obayashi

As a Japanese American, this is perhaps one of the most important books in my life so far. It provides a much-needed glimpse into older, traditional Japanese life, while still maintaining a surprisingly large degree of relevance. The author works hard not just to write a good autobiography, but also a great work of art. Her story of life in Japan and America is stunning, and I urge people to jump into this book to better understand Japanese... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.

No Longer Human

Osamu Dazai and Donald Keene

This book is mentally taxing. It's beautiful, rough, and difficult. You are asked to observe the life of a man who generally struggles to empathize or connect with other people. Where you might find yourself empathizing, the protagonist, Yozo, will not. His alienation is the core of the narrative, leading him into a lifestyle of faking humanity in attempts at feeling anything. It hurts. His relationships (friends, family, romance) are tough.... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.