|
Grass Roots Books and Music
— 227 SW 2nd Street, Corvallis OR 97339 — 541-754-7668 |
| April 25, 2013 |
| Contents |
|
| |
| |
Sunshine and warmth! I barely recognize the days outside the bookstore windows, but I will take them. One of my favorite things about the nicer weather is taking my lunch break at the park on the riverfront, enjoying a wonderful book while partaking of something delicious. When I see other people reading (or sometimes writing!) outside, I feel like I'm in a special club, and I really want to go up to every one of them and see what they're reading or working on.
Paperbacks are best for outdoor reading I think, at least if you treat books like I do. This week earns a gold star because we received brand new paperback releases by three local authors: George Estreich's The Shape of the Eye, Aria Minu-Sepehr's We Heard the Heavens Then, and Kathleen Dean Moore's Holdfast: At Home in the Natural Reader. Fortunately we are hosting events with all of them in May, so hopefully I will be re-treated to having the books autographed as well. Visit the Grass Roots website for details about these, and all of the other events we have coming up at Grass Roots next month.
Speaking of events, don't forget about our Community Poetry Night on Tuesday, April 30. We'll see National Poetry Month out with a bang! Don't worry: there's more coming up at the bookstore. Keep reading this week's Grass Roots Reader to get all the dirt.
See you in the bookstore! (And reading my book on the riverfront. . . )
Pamela. |
|
| |
| Newest Books |
Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls
David Sedaris
In this laugh-out-loud collection of essays, humorist David Sedaris guides readers on a worldwide tour of the weird and wacky. His offbeat observations range from the perils of French dentistry to the eating habits of the Australian kookaburra, from the squat-style toilets of Beijing to the particular wilderness of a North Carolina Costco. Whether ranting about litterers in the English countryside or marveling over a disembodied human arm in a taxidermist's shop, Sedaris’ delightful, absurd adventures abroad will entertain and amuse.
Hardcover, $27.00
Publisher: Little Brown and Company; ISBN: 9780316154697 |
|
|
Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation
Michael Pollan
Applying the power of the four classical elements – earth, water, air, and fire – Pollan explores the natural processes which transform food from raw to cooked, from the farm to the plate. Cooked demonstrates the fundamental ways food connects us historically and culturally, and how cooking may be the most essential approach to making the American food system healthier and more sustainable.
“Encompassing the wonder of alchemy, the scientific precision of chemistry, the inevitabilities of biology, and the complexities of parsing social and cultural meaning, this work weaves history and science with Pollan's personal journey in attempting and, in some cases, mastering the techniques.” –Library Journal Starred Review
Hardcover, $27.95
Publisher: Penguin Press; ISBN: 9781594204210 |
|
|
Maya's Notebook
Isabel Allende
Nineteen-year-old Maya, neglected by her parents, was largely raised in California by her grandparents Nini and Popo. Popo’s gentle presence is the centering force of Maya’s turbulent adolescence, so when cancer claims his life Maya’s world spirals out of control. Joining a gang called the Vampires, she takes up dangerous habits of drugs and petty crime, ending up in a seedy Vegas underworld in the midst of a battle between assassins and the FBI. Her one chance to escape may lie within her family heritage as she unravels the mysterious truths of her past in her notebooks while hidden away by Nini on an isolated island of the coast of Chile.
Hardcover, $27.99
Publisher: Harper; ISBN: 9780062105622 |
|
|
The Golem and the Jinni
Helene Wecker
Brought to life by a man who dabbles in dark magic, Chava is a golem – a creature made of clay – who finds herself adrift in New York Harbor. Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire, trapped in an old copper flask for centuries and accidentally released by a tinsmith in a Lower Manhattan shop. The two supernatural creatures become tenuous friends who struggle to adapt in the strange city while concealing their true and opposing natures.
“Wecker has blended not only genres but also elements of Jewish and Arab folklore and mythology in this intriguing historical fantasy. . . A mystical and highly original stroll through the sidewalks of New York.” —Booklist
Hardcover, $26.99
Publisher: Harper; ISBN: 9780062110831 |
|
|
Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II
Mitchell Zuckoff
Seventy years ago, a search-and-rescue B-17 sent to locate the crash site of a U.S. cargo plane became lost in a severe blizzard and met the same fate. Yet miraculously, all nine men aboard the B-17 survived. This is the thrilling account of the crew’s 148 harsh and harrowing days in the heart of an Arctic winter, and the arduous expedition to bring them home.
“Zuckoff's gripping narrative unfolds with immediacy and verve as men in fetid snow caves and sputtering aircraft pit their dogged camaraderie and desperate, white-knuckle improvisations against the fury of an Arctic winter.” –Publishers Weekly Starred Review
Hardcover, $28.99
Publisher: Harper; ISBN: 9780062133434 |
|
|
|
 |
| |
| New in Paperback |
|
The Shape of the Eye: A Memoir
George Estreich
Corvallis author!
“It is the poetry of [Estreich’s] words that rings true in this difficult, poignant, but always moving memoir about the relationship between himself and Laura, his Down syndrome daughter: the child with the extra chromosome. . . Estreich recalls reading everything he could get his hands on about the syndrome, including the background of John Langdon Down, the English doctor who discovered the condition. He describes, too, the life of his Japanese mother. It was, in fact, because Laura had vaguely Asian, almond-shaped eyes that Estreich initially thought the doctors had misdiagnosed his daughter’s condition. . . An elegantly written, luminous, and profoundly human portrait of pain and sorrow, hope and cautious optimism.” –Booklist Starred Review
We celebrate the paperback release of George’s book at a joint event with Aria Minu-Sepehr on May 23.
Paperback, $16.95
Publisher: Tarcher; ISBN: 9780399163340 |
|
|
|
We Heard the Heavens Then: A Memoir of Iran
Aria Minu-Sepehr
Corvallis author!
Aria Minu-Sepehr grew up in a sheltered world in Iran as the son of an eminent general in the Shah’s Imperial Iranian Air Force, watching Little House on the Prairie on TV after school and lovingly torturing his nanny. That idyllic life came to an abrupt end when the Shah was overthrown in 1979, and the Ayatollah rose to power. At 10 years old, Aria had a piercing look at the Iranian revolution through the wide-open eyes of a child.
"Written with the honesty and humor representative of childhood mixed with the longing and acceptance of an adult separated from his homeland, this memoir offers an insider's perspective on a country. . . that often remains a mystery to Western people." —Publishers Weekly
We celebrate the paperback release of Aria’s book at a joint event with George Estreich on May 23.
Paperback, $16.00
Publisher: Simon & Schuster; ISBN: 9781451652192 |
|
|
Beautiful Ruins
Jess Walter
Hollywood starlet Dee Moray arrives at the Hotel Adequate View in Porto Vergogna, Italy, in 1962 to cover-up a minor disaster on the set of the doomed epic Cleopatra: she is pregnant with Richard Burton’s child. Pasquale Tursi, the hotel’s proprietor, can’t help but fall in love with his ethereally beautiful guest. Fifty years later, Tursi travels to Hollywood, searching for the mysterious woman he became smitten with at his Italian hotel decades earlier. The lives of a colorful cast of characters become entangled in this story of flawed yet fascinating people, navigating the rocky shores of their lives while clinging to their improbable dreams.
Paperback, $15.99
Publisher: Harper Perennial; ISBN: 9780061928178 |
|
|
Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake
Anna Quindlen
Before she was a bestselling novelist, Anna Quindlen was a popular columnist for the New York Times, writing “Life in the 30s”. She is now 60 and able to look back on life with an experienced eye, and looking ahead at what life still holds for her. Quindlen explores what matters most to women at different ages, considering marriage, girlfriends, our mothers, faith, loss, all the stuff in our closets, and more. From childhood memories to manic motherhood to middle age, Quindlen uses the events of her own life to illuminate our own.
Paperback, $15.00
Publisher: Random House Trade; ISBN: 9780812981667 |
|
|
|
| |
| Featured Books for Young Readers |
Poems to Learn by Heart
Caroline Kennedy
All ages
Caroline Kennedy offers a collection of over 100 poems meant to be memorized and shared as a companion to 2005’s A Family of Poems. A poem is a gift of the heart that can inspire, reassure, or challenge us, and this collection covers the range of human experience and imagination. Divided into sections about nature, sports, monsters and fairies, friendship and family, this book is full of surprises. Featuring watercolor illustrations by Jon J. Muth, this book will appeal to readers of all ages, and stand as a book that families will want to share for generations.
Hardcover, $19.99
Publisher: Disney Press; ISBN: 9781423108054 |
|
|
|
|
| |
| Music |
Michael Bublé
To Be Loved
Genre: Jazz/Blues
"With producer Bob Rock - most famous for helming a classic run of Metallica albums, obviously - in sole charge for the first time, there's depth to the arrangements and an occasional tiptoe into the unknown, notably on 'After All's' Motowny stomp of a duet with compatriot Bryan Adams and in the throaty soul pipes Bublé unveils on Jackson 5 cover 'Who's Lovin' You'." ($18.95) |
Steve Martin & Edie Brickell
Love Has Come For You
Genre: Pop/Folk
After two award-winning bluegrass albums, the actor/comedian-turned-banjo-player tries his hand at something different. Singer-songwriter Edie Brickell takes vocal lead on a collection of tracks covering folk, country, pop, and bluegrass. ($15.95) |
Frank Turner
Tape Deck Heart
Genre: Pop/Folk
England's punk troubadour follows up on one of 2011's most unexpected success stories. Tape Deck Heart finds Turner once again backed by a full band, offering rousing folk/punk anthems often addressing Turner's own story. ($10.95) |
The Bills
Yes Please
Genre: Pop/Folk
"Influenced in equal parts by Django Reinhardt, Sam Bush, Stan Rogers and Chopin, The Bills have crafted an album that appeals to acoustic music fans of all ages and styles—from bluegrass and gypsy jazz to classical and folk music from around the globe." ($17.95) |
Luke Winslow-King
The Coming Tide
Genre: Pop/Folk
On his debut album, New Orleans resident Winslow-King plays a retro set of delta-folk, ragtime, and country blues. Primarily on slide and acoustic guitar, he is joined by vocalist/washboarder Esther Rose on a mix of originals and covers. While there is a bit of an edge here and there, Winslow-King plays it pretty trad, foregoing some of the modernizations favored by some similar acts. ($15.95) |
Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line
Carnival
Genre: Pop/Folk
Since Nashviller Struthers released her debut CD, she joined the bluegrass band Bearfoot and recorded an album with them. Now in front of her new group, Struthers expands her sound, adding drums and Americana elements to embrace genres beyond bluegrass. ($13.95) |
|
|
|
| |
| Events |
Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m.
Grass Roots Books & Music
227 SW 2nd Street, Corvallis |
Cliff Kirkpatrick
Oregon State University Baseball: Building a Legacy
In the postseasons of 2005, 2006 and 2007, the Oregon State Beavers baseball team achieved a seemingly impossible dream and forever changed the culture of Northwest sports. After nearly a century of dismissal as a wet-weather team, unable to compete with the southern baseball belt on the national stage, a run of three College World Series appearances and back-to-back titles earned the Beavers national respect. Inspired by his own coverage of the dramatic seasons, Corvallis Gazette-Times sportswriter Cliff Kirkpatrick recounts the program's rise to prominence and lasting legacy. |
 |
|
Saturday, April 27 at 2 p.m.
Grass Roots Books & Music
227 SW 2nd Street, Corvallis |
Poetry Reading
Turn, an anthology from Uttered Chaos
Experience the seasons with a variety of poets, and an afternoon of poetry in the Grass Roots loft. The theme of Turn is “months of the year,” and editor Laura LeHew left it to the poets to decipher what that meant. She was not disappointed, and wants to share it with others.
Readers for this event are Ayelet Amittay, Laura Gamache, Quinton Hallett, Susan Kenyon, Laura LeHew, Cathy McGuire, Nancy Carol Moody, Sharon Lask Munson, Eileen Peterson, Tim Pfau, Kit Sibert. |
 |
|
Tuesday, April 30,
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Grass Roots Books & Music
227 SW 2nd Street, Corvallis |
Community Poetry Night
Celebrate National Poetry Month with Grass Roots during an Open Mic event in the bookstore. Local poets and poetry fans are invited to read their own work, or a favorite poem by someone else. Participants will be asked to sign up before the event, but everyone is welcome to read, time permitting. Please plan on limiting your reading to 5 minutes. To register, please stop by Grass Roots Books & Music, call at 541-754-7668, or send an email to grootsreads@gmail.com. |
 |
|
Wednesday, May 1 at 7 p.m.
Corvallis-Benton County Public Library
645 NW Monroe Avenue, Corvallis |
Book Release Event
Can Words Sing? Can Music Speak?
A celebration of the music of words and the words of music with Kathleen Dean Moore and Rachelle McCabe
Holdfast: At Home in the Natural World
Naturalist, philosopher, and essayist Kathleen Dean Moore is joined by concert pianist Rachelle McCabe in a celebration of the music of words and the words of music, with a book signing to follow. The event marks the publication of a new edition of Moore’s collection of essays: Holdfast: At Home in the Natural World. Moore and McCabe, both of OSU, will mix it up with Simon and Garfunkel. They’ll explore what it means to love a child through music, words, and an old lullaby. Moore will read old favorites like “Howling with Strangers” and “The Song of the Canyon Wren,” and new works about such things as the best songs to sing to bears.
This free event is cosponsored by Grass Roots Books & Music, The Friends of the Corvallis-Benton County Library, The Spring Creek Project, and OSU Press. |
 |
|
Saturday, May 11,
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Grass Roots Books & Music
227 SW 2nd Street, Corvallis |
Author Meet & Greet
Katie Kacvinsky and Lisa Burstein
Two young adult novelists join us for a “Meet & Greet” event at Grass Roots. Corvallis author Katie Kacvinsky returns to the store to meet her fans and sign copies of First Comes Love, newly released in paperback. Lisa Burstein, of Portland, will be in Corvallis to sign copies of the second book in her trilogy, Dear Cassie.
First Comes Love is the story of Gray and Dylan. Gray is dark and stormy, and Dylan is the exact opposite: full of light and life. On the outside, they seem like an unlikely couple. But looks can be deceiving, and besides, opposites attract. What starts as friendship turns into admiration, respect, and caring, until finally these two lone souls find that they are truly in love with each other. But staying in love is never as easy as falling in love. If Dylan and Gray want their love to last, they're going to have to work at it . . .
Dear Cassie is the second book in a trilogy that began with Pretty Amy. It follows the story of Cassie, after the disastrous prom night that landed her a night in jail with her best friends Amy and Lila. Sent to Turning Pines Wilderness Camp for a month-long rehabilitation “retreat”, Cassie’s expectations for the summer are low, but finds that the last place she should fall in love is the first place that she does. Re-living her experiences in a mandated journal, she begins to ask herself: What if the moment you’ve closed yourself off is the moment you start to break open? |
|
|
|
Upcoming Events
We have many more events coming up in the next few months! For a complete list of all of our upcoming events, please visit our website. |
|
|
|
| |
| Community Events |
|
Community Events
Darkside Cinema: Movies showing April 26 to May 2, showtimes daily, Darkside Cinema, Corvallis. Visit their website for showtimes.
- The Company You Keep –R: A former Weather Underground activist goes on the run from a journalist who has discovered his identity. With Stanley Tucci, Robert Redford, Susan Sarandon, Nick Nolte, Chris Cooper, Julie Christie, Terrence Howard.
- Trance –R An art auctioneer who has become mixed up with a group of criminals partners with a hypnotherapist in order to recover a lost painting. Danny Boyle directs!
- No –R: An ad executive comes up with a campaign to defeat Augusto Pinochet in Chile's 1988 referendum. Starring Gael Garcia Bernal. Subtitled Spanish.
- Silver Linging Playbook –R: After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own.
Literary Events: Visit our Community Calendar for details on these events and others in the area.
- Nye Beach Writers Series Presents An Evening with Natalie Serber, Shout Her Lovely Name: Saturday, April 27, 7 p.m., Newport Visual Arts Center, Newport.
- Voices of Witness, Poetry of Power: A Poetry Reading Benefit for Beyond Toxics, featuring Donna Henderson and Sara Burant: Sunday, April 28, 4 to 6 p.m., Tsunami Books, Eugene.
- CBCPL Kids Book Club: Meet Judith Li, author of Ellie’s Log: Exploring the Forest Where the Great Tree Fell: Friday, May 3, 3:30 to 4:15 p.m., Youth Activity Room, Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, Corvallis.
Opportunities:
- Summer in Words Conference: Three days of events, talks, and workshops taught by a stellar cast of authors and writing instructors will help you learn more about story and craft and invite you to move forward. June 20-23, Hallmark Inn & Resort, Cannon Beach, OR. For more information and to register, visit the Conference website.
- Summer Fishtrap: The 26th annual Summer Fishtrap Gathering of Writers at Wallowa Lake runs July 8-14, 2013. For more details on workshops at Summer Fishtrap and to register please visit fishtrap.org.
- 2013 Lois Cranston Memorial Poetry Prize: March 1-May 31, 2013, postmarked. Please submit up to three unpublished poems (six pages maximum). Simultaneous submissions are discouraged. The CALYX editorial collective reads all manuscripts first, then selects 10-20 finalists to send to the final judge. See the CALYX submissions page for more information.
- Call for Submissions: For the summer 2013 issue of Oregon Humanities magazine, we want ideas, arguments, theories, and stories about "skin," as in: The one you're in. You have two chances to contribute to this discussion. Shorter responses (400 words) for our Posts section are due May 13. Visit their website to read the full call Posts submissions.
- Inklings, an open critique group, is seeking new members. The group meets on 1st & 3rd Sundays from 11 am to 1 pm in the upstairs meeting room at Market of Choice on 9th Street and Circle Boulevard in Corvallis. Please contact Dinaz Rogers at drogersor@msn.com or 541-967-1911 if you have any questions.
Ticket Sales: Grass Roots sells tickets for local music events. Check our Community Calendar for upcoming events that we have available. |
|
Monday, April 29 at 7 p.m.
C&E Auditorium, LaSells Stewart Center, OSU
875 SW 26th St., Corvallis |
A Hundere Lecture with Anne Fadiman
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
Fadiman's 1997 book The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down won the National Book Critics Circle Award. This book examined an extended Hmong family with a child with epilepsy, and their cultural, linguistic, and medical struggles in America. It showed the importance of cultural empathy and respectful diversity in medical practice. It has been cited by medical journals and lecturers as an argument for greater cultural competence, and often assigned to medical, pharmaceutic, and anthropological students in the US.
As Yale Universities Francis Writer in Residence, she teaches nonfiction writing and serves as a mentor to students who are considering careers in writing or editing.
Books will be available to purchase from Grass Roots Books & Music. |
 |
|
Saturdays, May 4 and May 11, 2 to 4 p.m.
Corvallis-Benton County Public Library
645 NW Monroe Avenue, Corvallis |
Writing Lives: the Short Personal Essay, from Invention to Publication
The 2-part writing workshop will be led by 2012 Oregon Book Award winner George Estreich (The Shape of the Eye),and 2013 Oregon Book Award nominee Aria Minu-Sepehr (We Heard the Heavens Then).
On the first meeting, the instructors will talk about the short personal essay, give examples, and talk about the challenges in writing a good personal essay. There will be a short writing prompt, to begin the process of invention, and time permitting, there will be an opportunity to discuss some of the student work. For the second class, students will be asked to bring in a 900-word draft, with the goal of submitting to the New York Times "Lives" column. In the second class the instructors will discuss how to revise, improve, and submit work. Participants will read a few sample columns from "Lives," discussing not only what makes them work, but what the editors seem to be looking for in each case. Additional venues to send written work will also be discussed. Preregistration required. Please call the Reference Desk 541-766-6793 to sign up.
Books will be available to purchase on May 11 from Grass Roots Books & Music. |
|
|
Thursday, May 9,
6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Corvallis-Benton County Public Library
645 NW Monroe Avenue, Corvallis |
Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories and Music
Joseph Bruchac, Storyteller & Writer
A free storytelling event for adults, teens, and school-aged children. Joseph Bruchac is the author of more than 120 books for children and adults.
Books will be available to purchase from Grass Roots Books & Music. |
Photo by Michael Greenlar |
|
| |
| News |
|
Book Awards
Indies Choice and E.B. White Read-Aloud Awards: Winners of the 2013 Indies Choice Book Awards, honoring books members of the American Booksellers Association most enjoyed selling, were announced last week. This year’s winners are:
The winners of the E.B. White Read-Aloud Awards (“[Recognizing] books that reflect the playful, well-paced language, the engaging themes, and the universal appeal to a wide range of ages embodied by E.B. White’s collection of beloved books.”) are:
- Middle reader: Wonder by R.J. Palacio
- Picture book: Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen
Indie Champion Award: John Green (“presented to the author or illustrator that has both the best sense of the importance of independent bookstores to their communities at large and the strongest personal commitment to foster and support the mission and passion of independent booksellers.")
Anisfield-Wolf Awards: The winners of the 78th Annual Anisfield-Wolf Awards were announced this week, to be presented in Cleveland Sept. 12. The awards recognize “books that have made an important contribution to society's understanding of racism and the diversity of cultures”, and are sponsored by the Cleveland Foundation. This year’s winners are:
|
|
Featured in the Store
Mother’s Day is May 12: Don’t forget to honor Mom on Mother’s Day! We have a wonderful selection of cards available, in addition to unique gift items and our carefully curated selection of books. What’s your mom hoping for? Handy tote bags, unique stationery, beautiful journals, delicious cookbooks, intriguing novels, fascinating memoirs—you’ll find it at Grass Roots.
Considering giving Mom a Kobo eReader this year? Through May 13, any Kobo eReader device purchased at an ABA-member bookstore will come with a free copy of the What My Mother Gave Me eBook from Algonquin books. Customers will also receive a special What My Mother Gave Me greeting card with envelope and stretch loop ribbon to complete the Mother’s Day gift package. Visit the store for complete details. We also have the print edition of the book available in store.
It’s not too early to shop for Father’s Day (June 16) or graduates! Greeting cards, books, journals, gift items, and CDs: there’s something for everyone at Grass Roots! |
 |
|
 |
World Book Night: A Testimonial
We enjoyed our WBN experience as a small, but mighty group! Between Gabrielle, Stephen, Terrance, Marissa, and myself we had 100 free books to hand out in order to promote goodwill and the love of reading in our community. We roamed Corvallis, spreading the joy of books, from the main bus terminal, to Central Park, on to a busy supermarket. We encountered many surprised, and grateful folks - happy to receive the gift of reading and eager to learn more about World Book Night and how they might be able to participate themselves. In hopes to make a true impact, we made the conscious decision to reserve a number of our books for donation to the Jackson Street Youth Shelter - fostering the next generation of readers! I hope all who participated had a wonderful, fulfilling WBN experience!
-Neé
Visit the World Book Night website for more information. |
|
|
|
| |
| This Week's Puzzle |
|
|
| |
| Reading Group Selection |
Tuesday, May 7, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
The Marriage Plot
Jeffrey Eugenides
Pamela hosts the discussion for The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides. It was named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times Book Review, NPR, and Publishers Weekly.
Madeleine Hanna is a dutiful English major at Brown in the early 1980s, writing her thesis on Jane Austen and George Eliot, purveyors of the marriage plot that lies at the heart of the greatest English novels. While taking a course on semiotics—a more modern take on language—she meets and falls in love with the charismatic and manic depressive Leonard. At the same time, an old friend of hers declares himself her destined mate for life, forming a love triangle with a marriage plot of its own. |
|
Publisher: Picador USA
ISBN: 9781250014764
Paperback
Regular price: $16.00
On sale for $13.60 until May 7.
|
|
|
|
| |
On Our Nightstands |
 Linda
Topsy-Turvy Inside-Out Knit Toys
Susan B. Anderson
This absolutely delightful book is a toy chest full of quizzical knitted inside-out animals. Beautifully illustrated, with easy and clear instructions, these creatures look like fun to make, as well as to play with. Just looking at the photos made me laugh: the Pigs in a Blanket, the Egg to Penguin ball, and yes, Pamela, the Squirrel and Hedgehog (adorable, fluffy-tailed squirrel with an acorn). I would love to knit one of these perfect little toys for my perfect little grandniece; got to get knitting!
Hardcover, $17.95
Publisher: Artisan Publishers; ISBN: 9781579654603 |
|
|
Pamela
Relish: My Life in the Kitchen
Lucy Knisley
My fiancé accused me of reading a comic book when he found me absorbed by this book, but he was wrong. So, so wrong. Lucy Knisley is an artist and a lover of food, and she crafts a graphic memoir like I approach creating a dish of homemade pasta. The combination of illustration and well-crafted text bring her memories to life, the subtleties of her drawings completing the picture she paints with her words. It’s been a while since I picked up a book that I couldn’t put down, but this one—surprisingly and delightfully—had that affect.
Paperback, $17.99
Publisher: First Second; ISBN: 9781596436237 |
|
|
Marissa
Grave Mercy
Robin Lafevers
Occasionally I get pitches, recommendations, subliminal cues from the universe, that I should be reading this or that book. Much of late pointed me in the direction of Grave Mercy, and I'm sincerely glad I listened. First, two words: Assassin nuns. The protagonist is headstrong handmaiden of Death himself at the center of Breton court intrigue, a simmering romance, and dire peril. With its fresh concept, this choice for Oregon Battle of the Books 2013 had me hooked—and fully primed for the recently released sequel, Dark Triumph.
Paperback, $9.99
Publisher: Graphia Books; ISBN: 9780544022492 |
|
|
|
|
| |
| Grass Roots Online — Contact Us |
|
| |
| |
| |
|
