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Grass Roots Books and Music — 227 SW 2nd Street, Corvallis OR 97339 — 541-754-7668
December 13, 2013
Contents
Newest Books
New in Paperback
Featured Books for Young Readers
Music
Events
News
This Week's Puzzle
Reading Group Selection
On Our Nightstands
Grass Roots Online — Contact Us
 
 

Dear friends, it has been COLD outside! And snowy! And icy!

As if you needed reminding, right? Do not fear, better days are ahead and they have better road conditions. Thank you to everyone who made it down to the store through the unpleasant weather. We hope we have been a cozy, book-loving, and welcoming sanctuary for you during this time.

As we gather our collective breath to see 2013 through to the end, we hope you�ll stop in if you haven�t in a while. The store has undergone a great transformation: we�ve done some renovating, there�s new gift items for everyone on your list, and we are dressed for the holidays! Please stop in and peruse the changes yourselves, and say hello to your favorite booksellers.

While this year of great change has meant we must forgo a Customer Appreciation Party again, you must know that we appreciate each and every one of you! Thank you for making every day in the bookstore a wonderful one! Here is a token of our appreciation to use in the days ahead:

Customer Appreciation 2013
Sunday � Monday � Tuesday
Dec. 15, 16, & 17

20% OFF Total Purchase

Mention coupon code "Appreciation" at time of purchase.

Valid on purchases paid for in store only. Limited to stock on hand and pre-paid Special Orders. Excludes Kobo eReaders and Gift Certificates; selected Special Orders may not be discounted. Not combinable with other discounts; not eligible for I-Card stamps.

Just mention the coupon from this week's Grass Roots Reader, and receive the discount. It is not necessary to print it out.

Do you need another reason to shop at Grass Roots? Remember: We are not drones. Shop local!

Happy Holidays! from Grass Roots' Secret Elf Assistant.

 
Newest Books

The Dogs of Christmas

W. Bruce Cameron

�Unlike his previous canine best sellers, A Dog's Purpose and A Dog's Journey, Cameron's latest novel tells the story from human Josh Michael's point of view. Josh lives a newly solitary life in the mountains of Evergreen, CO, since his girlfriend Amanda left him for another guy. When a neighbor dumps his very pregnant dog, Lucy, off at Josh's and disappears, Josh is more than a little upset. Consulting the local animal shelter for help, he meets animal lover Kerri, who helps him with Lucy and the new puppies and may just help him get over Amanda, too.� �Library Journal

Hardcover, $15.99

Publisher: Forge; ISBN: 9780765330550

A Mark Twain Christmas: A Journey Across Three Christmas Seasons

Carlo De Vito

Mark Twain was obsessed in his personal life by Christmas. During his lifetime, especially the halcyon days between the writing of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain lived with his wife and daughters in a massive, sprawling mansion (1874 to 1891) that was festooned each year for the holiday season. The family were among the most giving, lavish and famous practitioners of Christmas in the region at the height of the Gilded Age. The story is laugh out loud funny, charming, heartwarming, heartbreaking, and ultimately reaffirming of Twain and the Christmas spirit. In A Mark Twain Christmas, readers get magical insight into Twain's life through this treasured holiday.

Hardcover, $15.95

Publisher: Cider Mill Press; ISBN: 9781604334487

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The Little Mermaid: A Pop-Up Adaptation of the Classic Fairy Tale

Robert Sabuda

�All the stories of Hans Christian Andersen are beloved, but perhaps no other story has achieved the fame of The Little Mermaid. It is fitting then, that paper-engineering wizard Robert Sabuda should choose this story for his 25th pop-up book extravaganza. Like his other classic story adaptations, the artwork here calls to mind stained glass, and he integrates lots of interesting textures, details and sidebar texts to capture the imagination. Sabuda exploits the dimensionality of the pop-ups to their fullest: shipwrecks sail out at readers, and underwater castles, forests and a final wedding cathedral unfold in stunning paper architecture.� �Shelf Awareness

Hardcover, $29.99

Publisher: Little Simon; ISBN: 9781416960805

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How to Tie a Scarf: 33 Styles

Potter Style

The runaway bestseller at Grass Roots this holiday season is now back in stock! From designer silk squares to chunky homemade knits, this guide is filled with inspired ways to style your scarves. Inside you'll find:

  • Step-by-step tutorials for square, oblong, and embellished scarves
  • Styles for the summer, fall, winter, and spring seasons
  • DIY scarf accessories featuring camera straps, tote bags, necklaces, and more

Wrapped in a silky cover and with a beautifully designed interior, How to Tie a Scarf is the perfect gift for anyone who loves the finishing touch of a well-styled scarf.

Hardcover, $12.95

Publisher: Potter Style; ISBN: 9780385344982

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Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet

John Bradshaw

�As author Bradshaw (Dog Sense) notes in his introduction, the domestic cat is the most popular pet in today's world, outnumbering dogs by as many as three to one. In this new examination of feline behavior, Bradshaw teases out a better understanding of what our cats want (and need) from their owners. Cats fill two niches that humans unintentionally provided for them�pest controller [and] companion animal. . . . To fully understand the pet cat, owners must appreciate and work with this dual role.�. . This fascinating book will be a bible for cat owners.� �Booklist Starred Review

Hardcover, $27.99

Publisher: Basic Books; ISBN: 9780465031016

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Music

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Neil Young

Live at the Cellar Door

Genre: Pop/Folk

Neil Young continues to release gems from his private collection. This live show features solo acoustic sets, including some of Young's best known early tunes as well as some less familiar takes. ($18.95)

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Various Artists

Rockin' Legends Pay Tribute
to Jack White

Genre: Pop/Folk

A curious assortment of stars align to pay tribute to the force behind the White Stripes, The Raconteurs, and more. Guests on this rockin' tribute include Dick Dale, Wanda Jackson, Rosie Flores, and others. ($15.95)

Bright Eyes

A Christmas Album

Genre: Holiday

Originally released in 2002 as a Saddle Creek Online Store exclusive with all proceeds benefiting the Nebraska AIDS Project, Bright Eyes' A Christmas Album is now available via widespread commercial release. Check out the album The New York Times called "the saddest, sweetest holiday recording you hear all season." ($13.95)

Elizabeth Mitchell and Friends

The Sounding Joy:
Christmas Songs in and Out of the Ruth Crawford Seeger Songbook

Genre: Holiday

�Mitchell is joined by her husband and longtime creative partner, Daniel Littleton, on most songs, as well as their daughter Storey, not to mention a host of folk luminaries such as John Sebastian, Amy Helm, Dan Zanes, Natalie Merchant, and even Peggy Seeger. The thoughtful arrangements, production, and choice of material results in a one-of-a-kind Christmas album, its warm and timeless air so strong and carefully assembled that it's easy to forget it's a holiday-themed album at all.� �Fred Thomas, Rovi
($16.95)

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John Fahey

Christmas Soli

Genre: Holiday

�One of the best and most influential acoustic guitarists of his generation, John Fahey's music fused past and present, borrowing from the traditions of blues and folk music and filtering them through a modern musical viewpoint. Some of Fahey's most striking (and most popular) work appeared on a series of Christmas albums, in which he gave seasonal tunes and hymns readings that were at once fresh, thoughtful, and respectful of the beauty of the original melodies. Christmas Soli is a collection that brings together selections from four yuletide albums. . . � �Mark Deming, Rovi
($11.95)

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Erasure

Snow Globe

Genre: Holiday

"[Vocalist Andy Bell's] set up for a win on Snow Globe, a holiday album that's nostalgic for the animated Christmas television specials of the past with its artwork. . . . There are many original holiday songs here, vividly depicting the time of year when many reflect and roll wistfully through the nostalgic thoughts in their head, all in an effort to gather some spiritual warmth after being driven inside by cold days and long nights.� �David Jeffries, Rovi
($14.95)

 
Community Events

Community Events

Darkside Cinema: Movies showing Dec. 13 to 19, showtimes daily, Darkside Cinema, Corvallis. Visit their website for showtimes.

  • The Armstrong Lie �R: In 2009 a film was being made about Lance Armstrong's comeback to cycling. The project was shelved when the doping scandal erupted, and re-opened after Armstrong's confession.
  • Punk Singer �NR: Where are the riot-grrrls of today? Take your daughters to the movie, then ask them.
  • Blue Is the Warmest Colour �NC-17: Raw, honest, powerfully acted, and deliciously intense, offers some of modern cinema's most elegantly composed, emotionally absorbing drama. French and English.
  • Enough Said �PG-13: James Gandolfini, Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
 
News

Featured in the Store: New Puzzles and Games!

Bring your family together during the holidays for a game and puzzle night. Grass Roots has a new selection in stock, perfect for entertaining your loved ones or giving as gifts. Fans of Monopoly will enjoy the unique spin on the classic with the line of Opoly games from Late for the Sky. Beaveropoly, Cocktailopoly, Gardenopoly�the options go on! If word games are more your speed, check out You�ve Been Sentenced!, a game where you must defend the grammar, sense, and meaning of sentences you create to a Jury of your fellow players. It�s a great game of creativity that appeals to all ages and skill levels. A quiet evening in front of the fire with a new jigsaw puzzle is a great way to unwind at the end of the day. We now carry puzzles from New York Puzzle Company, featuring vintage magazine covers, and White Mountain Puzzles, whose unique designs are collages of book covers, candy wrappers, and other classic and vintage images.


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Holiday Recommendations from NPR

NPR is one of our favorite resources for book news, reviews, and recommendations. They are also great list-makers, and we�ve been sharing their year-end and summer lists the last few years. NPR Books has produced more than 80 year-end book lists in the last five years, but this year they decided to do something different. This year they present the NPR Book Concierge, featuring more than 200 titles selected by NPR staff and critics. It�s a fun and useful app that allows you to search books by category, and even customize your list by combining categories. If you�re still having a hard time finding just the right book for someone on your list (or if you need help choosing something for yourself) make sure you check it out.

SMART Book Drive

Donate a Book to the SMART Program It's your chance to share the gift of reading!

From Nov. 29 through Dec. 31, you can purchase books at Grass Roots that will be donated to young, beginning readers in our community! We are pleased to announce that Grass Roots is partnering with SMART�Start Making A Reader Today�in Linn and Benton Counties for our fourth annual book drive. Early-reader soft cover books will be given to children to help them learn to read at home, and hardcover books will be donated to permanent book collections at participating schools. Customers will receive 20% off the purchase of titles in stock to be donated to the program. We will collect books at our store through December 31, 2013. Books will be distributed to children in 2014.

Participating schools include Mountain View and Lincoln Elementary Schools in Corvallis, Kings Valley Charter School outside of Philomath, and Albany�s LaFayette, Central, and Clover Ridge Elementary Schools. We'll be happy to recommend titles and favorite authors; books should be appropriate for readers in kindergarten through 3rd grade, and a good variety of Spanish books is appreciated. For more information about the SMART program and how to volunteer, visit their website.


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Holiday Trolley: The Holiday Trolley Returns!

The Corvallis Transit System again offers the Holiday Trolley on Saturdays and Sundays through December 22, to make holiday shopping (and parking!) easier. It runs a special CTS route designed to take holiday shoppers to some of Corvallis' favorite shopping destinations around town, especially where there are lots of stores to choose from. There's even a stop across the street from Grass Roots Books & Music! Schedule and route information is available here on the CTS website

World Book Night 2014

World Book Night Registration: World Book Night (WBN) spreads the love of reading, person to person. Each year 30 titles are chosen, the authors waive their royalties, and the publishers produce special WBN editions of the books to be donated. This means you get 20 FREE paperback copies of your chosen WBN title to handout to light- or non-readers in your community on April 23, 2014. Applications to become a WBN Book Giver open today, October 24, and can be filled out online at the WBN website. Deadline to apply is January 5th, 2014.


 
This Week's Puzzle



The Jigsaw Puzzle is taking its annual holiday break. I think I saw it boarding a plane for Hawaii. . .

Do not fear, it resolves to return in January!

 
Reading Group Selection

Tuesday, Jan, 7 at 6:30 p.m.

Dear Life: Stories

Alice Munro

Adam leads his first book group.

Ontario-born author Munro won the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature. Munro, who "In a really short space of time. . . can provide a fully realized story that provides remarkable insight into human beings, their shortcomings, their complexities, their loves, their lives,' (Lynn Neary, NPR) is the first Canadian born-and-raised author to win the prize.

"It's no surprise that every story in the latest collection by Canada's Munro is rewarding and that the best are stunning. They leave the reader wondering how the writer manages to invoke the deepest, most difficult truths of human existence in the most plainspoken language. . . The author knows what matters, and the stories pay attention to it."�Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

Publisher: Vintage Books

ISBN: 9780307743725

Paperback

Regular price: $15.95

On sale for $13.56 until Jan 7.

 

 

On Our Nightstands

Fast asleep every night, we are giving our booksellers a break from writing nightstand reviews through the month of December. They're still doing plenty of reading, though, and are happy to make recommendations. Come by Grass Roots and ask our booksellers for their recent favorites!

 

If you're shopping from home, you can find all of our holiday recommendations on the Grass Roots website. Don't miss it!

 
Grass Roots Online — Contact Us