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Grass Roots Books and Music
— 227 SW 2nd Street, Corvallis OR 97339 — 541-754-7668 |
| March 20, 2014 |
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We have some exciting nonfiction hardbacks this week (everything from bird intelligence to the founding of Fort Astoria right here in Oregon); the paperback release of the final Hunger Games installment; a new YA display; and tons of upcoming events. Also: the sun remains! Have a great weekend, and see you at Grass Roots.
~Jenny |
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| Newest Books |
William Shakespeare’s the Empire Striketh Back
Ian Doescher
The saga that began with the interstellar bestseller William Shakespeare's Star Wars continues with this merry reimagining of George Lucas's enduring classic The Empire Strikes Back. Many a fortnight have passed since the destruction of the Death Star. Young Luke Skywalker and his friends have taken refuge on the ice planet of Hoth, where the evil Darth Vader has hatched a cold-blooded plan to capture them. Only with the help of a little green Jedi Master—and a swaggering rascal named Lando Calrissian—can our heroes escape the Empire's wrath. And only then will Lord Vader learn how sharper than a tauntaun's tooth it is to have a Jedi child.
Hardcover, $14.95
Publisher: Quirk Books; ISBN: 9781594747151 |
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The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change
Adam Braun
This is a riveting story of how a young man turned $25 into more than 200 schools around the world and the guiding steps anyone can take to lead a successful and significant life. Young Adam Braun gives a tell-all account of the secret to his success with Pencils of Promise, a nonprofit global education organization. Giving up his high-paying Wall Street job at 25, Braun decided to dedicate his professional life towards building school in impoverished nations. Weaving his personal background with vocational goals, Braun champions the efficiency of social media and “cause marketing” in this illuminating, inspirational success story.
Hardcover, $25.00
Publisher: Scribner Book Company; ISBN: 9781476730622 |
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The Thing with Feathers: The Surprising Lives of Birds and What They Reveal about Being Human
Noah Strycker
In Noah Strycker’s investigation of bird behavior, readers will gain insight into the strange and wonderful world of aviary daily life. Learn about the miraculous memory of the nutcracker; the image-recognition of the magpie; the olfactory capabilities of the turkey vulture; and the sensory abilities of the honing pigeon. Using an enthusiastic naturalist perspective, and humor to boot, Strycker makes his readers feel as awed and impressed with the still-mysterious intelligence of all birds, great and small.
Hardcover, $27.95
Publisher: Riverhead Books; ISBN: 9781594486357 |
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The Enchanted
Rene Denfeld
The enchanted place is an ancient stone prison, viewed through the eyes of a death row inmate who finds escape in his books and in re-imagining life around him. A female investigator searches for buried information from prisoners' pasts that can save those soon-to-be-executed. Digging into the background of a killer named York, she uncovers wrenching truths that challenge familiar notions of victim and criminal, innocence and guilt, and reveals shocking secrets of her own.
Hardcover, $25.99
Publisher: Harper ; ISBN: 9780062285508 |
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Astoria: John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson's Lost Pacific Empire: A Story of Wealth, Ambition, and Survival
Peter Stark
This harrowing historical account of westward expansion documents an 1810 to 1813 expedition, financed by millionaire John Jacob Astor and encouraged by Thomas Jefferson. The men who set out to establish Fort Astoria, a trading post on the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest, were often contentious characters in this real-life drama of colonial expansion. A sea captain, business man, and fur trader end up leading a company of French voyageurs, Yankee seamen, and Scottish woodsmen into the American wilderness in what would turn out to be the beginning of the Oregon Trail, and a mapping of the Rockies.
Hardcover, $27.99
Publisher: Ecco Press; ISBN: 9780062218292 |
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| New in Paperback |
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The Last Summer of the Camperdowns
Elizabeth Kelly
It's 1972, and twelve-year-old Riddle is overwhelmed by her wealthy and dysfunctional parents, the Camperdowns. Her idealistic father is running for office from the family compound in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. When Riddle accidentally witnesses a crime close to home, her confusion and fear keep her silent, bringing consequences as the summer unfolds. Another mysterious and powerful family, the Devlins, claim to have secrets that could shatter the Camperdowns, resulting in a status struggle that Riddle can only watch, hoping for the courage to reveal the truth.
Paperback, $14.95
Publisher: Liveright Publishing; ISBN: 9780871407450 |
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Letters to a Young Scientist
Edward Osborne Wilson
“What is this grand enterprise called science that has lit up heaven and earth and empowered humanity? Wilson, a foremost authority on ants and biodiversity now in his eighties, has dedicated his life to this culture of illuminations in the field and laboratory and as a Harvard professor and best-selling writer. In his newest book, he offers candid guidance and profound inspiration to young scientists. ‘The world needs you—badly,’ Wilson writes, explaining that our very survival depends on our learning enough about life on earth to halt our deleterious impact on the biosphere.” –Booklist Starred Review
Paperback, $13.95
Publisher: Liveright Publishing; ISBN: 9780871403858 |
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How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets (Tenth Anniversary Edition)
Garth Stein
Evan had a hit single, but that was ten years ago. Thirty-one now, he's drifting, playing in a local band, and teaching middle-aged men to coax music from an electric guitar. Beset at a young age with a life-threatening form of epilepsy, he's kept his condition a secret. But his deepest secret is that he got his high school sweetheart pregnant. Then her conservative parents whisked her out of Seattle and out of Evan's life. Now, fourteen years later, he experiences unplanned parenthood when he undertakes to raise the resentful teenage son he's never known.
Paperback, $14.95
Publisher: Soho Press; ISBN: 9781616954314 |
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Mary Coin
Marisa Silver
In 1936, photographer Dorothea Lange took a portrait that would become the most iconic image of the Great Depression. Her subject was Florence Owens Thompson, a 32-year-old Native American and mother of seven. Mary Coin is the novel inspired by that photograph. In Marisa Silver’s breathtaking reinvention of this generation-defining picture, a story unfolds of two women, one famous and one forgotten, and the remarkable legacy of their chance encounter.
Paperback, $16.00
Publisher: Plume Books; ISBN: 9780142180785 |
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Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm
Thich Nhat Hanh
Drawing on a lifetime of mindfulness in action, Thich Nhat Hanh shows us how to use the practice of living in the present to acknowledge and embrace our fears, recognize their origins, and render them powerless. The world-renowned Zen teacher guides us through practical exercises for transforming fear into clarity. The worries of the past and the anxiety of the future disappear as we discover the power of the present moment. Not only are we are able to handle challenging emotions as they arise, but we can summon feelings of well-being and contentment, no matter what the unknown may bring.
Paperback, $14.99
Publisher: HarperOne; ISBN: 9780062004734 |
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| Featured Books for Young Readers |
Superworm
Julia Donaldson
Ages 4 to 8
A wacky and fun new adventure from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, starring a truly unforgettable hero! Toad in trouble? Beetle in a jam? Never fear–Superworm is here! And he's wiggling to the rescue! But when Superworm is captured by a wicked Wizard Lizard, will his friends find a way to help their favorite superhero escape? From the creators of The Gruffalo and Room On The Broom, a super new adventure with a wriggly, squiggly hero you'll never forget.
Hardcover, $16.99
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books; ISBN: 9780545591768 |
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Mockingjay (the Final Book of the Hunger Games) (Hunger Games #3)
Suzanne Collins
At last in paperback, this is the greatly anticipated final book in the New York Times bestselling Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice, and now the Capitol is angry; the Capitol wants revenge, and they think Katniss Everdeen should pay for the unrest. This last installment by Suzanne Collins will have hearts racing, pages turning, and everyone talking about one of the biggest and most talked-about books and authors in recent publishing history!
Hardcover, $12.99
Publisher: Scholastic Press; ISBN: 9780545663267 |
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| Music |
Eliza Gilkyson
Nocturne Diaries
Genre: Pop/Folk
This veteran Texas singer-songwriter comes from a long line of musical relatives. Produced with her son Cisco Ryder, and featuring few overdubs, her new collection features several socio-politically minded pieces, including a William Stafford poem set to music by John Gorka. ($17.95) |
Although we specialize in
new releases, Grass Roots can usually get you any album that's still available.
Ask at the the store! |
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| Events |
Wednesday, April 2, 7 p.m.
Grass Roots Books & Music
227 SW 2nd St., Corvallis |
Adrianne Harun
A Man Came Out of a Door in the Mountain
Adrianne Harun will read from A Man Came Out of a Door in the Mountain. In this mysterious and chilling novel, girls are vanishing from the sides of a notorious highway in the isolated Pacific Northwest. Leo Kreutzer and his friends are barely touched by these disappearances—until a series of enigmatic strangers arrive in their remote mountain town, beguiling and bewitching them.
After this reading there will be an opportunity for a brief Q & A session, and author book signing.
Adrianne Harun teaches in the MFA program at Pacific Lutheran University, and is the author of the short story collection The King of Limbo. |
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Friday, April 4, 7 p/m.
Grass Roots Books & Music
227 SW 2nd St., Corvallis |
Holly Hughes
Sailing by Ravens
Mariner and naturalist Holly Hughes has experienced first-hand the practical and philosophical consequences of navigating difficult waters. In Sailing by Ravens, she gathers wisdom gained from thirty seasons working off Alaska's shores, weaving personal experience and her love of the sea with the history and science of navigation. In this collection of poems, she deftly navigates "the wavering, certain path" of a woman's heart, finding that sometimes the best directions to follow are those that come from the natural forces in our lives. |
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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. |
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| Community Events |
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Community Events
Darkside Cinema: Movies showing 3/21 to 3/27, showtimes daily, Darkside Cinema, Corvallis. Visit their website for showtimes.
- Philomena—Pg-13 Equal parts uplifting tearjerker, odd-couple comedy, and righteous screed against abuse of power in the name of religion. Judi Dench.
- Tim’s Vermeer—Pg-13 You don't even need to care about art to be entertained by this clever, swift documentary.
- 12 Years A Slave–R Academy Award for Best Picture of 2013.
Opportunities:
- Diane Hammond, Friday's Harbor - Orcas in Captivity Thursday, April 3 at 7-8:30 p.m. With the release of the controversial documentary Blackfish, killer whale captivity has become a hot-button topic. Novelist Diane Hammond will give a slide presentation about her experiences as killer whale Keiko's press secretary in the late 1990's and how it inspired her latest novel, Friday's Harbor. This event is sponsored by the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library. Books will be available for purchase from Grass Roots Books & Music at this event.
Ticket Sales: Grass Roots sells tickets for local music events. Please call or stop by the store to see what's currently available.
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Saturday, March 22
LaSells Stewart Center
OSU, Corvallis |
Insights into Gardening
(Rescheduled from Feb. 8)
This event is sponsored by the Benton County Master Gardeners Association and Oregon State University Extension Service.
Insights into Gardening is a day-long seminar offering practical, hands-on learning for home gardeners and gardeners-to-be. Whether you are an experienced or novice gardener, new to the area or an Oregon native, you will find plenty of ideas to make your gardening easier, more enjoyable and more successful. Please visit the Insight into Gardening website for updated registration information.
Books recommended by event speakers and general gardening books will be available to purchase from Grass Roots Books & Music. Discounts are available on select items. The onsite bookstore will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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| News |
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Book Awards
Oregon Book Award Winners
Congratulations to all the winners of the 2014 Oregon Book Awards! Here’s a list of those who walked away with honors:
Graham Salisbury for the Eloise Jarvis Mcgraw Award For Children’s Literature: Calvin Coconut: Extra Famous
Kari Luna for the Leslie Bradshaw Award For Young Adult Literature: The Theory of Everything
Paul Collins for the Frances Fuller Victor Award For General Nonfiction: Duel with the Devil
Jay Ponteri for the Sarah Winnemucca Award For Creative Nonfiction: Wedlocked
Barry Deutsch for the Pacific Northwest College Of Art Graphic Literature Award: Hereville: How Mirka Met a Meteorite
Mary Szybist for the Stafford/Hall Award For Poetry: Incarnadine
Ursula K. Le Guin for the Ken Kesey Award For Fiction: The Unreal and The Real: Collected Stories: Volume 1 and 2
Amanda Coplin for the Readers’ Choice Award: The Orchardist
Vince and Patty Wixon for the Stewart H. Holbrook Literary Legacy Award
Vern Rutsala for the C.E.S. Wood Distinguished Writer Award
Ellen Fader for the Walt Morey Young Readers Literary Legacy Award
2014 PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Fiction The winner this year is going to NoViolet Bulawayo for her novel We Need New Names. NoViolet has an MFA from Cornell University, and is currently Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. She was born and raised in Zimbabwe. |
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Featured in the Store
Jeepers, Creepers, Where’d You Get Those Peepers! Our latest display is waiting for you in our Young Adult section this week. Maybe you’ve noticed like we have the abundance of intense, gazing eyes featured on many book covers. We’ve set out several of the most striking from our YA shelves, with such enticing titles as J.C. Carleson’s The Tyrant’s Daughter, Laini Taylor’s Days of Blood and Starlight, and Teri Terry’s Slated. Come on down to Grass Roots and take a peek (wink, wink). |
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Customer Reviews
Interested in reviewing a book for Grass Roots? Send an email to Neé at Grass Roots by emailing grootsreads@gmail.com, with “Guest Review” in the subject line. She will get in touch with you regarding guidelines. Please note that reviews will be used at the store’s discretion, and although we value your contribution, not every review can be published. |
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| This Week's Puzzle |
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| Reading Group Selection |
Tuesday, April 1, 6:30-8 p.m.
A Tale for the Time Being
Ruth L Ozeki
Tiffany will be leading our April reading group discussion of A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki. Check our staff favorites section to see what Tiffany had to say about it in her review.
Nao is a 16-year-old Japanese schoolgirl, shy and bullied, determined to end it all to avoid her dreary life. Before she does, she plans to document the life of her great-grandmother, a Buddhist nun. Across the Pacific, Ruth is a struggling writer on a remote island off the coast of British Columbia. On the beach she finds a Hello Kitty lunchbox washed ashore, filled with a curious collection of artifacts, including a collection of letters and a journal. As the mystery of its contents unfolds, Ruth is pulled into the past, into Nao's drama and her unknown fate, and forward into her own future. |
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Publisher: Penguin Books
ISBN:9780143124870
Paperback
Regular price: $16.00
On sale for $13.60 until April 1.
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On Our Nightstands |
 Adam
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a slim book that clearly demonstrates why Gaiman is the current king of story tellers and purveyors of the modern fairy tale. The book explores the thin line between our own world and that of the immortal fantastic, and asks what becomes of the fantasies of our youth when we remember them as adults? Can we ever hope to hold onto the magic? That the story is ultimately about the inconsistency and malleability of memory only adds to the haunting effect this book can have on its readers.
Paperback, $14.99
Publisher: William Morrow & Company; ISBN: 9780062255662 |
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Neé
Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self
Jennifer Ouellette
I know 50% of my genetic background. This has often left me searching for more about what defines who I am, and what drew me to this book. The author takes an eye-opening approach to discovering what the “self” is and what makes each one of us unique among the masses. She uses topics in genetics, psychology, and neuroscience to enlighten readers while her writing style makes it engaging and easily digested. Since the author is adopted, she tackles the subject with great personal insight, making for a rich and entertaining read for anyone who’s ever asked “Who am I?”
Paperback, $16.00
Publisher: Penguin Books; ISBN: 9780143121657 |
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Jenny
Sparky!
Jenny Offill
Ages 4 to 8
When I reached the final scene of Jenny Offill's newest picture book, Sparky!, my little heart filled with joy. Told from the perspective of a grade-school girl, the narrator decides to mail order the only pet that doesn't need to be "walked or bathed or fed": a sloth. Her mother, who has set these perimeters, can't deny Sparky fits her stringent requirements, and so Sparky stays—off in a tree somewhere. The pure, non-ironic love this narrator has for her strange new companion is charming and whimsical. Parents, kids, even twenty-something post-grads will love this book.
Hardcover, $16.99
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade; ISBN: 9780375870231 |
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Linda
Bernard Malamud: Novels and Stories of the 1960s: A New Life/The Fixer/Pictures of Fidelman: An Exhibition/Ten Stories
Bernard Malamud
This is a beautiful book, the second of eventually three compilations of Bernard Malamud's writings. These finely designed and crafted books are brought to us by The Library of America and are excellent collectors’ editions. Malamud is special to Corvallis. He taught at Oregon State University starting in 1949, and his novel A New Life echoes his experiences in an academic setting. This volume contains that highly acclaimed story. It is wonderful to see the writings of such a fine American author so beautifully bound and presented.
Hardcover, $35.00
Publisher: Library of America; ISBN: 9781598532937 |
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