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| Aug. 7, 2014 |
Howdy, Readers!
I'm pleased to give the heads up for still more wonderful events hitting the bookstore this month. Please take a look, as we've got Peter Stark, Community Poetry Night, Edwin Wollert, and Kate Dyer-Seeley all throughout August.
As for books: this week our new release tables are featuring Mary Gordon's latest in hardback, and Ivan Doig and James McBride in paperback. But what about music??? Spoon, Beck's most recent crazy endeavor, and Billy Joe Shaver! I'm just giving you a taste here as we're full up on great new things. Check out the complete lists below.
Also, for the kids: Good Night Darth Vader.
Awesome.
Have a WONDERFUL weekend, Jenny |
New Hardcovers
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In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette
by Hampton Sides
[Non-Fiction]
 "In 1879, U.S. naval officer and explorer George W. De Long (1844-81) set off on a highly publicized attempt to reach the uncharted and mysterious North Pole. Sides. . . presents a lengthy, gripping, and well-written account of De Long's treacherous expedition. Backed by the vast wealth of newspaper magnate James Gordon Bennett, De Long's voyage aboard the USS Jeannette ground to a grim halt when the vessel became trapped in the ice for two interminable years and later sank. After abandoning ship onto the frigid ice fields, De Long and his crew embarked on a desperate trek toward rescue in distant Siberia. . . " -Library Journal
Hardcover; $28.95
Publisher: Doubleday Books; ISBN: 9780385535373
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When Paris Went Dark: The City of Light Under German Occupation, 1940-1944
by Ronald C. Rosbottom
[Non-Fiction]
 "When Hitler toured his legendary conquest in 1940, occupied Paris was sinking into a colorless tedium of paranoia and oppression punctuated by grey-clad Germans and miserable Parisians suffering from shortages and overregulation. Rosbottom, professor of French and European Studies at Amherst College, delivers distinctive, humanizing anecdotes that. . . illuminate well-documented events of the occupation. . . Bolstered by a user-friendly chronology and list of personalities, Rosbottom packs his tales with memorable descriptions of both the subtle and overwhelming changes that seeped into daily life, making for a moving portrayal of the awkward coexistence of occupation from the vantage points of both weary Parisians and confused, low-level German soldiers alike. . . " -Publishers Weekly
Hardcover; $28.00
Publisher:Little Brown and Company ; ISBN: 9780316217446
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Paw and Order: A Chet and Bernie Mystery (Chet and Bernie Mystery)
by Spencer Quinn
[Fiction]
 "Spencer Quinn is the pseudonym for thriller writer Peter Abrahams, who uses this series, told from the point of view of a dog, to go in a very different direction from his usual work. An obsession with eating and chasing squirrels does not get in the way of the canine hero, Chet, helping his PI owner, Bernie, solve crimes. This time the pair are in Washington, D.C., visiting Bernie's girlfriend, reporter Suzie Sanchez, who's working on a big story that could be derailed by the murder of her deep-throated source. When Bernie is suddenly arrested for the crime, it's up to Chet to make sense of a case that involves international spies and future presidential candidates. . . " -Booklist
Hardcover; $25.00
Publisher: Atria Books; ISBN: 9781476703398
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The Liar's Wife: Four Novellas
by Mary Gordon
[Fiction]
 "The virtuosic Gordon (The Love of My Youth, 2011) presents a quartet of enfolding novellas that examine the revelations and paradoxes of cross-cultural encounters and relationships between mentors and prot'g's. . . The sheer bliss of reading Gordon's consummate prose is deepened by her stunning insights into moral tangles and abrupt comprehension as she mixes the comic and the profound in her considerations of innocence and defilement, self-sacrifice and greatness, insularity and the bracing tussle of the world. . . " -Booklist, Starred Review
Hardcover; $25.95
Publisher: Pantheon Books; ISBN: 9780307377432
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Word Dominoes: Play with Pictures - Win with Words
by Forrest-Pruzan Creative
[Game]
 From the minds behind the bestselling Haikubes, this creative new twist on an old favorite invites players to create words and phrases by linking images. Match what other players are thinking to win! With 42 sturdy dominoes, 84 images, and unlimited connections, every game is packed with unexpected associations and hilarious combinations. An eye-catching party game, Word Dominoes will captivate voracious word nerds everywhere. Perfect to keep in mind for family and/or friend game night.
Hardcover; $24.95
Publisher: Chronicle Books; ISBN: 9781452134871
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New Paperbacks
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by Ivan Doig
[Fiction]
 "Not only does Doig continually sing the praises of libraries and books in personal appearances, he writes about them, too. This is his third historical novel featuring Morrie Morgan, con man turned librarian (How often does one get to use that phrase?) and now crusading journalist. The setting, as in Work Song (2010), is Butte, Montana, and the theme is once more labor strife, with the Anaconda Mining set against the seemingly overmatched miners' union until Morrie, recently returned to Butte with his bride, Grace, enters the fray in the guise of editorial writer for an upstart left-wing paper that strives to expose the chicanery of the mining company. . . " -Booklist
Paperback; $16.00
Publisher: Riverhead Books; ISBN: 9781594632761
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by James McBride
[Fiction]
 "Abolitionist John Brown calls her Little Onion, but her real name is Henry. A slave in Kansas mistaken for a girl due to the sackcloth smock he was wearing when Brown shot his master, the light-skinned, curly-haired 12-year-old ends up living as a young woman, most often encamped with Brown's renegade band of freedom warriors as they traverse the country, raising arms and ammunition for their battle against slavery. Though they travel to Rochester, New York, to meet with Frederick Douglass and Canada to enlist the help of Harriet Tubman, Brown and his ragtag army fail to muster sufficient support for their mission to liberate African Americans, heading inexorably to the infamously bloody and pathetic raid on Harpers Ferry. . . " -Booklist, Starred Review
Paperback; $16.00
Publisher: Riverhead Books; ISBN: 9781594632785
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[Non-Fiction]
 ". . .did Marco Polo bring it back to Italy from China in the 13th century or had it been consumed by the Etruscans long before? [Author] Lin-Liu embarked on a six-month trek through remote lands such as Tibet; Xinjiang, China, home of the Uighurs; the trio of 'stans' (Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan); Iran, with its strangely alluring Persian noodles; and Turkey, where she taught an Istanbul cooking group how to make dumplings, before reaching the Mediterranean and Italy. Lin-Liu made a point of invading the kitchens of her hosts and local cooks, and she was amazed at similarities between regional noodle dishes and rustic Italian food. . . "-Publishers Weekly
Paperback; $16.00
Publisher: Riverhead Books; ISBN: 9781594632723
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by Amy Grace Loyd
[Fiction]
 "Celia Cassill is still in mourning for her young husband, who died five years earlier after a grueling illness. Fortunately, he left enough money for her to buy a small apartment building in Brooklyn. But even though she is doing all right financially, Celia is isolated and withdrawn. Now she finds herself pulled into the problems of her tenants. One glamorous middle-aged woman, whose husband recently left her for another woman, has begun a disturbing (and noisy) affair with an unsavory new boyfriend. A young couple down the hall has marital problems. . . The affairs of these neighbors draw Celia back into an emotional involvement with life, in all its messiness." -Library Journal
Paperback; $15.00
Publisher:Picador USA ; ISBN: 9781250050304
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[Fiction]
 "Alabama sweetheart Sookie Poole has been a loving wife, a caring mother, and, most important, a patient daughter. Her formidable yet ailing mother never seemed to approve of her as a child. Now approaching 60, Sookie receives some unexpected news about her past that has her questioning both her family history and her mother's constant cold shoulder. While searching for answers, Sookie uncovers Fritzi Jurdabralinski, the eldest of four Polish sisters who ran an all-girl gas station during the 1940s in Pulaski, WI. During World War II, Fritzi became a Fly Girl, transporting military aircraft as a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). After learning of Fritzi's adventures, Sookie is inspired to reexamine her own life." -Library Journal
Paperback; $15.00
Publisher: Random House; ISBN: 9780812977172
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New For Young Readers
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A Library Book for Bear (Bear and Mouse)
by Bonny Becker
Ages 3 to 7
[Fiction]
 "Bear is reluctant to try new things, so when Mouse insists they go to the library, he finds the whole idea 'excessive' and 'extravagant'-after all, he has seven very nice books at home. He grows grumpier and grumpier as Mouse shows him books about rockets and entreats him to use his quiet voice, but when he hears the librarian reading at storytime, Bear falls under the library's spell. Denton's colorful watercolor, ink, and gouache illustrations perfectly capture the expressions of these mismatched best friends. Young readers wary of new experiences can count on Bear to lead the way." -School Library Journal
Hardcover; $16.99
Publisher: Candlewick Press; ISBN: 9780763649241
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Goodnight Darth Vader
by Jeffrey Brown
[Fiction]
 As a follow-up to the wildly successful books Darth Vader and Son and Vader's Little Princess, Goodnight Darth Vader puts Darth Vader's parenting skills to the test again. His little twins Luke and Leia are demanding a bedtime story. As his story unfolds, the book also investigates the bedtime habits of many intergalactic creatures such as Yoda, R2-D2, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Darth Maul, Admiral Ackbar, Boba Fett, and more!
Hardcover; $14.95
Publisher: Chronicle Books; ISBN: 9781452128306
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New Music
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Genre: Pop/Folk
The Australian brother and sister act had gone their separate ways and begun respective solo careers when they received a call from uber-producer Rick Rubin, asking them to reunite for a new record. Knowing better than to decline, the family Stone have released their long-awaited collection of new indie folk.
($13.95) |
Genre: Pop/Folk
A couple years ago, Beck made the curious decision to release his new album not as prerecorded music, but rather as a book of sheet music. This collection, cultivated by Beck himself, features artists like Jeff Tweedy, Jason Isbell, and Laura Marling interpreting those pieces. ($13.95) |
Genre: Pop/Folk
Shaver stands as one of the living legends of Texas country music. His first studio record in seven years features collaborations with Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Leon Russell.
($12.95) |
Genre: Pop/Folk
This Joplin, Missouri trio "combines the frenetic energy of bluegrass, the soul of the delta blues and the haunted spirit of Appalachian mountain music." (from benmillerband.newwestrecords.com)
($13.95) |
Genre: Pop/Folk
Denny's debut CD was greeted with popular and critical acclaim. Nearly a decade later, Sub Pop Records releases his long awaited follow-up from the Americana/soul singer with a voice that will recall Jimmie Dale Gilmore.
($12.95) |
Genre: Pop/Folk
Spoon features the perfect balance of pop, indie, and soul, fronted by Britt Daniel. Their sixth studio album ranges from introspective indie folk to upbeat dance tracks.
($13.95) |
Events at Grass Roots
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Peter Stark
Thursday, August 14 at 7:00 p.m.
227 SW 2nd St.
Corvallis, OR
Peter Stark's ASTORIA: John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson's Lost Pacific Empire-A Story of Wealth, Ambition, and Survival is the harrowing tale of the quest to settle a Jamestown-like colony on the Pacific Coast. Though the colony itself would be short-lived, its founders opened provincial American eyes to the remarkable potential of the Western coast, discovered the route that became the Oregon Trail, and permanently altered the nation's landscape and global standing.
Unfolding from 1810 to 1813, Astoria is a tale of high adventure and incredible hardship drawing extensively on firsthand accounts of the men who made the journey. Peter Stark is an adventurer and explorer with first-hand experience of the terrain depicted in Astoria. The author has paddled it, hiked it, climbed it-and is thus able to portray these harrowing situations with vividness and immediacy.
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Community Poetry and Stafford Night
 Thursday, August 21 at 7:00 p.m227 SW 2nd St.
Corvallis, OR
Read your own poetry and/or your favorite poem by William Stafford, or attend and listen!
"'If you have been wondering where the articulate, readable poems have gone in the last third of the 20th century, you might start with [William] Stafford,' declares Victor Howes of the Christian Science Monitor. A pacifist and one of 'the quiet of the land,' as he often describes himself, Stafford is known for his unique method of composition, his soft-spoken voice, and his independence from social and literary expectations." -from The Poetry Foundation
Contact our Event Coordinator (ATTN: Claire) at groots@peak.org or call at 541-754-7668 to sign up.
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Edwin Wollert
Saturday, August 23, 3:00 p.m.
227 SW 2nd St.
Corvallis, OR
Can we comprehend what another creature thinks? Can we balance needed acceptance with needed individuality? Four friends will consider such topics as they head into Denali National Park and encounter animals that have become symbols of the wilderness: wolves, animals found struggling to survive on their own terms. Author D. T. Kizis glimpses into wild Alaska, with a dramatic yet adventurous novel about what has influenced our relationships with a species we regard as ally and enemy. The tension remains between our two species, as wolves have influenced human behavior and history for millennia.
Born in New England, Edwin Wollert lived in various other states and countries while trying to figure out what to do in life, currently haunting Corvallis and its university. He uses pseudonyms for Stone Ring Press since his works do not resemblance each other, and to hopefully thwart future creditors.
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Kate Dyer-Seeley
Thursday, August 28 at 7 p.m.
227 SW 2nd St.
Corvallis, OR
Scene of the Climb is a new adult mystery, featuring a young reporter, Meg Reed, who is fresh out of college and crashing on her best friend's couch in Portland, Oregon. She embellishes her outdoor skills in order to land a gig writing for Northwest Extreme Magazine, when in reality her idea of sport is climbing onto the couch without spilling
her latte. The magazine sends her out to the ruggedly beautiful Columbia River Gorge to cover an adventure race. She claws her way to the top of a cliff only to witness a body falling off the summit. From there things just get worse for Meg.
Kate Dyer-Seeley writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series featuring the rugged landscapes of the Columbia River Gorge and a young journalist who bills herself as an intrepid adventurer in order to land a gig writing for Northwest Extreme. She lives in Vancouver where you can find her hitting the trail, at an artisan coffee shop, or at her favorite pub.
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Community Events
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| Darkside Show Times for 8/8-8/14
-Belle-R It boasts all the surface beauty that fans of period pictures have come to expect, but Belle also benefits from its stirring performances and subtle social consciousness.
-Mood Indigo-NR French filmmaker Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) returns home to let his manic imagination run wild.
-Venus In Fur-R It's witty, perceptive, penetrating, beautifully made.
-Life Itself-R A stunningly good documentary. I still can't believe Siskel and Ebert are gone.
-Chef-R A chef who loses his restaurant job starts up a food truck in an effort to reclaim his creative promise.
-Grand Seduction-PG-13 Brendan Gleeson.
Literary/Arts Events
-Bard in the Quad August 8,-10, 14-17 $5 - $15 seating begins at 6:30, play begins at 7:30 Memorial Union Quad Oregon State University Corvallis, OR, Julius Caesar is Shakespeare's classic tragedy, based on the historical assassination of one of Rome's most infamous emperors. It expresses timeless themes of political intrigue, loyalty, and power.
Remember:
Parking is free on OSU's campus after 5:00pm
Bard in the Quad is an outdoor performance and no seating is provided
Please bring blankets or low lawn chairs and warm clothing
No late seating or late admission
Seating begins at 6:30 p.m. No one will be seated prior to 6:30 p.m.
Contact box office manager, Arin Dooley (541-737-2784) with any questions regarding tickets, group rates, seating, and other accommodations.
-Writers on the River with Fiona Kenshole Aug 18 6:30-8:30 p.m. Dennis Hall at the First Presbyterian Church, 114 SW 8th St., Corvallis, OR 97333.
-Little Mermaid Performance Friday, August 22-23 from 7:00-9:00 PM at Corvallis-Benton County Public Library The Alsea Film Academy presents Disney's The Little Mermaid. One of Broadway's most popular musicals comes to the Corvallis-Benton County Library. It's great family fun, and tickets are FREE. Visit www.alseafilmacademy.org to get your free ticket. Suitable for all ages!
Opportunities
- Creative Nonfiction: $500 Grand Prize-Hippocampus Magazine Extended deadline: August 31, 2014 Submit your best creative nonfiction to Hippocampus Magazine's 2014 Remember in November Contest for Creative Nonfiction. Grand prize: $500; runner-up $100-plus other prizes. Five finalist stories published in November 2014 issue; all stories considered for publication in future issues. $10 entry fee. Extended deadline 8/31/2014. Word limit: 3,500. Read past winners and full guidelines at our website.
- Wag's Revue Summer Writing Contest Online submission deadline: August 31, 2014
The editors are now accepting submissions in poetry, fiction and essays for their summer writing contest. First prize is $1000 and publication; second is $500; and third $100. There's a $20 fee per entry and all submissions will be considered for publication. To learn more, and to submit, visit www.wagsrevue.com/submit. Founded five years ago, Wag's Revue is an online-only literary quarterly of fiction, poetry, essays and interviews. The magazine is sponsored by the New York Foundation for the Arts and is committed to compensating all its contributors. Read all issues, including past contest winners, for free here.
- Les Figues Press: NOS (Not Otherwise Specified) Book Contest Online Deadline: September 15, 2014 Guest judge Fanny Howe will select a manuscript of 64-250 pages for publication by Les Figues Press. Eligible submissions include previously unpublished manuscripts of poetry, novellas, prose poems, innovative novels, anti-novels, short story collections, lyric essays, hybrids, and work Not-Otherwise-Specified. Prize: publication and $1,000. There is a $25 submission fee; all entrants receive a Les Figues title of their choosing. Multiple and simultaneous submissions allowed. Full guidelines here.
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Community Events with Grass Roots
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Store News
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Bear Books!
With the most recent Bear and Mouse book coming out this week, we took the opportunity to gather together a few others like it for the kids. Ever since the first tellings of Goldie Locks and the Three Bears (and probably before!) , bears seem to make curious, cranky, scary, or adventurous children's book characters. Carrying on the tradition, a few recent titles you'll find in the store today include The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland (who will appease Bear's cranky temper???); The Bear's Sea Escape by Benjamin Chaud (will Papa Bear catch up to Little Bear as he crosses the ocean via a great big ship?); and Xander's Panda Party by Linda Sue Park (will Xander pull off the all-inclusive, biggest party his zoo has ever seen?). These books are charming, sweet, and funny. Perfect for storytime.
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Jigsaw
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(This week's challenge: it's in black and white...we'll be back in color next week.)
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Reading Group Selection
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by Lorrie Moore
Tuesday, Sept. 2 at 6:30-8 p.m.
 Join Adam as he leads the September Reading Group with Who Will Run the Frog Hospital by Loorie Moore. The summer Berie was fifteen, she and her best friend Sils had jobs at Storyland in upstate New York, where Berie sold tickets to see the beautiful Sils portray Cinderella in a strapless evening gown. They spent their breaks smoking, joking, and gossiping. After work they followed their own reckless rules, teasing the fun out of small town life, sleeping in the family station wagon, and drinking borrowed liquor from old mayonnaise jars. But no matter how wild, they always managed to escape any real danger until the adoring Berie sees that Sils really does need her help and then everything changes.
Regular Price: $14.95
On sale for:$12.71
Until: Monday, Sept. 1
Publisher: Vintage Books
ISBN: 9781400033829
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Night Stands
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Neé
Bats in the Band (Bat Book)
by Brian Lies
[Fiction]
 I'm always excited when Eric Lies writes a new book about bats and their nightly flights. His stories are whimsical, full of rhyming spirit his tales are so original; you won't believe them until you hear it. These little bat characters are wildly endearing
and the humorous pictures will leave you cheering!
Comic morsels are hidden on each page,
so look closely while you follow the Bats in the Band backstage.
It's hard not to smile when you see their cute bat-faces,
strumming their strings and playing cellos and basses.
With all of the various instruments and species of bats,
there's much to learn, appreciate, and look at!
Hardcover; $17.99
Publisher: Harcourt Brace and Company; ISBN: 9780544105690
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Jenny
Slaughterhouse-Five: Or the Children's Crusade, a Duty-Dance with Death
by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
[Fiction]
 Inspired by Kurt Vonnegut: Letters I read earlier in the summer, I picked up a copy of Slaughterhouse-Five because, believe it or not, I had never read it before. Without any hyperbole I am going to say this is one of my most favorite books ever. It is wise, funny, beautiful, and profound. Billy Pilgrim comes unstuck in time and throughout the course of his backwards and forwards moving life (including a spell on the planet of Tralfamadore) we witness the firebombing of Dresden during WWII, Billy's experience as an American POW, and his life as an optometrist. It sounds crazy--it's amazing.
Paperback; $15.00
Publisher: Delta; ISBN: 9780385333849
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Linda
Letters of Note: An Eclectic Collection of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience
by Shaun Usher
[Non-Fiction]
This is a beautiful big book, brimming with letters written by both famous and not-so-famous people. Each letter is photo copied, showing the true color and feel of its presence and content. To read each letter is to step into a moment of the life of the writer; to glimpse what is happening in each of their lives and to experience their feelings, hopes, observations, and wonders. Ah, the handwritten word!
Hardcover; $40.00
Publisher: Chronicle Books; ISBN: 9781452134253
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Adam
World Peace and Other 4th-Grade Achievements
by John Hunter
[Non-Fiction]
 World Peace and Other 4th-grade Achievements is a hopeful look at the possibility of solving the worlds most pressing problems: war, hunger, environmental damage, climate change. While the premise may seem like a gimmick-the solutions come from a game played by students in Hunter's classroom-the lessons learned are profound enough to even catch the eye of Pentagon. The clear prose, and often humorous storytelling, make the book enjoyable as well as thought-provoking.
Paperback; $15.95
Publisher: Eamon Dolan/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; ISBN: 9780544290037
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