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| Sept. 4, 2014 |
Dear Readers,
Perhaps it's not just me who senses the air is a little crisper this week? Now that it's September, I can't help but feel like fall is close on our heels. I'm getting visions of bright red, orange, and yellow leaves exploding on the branches...
In bookstore news I'd like to remind our devoted customers and friends that we're still putting out a call for storage space. Anyone have some we can use for a little while? Jump to the Store News section of this week's newsletter to read a personal message from Jack.
Some great books are lining the new release table. We've got the much-anticipated The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell, Oprah's memoir-esque inspiration book, and Gail Sheehy's autobiography. Check out the books on our displays for back to school (back to books!) and Corvallis Beer Week.
These are just a few things to look forward to in our newsletter. Keep readin'!
~Jenny
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New Hardcovers
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The Bone Clocks
by David Mitchell
[Fiction]
 "We begin in the punk years with a teenage Talking Heads obsessed runaway from Gravesend, England, named Holly Sykes. She becomes a pawn in a spiritual war between the mysterious 'Radio People' and the benevolent Horologists, led by the body-shifting immortal Marinus. Many more characters and places soon find themselves worked into Marinus's 'Script' across the book's six sections. . . From gritty realism to far-out fantasy, each section has its own charm and surprises. With its wayward thoughts, chance meetings, and attention to detail, Mitchell's. . . novel is a thing of beauty." -Publisher's Weekly
Hardcover; $30.00
Publisher: Random House; ISBN: 9781400065677
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What I Know for Sure
by Oprah Winfrey
[Non-Fiction]
 "Divided into topics including resilience, clarity, gratitude, and awe, each essay provides a brief encouraging and thought-provoking reading moment. Winfrey writes calmly and conversationally. Among many other topics, she addresses personal strength, spirituality, clutter, and debt. She encourages readers to accept and welcome change, to appreciate the gift of life, and to be true to one's self. She digs into painful memories to share lessons she's learned, as well as how she has moved beyond pain and regret. Those interested in her personal life will find scattered details of how she spends her days. . . Gentle and supportive, while concise and sincere, these brief observations invite readers to five minutes of quiet contemplation. . ." -Publishers Weekly
Hardcover; $24.99
Publisher: Flatiron Books; ISBN: 9781250054050
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What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
by Randall Munroe
[Non-Fiction]
 Maybe you are familiar with Randall Munroe's internet niche-sensation xkcd.com where the CNU graduate of physics writes a "web comic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language." In the site's "What If?" section, he takes the time to answer completely outrageous, fascinating, humorous, and terrifying hypothetical questions such as: "What would happen if one person had all of the world's money?" or "How long could the human race survive on only cannibalism?" In What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions, Munroe has compiled some of our most urgent, earthly queries and paired them with his detailed, thoughtful, oftentimes funny answers. So much food for thought!
Hardcover; $24.00
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin; ISBN: 9780544272996
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The Golden Princess (Change)
by S. M. Stirling
[Fiction]
 Princess Orlaith now holds the Sword of the Lady in her power and faces new foes in the land of Change. The Empress of Japan is her new ally, and together they decide to find the "Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi," the Grass-Cutting Sword, an imperial treasure from Japan. But their path must take them through the City of Angels, a great and perilous dead city, and on into the Valley of Death. As war breaks out across the world, the two royal women's journey becomes more necessary than ever.
Hardcover; $27.95
Publisher: Roc; ISBN: 9780451417336
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Daring: My Passages: A Memoir
by Gail Sheehy
[Non-Fiction]
 "She is an icon of American journalism, a groundbreaking pioneer for women in media. Her interviews with the twentieth-century's most enigmatic and charismatic world leaders, from Mikhail Gorbachev to Anwar Sadat, Margaret Thatcher to Hillary Clinton, set the standard for biographical character studies that became the bedrock of what is now known as the new journalism. . . Approaching 80, Sheehy now looks back on her personal passages from dutiful daughter to renegade writer, from single parent to liberated woman, to wife of publishing icon Clay Felker and mother of an adopted Cambodian refugee. Ardent, approachable, forthright, and empathetic, Sheehy's memoir of a life lived in the center of her time's most defining moments. . . is a riveting account of one woman's exhilarating trajectory. . . " -Booklist, Starred Review
Hardcover; $29.99
Publisher: William Morrow & Company; ISBN: 9780062291691
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New Paperbacks
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[Non-Fiction]
 In A. Scott Berg's comprehensive biography of the nation's twenty-eighth President, we get as complete and nuanced a portrait of the iconic figure as possible. This is a book that investigates his life as a man, not simply a political trailblazer, and readers will gain access to the details Berg came across in a cache of never-before published information from the Wilson Archives. Berg was the first to piece together previously unknown information from documents of those closest to Wilson in order to reveal new facts about his private life and political philosophy. This bio brings to life our previous Commander in Chief like no other before it.
Paperback; $22.00
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group; ISBN: 9780425270066
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by Jim Harrison
[Fiction]
 This book gathers together all the Brown Dog novellas, including one that has never been published. Brown Dog, a down-on-his-luck Michigan Indian, constantly oscillates between overindulgence and just getting by. Through the course of his life he comes across intriguing women; absurd adventures that involve sacred burial grounds and stolen bear skins; and moments of quiet redemption. Brown Dog is one of our time's most poignant everyman characters, rendered elegantly and humorously by Harrison's deft hand.
Paperback; $18.00
Publisher: Grove Press; ISBN: 9780802122865
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[Non-Fiction]
 "Frequent newspaper contributor Laskin's relatives provide ample material for a gripping epic narrative, beginning in 1875 and spanning over a century. This readable and absorbing book looks at the experiences of Jews in this case all members of Laskin's family finding a fresh start in the United States, of those working to form a new country in Palestine, and of those trapped in Nazi-controlled Europe. His American ancestors' experiences were highlighted by his great-aunt, Itel, who founded the Maidenform Bra Company in 1922. [This] contrasts well with the account of her cousin Chaim's life in Palestine around the same time he found disillusionment there, rather than a land of milk and honey. . . Laskin makes the most of the rich array of stories." -Publishers Weekly
Paperback; $17.00
Publisher: Penguin Books; ISBN: 9780143125891
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[Fiction]
 ". . . In a slightly alternative contemporary Baltimore, a thriving industry exists for 'envisionists, ' who administer drug cocktails to clients and clamp virtual reality helmets on their heads, thereby allowing them a glimpse of their possible futures. Godfrey Burkes proposes marriage to his domineering girlfriend, Madge, but she wants to see an envisionist before accepting. Meanwhile, Evelyn Shriner, who has a volunteer job recording classics for the blind at which she changes the books' endings to be more uplifting, is breaking up with her musician boyfriend, Adrian. After Godfrey and Evelyn meet cute in an envisionist's office, it becomes immediately clear to the reader, if not to them, that their future lies with each other. . ." -Publishers Weekly
Paperback; $14.95
Publisher: Algonquin Books; ISBN: 9781616203696
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by Thich Nhat Hanh
[Non-Fiction]
 Communication fuels the ties that bind, whether in relationships, business, or everyday interactions. Most of us, however, have never been taught the fundamental skills of communication-or how to best represent our true selves. In this precise and practical guide, Zen master and Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh reveals how to listen mindfully and express your fullest and most authentic self. With examples from his work with couples, families, and international conflicts, The Art of Communicating helps us move beyond the perils and frustrations of misrepresentation and misunderstanding to learn the listening and speaking skills that will forever change how we experience and impact the world.
Paperback; $15.99
Publisher: HarperOne; ISBN: 9780062224668
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New For Young Readers
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Otis and the Scarecrow
by Loren Long
Ages 4 to 8
[Fiction]
 "Otis, the friendly little tractor, is happy when the farmer mounts a scarecrow in the cornfield one late summer day. Otis presumes the newcomer is a potential pal and is quite disappointed when the scarecrow appears to only be interested in doing his job, never smiling and never acknowledging Otis or his farm animal friends. No one wants to approach the new arrival who wears a perpetual frown, and so he spends all his time alone. One cold, rainy fall day, amiable Otis decides the scarecrow looks too desolate, and he quietly moves to include him in the warm circle of friends. . ." -Booklist
Hardcover; $17.99
Publisher: Philomel Books; ISBN: 9780399163968
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The Scavengers
by Michael Perry
Ages 8 to 12
[Fiction]
 "The government has partnered with the CornVivia Corporation to control corn production after seizing all the farmland in the country through eminent domain. . . The corn that the CornVivia Corporation grows is called URCorn and is genetically modified to cure '. . . pretty much whatever ails you.' For those families, like Maggie's, that chose to live 'Out Bubble,' they work very hard to survive off of the less-desirable land. . . [N]eighbors Toad and Arlinda take Maggie, her parents, and her little brother Henry under their wing teaching them about gardening, wild plants, pig latin, and spoonerisms. . . [But] one day Maggie comes home to find. . . her entire family missing. She makes it her mission to find them. . ." -School Library Journal
Hardcover; $16.99
Publisher: HarperCollins; ISBN: 9780062026163
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Rose Under Fire
by Elizabeth E. Wein
Young Adult
[Fiction]
 "In this companion to Code Name Verity (2012), readers meet American Rose Justice, who ferries Allied planes from England to Paris. The first quarter of the book, which begins in 1944, describes Rose's work, both its dangers and its highs. It also makes the connection between Rose and the heroine of the previous book, Julie, through their mutual friend, Maddie. Despite the vagaries of war, things are going pretty well for Rose, so hearts drop when Rose is captured. It first seems Rose's status as a pilot may save her, but she is quickly shipped off to Ravensbruck, the notorious women's concentration camp in Northern Germany. . ." - Booklist
Hardcover; $9.99
Publisher: Disney Press; ISBN: 9781423184690
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New Music
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Genre: Pop/Folk
While Cowan has been embraced by the bluegrass fold since his debut, he has never been your traditional "high lonesome" vocalist. This new collection celebrates the range of Cowan's career, featuring guest spots from Alison Krauss, Leon Russell, Huey Lewis, and more.
($16.95) |
Genre: Pop/Folk
This two-CD collection pays tribute to the "Mother of Folk." Artists include Robin & Linda Williams, John McCutcheon, Judy Collins, and more.
($18.95) |
Genre: Jazz/Blues
The late Johnny Winter bridged the gap between the worlds of rock and blues. Completed prior to his passing earlier this summer, the record features collaborations with ZZ Top, Eric Clapton, Brian Setzer, and others.
($16.95) |
Events at Grass Roots
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Community Events
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Darkside Show Times for 9/5-9/11
-Calvary-R Led by a brilliant performance from Brendan Gleeson, Calvary tackles weighty issues with humor, intelligence, and sensitivity.
-Land Ho-R Gently amusing and agreeably modest in scale, Land Ho! uses its stars' warm chemistry to impart its poignant, quietly effective message.
-One I Love-R A romantic comedy with a sharp, sci-fi bent; it manages to be both funny and cerebral. Elisabeth Moss, Mark Duplass.
-Alive Inside-NR A man with a simple idea discovers that songs embedded deep in memory can ease pain and awaken fading minds.
-Magic In The Moonlight-PG-13 Love makes the magic in Woody Allen's latest movie, and it helps to have such likable stars as Colin Firth and Emma Stone in the leading roles.
Literary/Community Arts Events
-Yuji Hiratsuka Works on Paper @ Benton County Museum Sep 5 @ 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Yuji Hiratsuka Works on Paper: Prints, Drawings and Book Arts opens at Benton County Historical Museum on Friday, September 5, 2014. The exhibition will be on view through October 11, 2014. "Yuji Hiratsuka needs no introduction in artistic, institutional, or academic print making circles. His widely known, brilliantly conceived and executed intaglio prints are second to none, today," notes Stephen A. Fredericks, Founder of The New York Society of Etchers.
The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 4:30pm. Admission is always free!
-Random Reviews Wednesday, September 10, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
-Willamette Writers on the River Quarterly Reading
Monday, September 15, 2014 6:30-8:30 p.m. First Presbyterian Church 114 SW 8th Street (enter Dennis Hall at 9th & Monroe) Corvallis, Oregon In which writers of every ilk have the opportunity to engage in one of the most important practices of the writing life - reading their work in front of others. Some guidelines: Sign up table begins at 6:15 PM. First to sign up is first to read. Reading is limited to 7 minutes per reader. Only one prose piece is allowed during the 7-minute time frame. Number of readers is limited to 8, given our one-hour program format. Please no graphic violence, sex, or hate speech. Contact info: corvallis@willamettewriters.com
-Shotpouch work party and free writing workshop with Jeff Fearnside, Saturday, September 20
Everyone is invited to join us for "Working and Writing the Woods," Saturday, September 20, 10 am to 5 pm, with our special guest instructor, Jeff Fearnside. From 10 am to 1 pm we will work together on tree planting, trail maintenance, riparian habitat restoration, and other soul-satisfying tasks. After lunch, from 2 - 5 pm, we'll turn to a free writing workshop, exploring ways to write about nature, work, and community. All are welcome, whatever your level of writing experience.
We have room for 20 participants. Please reply to Charles Goodrich at Charles.Goodrich@oregonstate.edu to reserve a spot.
-Friends of the Library FALL FESTIVAL BOOK SALE
Saturday, Sept. 27 9:00-10:00 Friends of the Library members only; (Become a member for just $10!)
Saturday September 27, 10-4:00 p.m. Open to the public Sunday, September 28, 12:00-4:00, Main Meeting Room, Corvallis-Benton County Public Library Lots of lightly used top-quality paperback books at very reasonable prices. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library. All proceeds are used to benefit the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library system.
Prices slashed from 3:00-4:00 PM Sunday, September 28.
Contact Katherine Inman (541-753-0078) for more information.
Opportunities
-Margaret Atwood, Zsuszi Gartner Judge The Thomas Morton Memorial Prize! Online submission deadline: September 30, 2014 The Puritan is still accepting entries to The Third Annual Thomas Morton Memorial Prize in Literary Excellence. The prize is awarded to the single best submission in the respective categories of poetry and fiction. The prize is open for submissions until September 30th through our online manager. The judges for this year's prize are celebrated writers Margaret Atwood (poetry) and Zsuzsi Gartner (fiction). In addition to publication in Issue 27: Fall 2014, each winning author receives $1000 as well as a prize pack of books drawn from 18 donating publishers, each valued at approximately $800+. Entry fee is $15.
-The Jane Lumley Prize for Emerging Writers is now open! Online submission deadline: November 30, 2014
Hermeneutic Chaos Literary Journal announces its first annual Jane Lumley Prize for Emerging Writers. The contest seeks to recognize the works of writers who have yet not published a full length book. The prize alternates each year between poetry and prose, and this year we seek to recognize an exceptional piece of poetry. There is no entry fee for the contest. The winner will receive a prize of $300 and publication in our January 2015 issue. Publication will also be awarded to the first two semi-finalists. Find full details here. We can't wait to read your poems! Details here.
-New Delta Review Short Fiction Contest
Online submission deadline: October 4, 2014
New Delta Review seeks entries for the second annual Ryan R. Gibbs Award for Short Fiction, a contest judged by the amazing Roxane Gay, author of An Untamed State and Bad Feminist. We are looking for a full narrative in a small package (1500 words or less). Winner will receive a $500 prize and publication in the winter issue of New Delta Review. All submissions will be considered for publication. Deadline for entry is October 4, 2014. Enter with $10 fee through Submittable here.
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Community Events with Grass Roots
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Fermented Vegetables
by Kirsten and Christopher Shockey
[Non-Fiction]
Sunday, September 28 at 3:00 p.m.
1007 SE 3rd St.
First Alternative Co-op Corvallis ,
 Even beginners can make their own fermented foods! Fermented Vegetables includes in-depth instruction for making kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickles and then offers more than 120 recipes, using the same basic methods, for fermenting 80 different vegetables and herbs. You'll discover how easy it is to make dozens of exciting dishes, including pickled Brussels sprouts, curried golden beets, carrot kraut, and pickled green coriander. The recipes are creative, delicious, and healthful, and many of them can be made in small batches - even just a single pint.
Kirsten and Christopher Shockey got their start in fermenting foods with their farmstand food company, where they created over forty varieties of cultured vegetables and krauts. They now teach classes at their farm, host small farm workshops, and blog at www.fermentista.us. They live in the Applegate Valley of southern Oregon. Grass Roots will be selling books at this event. |
Store News
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Storage Space Request From Grass Roots
Got Space?
Grass Roots is looking for a temporary storage solution so we can open up our balcony for more & different types of events. We need a place to store some of our display fixtures and espresso equipment (and possibly several boxes of books) for about 6 months or so, until we can get them sorted out and donated.
We would like to rent and/or trade for a dry space - we do not need regular access. A longer time period would be great, but mostly we just need to move them so we can complete our event space renovation.
Thanks,
Jack (541-754-7668) GR
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Awards
Library of Congress Literacy Prize Winner
The Library of Congress launched the three literacy awards in 2013 and this year one of the recipients is Oregon's own Start Making a Reader Today (SMART) program.
SMART won the American Prize, which is accompanied by $50,000. SMART envisions, "An Oregon where every child can read and is empowered to succeed," and has been striving to do so since 1991. As a volunteer reading effort, the organization currently works with 5,000 volunteers in 250 schools. Find out more about SMART at their website here.
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Corvallis Beer Week Display!
 We've made a Beer Week display in preparation for the annual Corvallis Beer Week, starting on September 5 at 4:00 p.m. with Les Caves' Kickoff March (eventually coalescing at Sky High Brewing and Pub for the Beer Week Kickoff Party at 5 p.m.)!
Whether you are interested in starting your own homebrewing outfit or investigating the unique and varied beer landscape that Oregon has to offer, we'll provide a book to suit your needs.
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Back to Books!
Hey, it's September! I can hear the school bells ringing...
To Grass Roots, back to school means back to books, and our Young Readers section is prepared.
Books and school go hand in hand (and we certainly have more to choose from). Put a book in those little learnin' hands!
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Jigsaw
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Reading Group Selection
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Tuesday, Oct. 7 at 6:30-8:00 p.m.
 Join Tiffany as she leads the October Reading Group with The Paris Wife.
A deeply evocative story of ambition and betrayal, The Paris Wife captures the love affair between two unforgettable people: Ernest Hemingway and his wife Hadley.
Chicago, 1920: Hadley Richardson is a quiet twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness-until she meets Ernest Hemingway. Following a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail for Paris, where they become the golden couple in a lively and volatile group--the fabled "Lost Generation"--that includes Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Regular Price: $15.00
On sale for:$12.75
Until Monday, Oct. 6
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 9780345521316
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Night Stands
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Linda
Revolutionary Summer: The Birth of American Independence
by Joseph J. Ellis
[Non-Fiction]
 The magnanimous events of the summer of 1776, when the colonists coalesced and fought to become America, are explicitly described and finely detailed in this excellent book by Joseph Ellis. I have not read Ellis' histories before, and found his factually laden and deeply researched writing to be refreshing and trustworthy. Ellis is all-encompassing in his telling, explaining all that was occurring at this time of revolution; from Washington's assembly of a Continental Army, to the questions and concerns of the Continental Congress, influenced by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. This is an excellent book!
Paperback; $15.95
Publisher: Vintage Books; ISBN: 9780307946379
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Jenny
The Paper Bag Princess
by Robert N. Munsch
Ages 4-7
[Fiction]
 The Paper Bag Princess is one of my favorite picture books from childhood. One day Princess Elizabeth's castle gets demolished by a fire-breathing dragon, who then kidnaps Prince Ronald. In the catastrophic aftermath, sooty Elizabeth is left with nothing but a paper bag to don while she tracks down the dragon in order to rescue Ronald. Elizabeth is clever, resourceful, and empowering for young readers; she conveys a meaningful little message of female agency to kids as young as 4. The ending is funny AND profound. Parents will love the book as much as the kids. (I know my mom did.) .
Paperback; $6.95
Publisher: Annick Press; ISBN: 9780920236161
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Adam
Leviathan (Leviathan Trilogy (Quality) #01)
by Scott Westerfeld
[Fiction]
Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld, is a cool and creepy steampunk take on WWI for young adults. In this alternate universe, bioengineering battles mechanical engineering. England and her allies have developed genetic engineering technology beyond our own and have harnessed the power of the animal kingdom, while Eastern Europe has mastered land-striding mechanical marvels. The story follows Deryn, a young woman who has lied her way into the British Air service, and Alek, the son of a murdered Austrian Duke who must flee his native land, two perspectives that invert many of the genre's usual conventions.
Paperback; $9.99
Publisher: Simon Pulse; ISBN: 9781416971740
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