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| November 20, 2014
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Dear Readers,
It's beginning to get busy with the holidays creeping stealthily up on us and the store is reflecting that cozy, bustling energy more and more with each passing day. Along with our holiday preparations, there are many exciting events happening both in Grass Roots and around downtown over the next few weeks.
If you take a look at the Events section, you'll notice that Local Author Day is on November 29. Come down to Grass Roots and meet some of Corvallis' finest writers, hear about their books, and have them show you around the store for book suggestions. Plus, December 5 is the downtown Winter's Eve celebration! Stay tuned for even more local business happenings occuring near the beginning of December (more info in next week's newsletter!).
Also: great releases this week! Essays from Meghan Daum, a biography on Beethoven, and music paying tribute to Sir Paul McCartney, Peter Paul & Mary, and Wilco. Holy smokes! Check all this out and more (and stop by for the remainder of the Holiday Catalog sale, going on through 11/24).
See you soon,
Jenny
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New Hardcovers
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by David Baldacci
[Fiction]
 "In bestseller Baldacci's clever third John Puller thriller (after 2012's The Forgotten), the chief warrant officer faces his most difficult and most personal assignment yet. Puller's older brother, Robert, a former major in the USAF, is a convicted traitor serving a life sentence in Leavenworth. A seemingly impossible chain of events ends with Robert escaping and a corpse left in his cell. A trio of high-placed officials, Army, Air Force, and National Security, go against normal protocol, and charge Puller with finding and arresting Robert. Puller has to figure out the identity of the dead man found in his brother's cell, as well as who enabled Robert to escape. . ." -Publishers Weekly
Hardcover; $28.00
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; ISBN: 9781455521197
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| The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History
by Boris Johnson
[Non-Fiction]
 "While there are many accounts of Winston Churchill and his political savvy, one would be remiss to ignore this sprightly written volume by Johnson, whose day job is serving as mayor of London. Johnson's purpose in retelling Churchill's story is quite simple: he believes that the portly, cigar smoking, whiskey imbibing politician was, without doubt, the greatest British statesman in history. He further contends that we can learn much from examining how Churchill defended the British Empire, defeated Adolf Hitler's intimidating forces, and confronted the rise of communism--all in the name of representative government in the modern age. . ." -Library Journal
Hardcover; $27.95
Publisher: Riverhead Books; ISBN: 9781594633027
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The Wild Truth
by Carine McCandless
[Non-Fiction]
 "Twenty years ago, Jon Krakauer wrote in Into the Wild, the stunning story of Chris McCandless, a young man who walked into the Alaska wilderness and starved to death. At the time, Krakauer spoke with Chris's sister, Carine, who allowed Krakauer to read Chris's letters, but asked the author not to print them. Two decades later, in this fiercely honest and gripping memoir, Carine shares many of these letters and candidly reveals the harsh and violent family in which the two grew up. The siblings' father constantly berated and physically abused his young wife, and, as young children, Chris and Carine comforted each other the best they could. . ." -Publishers Weekly
Hardcover; $27.99
Publisher: HarperOne; ISBN: 9780062325143
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Windows on the World: Fifty Writers, Fifty Views
by Matteo Pericoli
[Non-Fiction]
 "In this collection of work, most of which was originally published as a series in the New York Times and the Paris Review, Pericoli (The City out My Window: 63 Views on New York) takes the reader on a journey around the world, capturing the views that inspire and distract 50 of the world's writers, including Orhan Pamuk, Daniel Kehlmann, and Nadine Gordimer. A simple illustration by Pericoli accompanies each of the 50 vignettes that share stories of hope and pain, writing, trees, birds, and cities, and more. . ." -Library Journal
Hardcover; $27.95
Publisher: Penguin Press; ISBN: 9781594205545
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The Unspeakable: And Other Subjects of Discussion
by Meghan Daum
[Non-Fiction]
 "Daum (My Misspent Youth) opens this collection of personal essays with the scene at her mother's deathbed and confesses that she wishes her mother would hurry up and die, setting the honest tone for the pieces that follow. The author proceeds to examine her attitudes about children, dogs, food, lesbianism, Joni Mitchell, etc., often expressing offbeat views counter to those of her friends--she prefers animals to children and devotes one essay to over-the-top love for her dog, Rex, while feeling relieved after having a miscarriage. Daum's fearlessness is to be admired, as is her writing ability. . ." -Library Journal
Hardcover; $26.00
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux; ISBN: 9780374280444
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New Paperbacks
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 "Professor of philosophy at the University of Miami Rowlands (The Philosopher and the Wolf) astutely blends the science of running with the meaning of life from his over two decades of pushing his body to the limits. He downplays notions of running as a healthy, serene activity, focusing instead on its relationship to the natural flow of our ever-shifting thoughts. Philosophy, according to Rowlands, once the domain of professionals and academics, now can be applied to anyone running a sprint or a marathon, solving any philosophical answer to the imagined finish line. . ." -Publishers Weekly
Paperback; $15.95
Publisher: Pegasus Books; ISBN: 9781605986432
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 "Suchet, a musical scholar and British classical radio host, guides us along a detailed tour of Beethoven's life, exploring not so much the music he created as his life nearly 60 years of drama, love, and loss. From the imposing composer's difficult early life in Bonn to his later fame (and occasional infamy) living in Vienna, Suchet offers a definitive, close look at the composer. Even those with cursory musical knowledge will appreciate the engaging narrative, beginning with Beethoven's unknown birthday and ending with his slow death. Along the way, one can easily find oneself identifying with Beethoven. . . cheering when his utter genius is wholly recognized, and weeping with him when he is heartbroken and suicidal. . ." -Publishers Weekly
Paperback; $20.00
Publisher: Grove Press; ISBN: 9780802122797
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 "As terror swept Zimbabwe's farms early this century, a couple known as the horse people began to shelter the animals left behind. Retzlaff recounts the journey she and her husband undertook in this plainspoken, heartfelt memoir. Hounded from farm to farm for years by hordes of President Robert Mugabe's men, they belong to a community besieged. Their escape is filled with midnight rescue runs, forced departures in a matter of hours, theft, and betrayal. . ." -Booklist
Paperback; $15.99
Publisher: William Morrow & Company; ISBN: 9780062204394
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 "Taking on the conventional Anglo-centrism of American history, this superb survey offers a different way of looking at the nation's past. A leading scholar of the Americas at the University of Notre Dame, Fernandez-Armesto (Pathfinders: A Global History of Exploration) brilliantly reveals the U.S.'s deep roots in Spanish and Hispanic culture and aspirations. With convincing arguments and deftly told stories, he shows how Spain and Hispanics have influenced American history from well before the British arrived. Likely to be controversial, Fernandez-Armesto's study makes a strong case for the 20th-century being America's 'second Hispanic colonization' and argues that 'the United States is and has to be a Latin American country.'. . ." -Publishers Weekly
Paperback; $16.95
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; ISBN: 9780393349825
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 "Newly appointed fleet captain Breq has been assigned a ship, the 'Mercy of Kalr', and sent by the Lord of the Radch to Athoek Station. Setting aside (for the most part) the brewing civil war in the Radch empire among clone factions of their leader, Breq has personal reasons for wanting to visit Athoek, which harken back to her final days as a ship ancillary and the events detailed in 2013's Hugo Award-winning Ancillary Justice. But while the titular noun may have changed in this sequel, our antagonist is still very much obsessed with justice and with helping underdogs where she finds them. . ." -Library Journal
Paperback; $16.00
Publisher: Orbit; ISBN: 9780316246651
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New For Young Readers
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Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads
by Bob Shea
[Fiction]
Ages 4 to 8
 "The Toad brothers, notorious outlaws, have run amok through Drywater Gulch, leaving the frontier town in chaos. Enter Sheriff Ryan. The young lawman may not know much about shooting a gun or riding a horse (Ryan's steed? It's a tortoise), but when it comes to dinosaurs he's an expert. In a clever bit of reverse psychology, Ryan snubs the Toad brothers by blaming the town's problems on a band of dino-hooligans. Their criminal credentials in question, the Toad brothers lose their heads--Ain't fair giving the credit to no dineysaurs after the hard work we put in'--and Ryan easily lures them into jail. His work done, Ryan rides off into the sunset--very slowly--on his trusty tortoise. . ." -Horn Book Magazine
Hardcover; $17.99
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press; ISBN: 9781596439757
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The Ice Dragon
by George R.R. Martin
[Non-Fiction]
Ages 8 and Up
 "Seven-year-old Adara was born during the coldest chill of the coldest year ever, a chill that killed her mother during the girl's birth. Ever since then, she has been a remote and chilly child, living for winter when the ice lizards come out and forming a bond with a mysterious ice dragon. When war comes and dragon-riding invaders threaten her home and family, the ice dragon helps her to thwart them, leading to its own demise. . ." -School Library Journal
Hardcover; $14.99
Publisher: Tor Books; ISBN: 9780765378774
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New Music
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Genre: Pop/Folk
More than a decade in the making, this double CD features a star-studded tribute to Sir Paul. Contributing artists include names like Dylan, Willie, Yusuf, and more.
($22.95) |
Genre: Pop/Folk
The beloved folk music trio was renowned for the warmth and humanity of their live concerts. This collection features unreleased live recordings, and even songs that have yet to be heard.
($18.95) |
Genre: Pop/Folk
Assembled by Teddy Thompson, this collection features music from the extended Thompson clan. In addition to Teddy, contributors include Richard and Linda, as well as brothers, aunts and uncles.
($15.95) |
Genre: Pop/Folk
Bloodshot Records celebrates 20 years of "insurgent country" music with this 2 CD compilation. The records feature some of the labels most famous tunes, but they are re-recorded by acts like Blitzen Trapper, Shakey Graves, William Elliott Whitmore, and others.
($19.95) |
Genre: Pop/Folk
This pair of releases celebrates twenty years of music from the groundbreaking rock act. The first record collects the band's greatest hits, while the second features rarities, b-sides, and covers from throughout their career.
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Genre: Classical
" ... Il Divo's first compilation of songs inspired by Broadway shows such as Phantom of the Opera, Carousel and West Side Story and features amazing duet partners Barbra Streisand, Kristin Chenoweth, Nicole Scherzinger, Heather Headley and Michael Ball" (ildivo.com).
($20.95) |
Events at Grass Roots
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Friday, November 21, 7:00 p.m.
Grass Roots Books and Music
Despite Oregon's watery reputation, the state has lacked a field guide for its many celebrated rivers and streams--until now. Preeminent river conservationist, photographer, and author Tim Palmer's Field Guide to Oregon Rivers is an unprecedented reference that profiles 120 waterways throughout the state, from the Alsea to the Williamson.
With drawings by William E. Avery.
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Saturday, November 29, 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Grass Roots Books and Music
Grass Roots is thrilled to announce our inaugural Indies First and Local Author Day. Corvallis authors John Addiego, Rick Borsten, Jeff Davis, Judith Li, Lena Lingemann, and Boyd Wilcox will be in the bookstore throughout the day to talk about their books, sign copies and experience independent bookselling firsthand.
Authors and store hour times:
Boyd Wilcox (Two to Four (o'clock) at the Beanery) - 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
John Addiego (Tears of the Mountain) - 12 p.m.-2 p.m.
Rick Borsten (The Great Equalizer) - 12 p.m.-2 p.m.
Lena Lingemann (Chasing My Sister's Shadow) - 2 p.m.-4 p.m.
Judith Li (Ellie's Log) - 3 p.m.-5 p.m.
Jeff Davis (Scalebane: Willem's Tale) - 4 p.m.-6 p.m.
We at Grass Roots and our local authors look forward to seeing you down at the store!
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Wednesday, December 3rd, 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Grass Roots Books and Music
In A Miraculous Journey, Vernon shares in amazing detail what it was like growing up during the Great Depression, how his family survived those financially difficult times, and many of the adventures he had in childhood and later on in life. On his 2014 birthday, Vernon reached 83 years of age.
Vernon grew up to serve in the U.S. Army during the Korean War; to find, Ruth Grady, the love of his life; to graduate from college and become a CPA; to help his wife raise a family; to teach at a university; to travel to 50 states and 40 foreign countries; to oversee the construction of his own office building and several homes; to own forest real estate on which he grew Christmas trees; to author a tax manual for other Christmas tree growers; to survive many near-death situations; to experience divine healing of various injuries and illnesses; and to eventually become a healer himself.
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Community Events
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Darkside Show Times for 11/21-11/27
Whiplash-R Intense, inspiring, and well-acted, Whiplash is a brilliant sophomore effort from director Damien Chazelle and a riveting vehicle for stars J.K. Simmons and Miles Teller. 97% ON RT!
Citizenfour -R Part real-life thriller, part sobering examination of 21st century civil liberties, Citizenfour transcends ideology to offer riveting, must-see cinema. 97% ON RT!
Laggies-R Keira Knightley frees herself of the trappings of costume drama to deliver a delightfully loose and engagingly funny performance.
My Old Lady-PG-13 A cross-cultural, comedic drama. Kevin Kline, Maggie Smith
Arts/Literary Events
-Corvallis Arts Walk November 20, 2014 @ 4:00 pm - 10:00 pm The Corvallis Arts Walk is a new monthly art walk that happens on the third Thursday of every month, starting at 4pm. The Arts Walk will tour many of Corvallis' fine art galleries, along with non-gallery artistic events. Walkers will stop for dinner or drinks at a Corvallis restaurant after the tour.
-Small Work Works! November 20, 2014 @ 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm The Arts Center 700 Southwest Madison Avenue, Corvallis, OR Free; For "Small Work Works!," fifteen artists were invited to show works of a certain size: no larger than 15 x 15 x 15. For full info, visit website here.
-HP Holiday Bazaar and Craft Fair November 22, 2014 @ 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Benton County Fairgrounds 110 Southwest 53rd Street Corvallis, OR; Free; Come enjoy the HP Holiday Bazaar and Craft Fair. Lots of arts, crafts, and home-based businesses offering goods to get you started on your holiday shopping season. Food will be available and a raffle will benefit a local charity.
-Soap Creek Confluence & Oregon: Field & Sky November 24, 2014 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Giustina Gallery LaSells Stewart Center Oregon State University; Free; The Soap Creek Artisans are a group of talented artists based in Oregon's beautiful Soap Creek Valley. Known for its unique country setting and historical past--it is home to the Soap Creek one-room schoolhouse--Soap Creek Valley is located 10 miles northwest of Corvallis, Oregon. The many artists who make their home here represent a diverse set of artistic talents in pottery, fabric, glass, artistry, photography, and ceramics.
-Winter's Eve 2014 Friday, December 5th from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. (Grass Roots will be open until 9:00 p.m.) Madison Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets and in shops throughout downtown Corvallis; This greatly anticipated annual event is the traditional kick-off to the Corvallis holiday season. Shops will stay open late and offer exclusive discounts to ticket holders, who will enjoy an evening of fine food samplings from over 30 local restaurants and caterers. Desserts, wine, champagne, beer, soft drinks, and Starbucks coffee will be available to attendees in the tent. Attractions will include a silent auction with an exciting array of items. Popular Assistance League packaged foods and other specialty items will be for sale. Participating stores will stamp ticket booklets so that attendees can enter the "Snowflake Drawing" for a chance to win a beautiful gift basket. The $40 ticket booklet containing the admission ticket and discount coupons is available at The Inkwell Home Store, Rice's Pharmacy, The Clothes Tree, and Schmidt's Garden Center. The price will be $45 when purchased the night of the event. Full details can be found here!
Opportunities
-Spring Creek's innovative writers' residency programs:
The Andrews Forest Writers Residency is a 7 to 14 day writing residency at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest which offers writers an opportunity to explore the forest, interact with working scientists, and write poetry or prose that reflects on the forest. Writers may propose optimum dates for their residency during March, April or May 2014. The Andrews Residencies are part of our Long-Term Ecological Reflections program, with support from the US Forest Service.
The Collaborative Retreat at the Cabin at Shotpouch Creek is a two-week-long retreat for two participants who apply jointly to pursue a collaborative project, or who each have individual projects and anticipate a synergistic benefit from each other's presence. At least one of the applicants must be a writer who takes inspiration from the natural world. The second applicant may also be a writer, or he or she may work in any other field (e.g. science, philosophy, music, art, crafts, etc.) Applicants may apply for either of two sessions:
Session 1 - Saturday, March 7 - Friday March 20, 2015
Session 2 - Sunday, March 29 - Saturday, April 11, 2015
More info can be found here.
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Newsletter Subtitle
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Month Year
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Community Events with Grass Roots
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OSU Visiting Writers Series Presents Kazim Ali
Friday, November 21, 7:30 p.m.
Valley Library Rotunda
Kazim Ali is a poet, essayist, fiction writer, and translator. His books include several volumes of poetry, including Sky Ward (Wesleyan University Press, 2013), The Far Mosque, winner of Alice James Books' New England/New York Award, The Fortieth Day (BOA Editions, 2008), and the cross-genre text Bright Felon: Autobiography and Cities (Wesleyan University Press, 2009). He has also published a translation of Water's Footfall by Sohrab Sepehri (Omnidawn Press, 2011), and (with Libby Murphy) L'amour by Marguerite Duras (Open Letter Books, 2013). His novels include Quinn's Passage (blazeVox books), named one of "The Best Books of 2005" by Chronogram magazine and The Disappearance of Seth (Etruscan Press, 2009), and his books of essays include Orange Alert: Essays on Poetry, Art and the Architecture of Silence (University of Michigan Press, 2010), Fasting for Ramadan (Tupelo Press, 2011).
Grass Roots will be selling books at this event.
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Store News
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Awards 
National Book Awards for 2014 have been announced, and the winners are:
Nonfiction Winner: Evan Osnos, Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China
Fiction Winner: Phil Klay, Redeployment
Poetry Winner: Louise Glück, Faithful and Virtuous Night
Young People's Literature: Jacqueline Woodson, Brown Girl Dreaming
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2014 World Fantasy Awards' winners include:
Sofia Samatar for Best Novel -- A Stranger in Olondria
Andy Duncan & Ellen Klages for Best Novella -- "Wakulla Springs"
Gardner Dozois & George R.R. Martin for Best Anthology -- Dangerous Women
Caitlín R. Kiernan for Best Collection -- The Ape's Wife and Other Stories
For a complete list of winners, visit the World Fantasy Convention website here!
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 Featured in the Store: Jaguar Art GlassThis company (right out of Eugene!) specializes in custom-etched glass in a variety of colors. Some of the glass objects we're currently carrying include vases, small bottles, and paper weights. They are truly beautiful, hand-crafted objects. Additionally, we have Jaguar Art Glass stainless steel flasks for sale, which are also etched with elegant designs. All are perfect as holiday gifts. Please come by and take a look! |
Jigsaw
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Reading Group Selection
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 Join Claire as she leads the December Book Group with The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir by Bill Bryson. Using the persona "The Thunderbolt Kid" as a springboard, Bill Bryson re-creates the life of his family and his native city in the 1950s in all its transcendent normality-a life at once completely familiar to us all and as far away and unreachable as another galaxy. It was, he reminds us, a happy time, when automobiles and televisions and appliances (not to mention nuclear weapons) grew larger and more numerous with each passing year, and DDT, cigarettes, and the fallout from atmospheric testing were considered harmless or even good for you. In his funny memoir, Bryon travels back in time to explore the ordinary kid he once was. Regular Price: $15.99
On sale for:$13.59
Until Tuesday, December 2
Publisher: Broadway Books
ISBN: 9780767919371
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Night Stands
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 Claire
Please Don't Paint Our Planet Pink!: A Story for Children and Their Adults
by Gregg Kleiner
[Fiction]
One of the major difficulties of understanding and addressing climate change is that carbon is invisible. Corvallis author Gregg Kleiner takes this on in Please Don't Paint Our Planet Pink by imagining carbon as pink. Once we can see it, guided by a father and son duo, we can start to see how to address the problem. This book, "for kids and their adults" is well worth a read to challenge how you think about climate change and gender roles.
Paperback; $12.00 Publisher: Cloudburst Creative ISBN: 9780990637301
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 Kendall
A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #01)
by Gregg Kleiner
[Fiction]
Diana Bishop is the last in a line of powerful witches -- but she doesn't want to be. After decades of repressing her powers, she is forced to release them after encountering a powerful manuscript and several other supernatural beings, including a mysterious and seductive vampire named Mathew. In spite of having a plethora of amazing powers, Diana is also frequently disheveled, awkward, and immature; it makes her a relatable protagonist one can't help but enjoy spending time with. A Discovery of Witches made for an absorbing, fun read.
Paperback; $17.00 Publisher: Penguin Books ISBN: 9780143119685
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 Tiffany
Still Life with Bread Crumbs
by Anna Quindlen
[Fiction]
Photographer Rebecca Winter achieved tremendous success as an artist famed for her domestic scenes such as "Still Life with Bread Crumbs," the work from which Anna Quindlen names her novel. Now sixty, aging and with financial responsibilities, Rebecca finds herself fading from fame into obscurity. She sublets her New York apartment and rents a cabin in the country to save money and find inspiration. Rebecca's change of scenery renews her creativity, brings new love, and allows her to decide how she wants to live the rest of her life. Quindlen's book speaks quietly and powerfully to women's lives, family relationships (her mother--never an easy woman--has Alzheimer's), romance, and growing older; all with elegant prose, and emotion without saccharine.
Paperback; $16.00 Publisher: Random House Trade ISBN: 9780812976892
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