|
|
|
|
| January 14, 2016 |
|
Good afternoon, Readers!
Tomorrow, Grass Roots will be selling books for a reading with Héctor Tobar, author of Deep Down Dark, at the OSU Valley Library. And we'll be hosting another author reading later this month -- see below for details.
This week, we're rolling out additional price reductions on bargain books -- it's our first of the year bargain book blowout! Browse our selection of large format bargain gift books and other bargain books at an extra 30% off the bargain price here on our website.
A reminder to our Readers: If you haven't yet read about our updated Frequent Buyer Plan or our newest job openings, please check out Store News!
Keep reading for the latest releases and more...
~Marissa
|
New Hardcovers
|
|
|
by Katherine Zoepf
Only a generation ago, female adolescence as we know it in the West did not exist in the Middle East. There were only children and married women. Today, young Arab women are beginning to face down religious and social tradition in order to live independently, to delay marriage, and to pursue professional goals. And, in 2011, young women helped to lead antigovernment protests in the Arab Spring. But their voices have not been heard. Reporter Zoepf brings us a new understanding of the changing Arab societies from 9/11 to Tahrir Square to the rise of ISIS, and gives voice to the remarkable women at the forefront of this change.
Hardcover; $28.00
Publisher: Penguin Press; ISBN: 9781594203886
|
|
by Janice Y. K. Lee
[Fiction]
Mercy, a young Korean American and recent Columbia graduate, is adrift, undone by a terrible incident in her recent past. Hilary, a wealthy housewife, is haunted by her struggle to have a child, something she believes could save her foundering marriage. Meanwhile, Margaret, once a happily married mother of three, questions her maternal identity in the wake of a shattering loss. As each woman struggles with her own demons, their lives collide in ways that have irreversible consequences for them all. Atmospheric, moving, and utterly compelling, The Expatriates confirms Lee as an exceptional talent and one of our keenest observers of women s inner lives.
Hardcover; $27.00
Publisher: Viking; ISBN: 9780525429470
|
|
by Pope Francis
[Non-Fiction]
In his first book published as Pope, and in conjunction with the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, Pope Francis here invites all humanity to an intimate and personal dialogue on the subject closest to his heart, mercy, which has long been the cornerstone of his faith and is now the central teaching of his papacy. In this conversation with Vatican reporter Andrea Tornielli, Francis explains through memories from his youth and moving anecdotes from his experiences as a pastor why mercy is the first attribute of God. Clear and profound, The Name of God Is Mercy is being published in more than eighty countries around the world.
Hardcover; $26.00
Publisher: Random House; ISBN: 9780399588631
|
|
by Ethan Michaeli
[Non-Fiction]
"Named for its founder [Robert S. Abbott]'s aspiration to be a defender of the race, the Chicago Defender was exactly that in the early years of its long history. The newspaper condemned lynching, urged multitudes of blacks to leave the brutality of the South for opportunities in the North, and encouraged the political clout of African Americans. . .[Abbott's successor] took the paper into the modern age, [even] helping to support the political career and eventual presidency of Barack Obama. . .A penetrating look at a paper whose story is the story of African Americans in the twentieth century." - Booklist, Starred Review
Hardcover; $32.00
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin; ISBN: 9780547560694
|
|
by Douglas R. Fields
[Non-Fiction]
"Neurobiologist Fields offers a sensible, plainspoken guide to the all-too-common phenomenon of rage. Everyone loses their temper at some point. . .but what if a momentary loss of control leads to something worse, an act of irreparable violence? What triggers the human impulse to violence and killing? Does everyone have this latent ability for extreme rage? These are the questions Fields seeks to answer in this thoughtful and anecdotal examination of the complicated human mind. . .Fields' timely exploration of sudden acts of violence is sure to inspire conversation at a time when mass shootings appear with great and lamentable frequency." - Booklist
Hardcover; $28.00
Publisher: Dutton Books; ISBN: 9780525954835
|
|
by T.R. Richmond
[Fiction]
"This debut novel by a London journalist is very cleverly constructed, consisting of blog posts, diary entries, letters, police transcripts, and e-mails all concerned with the life and death of 25-year-old reporter Alice Salmon, whose lifeless body was found in the river on the campus of the University of Southampton in England. Was it suicide or murder? Professor Jeremy Cooke. . .becomes obsessed with piecing together Alice's life through her digital footprint. . .but the investigation into her death stalls until some reluctant witnesses come forth [with] serious secrets that contribute to the difficulty of figuring out what happened. . ." - Booklist
Hardcover; $25.00
Publisher: Simon & Schuster; ISBN: 9781476773841
|
New Paperbacks
|
|
|
by Kazuo Ishiguro
[Fiction]
"In Ishiguro's first novel since 2006 (Never Let Me Go), the award-winning author reinvents himself once again [with a] fable-like story about an elderly couple, Axl and Beatrice, who reside in a [British] village that is made up of underground warrens and is sometimes menaced by ogres. One day they get it into their heads to track down their son, who vanished years ago, although they cannot remember exactly why. In fact, their whole village seems to be struggling with memory loss, with residents forgetting from one day to the next key incidents and people from their pasts. . ." - Booklist
Paperback; $16.00
Publisher: Vintage; ISBN: 9780307455796
|
|
by Kate Atkinson
[Fiction]
"Atkinson calls her latest novel a companion piece to her previous book, Life After Life, which vividly depicted the multiple lives led by Ursula Todd during WWII. This one follows her much-loved younger brother, Teddy. He only leads one life as a husband, father, grandfather, RAF pilot, teacher, and writer, but the ever-inventive Atkinson encompasses many phases of Ted's life within one chapter. . . every one of [her] characters will, at one moment or another, break readers' hearts." - Booklist, Starred Review
"A grown-up, elegant fairy tale...a humane vision of people in all their complicated splendor." - Kirkus Reviews
Paperback; $17.99
Publisher: Back Bay Books; ISBN: 9780316176507
|
|
by Kate Mulgrew
[Non-Fiction]
"Mulgrew, best known as Captain Kathryn Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager, reflects on her life with the wisdom of hindsight. . .[Her] sincerity and introspection make her entirely sympathetic as she describes passionate romances that taxed her sense of self, sitcoms that no producer could save, an unwanted pregnancy she chose not to terminate, and the reunion with her daughter nearly 20 years later. . . Given that her writing is as rich as her life experiences, Mulgrew's evocative memoir attests to her success as both an actor and a writer." - Booklist
Paperback; $15.99
Publisher: Back Bay Books; ISBN: 9780316334327
|
|
by Michael Dickman
[Poetry]
"My master plan is happiness," writes Michael Dickman in his wonderfully strange third book, Green Migraine. Here, imagination and reality swirl in the juxtaposition between beauty and violence in the natural world. Drawing inspiration from the verdant poetry of John Clare, Dickman uses hyper-real, dreamlike images to encapsulate, illustrate, and illuminate how we access internal and external landscapes. The result is nothing short of a fantastic, modern-day fairy tale.
Reading Michael [Dickman] is like stepping out of an overheated apartment building to be met, unexpectedly, by an exhilaratingly chill gust of wind."- The New Yorker
Paperback; $16.00
Publisher: Copper Canyon Press; ISBN: 9781556594519
|
|
by Jessie Close and Pete Earley
[Non-Fiction]
At a young age, Jessie Close struggled with symptoms that would transform into severe bipolar disorder in her early twenties, but she was not properly diagnosed until the age of fifty. Jessie and her three siblings, including actress Glenn Close, spent many years in the Moral Re-Armament cult. Jessie Close's emerging mental illness led her into a life of addictions, five failed marriages, and to the brink of suicide. Close tells of finally discovering the treatment she needs and, with the encouragement of her sister and others, the emotional fortitude to bring herself back from the edge.
Paperback; $15.99
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; ISBN: 9781455548804
|
| New books for young readers and new bargain books will return soon! |
New Music
|
|
|
Dylan LeBlanc
Cautionary Tale
Pop/Folk
This Muscle Shoals singer-songwriter burst on the scene as a very young man, his debut receiving great critical praise. His third record is a personal and soulful collection of songs that will appeal to fans of Ray LaMontagne.
($17.50)
|
|
Raffi
Owl Singalong
Kids
Hard to believe this perennial children's favorite released his classic Singable Songs collection way back in 1976. His output of folky favorites has slowed in recent years, but this upbeat selection of animal and nature themed tunes should be a hit with Raffi's little fans.
($14.98)
|
Events at Grass Roots
|
|
|
Nikki King and Alice Rampton
Tuesday, January 26, at 7:00 to 8:15 p.m.
Grass Roots Books & Music
227 SW 2nd St.
Corvallis, OR
The book is a survival manual for parents and families who have lost a child. Many subjects are covered in the book including guilt, intimacy, emotional triggers, dealing with anger and regret, healthy healing, and ways to memorialize your child. The authors speak from personal experience and feel that the messages in the book will provide a sense of peace, comfort, and understanding.
The authors will be reading excerpts and answering questions. The book will be available for purchase and for signing by the authors at this event.
|
Community Events
|
|
|
Darkside Show Times for 1/15-1/21
-Taxi Tehran -NR In this forbidden film, exiled Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi poses as a taxi driver in Tehran, using his dash cam to capture a spirited slice of Iranian society while exploring, with humor and humanity, a world where the social and spiritual order remain at odds. 96% RT.
-Spotlight -R The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core. Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams. 93% on RT!
-Room
-R Held captive for years in an enclosed space, a woman (Brie Larson) and her 5-year-old son (Jacob Tremblay) finally gain their freedom, allowing the boy to experience the outside world for the first time. 97% RT.
-Brooklyn -PG-13 Lured by the promise of America, Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan) departs Ireland for New York City. A new romance chases away her initial homesickness, but soon she's forced to choose between two countries and the lives that exist within. Screenplay by Nick Hornby. 98% RT!
Arts/Literary Events
Willamette Writers on the River: Monthly Meeting with Ian Sacks and Gretchen Schrafft
"Jump Starting Narrative: Plot in Fiction"
Tuesday, January 19 (note: Tuesday instead of Monday due to the holiday) at 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. First Presbyterian Church 114 SW 8th St. Corvallis, OR
Many of us have stories we've been dying to tell, but aren't sure how to get them going. Operating under the assumption that plot is the engine that drives narrative, Ian Sacks and Gretchen Schrafft will share compelling examples and practical exercises designed to yield story openings that not only have the necessary momentum, but promise what's to come.
Ian Sacks is a fiction writer and MFA candidate living in Corvallis, OR, as well as the fiction editor for the inaugural issue of 45th Parallel, the OSU MFA program literary magazine. Gretchen Schrafft is a fiction writer, freelance journalist, and educator based in Corvallis, OR, where she is currently pursuing her MFA at Oregon State University.
|
Community Events with Grass Roots
|
|
|
OSU Literary Northwest Series presents
Héctor Tobar
Friday, January 15, at 7:30 p.m.
Valley Library Rotunda
201 SW Waldo Pl.
Corvallis, OR
|
|
OSU Provost's Lecture Series Presents
Ruth Reichl
Wednesday, February 17, at 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
The LaSells Stewart Center, Austin Auditorium
Oregon State University
875 SW 26th St.
Corvallis, OR
Ruth Reichl, bestselling author of My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life, food critic, and judge on Bravo's Top Chef Masters, will give a talk followed by book sales and a book signing. Reichl is one of the most recognizable and beloved culinary voices, guiding people around the kitchen, showing them what to eat, how to make it, and where to satisfy their cravings. The Seattle Times called her "one of the nation's most influential figures in the food world."
Most recognizable as a writer and editor, Reichl was the Editor-in-Chief of Gourmet Magazine for 10 years until its closing. Before that she was the restaurant critic of The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times. Her culinary exploits have been featured on the Food Network and PBS. Grass Roots will be selling books at this event.
|
Store News
|
|
 Job openings at Grass Roots
Love books and looking for a challenging and rewarding opportunity? Grass Roots Books & Music has two immediate openings for a part-time bookseller and a part-time events coordinator and bookseller. The positions are both intellectually and physically demanding. Potential applicants must be avid readers and love sharing their knowledge of what they've read, be highly computer literate, and easily able to learn new programs and systems quickly in a multi-tasking environment. Successful candidates must interact well with coworkers and customers, but also be able to function independently.
Look for the job posting on our website, coming soon. Thank you for your interest! |
|
We need diverse books!
Inspired by the official We Need Diverse Books campaign, we've created fiction displays for both young adults and adults highlighting books that reflect experiences across cultures, ethnicities, genders, religions and more. We booksellers are passionate about advocating for the readership of diverse authors and characters, and want to champion these titles as much as we can! Stop in the store to browse our selection. |
|
2016 PNBA Awards; ALA youth media awards
The winners of the 2016 Pacific Northwest Book Awards, sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, are as follows. Congratulations to the winners, several of whom Grass Roots has worked with in the past!
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson, won the 2016 Newbery Medal which honors "the most outstanding contribution to children's literature."
|
|
Updated Grass Roots Frequent Buyer Plan
The Grass Roots Frequent Buyer Plan will now be a lifetime subscription, rather than yearly!
1. Sign up for $10.00, get 50 points.
2. Earn 5 points for every dollar spent at Retail.*
3. Receive $5.00 credit on your next purchase for every 500 points.
4. Double points for one purchase on your birthday!
*Points are awarded based on purchases at normal retail (no promotions, short discounts or service charges). Only one membership is needed for each family (just ask us to enter both partners' names in a single customer record). Individual family members can have their own accounts at no extra charge, but points then remain separate and cannot be combined for redemption.
That's like buying one $15.95 book a month this year -- and most books cost more than that, plus you get credit for ALL purchases at retail! Our plan automatically credits your purchases without requiring you to carry or present a card -- all we will need is your phone number at the beginning of the transaction!
And because it's a win-win program, all existing frequent buyers' points will carry over to the new membership. For those existing frequent buyers who have not yet received your first $5 off reward, we will reduce the lifetime membership to $5. Notify a bookseller that you'd like to sign up, and we'll be happy to help! |
Jigsaw
|
|
|
The jigsaw will return next week!
|
Reading Group Selection
|
|
Tuesday, February 2, at 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Join Tiffany as she leads our February reading group with Crow Planet by Lyanda Lynn Haupt.
There are more crows now than ever. Their abundance is both a sign of ecological imbalance and a generous opportunity to connect with the more-than-human world. Graceful prose illuminates a world where crows gather to care for their sick, play in the snow, drop nuts in the road to be cracked open by passing cars, and even attend "crow funerals." Crow Planet is a journey of discovery in which crows become our guides, leading us off the pavement and into the realms of myth, history, and science, opening our eyes to the deeply relevant question of our own place in the urban-wild landscape.
Regular Price: $16.00
On sale for: $13.60
Until Tuesday, February 2
Publisher: Back Bay Books
ISBN: 9780316019118
|
Night Stands
|
|
Mica
[Non-Fiction]
Who knew a bizarre compendium of overtly political portraits of imagined women could be so charming? The author-illustrator's images are framed with identity-positive messages and encouraging words, such as "Ursula never liked wearing makeup. That's not a problem, Ursula! You are the boss of your face!" I could page through this thing all day, chuckling to myself one moment, and thinking deeply about the nuances of femininity the next.
Hardcover, $14.99
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing; ISBN: 9781634502504
|
Marissa
[Non-Fiction]
Looking for concise solutions to everyday modern lifestyle issues? Ready to make changes, fulfill a New Year's resolution, or get your life in order? This is an ideal primer for you, with quick and dirty tips on navigating social media (and yes, even real-world socializing), dealing with various employment scenarios (or lack thereof), getting rid of unnecessary junk, and using the Pomodoro Technique to tackle tasks. This little tongue-in-cheek handbook lives up to its tagline: "Filled with answers to all your first world problems!" You'll feel inspired and motivated after thumbing through it, and ready to take on whatever the year throws at you.
Paperback, $17.95
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
