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| February 25, 2016 |
Hello, Readers,
Spring is only about a month away (we see you blooming, crocuses!), and with the turn of the season comes the need to read up on gardening. Grass Roots has got you covered with our bountiful selection (see our homepage for book lists to inspire you).
Lots of new fiction awaits you this week, including thrillers from Rosamund Lupton and Jo Nesbo. An Oliver Sacks memoir is out in paperback, along with two short story collections. Last but not least, Bonnie Raitt and Willie Nelson albums are arriving!
Enjoy your weekend,
~Marissa
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New Hardcovers
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Manhattan, 2008. Five years after their college graduation, the fiercely devoted friends at the heart of this richly absorbing novel remain as inseparable as ever: editor and social butterfly Sara Sherman, her troubled astronomer boyfriend George Murphy, loudmouth poet Jacob Blaumann, classics major turned investment banker William Cho, and Irene Richmond, an enchanting artist with an inscrutable past. They must navigate ever-shifting relationships with the city and with one another, determined to push onward in pursuit of their precarious dreams. And when a devastating blow brings their momentum to a halt, the group is forced to reexamine their aspirations and chart new paths through unexpected losses.
Hardcover; $27.00
Publisher: Viking; ISBN: 9780525426608
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by Kate Hamer
[Fiction]
". . .On a fog-shrouded day in the English countryside. . .Beth and her eight-year-old daughter, Carmel, attend a festival. In the midst of the crowd, they are separated, and Carmel indulges in a private child's game of hiding before realizing she is hopelessly lost. When a man tells her that he is her estranged grandfather, she takes his hand in relief and disappears. Her parents and the police follow every lead for years, while Carmel finds herself held captive by a ragtag bunch of self-described miracle workers. . .Hamer's dark tale of the lost and found is nearly impossible to put down and will spark much discussion." - Booklist, Starred Review
Hardcover; $25.95
Publisher: Melville House Publishing; ISBN: 9781612195001
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[Fiction]
The internationally acclaimed author of Blood on Snow and the Harry Hole novels now gives us the tightly wound tale of a man running from retribution, a renegade hitman who goes to ground far above the Arctic circle, where the never-setting sun might slowly drive a man insane. He calls himself Ulf, and the only thing he's looking for is a place where he won't be found by Oslo's most notorious drug lord: the Fisherman. He was once the Fisherman's fixer, but after betraying him, Ulf is now the one his former boss needs fixed -- which may not be a problem for a man whose criminal reach is boundless. . .
Hardcover; $23.95
Publisher: Knopf Publishing Group; ISBN: 9780385354202
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by Rosamund Lupton
[Fiction]
"Astrophysicist Yasmin and Ruby, her precocious deaf daughter, fly from Scotland to Alaska to visit Ruby's father, a wildlife photographer. . .[only to] learn that the remote village where Matt has been living has been devastated by fire and all its residents are presumed dead. A disbelieving Yasmin and Ruby set out into the depths of the Alaskan winter to find the village. . .[but become] caught in the midst of a horrendous storm, with limited supplies, dwindling battery power, and questionable fuel. . .Lupton's third novel is nail-bitingly suspenseful and chilling. Not only is the Arctic landscape inhospitable, but human-made dangers loom that are equivalently deadly. . ." - Library Journal
Hardcover; $26.00
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY); ISBN: 9781101903674
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by Joe Nocera and Ben Strauss
[Non-Fiction]
"To most followers of sports, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) acts as a watchdog agency guaranteeing that players competing at colleges under its aegis are amateurs and not paid professionals. Coauthors Nocera and Strauss, however, both veterans of the New York Times, contend that the NCAA acts as a cartel, enabling the collegiate sports industry to generate some $13 billion in revenue at the expense of athletes who spend anywhere from 40 to 60 hours a week practicing while subsisting on below-poverty-line scholarships. . . essential [reading] for those who foresee a change in the future of collegiate athletics." - Library Journal
Hardcover; $30.00
Publisher: Portfolio; ISBN: 9781591846321
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New Paperbacks
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by Oliver Sacks
[Non-Fiction]
". . . Neurologist Sacks (Musicophilia) explores the complexities of his adult experience, including his homosexuality, which yielded a number of intense but transitory affairs; obsessions with weight lifting and motorcycles. . .and a ravaging addiction to amphetamines. While Sacks's physical and emotional lives are more prominent here than in past writings, he's still fascinated with the mind and presents absorbing disquisitions on Tourette's syndrome, autism, visual processing, and the Darwinian struggle of mental processes. . .closely following his announcement that he has terminal cancer, [the autobiography] is a fitting retrospective of his lifelong project of making science a deeply humanistic pursuit." - Publishers Weekly
Paperback; $16.95
Publisher: Vintage; ISBN: 9780804170932
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by Liz Carlisle
[Non-Fiction]
Forty years ago, corporate agribusiness told small farmers like the Oiens to get big or get out. But 27-year-old David Oien decided to take a stand, becoming the first in his conservative Montana county to plant a radically different crop: organic lentils. Today, Oien leads an underground network of organic farmers who work with heirloom seeds and biologically diverse farm systems. Journalist and native Montanan Liz Carlisle weaves an eye-opening and richly reported narrative that will be welcomed by everyone concerned with the future of American agriculture and natural food in an increasingly uncertain world.
Paperback; $16.00
Publisher: Avery Publishing Group; ISBN: 9781592409563
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by Mona Awad
[Fiction]
Lizzie has never liked the way she looks. She starts dating guys online, but she's afraid to send pictures: she knows no one would want her if they could really see her. So she starts to lose. With punishing drive, she counts almonds consumed, miles logged, pounds dropped. But no matter how much she loses, will she ever see herself as anything other than a fat girl? Mona Awad simultaneously skewers the body image-obsessed culture that tells women they have no value outside their physical appearance, and delivers a tender and moving depiction of a lovably difficult young woman whose life is hijacked by her struggle to conform.
Paperback; $16.00
Publisher: Penguin Books; ISBN: 9780143128489
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by M.J. Carter
[Fiction]
Set in the untamed wilds of nineteenth-century colonial India, a dazzling historical thriller introducing an unforgettable investigative pair. William Avery is a young soldier with few prospects except rotting away in campaigns; Jeremiah Blake is a secret political agent gone native, a genius at languages and disguises, disenchanted with the whole ethos of British rule, but who cannot resist the challenge of an unresolved mystery. What starts as a wild goose chase -- trying to track down a missing writer who lifts the lid on Calcutta society -- becomes very much more sinister as Blake and Avery get sucked into the mysterious Thuggee cult and its even more ominous suppression.
Paperback; $16.00
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons; ISBN: 9780425280744
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by Jonathan Lethem
[Fiction]
Jonathan Lethem's third collection of stories uncovers a father's nervous breakdown at SeaWorld in "Pending Vegan"; a foundling child rescued from the woods during a blizzard in "Traveler Home"; a political prisoner in a hole in a Brooklyn street in "Procedure in Plain Air"; and a crumbling, haunted "blog" on a seaside cliff in "The Dreaming Jaw, The Salivating Ear." Each of these locates itself in Lethem-land, which can be discovered only by visiting. . .Lethem finds the uncanny lurking in the mundane, the irrational self-defeat seeping through our upstanding pursuits, and the tragic undertow of the absurd world(s) in which we live.
Paperback; $15.00
Publisher: Vintage; ISBN: 9781101873663
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by Andrea Camilleri
[Fiction]
Inspector Montalbano has charmed readers in 19 popular novels, and Camilleri has selected 21 short stories, written with his trademark wit and humor, that follow Italy's famous detective through highlight cases of his career. From the title story, featuring a young deputy Montalbano newly assigned to Vigata, to "Montalbano Says No," in which the inspector makes a late-night call to Camilleri himself to refuse an outlandish case, this collection is an essential addition to any Inspector Montalbano fan's bookshelf and a wonderful way to introduce readers to the internationally bestselling series.
Paperback; $18.00
Publisher: Penguin Books; ISBN: 9780143121626
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New For Young Readers
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by Rick Riordan
[Fiction]
Ages 10 to 14
(New in paperback!)
"Riordan takes the classic guide to Greek myths and makes it his own, with an introduction and narration by beloved character Percy Jackson. . .[and including] a variety of stories, from the early tales of Gaea and the Titans to individual tales of gods readers encounter in the "Percy Jackson" series, such as Ares, Apollo, and Dionysus. Percy's irreverent voice is evident from titles such as "Hera Gets a Little Cuckoo," "Zeus Kills Everyone," and "Artemis Unleashes the Death Pig". . .This original and wildly entertaining spin on Greek mythology is bound to be popular among fans of the series." - School Library Journal
Paperback; $12.99
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion; ISBN: 9781484712375
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New Bargain Books
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New Music
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Bonnie Raitt
Dig In Deep
Pop/Folk
Raitt was most recently seen on the Grammys, paying tribute to her late friend BB King. This new collection is her first in nearly five years.
($13.98)
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Mount Moriah
How To Dance
Pop/Folk
This North Carolina band's third record spans indie pop and Americana roots sound. Natural imagery combines with sweet Southern vocals for a bright backwoods vibe.
($13.98)
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Various Artists
God Don't Never Change: Songs Of Blind Willie Johnson
Pop/Folk
Blind Willie Johnson only recorded around 30 songs, though his influence continues to this day. This collection features Lucinda Williams, Tom Waits, Maria McKee, and more paying tribute to the gospel blues legend.
($17.98)
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Waco Brothers
Going Down In History
Pop/Folk
Between the Waco Brothers and the Mekons, frontman Jon Langford has helped create some of the most influential alt. country around. The Wacos' new record features upbeat, punk-tinged originals as well as a couple select covers.
($15.98)
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Willie Nelson
Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin
Pop/Folk
His long career has seen Willie Nelson attempt nearly every genre of music imaginable. In this umpteenth record, the country legend tries his hand at the music of Ira and George Gershwin.
($11.96)
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Putumayo Artists
Jazz Cafe
Jazz
Putumayo's newest collection offers cool, upbeat jazz sounds from around the world. Contributing artists include Pearl Django, Lee Dorsey, Eden Brent, and more.
($16.98)
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Events at Grass Roots
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Community Events
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Darkside Show Times for 2/26-3/3
-Son of Saul -R A concentration camp inmate tasked with burning the dead discovers the body of his young son, and must choose between the clandestine uprising, or securing a proper Jewish burial for his child. 95% on RT!
-Lady in The Van -PG-13 Based on the true story of Miss Shepherd (played by a magnificent Maggie Smith), a woman of uncertain origins who "temporarily" parked her van in Bennett's London driveway and proceeded to live there for 15 years.
-Carol -R 6 OSCAR NOMS! Two women from very different backgrounds find themselves in an unexpected love affair in repressed 1950s New York, leading to unanticipated complications. Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara. Todd Haynes directs.
-45 Years -R As their 45th wedding anniversary approaches, a woman learns that her husband was once engaged to someone else -- a secret that threatens their entire marriage. Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling in the performance of her career, with Tom Courtenay. 96% RT.
-Brooklyn -PG-13 THREE OSCAR NOMINATIONS Including Best Picture! Screenplay by Nick Hornby. 98% RT!
Arts/Literary Events
Random Reviews: Damsels in Distress: Women in Classic Dystopian Novels
Reviewed by Alicia Bublitz; sponsored by Friends of the Library
Wednesday, March 9, at 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Corvallis-Benton County Public Library 645 NW Monroe Ave. Corvallis, OR
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Community Events with Grass Roots
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Leanne Brown
Friday, February 26, at 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.
MU Horizon Room
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR
Learn to eat healthy on a budget AND meet a New York Times bestselling author! Leanne Brown will be visiting to talk about her book and give cooking demonstrations. While studying food policy as a master's candidate at NYU, Brown asked a simple yet critical question: How well can a person eat on the $4 a day given by SNAP, the U.S. government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, informally known as food stamps? The answer is surprisingly well, creating nutritious recipes that maximize every ingredient and use economical cooking methods. With every copy of Good and Cheap purchased, a second copy will be given to a person or family in need. Grass Roots will be selling books at this event.
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OSU Literary Northwest Series presents
Cindy Williams Guti�rrez and Justin Taylor
Friday, March 4, at 7:30 p.m.
Valley Library Rotunda
201 SW Waldo Pl.
Corvallis, OR
Selected by Poets & Writers Magazine as a 2014 Notable Debut Poet, Cindy Williams Guti�rrez is inspired by the silent and silenced voices of history. Her collection, the small claim of bones published by Bilingual Press, won second place in the 2015 International Latino Book Awards. Poems have appeared in Borderlands, Calyx, Harvard's Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, Portland Review, and more.
Justin Taylor is the author of Flings, The Gospel of Anarchy, and Everything Here Is the Best Thing Ever. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper's, Bookforum, Pacific Standard, Tin House, and The New York Times Book Review. He is the editor of the anthologies The Apocalypse Reader and Come Back, Donald Barthelme, and is currently the fiction editor for The Literary Review. Grass Roots will be selling books at this event.
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Phillip Margolin
Thursday, March 17, at 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Corvallis-Benton County Public Library
645 NW Monroe Ave.
Corvallis, OR
New York Times bestselling author and master of suspense Phillip Margolin knows what his fans want and he delivers with his newest novel Violent Crimes. Join us as Mr. Margolin reads from and discusses his latest novel.This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Grass Roots will be selling books at this event.
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Store News
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Spring is coming!
Celebrate and learn about the nature of this season and prepare for warmer-weather gardening with our selection of Easter- and spring-related books! From the local favorites Wildflowers of Marys Peak Meadows by Steve Carpenter to birdwatching guides and butterfly origami, there's lots of color popping up around the bookstore.
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Jigsaw
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Reading Group Selection
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Tuesday, March 1, at 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Join Marissa as she leads our March reading group with The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro.
In post-Arthurian Britain, the wars that once raged between the Saxons and the Britons have finally ceased. Axl and Beatrice, an elderly British couple, set off to visit their son, whom they haven't seen in years. And, because a strange mist has caused mass amnesia throughout the land, they can scarcely remember anything about him. As they are joined on their journey by a Saxon warrior, his orphan charge, and an illustrious knight, Axl and Beatrice slowly begin to remember the dark and troubled past they all share. By turns savage, suspenseful, and intensely moving, The Buried Giant is a luminous meditation on the act of forgetting and the power of memory.
Regular Price: $16.00
On sale for: $13.60
Until Tuesday, March 1
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 9780307455796
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Night Stands
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by Roberto Trotta
[Non-Fiction]
This delightful little book, written by an enthusiastic astrophysicist, explores the gigantic questions and huge mysteries of the universe in a sweet short story. Using only the 1000 most used words in the English language, Trotta's tale explains the wonder of stars, the awe of the planets, and the mystery of dark matter. This book is a fun and simple way to explore the complicated vastness of our cosmos!
Hardcover; $16.99
Publisher: Basic Books; ISBN: 9780465044719
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by Randall Munroe
[Non-Fiction]
There certainly seems to be a trend among readers to ditch technical jargon in favor of simple, straightforward terms (1,000 of the most common English words) to annotate complex and interesting subjects, and it deserves to be embraced. It makes such subjects especially more accessible to children and readers who may speak English as a second language, and it presents a new and entertaining way to learn. Munroe (creator of the webcomic xkcd) covers the biological ("tiny bags of water you're made of") and human-made ("heavy metal power building") using detailed yet succinct blueprints. Also a great coffee table or gift book!
Hardcover; $24.95
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; ISBN: 9780544668256
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