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| March 3, 2016 |
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Happy March, Readers!
Easter and St. Patrick's Day are fast approaching, and we've got just the cards for you here in the store -- not to mention gift bags of Holm Made Oregon hazelnut toffee, now in more flavors (lavender, cardamom and vanilla, and spicy red pepper...seriously, these are too good to last).
Hot off the presses this week: a cozy collection of Irish tales (Maeve Binchy), a fresh take on Lovecraftian lore (Matt Ruff), and a novel of the O.K. Corral in paperback (Mary Doria Russell). Plus, music from the likes of M. Ward, Ray LaMontagne, Violent Femmes and more! Keep scrolling for new author events and signings added to the schedule, a brand new Grass Roots Reading Group selection, and the latest staff recommendations from our shelves to yours. Stop in and let us help you find your next best read!
~Marissa
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New Hardcovers
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"Gripping storytelling and meticulous research undergird this outstanding ethnographic study, in which Desmond, an associate professor of sociology at Harvard, explores the impact of eviction on poverty-stricken families in Milwaukee, Wis. Living first in a rundown trailer park with predominantly white tenants and then in an African-American inner-city neighborhood, Desmond. . . shares the stories of Lamar, a double amputee raising adolescent boys; Scott, who tries to conquer his heroin addiction and return to his nursing career; [and] single mom Arleen. . .[identifying] affordable housing as a leading social justice issue of our time and offers concrete solutions to the crisis." - Publishers Weekly
Hardcover; $28.00
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY); ISBN: 9780553447439
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by Maeve Binchy
[Fiction]
"The late, lamented Irish writer Binchy lives on in a new collection of stories previously unpublished in the United States. Beloved for her dozen previous short story collections and 16 sprawling novels featuring a multiplicity of characters and interweaving plots, she was gifted with the storyteller's ability to set the tone, convey the mood, and portray individual characters on both large and small canvases. In true Binchy fashion, these gentle stories revolve around universal themes of love, loyalty, friendship, compassion, and perseverance. . .devoted fans will relish another armchair visit to Ireland." - Booklist
Hardcover; $26.95
Publisher: Knopf Publishing Group; ISBN: 9781101947418
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[Fiction]
"In 1954, 22-year-old African American Korean War vet Atticus Turner. . .finds himself sought as the talisman of the Adamite Order of the Ancient Dawn. Caleb Braithwhite, leader of a Massachusetts lodge of the mysterious organization. . .intends to use the young man for his own ends to consolidate power. . .in this nonstop adventure that includes time-shifting, shape-shifting, and Lovecraft-like horrors. But the greater horror is the treatment of African Americans living constantly on the edge of danger and potential death. Ruff [is] a cult favorite for his mind-bending fiction. . .[a] provocative, chimerical novel." - Booklist, Starred Review
Hardcover; $26.99
Publisher: Harper; ISBN: 9780062292063
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by Mark Tompkins
[Fiction]
Aisling, a goddess in human form, was born to rule both domains and with her twin, Anya, unite the Celts with the powerful faeries of the Middle Kingdom. But both England and Rome have a stake in driving magic from the Emerald Isle. Jordan, the Vatican commander tasked with vanquishing the remnants of otherworldly creatures from a disenchanted Europe, has built a career on such plots. But increasingly he finds himself torn between duty and his desire to understand the magic that has been forbidden. Aisling and Jordan must come to terms with powers given and withheld, while a world that can still foster magic hangs in the balance.
Hardcover; $27.00
Publisher: Viking; ISBN: 9780525429531
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[Fiction]
Paris Stories gathers classic stories about the City of Light by a wide range of writers across four centuries. Laurence Sterne explores the temptations of the French capital in a teasing study of foreign mores, and Restif de la Bretonne provides an eyewitness account of the horrors and glories of the French Revolution. Colette recounts the sensual adventures of a young girl in the decadent Paris of the early twentieth century, while F. Scott Fitzgerald revels in its urban glamour. In more recent decades, Nobel laureate Patrick Modiano nostalgically maps the famed Parisian arrondissements. Theatrical and elegant, seamy and intellectual, Paris is richly evoked in these compelling and seductive tales.
Hardcover; $16.00
Publisher: Everyman's Library; ISBN: 9781101907566
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New Paperbacks
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by Rachel Joyce
[Fiction]
"In Joyce's Man Booker Prize short-listed debut novel ( The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry), her peripatetic protagonist walks the length of England to get to the hospice bedside of Queenie Hennessy, a coworker he knew briefly, though not well, 20 years earlier. In this beguiling follow-up, Joyce tracks Harold's journey from Queenie's point-of-view. Disfigured and silenced by a facial malignancy, Queenie can only communicate through scrawled notes and garbled grunts; but with each of Fry's postcards imploring her to hang on until his arrival, Queenie takes the opportunity to revisit their shared past. . .Harold was beloved by millions; Queenie will be, too." - Booklist, Starred Review
Paperback; $16.00
Publisher: Random House Trade; ISBN: 9780812989816
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by Mary Doria Russell
[Fiction]
A deeply divided nation. Vicious politics. Armed citizens willing to stand their ground and take law into their own hands . . .That was America in 1881, and the forces that came to bear on the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, leaving Wyatt Earp the last man standing. This follow-up to Doc details the woman behind the myth: Josephine Sarah Marcus, who loved Wyatt Earp for almost half a century and who carefully chipped away at the truth until she had crafted the heroic legend that would become the epitaph she believed her husband deserved.
Paperback; $16.99
Publisher: Ecco Press; ISBN: 9780062198778
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by Naomi Novik
[Fiction]
". . .Novik drops readers into an instantly immersive Polish fairy tale. The so-called Dragon is actually a man -- a wizard who takes young women from a rural village as payment for protecting the region from the poisonous influence of the evil Wood. When Agnieszka is chosen to serve the Dragon for 10 years, she finds within herself a rare and incredible talent for magic. . .Soon, Agnieszka's fabulous journey expands to encompass a deadly quest, the terrible glamor of a royal court, a true and unbreakable friendship, and just a touch of romance. . .A must-read for fantasy fans for years to come." - Publishers Weekly
Paperback; $16.00
Publisher: Del Rey Books; ISBN: 9780804179058
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by Jacqueline Winspear
[Fiction]
"Four years have passed since Maisie Dobbs faced the ultimatum of her lover, James Compton, in London in 1933. . .Having traveled to India to find peace after tragedy, Maisie is going home but still can't face the memories England holds, so she disembarks in Gibraltar, a dangerous place in 1937 with the Spanish civil war just across the border. During an evening walk, Maisie finds the body of photographer Sebastian Babayoff. Feeling it's her responsibility to find the truth about the murder, she starts to work [again]. . ." - Booklist, Starred Review
Paperback; $15.99
Publisher: Harper Perennial; ISBN: 9780062220561
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by Joakim Zander
[Fiction]
"A CIA agent, burned out by three decades of lies, betrayals, and disastrous Agency cross-purposes. A Swedish Muslim with a shadowy past writing a PhD dissertation on private security companies in the Middle East. An ethically challenged lobbyist working in the EU capital of Brussels. And a beautiful Swedish aide to an EU parliamentarian. . .[Moving through three decades and locales in Syria, Brussels, D.C., Paris, and Stockholm. . .their lives will variously intersect, reconnect, or collide, and some lives will end.] First-novelist Zander has written a truly polished and compelling thriller that nods at all the standard thriller tropes. . ." - Booklist, Starred Review
Paperback; $15.99
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks; ISBN: 9780062337269
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New For Young Readers
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by Sam McBratney
[Fiction]
From the creators of Guess How Much I Love You comes a brand-new, lovable, huggable novelty book featuring a soft plush puppet. Little Nutbrown Hare wants to know if Big Nutbrown Hare is ticklish. "Can I tickle your ears? Is your nose tickly, too?" Tickle, tickle, tickle! Little ones can join in too, tickling the soft and snuggly puppet that pops through each page, or just maybe being tickled themselves by Little Nutbrown Hare! A sweet interactive book-and-toy combination makes storytime even more fun and tickly.
Board Books; $17.99
Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA); ISBN: 9780763688196
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New Bargain Books
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This week, we're featuring bargain books -- new quality books at a fraction of the original cost -- that comprise classic, enlightening essays and stories from several bestselling authors, some of which are priced as low as $3.00!
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New Music
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Loretta Lynn
Full Circle
Pop/Folk
It's been more than a decade since the country legend's last new record. Full Circle features new takes on classic Loretta cuts, as well as newly penned originals.
($11.96)
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M. Ward
More Rain
Pop/Folk
M. Ward began his career as a quirky lo-fi folky on the Portland scene. Years since have seen him as a producer, writer, and frequent collaborator with artists like Jim James, Zooey Deschanel, REM's Peter Buck, and more.
($13.98)
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Ray LaMontagne
Ouroboros
Pop/Folk
LaMontagne has established himself as a soulful indie-folk vocalist. Ouroboros finds him incorporating more atmospheric and ambient sounds into his roots mix.
($11.96)
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Violent Femmes
We Can Do Anything
Pop/Folk
The Femmes hold a place as one of the '80s most original bands. After a long hiatus, the original trio returns with this mix of off kilter roots and edgy garage music.
($14.98)
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Eileen Ivers
Beyond the Bog Road
Celtic/Irish
Ivers has been called the Hendrix of the violin. Rooted in traditional Celtic music, her new collection continues to blur the lines between folk, classical, world, and pop.
($17.98)
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Events at Grass Roots
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Greg Warburton
Thursday, March 10, at 7:00 p.m.
Grass Roots Books & Music 227 SW 2nd St. Corvallis, OR
Ask More, Tell Less offers unique and usable methods that cause children to do more of their own thinking, talking, listening, remembering, relating, and deciding all along the growing-up pathway. Warburton's time-tested techniques move children toward self-reliance while taking pressure off of parents and making parenting more fulfilling and enjoyable.
Greg Warburton, after 20 years as a successful mental health counselor for kids, teens and parents, founded INNER LIBERTY, INC. in January 2006 to provide innovative and leading-edge counseling and consulting services. Warburton focuses on providing real help right now in helping youth achieve the inner-freedom confidence that goes with becoming a self-reliant person; teaching young people how to handle life on their own.
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Community Events
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Darkside Show Times for 3/4-3/10
-Where to Invade Next -R This is an expansive, rib-tickling, and subversive comedy in which Michael Moore, playing the role of "invader," visits a host of nations to learn how the U.S. could improve its own prospects. Turns out the solutions to America's most entrenched problems already existed in the world -- they're just waiting to be co-opted.
-Spotlight -R WINNER! Best Motion Picture of the Year! 96% on RT! -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.
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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OSU Literary Northwest Series presents
Cindy Williams Gutiérrez 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 Gutiérrez 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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Starhawk
"Fiction, Trance and Prophecy: Stories Shape the Future"
Wednesday, March 9, at 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Oregon State University
Gilfillan Auditorium
2601 SW Orchard Ave.
Corvallis, OR
Stories shape our imagination and our ideas of the possible. How can we use the power of story to help us envision a positive future, and inspire people to want to work toward it? Starhawk explores the blurry boundaries between trance states, fiction creation, and out and out hallucination, sharing her own experiences writing futuristic fiction. She will read excerpts from her newest book, City of Refuge, a sequel to her classic novel The Fifth Sacred Thing. Sponsored by The Anarres Project for Alternative Futures, Allied Students for Another Politics, and The Spring Creek Project for Nature, Ideas, and the Written Word.
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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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Jigsaw
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Reading Group Selection
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Tuesday, April 5, at 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Join Née as she leads our April reading group with The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons by Sam Kean.
Early studies of the functions of the human brain used a simple method: wait for misfortune to strike -- strokes, seizures, infectious diseases, lobotomies, horrendous accidents -- and see how the victim coped. In many cases survival was miraculous, and observers could only marvel at the transformations that took place afterward, altering victims' personalities. But a few scientists realized that these injuries were an opportunity for studying brain function at its extremes. With lucid explanations and incisive wit, Sam Kean explains the brain's secret passageways while recounting forgotten stories of common people whose struggles, resiliency, and deep humanity made modern neuroscience possible.
Regular Price: $17.00
On sale for: $14.45
Until Tuesday, April 5
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
ISBN: 9780316182355
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Night Stands
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by Phillip Margolin (see upcoming author event!)
[Fiction]
Violent Crimes, the 5th installment in the Amanda Jaffe series, is an intriguing tale of suspense from New York Times bestselling author Phillip Margolin. Tom Beatty, a veteran with PTSD, is being framed for murder. Amanda Jaffe is a talented criminal attorney based in Portland, and she recognizes a frame when she sees one. Although she advises her client to stay hidden, she never expects what happens next.There are so many twists and turns, the intensity never lets up. Just when you think you know what is going on, Margolin sends you in another direction. This is definitely one of those books that is hard to put down.
Hardcover; $26.99
Publisher: Harper; ISBN: 9780062266552
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by Adam Cohen
[Non-Fiction]
This book focuses on the infamous case of Buck v. Bell, in which courts allowed the sterilization of Carrie Buck, a Virginia woman treated as "feeble-minded." This book provides a provocative account of a troubling episode in American political, cultural, and legal history. Prepare to feel disgusted and moved simultaneously on this dark story of an injustice carried out at the highest levels of government, and how it remains with us today.
Hardcover; $28.00
Publisher: Penguin Press; ISBN: 9781594204180
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by Nick Bunker
[Non-Fiction]
If you like American Revolution history, you will really enjoy Empire on the Edge. Author Nick Bunker does an excellent job laying out the political, economic, and geopolitical scene in Great Britain prior to the war. You will learn how ignorant the British government was about what was going on in America, and how the lack of communication across the Atlantic, and the insular culture among the elites, led to the events that followed. If you enjoy political history from this period, you will like this book.
Paperback; $17.95
Publisher: Vintage; ISBN: 9780307741776
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by Katarina Bivald
[Fiction]
When unemployed Swedish bookseller Sara sets out to visit her pen-pal Amy, a fellow booklover, she arrives in Broken Wheel, Iowa, only to discover that Amy has just died. Stranded in a small town that's also dying, Sara finds herself befriended by its quirky inhabitants. Grateful for the hospitality, Sara wants to give back, and what better way than to open a bookstore ? To quote Sara, "Feel-good books were ones you could put down with a smile on your face, books that made you think the world was a littler crazier, stranger, and more beautiful when you looked up from them." This is exactly that kind of feel-good book.
Paperback; $16.99
Publisher: Sourcebooks; ISBN: 9781492623441
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