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August 25, 2016
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Good afternoon, Readers,


What are you reading or listening to this weekend? If you're at a loss, there's so much new in stock to look at this week, including lots of bargain books!


First, fantastic hardcover non-fiction that's so good, it's almost unbelievable: in the forms of desert wilderness dispatches, a WWII horse heist, and dramatic rivalries between modern artists. 


Highly anticipated paperbacks are here, including Patti Smith's memoir, an Alexander McCall Smith mystery, and a political narrative of Putin.


Last but not least, lots of album releases from the likes of Amos Lee, Dolly Parton, Lindsey Stirling and more.


Stop in and get them while they're hot (but stay quite cool while doing so). 


See you in the store!


~Marissa
New HardcoversNHardcovers


by Michael Branch

[Non-Fiction]


Combining natural history, humor, and personal narrative, Raising Wild is an intimate exploration of Nevada's Great Basin Desert, the wild and extreme land of high desert caliche and juniper, of pronghorn antelope and mountain lions, where wildfires and snowstorms threaten in equal measure. Within this remote, high desert landscape sits the home of Michael Branch, where he, his wife, and their two curious little girls brazenly live among the packrats and ground squirrels, rattlesnakes and scorpions. In this exhilarating, lyrical, and humorous exploration of natural history, Branch reveals a desert wilderness in which our ideas about nature and ourselves are challenged and transformed.



Hardcover; $26.95
Publisher: Roost Books; ISBN: 9781611803457
by Graham Moore
[Fiction] 


"The author of The Sherlockian presents another twisty historical novel set at the end of the gaslight era. This time the story takes place in a New York City perched on the very precipice of electricity. The book's central focus is on American ingenuity as the basis for commercial success and the so-called war of currents waged between Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, and Nikola Tesla over the creation of the lightbulb. . .Legal battles and the rancor between scientists drive the pace. . .Who is the inventor: the one with the idea, the one who makes a working model, or the one to obtain the patent?. . ." - Booklist



Hardcover; $28.00
Publisher: Random House; ISBN: 9780812988901
by Elizabeth Letts
[Non-Fiction] 


Letts tells for the first time the full, exhilarating story of the chaotic last days of WWII, when a small troop of battle-weary American soldiers captures a German spy and makes an astonishing find -- Hitler has stockpiled the world's finest purebred horses in order to breed the perfect military machine. But with the starving Russian army closing in, the animals are in imminent danger of being slaughtered for food. Racing against time, American colonel Hank Reed's small but determined force of soldiers, aided by several turncoat Germans, steals across enemy lines in a last-ditch effort to save the horses.



Hardcover; $28.00
Publisher: Ballantine Books; ISBN: 9780345544803
by Imbolo Mbue
[Fiction] 


Jende Jonga, a Cameroonian immigrant living in Harlem, has come to the United States to provide a better life for himself, his wife, Neni, and their six-year-old son. In the fall of 2007, Jende can hardly believe his luck when he lands a job as a chauffeur for Clark Edwards, a senior executive at Lehman Brothers. However, the world of great power and privilege conceals troubling secrets. When the financial world is rocked by the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the Jongas are desperate to keep Jende's job. As their lives are dramatically upended, Jende and Neni are forced to make an impossible choice.



Hardcover; $28.00
Publisher: Random House; ISBN: 9780812998481
by Fiona Davis
[Fiction] 


Fiona Davis's stunning debut novel pulls readers into the lush world of New York City's glamorous Barbizon Hotel for Women, where a generation of aspiring models, secretaries, and editors lived side-by-side while attempting to claw their way to fairy-tale success in the 1950s, and where a present-day journalist becomes consumed with uncovering a dark secret buried deep within the Barbizon's glitzy past. When she arrives at the hotel in 1952, Darby McLaughlin is everything her modeling agency hall mates aren't. Yet when Darby befriends Esme, a Barbizon maid, she's introduced to an entirely new side of New York City. . .



Hardcover; $26.00
Publisher: Dutton Books; ISBN: 9781101984994
by Sebastian Smee
[Non-Fiction] 


"Pulitzer Prizewinning art critic Smee takes a fresh and fruitful approach to art history by focusing on the role of friendship and rivalry in the lives and art of eight modern artists who redefined painting. Each daring creator benefited from both the comfort of camaraderie and the spur of competition. Smee tracks this push-and-pull within four volatile friendships between artists on the cusp of major creative breakthroughs. With vibrant language and clarion insights, Smee reveals arresting aspects of each artist's complexities and convictions. . .[including] the famous battle between Matisse and Picasso, two geniuses of invention. . .[and the] friendship between classically trained de Kooning and wildly improvising Pollock. . ." - Booklist, Starred Review



Hardcover; $28.00
Publisher: Random House; ISBN: 9780812994803
New PaperbacksNPaperbacks


   M Train
by Patti Smith
[Non-Fiction]


"Smith maps her creative life in this sequence of atmospheric, tender, and lithe essays on dreams, solitude, travel, and love. Smith's passion for the elixir of black coffee savored in quiet cafes, her sanctuaries and studios, forms a unifying refrain within these exquisite, transporting, and reflective autobiographical tales. A poet, performer, artist, vagabond, and National Book Award-winning memoirist for Just Kids, Smith came to art through a working-class portal and gratefully pays homage to the visionaries who have long guided and inspired her. . . [an] entrancing chronicle of dancing to the music of change and finding words that balance loss." - Booklist, Starred Review



Paperback; $16.00
Publisher: Vintage; ISBN: 9781101910160
by Alexander McCall Smith
[Fiction]


"No writer makes the philosophical life as inviting and cozy as Smith does in his episodic novels featuring Isabel Dalhousie. In her native Edinburgh, Isabel fills many roles: editor of The Review of Applied Ethics, mother of Charlie, partner of Jamie, and solver of mysteries. . . In this 10th installment, six-year-old Harry is convinced that he's had another life, complete with another family and a house with a red door near a lighthouse. Isabel looks into this odd situation with her usual efficiency. . .[The] substance of this charming series lies in Isabel's thoughtful observations and the interactions among a large cast of characters." - Publishers Weekly



Paperback; $15.00
Publisher: Anchor Books; ISBN: 9780307949240
by Amy Newmark and Deborah Norville
[Non-Fiction]


The power of gratitude can change your life! In this collection of 101 inspiring stories, people just like you share how they turned their lives around by seeing the silver linings, counting their blessings, and changing their perspective. Get inspired to become a thankful person! Scientific research has proven that being thankful improves your health, your cognitive function and your relationships. And you can learn to be a thankful person -- Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Power of Gratitude is full of true, inspiring stories by people who have changed their lives for the better by actively practicing gratitude. Includes a story by local author Dick Weinman (see upcoming author event!)



Paperback; $14.95
Publisher: Chicken Soup for the Soul; ISBN: 9781611599589
by Margo Jefferson
[Non-Fiction]


"In this emotional memoir, Pulitzer Prize winner Jefferson examines race, gender, and class through memories of growing up in a wealthy, elite family in Chicago. A member of 'Negroland', Jefferson's term for a small group of privileged African Americans, she explains the contradictory nature of her existence. . .Coming of age in the civil rights era, during the shift into second-wave feminism. . .The author's heartfelt prose takes her audience on a journey through rejection and acceptance, exclusion and inclusion, self-doubt and perseverance in this page-turning, provocative narrative. Includes eight pages of black-and-white photographs." - Library Journal



Paperback; $16.00
Publisher: Vintage; ISBN: 9780307473431
by Steven Lee Myers
[Non-Fiction]


In a gripping narrative of Putin's rise to power as Russia's president, Steven Lee Myers recounts Putin's origins from his childhood of abject poverty in Leningrad, to his ascension through the ranks of the KGB, and his eventual consolidation of rule. Along the way, world events familiar to readers, such as September 11th and Russia's war in Georgia in 2008, are presented from never-before-seen perspectives. A grand, staggering achievement and a breathtaking look at one man's rule, The New Tsar is the book to read if you want to understand how Putin sees the world and why he has become one of the gravest threats to American security.



Paperback; $19.00
Publisher: Vintage; ISBN: 9780345802798
New For Young ReadersYR


by Jory John
[Fiction]
Ages 3 to 8


The talented creators of I Will Chomp You! brilliantly frame the struggle to buck stereotypes and learn empathy in this monster's hilarious lament. Floyd Patterson is so much more than shaggy purple fur and pointy monster teeth --

why can't people just see him for him? Jory John and Bob Shea have struck gold in creating a knee-slapping, read-it-again story that will start a valuable discussion about how we treat others and how it feels to be seen as different. 


Hardcover; $17.99
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers; ISBN: 9780385389907
by James Ponti
[Fiction]
Ages 8 to 12


Florian is twelve years old and has just moved to Washington. He's learning his way around using TOAST, which stands for the Theory of All Small Things. It's a technique he invented to solve life's little mysteries such as: where to sit on the on the first day of school, or which Chinese restaurant has the best eggrolls. But when he teaches it to his new friend Margaret, they uncover a mystery that isn't little, involving the National Gallery, the FBI, and a notorious crime syndicate known as EEL. Can Florian decipher the clues and finish his homework in time to help the FBI solve the case?



Hardcover; $16.99
Publisher: Aladdin; ISBN: 9781481436304
by Kate Milford
[Fiction]
Ages 10 to 14


Return to Nagspeake for a new fantasy adventure from the bestselling author of National Book Award nominee Greenglass House. Lucy Bluecrowne and Maxwell Ault are on a mission: find the three pieces of a strange and arcane engine they believe can stop the endless war raging between their home country of England and Napoleon Bonaparte's France. During the search, however, their ship, the famous privateer the Left-Handed Fate, is taken by the Americans, who have just declared war on England, too. And also after the engine is the crew of a mysterious vessel that seems able to appear out of thin air. . .



Hardcover; $16.99
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company; ISBN: 9780805098006
New Bargain BooksNewBargain


A HUGE shipment of bargain books has just arrived!



Featured this week:


 


Regular price: $30.00
Promo price: $8.98!








Regular price: $16.00
Promo price: $8.98!










Regular price: $28.00
Promo price: $12.98!
New MusicMusic




Amos Lee

Spirit

Pop/Folk



Singer/songwriter Amos Lee's 2016 release is an outstanding follow-up to his most recent, award-winning CD, Mountains of Sorrow, Rivers of Song. Lee's folksy, bluesy sound has drawn comparisons to John Prine and Norah Jones.
($13.95)


Dolly Parton

Pure & Simple

Pop/Folk



Pure & Simple is Dolly's first release since 2014's Blue Smoke. Comprised of songs written solely by Dolly, this love songs-oriented album features new recordings of former duets with Porter Wagoner.

($10.96)


Lydia Loveless

Real

Pop/Folk



On her first two full-length releases, there were fevered comparisons to acknowledged music icons like Loretta Lynn, Stevie Nicks, and the Replacements. Genre-agnostic, Lydia and her road-tightened band stretch from soaring, singalong pop gems, roots around the edges, to proto-punk. 

($15.98)


Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

Miss Sharon Jones: Original Soundtrack
Pop/Folk


Two-time Academy Award winner Barbara Kopple shines a powerful spotlight on the legendary R&B queen Sharon Jones in the eponymous documentary. The soundtrack to 
Miss Sharon Jones is a collection of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings' greatest hits, including a new exclusive song, "I'm Still Here."
($15.98)


Lindsey Stirling

Brave Enough
Pop/Folk


Highly anticipated 2016 release featuring a number of high profile pop artist collaborations.  Violinist Stirling blends electronic music with a diverse number of musical genres while continuing to embrace her own unique signature sound.

($12.98)


Dale Watson

Live At The Big T Roadhouse, Chicken S*** Bingo Sunday
Pop/Folk


Watson and his ace band perform live in concert, all while hosting a Chicken S*** Bingo show at Dale's own bar, the Big T Roadhouse in St. Hedwig, Texas. Classic country music framed by Watson's hilarious between-song banter.

($17.98)
Events at Grass RootsEventsGRR


Dick Weinman
"Thanks for Messing Up My Life," from 

   

Monday, September 12 at 7:00 p.m.
Grass Roots Books & Music
227 SW 2nd St. 
Corvallis, OR


"Thanks for Messing Up My Life" is the title of the story by Dick Weinman which has been published in the new Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Power of Gratitude. Dick's story is one of the 101 selected from the thousands of submissions, and tells the story of how Dick survived a life changing traffic accident, while at the same time enduring the pain of his wife, Ginny's, inexorable battle with Alzheimer's.
 
Dick Weinman, Professor Emeritus of Media Communication, has had a concurrent career as narrator, voice actor, and broadcaster, including 25 years hosting OPB's "Morning Edition." The author will be reading and signing books at this event.
Gina Oschner

   

Wednesday, September 14 at 7:00 p.m.
Grass Roots Books & Music
227 SW 2nd St. 
Corvallis, OR


Summoned to his mother's bedside as she nears the end of her life, young Maris must hear a new version, his mother's version, of his own story.  Maris was born knowing things: his very large, very special ears enable him to hear the secrets of the dead, as well as the memories that haunt his Latvian hometown. He finds himself heir to an odd assortment of hidden letters, letters from which he would weave a story that could finally expose -- and maybe even patch -- the holes in the fabric of his family and their town. 


Gina Oschner is the author of The Russian Dreambook of Color and Flight, a novel long-listed for the Orange Prize, and two story collections. Her awards include the Flannery O'Connor Award, the William Faulkner Prize, the Oregon Book Award, Guggenheim and NEA grants, and the Raymond Carver Prize. The author will be reading and signing books at this event.
Judy Li & M.L. Herring  

   

Saturday, September 17 at 3:00 p.m.
Grass Roots Books & Music
227 SW 2nd St. 
Corvallis, OR


OSU Press has  recently published Ricky's Atlas by local Corvallis author Judy Li, illustrated by M. L. Herring, also of Corvallis. This is their second children's book, and the sequel to Ellie's Log, which was set in the Andrews Experimental Forest. Ricky's Atlas follows the same cast of characters in their summer adventures east of the Cascade Mountains, where Ricky and Ellie explore the science of wildfire ecology. 


Judith L. Li, a retired associate professor in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at OSU, participates in National Science Foundation-sponsored Long Term Ecological Research at the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest and works with K-12 science teachers. M. L. Herring lives on a peach farm near Corvallis. She writes and illustrates for OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences, where she is an associate professor and director of communications. The author and illustrator will be reading and signing books at this event.
 
Carla Wise

   

Monday, September 26 at 7:00 p.m.
Grass Roots Books & Music
227 SW 2nd St. 
Corvallis, OR


This is a pivotal moment for humans on Earth: we are beginning to experience the effects of our destabilizing climate and understand that our world is at risk. Chaotic weather, wildfires, crop failures, and other signs of a warming world are increasing as experts issue ever more dire warnings. 


Written by a biologist and mother who needed to come to terms with her deepening fears, Awake on Earth is an exploration of climate change that is grounded in science, holistic, and personal. In it Carla Wise considers what we are facing, why, and how we might respond with more honesty, courage, and even grace. This event is co-sponsored by the Spring Creek Project. The author will be reading and signing books at this event.
Community EventsCommunityEvents



Darkside Show Times for 8/26-9/1


-Equity -R An investment banker tries to work her way up the Wall Street ladder while a prosecutor keeps an eye out for corrupt practices. Anna Gunn, Alysia Reiner. Drama, Thriller.


-Don't Think Twice -R Turmoil strikes a New York improv troupe when one member leaves to star in a television show. Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs, Mike Birbiglia. Comedy. 99% RT.



-Our Little Sister -PG The arrival of a half-sister they've never met before subtly undermines the existence of three twentysomething women. Japanese, subtitled. Drama. 92% RT.


-Hunt for the Wilderpeople -PG-13 A boy and his foster father become the subjects of a manhunt after they get stranded in the New Zealand wilderness. Sam Neill. Comedy. 99% RT.


Arts/Literary Events


Random Reviews: Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson
Reviewed by Paul Kopperman; sponsored by Friends of the Library


Wednesday, September 14, at 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.
Corvallis-Benton County Public Library
645 NW Monroe Ave.
Corvallis, OR


Willamette Writers on the River: Quarterly Open Mic


Monday, September 19, at 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (sign-up at 6:15)
First Presbyterian Church
114 SW 8th St.
Corvallis, OR


These quarterly readings are free and open to everyone. The number of readers is limited by the available time. First to sign up is first to read. Time limit per reader is 7 minutes. No graphic violence, sex, or hate speech. If you don't want to read, please come hear some talented writers present their work. 


Friends of the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library Fall Festival Book Sale



Saturday, September 24, at 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

and Sunday, September 25, at 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Corvallis Public Library
645 NW Monroe Ave.
Corvallis, OR


High quality paperback books will be available for $1-$4. Additional hours for members only will be Friday, September 23 at 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Anyone can become a member for $10 at the door. The annual Fall Festival book sale benefits the libraries of Alsea, Corvallis, Monroe, Philomath and the Bookmobile. More information available at Friends of the Library



Community Events with Grass Roots CEGR


None this week!
Store NewsStoreNews


2016 Hugo Awards


The winner of the 2016 Hugo Award for Best Novel is The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin, first in the Broken Earth series. Find it in our science fiction section!
Reading Group SelectionReadingGroup


Tuesday, September 6, at 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.


Join Tiffany as she leads our September reading group with Good Night, Mr. Wodehouse, winner of the 2015 Langum Prize for Historical Literature. 


Nell Stillman's road is not easy. When her boorish husband dies soon after they move to the small town of Harvester, Minnesota, Nell is alone, penniless yet responsible for her beloved baby boy Hillyard. Not an easy fate in small-town America at the beginning of the 20th century. In the face of nearly insurmountable odds, Nell finds strength in lasting friendships and in the rich inner life awakened by the novels she loves.



Regular Price: $16.00
On sale for: $13.60

Until Tuesday, September 6


Publisher: Milkweed Editions

ISBN: 9781571311115
Night StandsNightStands


Marissa

[Non-Fiction]


I love a good crafting project, but I'm not fussy about it. Sometimes it requires expensive materials or too much time in general. An easy solution is this craft guide, using plants and other natural material you're likely to find in your own backyard! From pinecone firestarters to beeswax lotion bars, plenty of these ideas are great for kids or gift-making. Preserve summer's bounty by canning your own fruit jam or weaving lavender crowns, or get inspired for all the fall findings you're bound to collect. 


Paperback, $21.99
Publisher: Page Street Publishing; ISBN: 9781624141980
JigsawJigsaw


Click to solve this week's jigsaw!
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Grass Roots Books and Music | 227 SW 2nd Street | Corvallis | OR | 97330