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| September 1, 2016 |
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Good afternoon, Readers,
Although we're bidding a fond farewell to summer with cooler temperatures and crispy leaves incoming, there's so much to look forward to: back-to-school shopping, OSU football, a downtown wine walk, and of course, settling in for a good read...Including a new Inspector Gamache caper, a linguistic history by Tom Wolfe, a new edition of the Guinness World Records, a local author memoir and more.
And we've got author events lined up all September long, so keep reading to see the lineup...
Grass Roots will be closed Labor Day -- all the more reason to book browse while you can!
Enjoy your holiday weekend,
~Marissa
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New Hardcovers
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by Louise Penny
[Fiction]
"Chief Inspector Gamache has a new gig: he's been appointed head of the Surete Academy du Quebec and is tasked with cleaning house. The police school has become a seedbed for corruption, devoted to turning out bent cops. The inspector, of course, has a multilayered plan for ridding the school of its multiple malignancies, but before he can begin surgery, the chief offender is murdered, and Gamache himself becomes the leading suspect. . .Once again Penny displays her remarkable ability to serve equally well both series devotees and new readers. . .a compelling mystery and a rich human drama. . ." - Booklist, Starred Review
Hardcover; $28.99
Publisher: Minotaur Books; ISBN: 9781250022134
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by Nathan Hill
[Fiction]
In Norwegian folklore, a Nix is a spirit who sometimes appears as a white horse that steals children away. In Nathan Hill's remarkable first novel, a Nix is anything you love that one day disappears, taking with it a piece of your heart. It's 2011, and Samuel Anderson, college professor and stalled writer, has a Nix of his own: his mother, Faye. He hasn't seen her in decades. Now she's reappeared, having committed an absurd crime that electrifies the nightly news, and she needs Samuel's help. Samuel will have to uncover long-buried secrets about the woman he thought he knew. . .
Hardcover; $27.95
Publisher: Knopf Publishing Group; ISBN: 9781101946619
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by Tom Wolfe
[Non-Fiction]
"Wolfe, who began his career as a journalist, delivers his first non-fiction book in 16 years. In lively, irreverent, and witty prose, he argues that speech, not evolution, sets humans apart from animals and is responsible for all of humankind's complex achievements. Speech, Wolfe explains, was the 'first artifact,' -- the first instance where people took elements from nature sounds and turned them into something completely constructed. Wolfe evaluates the theories of the early evolutionists, such as Charles Darwin; self-taught British naturalist Alfred Wallace; and present-day linguists, psychologists, and anthropologists who, despite 150 years of effort, still struggle to understand how language evolved. . ." - Publishers Weekly
Hardcover; $26.00
Publisher: Little Brown and Company; ISBN: 9780316404624
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by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman
[Non-Fiction]
"The second volume of Altman and Gross' comprehensive oral history of Star Trek is even more massive than the first, which covers the first 25 years, because it has more ground to cover as it tackles the four spin-off shows (a fifth is on the way in 2017) as well The Next Generation and J. J. Abrams' feature films. . . Though the show grew to be both a ratings and a critical hit, the behind-the-scenes drama made for a rocky experience. . .A must-read for fans, this lively oral history offers a plethora of insight into the making of the enduring popular franchise." - Booklist, Starred Review
Hardcover; $29.99
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; ISBN: 9781250089465
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by Guinness World Records
[Non-Fiction]
The ultimate annual book of records is back and crammed with more than ever before! Guinness World Records 2017 is bursting with all-new records on topics as diverse as black holes, domes, owls, and killer plants. Want to know the highest anyone has traveled on a skateboard, or the largest loop-the-loop completed in a car? Dying to know just how many tricks a cat can do in one minute? The answers to these questions and so much more are right inside. New in this year's edition are exciting infographic features exploring the fascinating details on topics such as animals, the human body, sports, and explorations.
Hardcover; $28.95
Publisher: Guinness World Records; ISBN: 9781910561331
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New Paperbacks
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by Jonathan Franzen
[Fiction]
Young Pip Tyler doesn't know who she is. She knows that her real name is Purity, that she's saddled with $130,000 in student debt, and that her relationship with her mother -- her only family -- is hazardous. A glancing encounter with a German peace activist leads Pip to an internship in South America with The Sunlight Project, an organization that traffics in all the secrets of the world -- including, Pip hopes, the secret of her origins. TSP is the brainchild of Andreas Wolf, who is drawn to Pip for reasons she doesn't understand, and the intensity of her response to him upends her conventional ideas of right and wrong.
Paperback; $17.00
Publisher: Picador USA; ISBN: 9781250097101
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by Jillian Cantor
[Fiction]
On June 19, 1953, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were executed for conspiring to commit espionage. The day Ethel was first arrested in 1950, she left her two young sons with a neighbor, and she never came home to them again. Brilliantly melding fact and fiction, Jillian Cantor reimagines the life of that neighbor, and the life of Ethel and Julius, an ordinary-seeming Jewish couple who became the only Americans put to death for spying during the Cold War.
"This intriguing novel that intertwines facts about the Rosenbergs into the life of an average American housewife is highly recommended for historical fiction fans." - Library Journal
Paperback; $16.00
Publisher: Riverhead Books; ISBN: 9780399576041
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by Gloria Steinem
[Non-Fiction]
". . .For the past four decades, [Steinem has been] crisscrossing the country in search of inspiring women and men to inspire. Steinem, a staunch advocate for reproductive rights and equal rights for women, long before either was fashionable in the public eye, writes candidly for the first time about her itinerant childhood spent with a father who itched to be constantly in motion and mother who gave up her own happiness for the sake of others. . .[and] ended up doing exactly what she never imagined: being a public speaker who's constantly on the move. . ." - Publishers Weekly
Paperback; $18.00
Publisher: Random House Trade; ISBN: 9780345408167
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by Linda Crew (local author!)
[Non-Fiction]
"I was a happily married mother of three grown children and the author of nine novels. In September of 2012, I optimistically presented myself for total knee replacement surgery -- one of 670,000 such patients in the U.S. that year -- and, thanks to doctor-prescribed Oxycodone and Xanax, promptly descended into three years of drug-induced hell. . .Mine is the story I longed to hear during my withdrawal: a story of hope, solid evidence that people can somehow live through this and survive." - Linda Crew
"Emotionally engaging. . .Crew insightfully comments on the institutional and interpersonal minefields that sick people must navigate. . .well told and moving." - Kirkus Reviews
Paperback; $18.99
Publisher: Bookbaby; ISBN: 9781483573649
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New For Young Readers
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by Sabaa Tahir
[Fiction]
Young Adult
"The sequel to Tahir's best-selling An Ember in the Ashes finds Elias and Laia on the run from Elias' mother -- aka the unspeakably evil Commandant -- and the vapid but vicious Emperor Marcus. Their destination: the Kauf Prison, where they hope to free Laia's brother, who knows the secret of serric steel, which just might save Laia's people, the Scholars, from extinction by the Empire. But Elias has been poisoned and his strength is ebbing, and their quest is further complicated by the presence of the rebel Keenan, who is Elias' rival for Laia's love. . ." - Booklist, Starred Review
Hardcover; $19.99
Publisher: Razorbill; ISBN: 9781101998878
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New Bargain Books
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Featured this week:
Regular price: $27.99
Promo price: $7.98!
Regular price: $15.00
Promo price: $5.98!
Regular price: $17.95
Promo price: $9.98!
Regular price: $16.99 Promo price: $8.98!
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New Music
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Events at Grass Roots
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Hob Osterlund
Wednesday, September 28 at 7:00 p.m. 
Grass Roots Books & Music
227 SW 2nd St.
Corvallis, OR
Albatross live long -- sometimes longer than 60 years -- and spend the majority of their time airborne, gliding across vast oceanic expanses. They are model mates and devoted parents. In nesting season, they rack up inconceivable mileage just to find supper for chicks waiting on the islands of the Hawaiian archipelago. Holy Mōlī is a natural history of the albatross, a moving memoir of grief, and a soaring tribute to ancestors. It's the story of how albatross guided the author on her own long journey, back to the origin of a binding bargain she struck when she was 10 years old.
Hob Osterlund is an award-winning writer and photographer whose work has appeared in National Geographic Explorer, The New York Times, Nature, and more. As Founder of the Kauai Albatross Network, she serves as Habitat Liaison for property owners who host Laysan albatross. She lives on Kauai with her partner. The author will be reading and signing books at this event.
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Community Events
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Darkside Show Times for 9/2-9/8
-Southside With You -PG-13 Future U.S. President Barack Obama (Parker Sawyers) and lawyer Michelle Robinson (Tika Sumpter) go on a fateful first date in the summer of 1989. Drama, Romance. 92% RT.
-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.
-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
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.
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Community Events with Grass Roots
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Store News
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Coming September 6: New Harry Potter eBooks
Get ready to go back to Hogwarts: Three new titles from J.K. Rowling are coming September 6! Pottermore Presents is a lovingly curated collection from the author's archives: Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists; Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies; and Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide.
Follow this link to order them through Kobo eBooks and your local independent bookstore will receive a percentage of the sales. Thank you for shopping local! |
Reading Group Selection
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Tuesday, September 6, at 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
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
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Night Stands
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Tiffany
[Fiction]
What begins as a post-graduate research job in academia becomes anything but ordinary when Madeleine "Max" Maxwell discovers that the historians at St. Mary's Institute of Historical Research at England's Thirsk University can travel through time. A history-lover's dream becomes reality as Max and her colleagues jaunt through the ages, observing and recording historical events. But other historians are not so altruistic and wish to use time travel for financial gain and destroy St. Mary's, leaving it to Max and her friends to thwart the perilous plot. British wit, an abundance of humor, madcap adventure, and a bit of romance make for a rollicking read. I, for one, can't wait to pick up the next installment of The Chronicles of St. Mary's.
Paperback, $12.99
Publisher: Night Shade Books; ISBN: 9781597808682
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Mary
[Non-Fiction]
Chrissie Hynde started The Pretenders in the late 1970s, at a time when it was still somewhat rare for a woman to lead a hard-charging rock band. Now, in her early 60s, she's written a memoir called Reckless: My Life as a Pretender. Hynde does not sugarcoat her life and the events that helped shape her musical legacy. She takes responsibility for what she did and what she did while intoxicated. This honest account about the perils of sex, drugs, and rock and roll is funny, honest, a bit gritty, and touching.
Paperback, $16.00
Publisher: Anchor Books; ISBN: 9781101912232
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Jigsaw
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