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| September 15, 2016 |
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Hello, Readers,
It's an exciting time of the year in Corvallis: Autumn's bounty is cropping up at the downtown Farmers Market, classes are starting for OSU students, and the harvest moon will be aglow this weekend (seems there's also several star-themed books coming to Grass Roots -- see if you can spot them all in this week's Reader!).
It's also a great time to browse the newest arrivals in books and music. Acclaimed author Ann Patchett's latest novel is here, along with National Book Award finalists in paperback and the return of a familiar four-legged character in children's books.
There's so much more to see in the store, including 2017 calendars, literary gifts, and lots of author readings on the horizon...take advantage of the late summer sunshine and stop on in!
Cheers,
~Marissa
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New Hardcovers
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by Ann Patchett
[Fiction]
One Sunday afternoon in Southern California, Bert Cousins shows up at Franny Keating's christening party uninvited. Before evening falls, he has kissed Franny's mother, Beverly, thus setting in motion the dissolution of their marriages and the joining of two families. Spanning five decades, Commonwealth explores how this chance encounter reverberates through the lives of the four parents and six children involved. Spending summers together in Virginia, the Keating and Cousins children forge a lasting bond that is based on a shared disillusionment with their parents and the strange and genuine affection that grows up between them.
Hardcover; $27.99
Publisher: Harper; ISBN: 9780062491794
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by Neil Degrasse Tyson
[Non-Fiction]
This pioneering, provocative book brings together the best of StarTalk, his beloved podcast and television show devoted to solving the most confounding mysteries of Earth, space, and what it means to be human. Filled with brilliant sidebars, vivid photography, and unforgettable quotes from Tyson and his brilliant cohort of science and entertainment luminaries, StarTalk will help answer all of your most pressing questions about our world from how the brain works to the physics of comic book superheroes. Fun, smart, and laugh-out-loud funny, this book is the perfect guide to everything you ever wanted to know about the universe and beyond.
Hardcover; $30.00
Publisher: National Geographic Society; ISBN: 9781426217272
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by J.A. Jance
[Fiction]
"In her eighteenth adventure, Cochise County Sheriff Joanna Brady investigates the deaths of two women who fell from an Arizona peak known as Geronimo. . .In the midst of planning her mother's and stepfather's funerals, getting her daughter off to college, and being pregnant, Brady must also make room dealing with an eager FBI agent and a group of angry parents who don't want their high-schoolers interrogated. When Brady discovers that one of the victims was not [who] she appeared to be, the suspect list gets both longer and alarmingly familiar. . ." - Booklist
Hardcover; $26.99
Publisher: William Morrow & Company; ISBN: 9780062297716
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by Miriam Horn
[Non-Fiction]
"In the midst of heated discussions about climate change and global warming, Horn ( Earth, the Sequel) takes a straightforward approach to the topic of conservation by focusing on five different individuals from the American Heartland: a Montana rancher, Kansas farmer, Mississippi river man, Louisiana shrimper, and Gulf of Mexico fisherman. In long profiles, she provides detailed looks at how her subjects live and the interesting, even revolutionary ways in which they have chosen to approach conservation issues. . .Hopeful and educational, Horn's chronicle will educate many readers on how to work together in their hometowns, making this a great choice for nature-minded book groups." - Booklist, Starred Review
Hardcover; $27.95
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; ISBN: 9780393247343
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by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
[Non-Fiction]
Autumn 1944. World War II is escalating in the Pacific, where American soldiers face an opponent who will go to any length to avoid defeat. In New Mexico, Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer's team is preparing to test the deadliest weapon known to mankind. In Washington, DC, FDR dies in office and Harry Truman ascends to the presidency, only to face the most important political decision in history: whether to use that weapon. And in Tokyo, Emperor Hirohito refuses to surrender, despite a massive and mounting death toll. Told in O'Reilly's page-turning style, this epic saga details the final moments of World War II like never before.
Hardcover; $30.00
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company; ISBN: 9781627790628
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New Paperbacks
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by Roz Chast
[Non-Fiction]
In her memoir, a 2014 National Book Award Finalist and #1 New York Times bestseller, Roz Chast brings her signature wit to the topic of aging parents. Spanning the last several years of their lives and told through four-color cartoons, family photos, and documents, and a narrative as rife with laughs as it is with tears, Chast's memoir is both comfort and comic relief for anyone experiencing the life-altering loss of elderly parents.
". . .Few graphic memoirs are as engaging and powerful as this or strike a more responsive chord. . .So many have faced (or will face) the situation that the author details, but no one could render it like she does. . ." - Kirkus Reviews
Paperback; $19.00
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA; ISBN: 9781632861016
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by Lauren Groff
[Fiction]
"In this surprising and complex love story, Groff explores the obsessive nature of love. The first half of the novel is told from the viewpoint of the magnetic Lancelot 'Lotto' Satterwhite, whose pleasant childhood ends when his wealthy father dies, leaving him and his younger sister in the hands of their unbalanced mother, Antoinette. After a tortured adolescence spent at a boarding school, Lotto blossoms in college, becoming an acclaimed actor and an eminent womanizer -- until he meets the mysterious loner, Mathilde. After the two marry impulsively. . .we see events from Mathilde's perspective. . .and readers will question everything that has come before. . ." - Library Journal
Paperback; $16.00
Publisher: Riverhead Books; ISBN: 9781594634482
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by David Brooks
[Non-Fiction]
"The road to exceptional character may be unpaved and a bit rocky, yet it is still worth the struggle. This is the basic thesis of Brooks's engrossing treatise on personal morality in today's materialistic, proud world. Brooks (The Social Animal) draws on the dichotomy in human nature proposed by Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchick in his 1965 essay 'The Lonely Man of Faith,' which divides humanity between the external, social-based 'Adam I,' and internal, moral 'Adam II.' On this basis. . .[he] formulates a 'Humility Code' as a pathway to a secular type of holiness. . ." - Publishers Weekly
Paperback; $18.00
Publisher: Random House Trade; ISBN: 9780812983418
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by Kim Heacox
[Fiction]
Old Keb Wisting is somewhere around 95 years old (he lost count awhile ago) and in constant pain and thinks he wants to die. Part Norwegian and part Tlingit Native (with some Filipino and Portuguese thrown in), he's the last living canoe carver in the village of Jinkaat, in Southeast Alaska. When his grandson, James, a promising basketball player, ruins his leg in a logging accident and tells his grandpa that he has nothing left to live for, Old Keb comes alive and finishes his last canoe, with help from his grandson. A story of love, reconciliation, and adventure in the Alaskan wild. Winner of the 2015 National Outdoor Book Award.
Paperback; $16.99
Publisher: Alaska Northwest Books; ISBN: 9781943328710
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by Jeffrey Cranor and Joseph Fink
[Fiction]
From the authors of the New York Times bestselling novel Welcome to Night Vale and the creators of the #1 international podcast of the same name, comes a collection of episodes from Season One of their hit podcast, featuring an introduction by the authors, behind-the-scenes commentary, and original illustrations. Mostly Void, Partially Stars introduces us to a town in the American Southwest where every conspiracy theory is true, and to the strange but friendly people who live there. A friendly desert community, where the sun is hot, the moon is beautiful, and the mysterious lights pass overhead while we all pretend to sleep. Welcome to Night Vale.
Paperback; $16.99
Publisher: Harper Perennial; ISBN: 9780062468611
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New For Young Readers
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by Alexandra Day
[Fiction]
Ages 4 to 8
Since Good Dog, Carl was published 30 years ago the series has sold well over a million books. The appeal of the series lies in the nearly wordless narrative, the lovable and somewhat mischievous Rottweiler and the little girl he takes on secret adventures. These are all present in this wonderful addition to the series. This time Carl and Madeleine visit a children's zoo where they enjoy visiting various baby animals. When they leave for an ice cream cone and a walk around the neighborhood, the little elephant follows them and shares their adventures. Beloved children's icon Good Dog, Carl has his paws full with a mischievous baby elephant who likes backyard wading pools, playgrounds and fruit stands!
Hardcover; $14.95
Publisher: Laughing Elephant; ISBN: 9781514900222
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New Bargain Books
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Featured this week:
Regular price: $19.00
Promo price: $10.98!
Regular price: $15.00
Promo price: $4.98!
Regular price: $25.95
Promo price: $13.98!
Regular price: $8.95 Promo price: $5.98!
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New Music
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Carrie Newcomer
The Beautiful Not Yet
Pop/Folk
Join Carrie on this recording of diverse and unique artists including Gary Walters, Jayme Stone, and Moira Smiley. Many of the songs that appear on this collection were created out of her ongoing creative/spiritual conversation with dear friend and collaborator, Parker J. Palmer.
($15.98)
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Southern Culture on the Skids
The Electric Pinecones
Pop/Folk
Thirty plus years, two hundred plus songs and a million plus road miles in, Southern Culture on the Skids continues to blur the lines between genres. The first single off the album, "Grey Skies," is a minor key mood piece with that folk-a-hill-a-billy psychedelic sound.
($15.98)
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The Devil Makes Three
Redemption & Ruin
Pop/Folk
The Devil Makes Three exhibits their wide range of influences including nods to the blues, gospel, country, buegrass, and the obscure. The first half of the record focuses on the faults and vices that can drive creation within music while the second half focuses on the absolution of life, the soul and forgiveness.
($14.98)
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Madeleine Peyroux
Secular Hymns
Pop/Folk
Peyroux set out to record a collection of songs with their own hymn-like stories of self-awareness and inner dialogue, a communal consciousness and a spiritual essence. Here, Madeleine intimately renders tunes by seminal blues artists.
($13.98)
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Dawes
We're All Gonna Die
Pop/Folk
The new release from the alt-rock/roots outfit was produced by Grammy nominated producer Blake Mills (Alabama Shakes). Of the album, frontman Goldsmith explains, "Pretty much every song on this record explores a difficult situation and tries to find a way to find the good in it, or at least remind yourself that it's not always that big of a deal."
($13.98)
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Events at Grass Roots
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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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Kristin Berger
and Scot Siegel
 
Monday, October 10 at 7:00 p.m.
Grass Roots Books & Music
227 SW 2nd St.
Corvallis, OR
"Kristin Berger's How Light Reaches Us is a finely woven, image-rich exploration of self and landscape that gets to the very core of what poetry is about: language borrowed from the land, yet language of a voice so true that there could be none other. In reading her book, we can't help but become our own wardens of the land because her lyric is so sure. . ." - Simmons Buntin, Editor-in-Chief,Terrain.org: A Journal of the Built + Natural Environments
In The Constellation of Extinct Stars, Scot Siegel's poems have an ambidextrous quality, ready to pivot deftly from history to imagined history, from biography to prophecy. He can claim at one point "no pretense...no history, no trajectory...," and yet his imagination honors history, invents history, and makes history matter, gives it important work to do. These poems will convey you to resonant places in your new life.
Kristin Berger is the recipient of writer residencies from OSU's H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest and Trillium Project. Her long prose-poem, Changing Woman & Changing Man: A High Desert Myth, was a finalist for the 2016 Newfound Prose Prize. Kristin lives in Portland, Oregon.
Scot Siegel, an Oregon poet and city planner, is the author of five books of poetry. Siegel's writing is part of the permanent art installation along the Portland-to-Milwaukie Light Rail "Orange Line." Siegel has served as an Artist-in-Residence with Playa at Summer Lake, and OSU's Spring Creek Project. This event is co-sponsored by the Spring Creek Project. The authors will be reading and signing books at this event.
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Community Events
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Darkside Show Times for 9/16-9/22
-Blood Father -R An ex-convict and his estranged daughter go on the run from her drug-dealing boyfriend and his vicious cartel. Mel Gibson, Erin Moriarty, Diego Luna, Michael Parks, William H. Macy. Action.
-An Art That Nature Makes -NR Photographer Rosamond Purcell gains international acclaim for finding unexpected beauty in discarded and decayed objects. Documentary.
-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
 Willamette Writers on the River: Words Matter: A Writing Workshop on Dialogue with Susan Kelly
Saturday, September 17, at 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Comfort Suites
1730 NW 9th St.
Corvallis, OR
In a story, you get to know a character through her actions, her speech, her view of the world and from other characters' perspectives of her. Spend a day with Susan Kelly learning how to create dialogue that snaps, pops and crackles. Attendees will have an opportunity to work on one of their own scenes. Susan Kelly is a romantic-comedy author, writing craft teacher and the founder of Gomboc Words, a blog about the business side of writing. Registration EXTENDED to Thursday, Sept. 15.
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.
Reviewed by Carol Mason; sponsored by Friends of the Library
Wednesday, October 12, 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 Visiting Writers Series presents
Friday, September 30, at 7:30 p.m.
OSU Valley Library Rotunda
201 SW Waldo Pl.
Corvallis, OR
Highway is a late-in-life world traveler, yarn spinner, collector, and legendary auctioneer. His most precious possessions are the teeth of the "notorious infamous" like Plato, Petrarch, and Virginia Woolf. Written in collaboration with the workers at a Jumex juice factory, Teeth is an elegant, witty, exhilarating romp through the industrial suburbs of Mexico City and Luiselli's own literary influences.
Valeria Luiselli's most recent novel, La Historia De Mis Dentes (The Story of my Teeth) was named one of the New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2015 and won the LA Times Book Prize for Fiction in 2016. She has recently completed a PhD in Comparative Literature at Columbia University. Grass Roots will be selling books at this event.
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Susan Conrad
Thursday, October 6, at 7:00 p.m.
Corvallis-Benton County Library
645 NW Monroe Ave.
Corvallis, OR
Inside: One Woman's Journey Through the Inside Passage is a plucky adventure memoir of the sea and soul told by a woman on a big adventure in a small boat along the coast of western North America. In Spring 2010, with her world scaled down to an 18-foot sea kayak and the 1,200 mile ribbon of water called the Inside Passage,
SusanConrad launched a journey that took her north to Alaska. On the way, she forged friendships, lived her dream, and discovered the depths of her own strength and courage.
Susan Marie Conrad grew up on a small farm near Woodbourne in upstate New York. Susan is a writer, photographer, personal trainer, kayak instructor, and outdoor enthusiast.
This event is co-sponsored by the Sierra Club and Friends of the Library. Grass Roots will be selling books at this event.
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Store News
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Books gone Hollywood
Never judge a book by its movie! Well, some adaptations are phenomenal counterparts to their literary origins, but the movie magic all began here. |
Reading Group Selection
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There will be no Grass Roots Reading Group Meeting in October. Please watch the Grass Roots Reader for more information next month!
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Night Stands
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Mary
[Non-Fiction]
Chuck Klosterman has made an amazing career of asking seemingly ridiculous questions and running with them. In But What If We're Wrong? a new set of such questions is posed and discussed. Much of the book focuses on how we see the now and how now contrasts with how we view the past. It's basically a book-long intellectual exercise, and a really fun and interesting one at that. I really enjoyed his perspective and voice.
Hardcover, $26.00
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Jigsaw
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