Ellen

Ellen enjoys nature essays, grumpy protagonists, books about books, and anything with a speculative bent. Ellen left us mid 2023 for a great opportunity to teach English in Japan.

 

 

 

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Kappa By Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Lisa Hofmann-Kuroda (Translated by), Allison Markin Powell (Translated by) Cover Image
By Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Lisa Hofmann-Kuroda (Translated by), Allison Markin Powell (Translated by)
$13.95
ISBN: 9780811232166
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: New Directions - June 6th, 2023

Bleak, absurd, delightful.


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The Lost Journals of Sacajewea By Debra Magpie Earling Cover Image
$26.00
ISBN: 9781571311450
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Milkweed Editions - May 23rd, 2023

Absolutely mesmerizing. This reads like poetry. While not an easy story--Debra Magpie Earling does not skirt the grim, often disturbing details of Sacajewea's experiences--this is a deeply rewarding book that will stay with you for some time. 


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The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder By David Grann Cover Image
$30.00
ISBN: 9780385534260
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Doubleday - April 18th, 2023

A thrilling read! Grann is an exceptional nonfiction writer and historian. From the chaos and tragedy that defined the Wager's voyage, he extracts a compelling, cohesive narrative. He takes particular care to emphasize the humanity of the shipwrecked men, even as they were driven to inhumane acts.


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The Devil's Element: Phosphorus and a World Out of Balance By Dan Egan Cover Image
$30.00
ISBN: 9781324002666
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: W. W. Norton & Company - March 7th, 2023

Once again, Egan has written a riveting work of science journalism. "The Devil's Element" is a highly readable primer on phosphorus, its chronic mismanagement, and its role in our current state of environmental crisis. I could not put this book down.


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Cold Enough for Snow By Jessica Au Cover Image
$14.95
ISBN: 9780811231558
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: New Directions - February 15th, 2022

Subtle, stirring prose. This novella treads lightly but leaves a lasting impression. Unequivocally recommended. 


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The Ballad of Black Tom By Victor LaValle Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781250817556
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Tordotcom - September 6th, 2022

A clear-eyed ode to Lovecraft, both critical and affectionate. Great for fans of cosmic horror and all things eldritch!


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Foster By Claire Keegan Cover Image
$20.00
ISBN: 9780802160140
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Grove Press - November 1st, 2022

A deceptively simple story centering around a young girl's summer. Through the child's developing relationship with her foster parents, Keegan explores the many shades of familial loss and love. Keegan's writing is both unpretentious and remarkably tender. This is a book you will cherish reading.


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How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures By Sabrina Imbler Cover Image
$28.00
ISBN: 9780316540537
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Little, Brown and Company - December 6th, 2022

Captivating essays that explore race, gender, sexuality, and--most importantly--sea creatures! Imbler is a talented science writer. They adroitly connect the strangeness of the underwater natural world with the strangeness of the landlubber human one. Highly recommend. 


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Kick the Latch By Kathryn Scanlan Cover Image
$17.95
ISBN: 9780811232005
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: New Directions - September 27th, 2022

These vignettes hooked me immediately. "Kick the Latch" reads like non-fiction, Scanlan's voice is so convincing and blunt. You'll read this in one go and keep thinking about it for a long time after.


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Leech By Hiron Ennes Cover Image
$27.99
ISBN: 9781250811189
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Tordotcom - September 27th, 2022

I adored this. "Leech" is atmospheric and rife with troubled, sharply-realized characters. In particular, the narrator (narrators?) is one of the most fascinating voices I've ever come across. As deeply compelling as discomfiting--this debut is a must-read.


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A Map for the Missing: A Novel By Belinda Huijuan Tang Cover Image
$27.00
ISBN: 9780593300664
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Penguin Press - August 9th, 2022

A poignant exploration of home, love, and ambition, set against the backdrop of Cultural Revolutionary China. Tang has a keen eye for familial conflict, and portrays regret with particular deftness. This is a beautiful, bittersweet debut. I couldn't put it down.


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Dead-End Memories: Stories By Banana Yoshimoto, Asa Yoneda (Translated by) Cover Image
By Banana Yoshimoto, Asa Yoneda (Translated by)
$26.00
ISBN: 9781640093690
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Counterpoint - August 9th, 2022

Peculiar, gentle stories. Though often melancholic, this collection is ultimately--if quietly--uplifting. Read on a slow day, and take your time.


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The Pet Potato By Josh Lacey, Momoko Abe (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Josh Lacey, Momoko Abe (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9781250834157
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Roaring Brook Press - June 21st, 2022

Completely darling. A potato IS a perfect pet, and this IS a perfect book. 


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Voice of the Fish: A Lyric Essay By Lars Horn Cover Image
$16.00
ISBN: 9781644450895
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Graywolf Press - June 7th, 2022

An innovative blend of memoir, essay, and experimental prose. Interludes about fish and time and art interweave seamlessly with reflections on identity and personal histories. This book is brilliant. Horn is a force to be reckoned with.


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The Hawk's Way: Encounters with Fierce Beauty By Sy Montgomery Cover Image
$20.00
ISBN: 9781668001967
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Atria Books - May 3rd, 2022

A perfect, pithy read. Montgomery maneuvers deftly between the science and ethics of falconry. Her writing is as astute as it is graceful. I loved every word of this, and deeply, deeply envied her hawkish experiences.


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Spear By Nicola Griffith Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781250819321
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Tordotcom - April 19th, 2022

Captivating from beginning to end. This Arthurian retelling features a classically mythical hero--just not your typical knight. Exciting, mysterious, and deeply beautiful.


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When I Sing, Mountains Dance: A Novel By Irene Solà Cover Image
$16.00
ISBN: 9781644450802
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Graywolf Press - March 15th, 2022

One of the strangest books I've ever read. Inhabit the minds of storm clouds, mushrooms, witches, ghosts. There is a story here (almost, maybe), but don't focus on that. Read for the surreal prose and the total departure from your usual way of experiencing the world.


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The Swimmers: A novel By Julie Otsuka Cover Image
$16.00
ISBN: 9780593466629
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Anchor - January 24th, 2023

This book is brilliant. With jarring insight, Otsuka shows the rituals that comprise a life, and how, as these rituals are changed and lost, so are our relationships with each other and with ourselves. "The Swimmers" reads like an ode--to family, to aging, and to the ordinary. The local pool, an afternoon drive, pink lipstick.


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The Angel of the Crows By Katherine Addison Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780765387400
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Tor Books - May 11th, 2021

All fun! For fans of Sherlock Holmes who wish the original had a few more hell hounds, vampires, and women. 


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Comfort Me With Apples By Catherynne M. Valente Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781250816214
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Tordotcom - November 9th, 2021

Biblical Stepford Wives! Valente's prose is skin-crawling--you worry for Sophia the moment she wakes up. But even facing a holier-than-thou HOA and an absent husband, she's always happy. She has to be! 


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She Who Became the Sun (The Radiant Emperor Duology #1) By Shelley Parker-Chan Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9781250621818
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Tor Books - June 28th, 2022

Action! Adventure! The rise and fall of dynasties!! All with a speculative twist. What more could you ask for??


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Gilgamesh: A New Translation of the Ancient Epic By Sophus Helle Cover Image
$16.00
ISBN: 9780300268096
Availability: Backordered
Published: Yale University Press - September 6th, 2022

Reading this was like taking an excellent literature course. (Trust me, this is high praise!) Helle provides valuable context for the epic while also taking the time--via his smooth translation and supplementary essays--to celebrate its humor, romance, and poetry.


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Small Things Like These By Claire Keegan Cover Image
$20.00
ISBN: 9780802158741
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Grove Press - November 30th, 2021

Spare and impactful. This novella is about complicity--how silence weights on individuals and on communities. Bill Furlong, Keegan's stoic protagonist, is lovely for his ordinariness. His deep empathy and quiet sense of urgency are sure to remain with readers long after they've finished this wintry fable.


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Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid: The Fraught and Fascinating Biology of Climate Change By Thor Hanson Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781541672390
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Basic Books - November 1st, 2022

I couldn't put this down! With clear prose and accessible explanations, "Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid" delves into the fascinating science of climate change biology. While Hanson doesn't shy away from the very real dangers of the climate crisis, he's never bleak. Rather, he stresses that the myriad responses of different plants and animals (including humans!) are cause for considerable curiosity, and even a bit of optimism. This book is full of love for our rapidly changing planet.


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A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot #1) By Becky Chambers Cover Image
$20.99
ISBN: 9781250236210
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Tordotcom - July 13th, 2021

Big-hearted and atmospheric. This slim read covers a lot of ground--what it means to lead a meaningful life in a changed/changing world--but is never heavy-handed. Dex and Mosscap learn (or relearn) to celebrate the simple things. A fuzzy towel, watching stalagmites form, a hot cup of tea.


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Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life By Lulu Miller Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781501160349
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Simon & Schuster - April 6th, 2021

A mesmerizing mix of biography, memoir, and journalism. David Starr Jordan's obsession with fish--and Lulu Miller's obsession with Jordan--propels a narrative that is as much about what it means to be a fish as it is about what it means to be a person. Miller has a cheeky sense of humor and a keen sense of irony, both of which are well suited--even necessary--for compelling science writing.


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Temple Alley Summer By Sachiko Kashiwaba, Avery Fischer Udagawa (Translator), Miho Satake (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Sachiko Kashiwaba, Avery Fischer Udagawa (Translator), Miho Satake (Illustrator)
$18.00
ISBN: 9781632063038
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Yonder - July 6th, 2021

I LOVED this. Magical! Mysterious! Absolutely heartwarming! This story of genuine (if ghosty) friendship is the perfect book for summer. Like Kazu, once I started reading, I just couldn't stop.


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The Summer Book By Tove Jansson, Kathryn Davis (Introduction by), Thomas Teal (Translated by) Cover Image
By Tove Jansson, Kathryn Davis (Introduction by), Thomas Teal (Translated by)
$15.95
ISBN: 9781590172681
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: NYRB Classics - May 20th, 2008

A shady read, by turns sharp, melancholic, and joyful. These vignettes pick at the difficulty of human connection--not always gently, but always genuinely, and with a keen eye for the nuances of familial love. Something to enjoy slowly, preferably on the coast.


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There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job By Kikuko Tsumura Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9781635576917
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Bloomsbury Publishing - March 23rd, 2021

I loved this! The oddball narrator might have been irritating if I didn't find her so relatable--her musings/fixations/insights felt like gentle personal attacks, and they often left me snorting out loud. Read, cringe, and carefully consider whether you're a moderate or radical rice cracker company worker. It's important, probably.


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No-No Boy (Classics of Asian American Literature) By John Okada, Ruth Ozeki (Foreword by), Lawson Fusao Inada (Introduction by) Cover Image
By John Okada, Ruth Ozeki (Foreword by), Lawson Fusao Inada (Introduction by)
$18.95
ISBN: 9780295994048
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: University of Washington Press - August 1st, 2014

A must-read. Skewers the model-minority stereotype and creates space for the anger and trauma resulting from internment. Okada's prose is haunting--perfectly suited to Ichiro's sense of displacement (cultural, physical, moral). Sharp Seattle imagery and a facinating publishing history (look up Shawn Wong at UW!). A vital history lesson, especially in today's climate.


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Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning By Cathy Park Hong Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9781984820389
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: One World - March 2nd, 2021

Both frustrating and validating. Cathy Park Hong cuts to the quick of Asian American realities in the US. She is especially sharp when it comes to the space that Asian Americans occupy--or are allowed to occupy--in art, literature, and public discourse. I devoured this book. 


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Interior Chinatown: A Novel (Vintage Contemporaries) By Charles Yu Cover Image
$16.00
ISBN: 9780307948472
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Vintage - November 17th, 2020

A deft and effective satire. Yu's clever spin on which specific "roles" are available to Asian Americans makes for a sharp social commentary. I grinned, grimaced, and just kind of slammed my head against the wall. Read it!!


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Thirst By Amélie Nothomb, Alison Anderson (Translator) Cover Image
By Amélie Nothomb, Alison Anderson (Translator)
$15.00
ISBN: 9781609456603
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Europa Editions - April 13th, 2021

A pithy, thoughtful, and delightfully droll take on the Crucifixion. I especially liked Jesus's recounting of his favorite miracles (and when good wine ought to be served). 


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Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey By Erin Entrada Kelly, Erin Entrada Kelly (Illustrator) Cover Image
$7.99
ISBN: 9780062970435
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Greenwillow Books - May 3rd, 2022

Absolutely darling! Marisol is a kid with a great imagination. While this is fun when she's playing with her best friend, Jada, or naming the various inanimate objects in her life (e.g., the fridge, Buster Keaton), it's NOT so fun when thinking of just how tall Peppina is, and the many ways Marisol could tumble from her branches. Peppina, of course, is the tree in Marisol's backyard. But maybe, maybe, Marisol will be brave and try to climb her. Maybe.


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The Mercies By Kiran Millwood Hargrave Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9780316529235
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Back Bay Books - February 23rd, 2021

Part "The Crucible," part "Circe," all beautiful, briny atmosphere. The tension in this book builds to a breaking point that is as savage as it is inevitable. Hargrave shows us what women can weather while reminding us witches are made, not born. 


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Wandering in Strange Lands: A Daughter of the Great Migration Reclaims Her Roots By Morgan Jerkins Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9780062873064
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Harper Perennial - July 6th, 2021

Jerkins' exploration of her family's history is captivating, enlightening, and deeply personal. She does not shy away from difficult truths--rather, she takes pains to uncover and interrogate them. This is a powerful contribution to literature on the Great Migration. I highly, highly recommend.


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The Magic Fish: (A Graphic Novel) By Trung Le Nguyen Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781984851598
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Random House Graphic - October 13th, 2020

Poignant and absolutely gorgeous. Whether familiar, forgotten, or newly revisted, fairy tales hold a grip on our collective imaginations. For good reason, as this mother and son know well. 


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The Hole By Hiroko Oyamada, David Boyd (Translated by) Cover Image
By Hiroko Oyamada, David Boyd (Translated by)
$12.95
ISBN: 9780811228879
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: New Directions - October 6th, 2020

Quietly terrifying. I read it all in one go and have felt discomfited ever since. I absolutely encourage you to do the same.


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Plain Bad Heroines: A Novel By Emily M. Danforth, Sara Lautman (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Emily M. Danforth, Sara Lautman (Illustrator)
$20.00
ISBN: 9780062942869
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: William Morrow Paperbacks - October 5th, 2021

Who knew metafiction could be such a romp! This book is buzzing with celeb gossip and trumpet flower-fueled drug trips—oh, and vicious swarms of yellow jackets. You’ll be on the edge of your seat as our plain bad heroines many mess around with curses, subversive literature, and each other. Clever, creepy, and a whole bunch of fun. “Kind Devil, deliver me,” indeed!


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Winter's Orbit By Everina Maxwell Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9781250758842
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Tor Books - December 28th, 2021

A romance dressed up as a space opera! Mostly silly and always inclusive. (Though do note it's not all domestic bliss--Maxwell does occasionally get serious.) "Star-crossed lovers" for the win!


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Eyes That Kiss in the Corners By Joanna Ho, Dung Ho (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Joanna Ho, Dung Ho (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9780062915627
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: HarperCollins - January 5th, 2021

Charming, celebratory, and absolutely beautiful! Hits home in a wonderful way.


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The Beast and the Bethany By Jack Meggitt-Phillips, Isabelle Follath (Illustrator) Cover Image
$7.99
ISBN: 9781534478909
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Aladdin - December 14th, 2021

Neither Ebenezer Tweezer nor Bethany are the best sort, but together they might improve...if the Beast doesn't eat one (or both) of them first. I think it's moderately fair to call this book a younger sibling to "Dorian Gray." Cheeky, gross, and a bunch of fun!


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Piranesi By Susanna Clarke Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9781635577808
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Bloomsbury Publishing - September 28th, 2021

I'm baffled. I'm delighted. I'm about to reread. Do not miss this atmospheric mind-trip. 


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A Mind Spread Out on the Ground By Alicia Elliott Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781612198668
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Melville House - August 4th, 2020

Memoir at its finest. Elliot writes with fierce clarity, keenly addressing love, family, mental health, and how these are affected by intergenerational trauma. An invaluable contribution to North American Indigenous literature, particularly for Elliott's breakdown of how ahistorical nostalgia impacts present-day First Nations and Native American communities and individuals. 


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Sato the Rabbit By Yuki Ainoya (Created by), Michael Blaskowsky (Translator) Cover Image
By Yuki Ainoya (Created by), Michael Blaskowsky (Translator)
$17.95
ISBN: 9781592703180
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Enchanted Lion Books - February 23rd, 2021

Sometimes you become a rabbit. That's all right! It's a lovely way to see the world, as Sato can attest.


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The Lost Spells By Robert MacFarlane, Jackie Morris Cover Image
$26.00
ISBN: 9781487007799
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Anansi International - October 27th, 2020

It feels a bit trite to call “The Lost Spells” magical, but I was—and am still—genuinely spellbound by this book. Enchantment of this sort is Macfarlane and Morris’s specialty (see, “The Lost Words”). Their nature poems and illustrations are so alive they breathe. They also flutter, caw, and root. Everyone—and this is a book for everyone, no matter your age or opinions on poetry—who reads these spells will find themselves doing the same. This is a good thing. If we learn the spells now, maybe they won’t be lost.


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Desert Notebooks: A Road Map for the End of Time By Ben Ehrenreich Cover Image
$16.95
ISBN: 9781640094710
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Counterpoint - July 6th, 2021

Equal parts political commentary, literary criticism, and love letter to the desert. Ehrenreich explores how storytelling intersects with the climate crisis, social upheaval, and the passage of time. Lyrical, at times humorous, and deeply appreciative of things natural and ephemeral.  


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Earthlings By Sayaka Murata, Ginny Tapley Takemori (Translator) Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9780802157010
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Grove Press - September 21st, 2021

This adorable cover belies a deeply disturbing book. "Earthlings" appalled, confounded, and amazed me. I don't know that this is a recommendation so much as an exclamation. Brace yourself and read on?


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A Deadly Education: A Novel (The Scholomance #1) By Naomi Novik Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9780593128503
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Del Rey - May 4th, 2021

El might be evil incarnate, but she's doing her darnedest not to be. This is a considerable challenge at a kill-or-be-killed wizarding boarding school. Tag along as El resists burning her wonderfully awful (or awfully wonderful) classmates to a crisp! 


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Vesper Flights By Helen MacDonald Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9780802158673
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Grove Press - July 13th, 2021

MacDonald is back! And she's discussing more than birds this time. While I didn't find all of her climate change-oriented essays necessarily revelatory, as always, her nature writing is exquisite. I especially appreciated the English context of her musings. This is an eloquent expression of awe and concern for the world around us. 


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Legendborn (The Legendborn Cycle #1) By Tracy Deonn Cover Image
$13.99
ISBN: 9781534441613
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Margaret K. McElderry Books - February 1st, 2022

Fans of the King Arthur legends, rejoice/beware! "Legendborn" turns these classic stories on their head. Take my advice: DON'T mess with Bree. But do read about her! She might be a bit reticent at first, but goodness, has she got a story to tell.


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Hurricane Season By Fernanda Melchor, Sophie Hughes (Translated by) Cover Image
By Fernanda Melchor, Sophie Hughes (Translated by)
$16.95
ISBN: 9780811230735
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: New Directions - October 6th, 2020

This book continued to haunt me weeks after I finished it, like some dark, lyrical cloud. Hurricane Season exists sharply in the present (the ways in which violence affects every sense; this prose will make you squirm) but is simultaneously outside of time, folkloric. Melchor’s writing is devastating and propulsive. As much as I sometimes wanted to, I could not put Hurricane Season down.


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Heart Berries: A Memoir By Terese Marie Mailhot Cover Image
$16.95
ISBN: 9781640091603
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Counterpoint - April 9th, 2019

The sort of book in which each word is sharp and deliberate. I can't say much more than that--Mailhot speaks for herself better than anyone else ever could.


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The Memory Police: A Novel By Yoko Ogawa, Stephen Snyder (Translated by) Cover Image
By Yoko Ogawa, Stephen Snyder (Translated by)
$17.00
ISBN: 9781101911815
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Vintage - July 28th, 2020

Ogawa grabs your gut and twists. "The Memory Police" is permeated with a sharp and constant sense of loss. At once quick-paced and ruminative, this book is a poignant reflection on individual and collective memory, and how these shape our senses of self, unique and shared. 


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Circe By Madeline Miller Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780316556323
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Back Bay Books - April 14th, 2020

A powerful reimagining of a classic Greek myth, Miller's smooth prose and obvious expertise in/love of Classical literature is on full display, as is her commitment to examining the treatment of women in these much-loved works. "Circe" tackles feminism, self-love, and what it means to be human. 


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Strange Practice (A Dr. Greta Helsing Novel) By Vivian Shaw Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780316434607
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Orbit - July 25th, 2017

Absolutely delightful! I love a no-nonsense career woman, especially when she’s thrown into a highly nonsensical mess. Evil monks, gentle ghouls, socially-awkward vampires, and a rather eldritch antagonist—Dr. Greta Helsing has a not inconsiderable list of things to deal with. She’ll let you come along for the ride, but keep in mind the state of her jalopy.


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I'm Not Dying with You Tonight By Kimberly Jones, Gilly Segal Cover Image
$10.99
ISBN: 9781728240237
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Sourcebooks Fire - September 7th, 2021

I read all in one go! This book had my heart racing from start to finish. Features alternating perspectives between resourceful and genuine young women. A timely narrative on race and protest, both in broader society and between/within individuals--AND a guaranteed read to raise your blood pressure!


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Folk Tales from Japan: Fables, Myths and Fairy Tales for Children By Florence Sakade, Yoshio Hayashi (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Florence Sakade, Yoshio Hayashi (Illustrator)
$14.99
ISBN: 9784805314722
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Tuttle Publishing - August 4th, 2020

An absolute favorite! I grew up on these stories--how great to have them all in one book! Memorable, silly, and packed with charming illustrations. Get it! Love it! Tell me which story you enjoyed most (and why it's "The Rolling Mochi Cakes")!


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My Autobiography of Carson McCullers: A Memoir By Jenn Shapland Cover Image
$16.95
ISBN: 9781951142292
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Tin House Books - January 5th, 2021

A fascinating exploration—as well as expiation, renunciation, and celebration—of the genres of biography and memoir through the lens of author-as-subject and subject-as-author. Shapland gives McCullers much-needed room to breathe and be while ruminating on the status of lesbians and their relationships within and without the literary world.


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The Factory By Hiroko Oyamada, David Boyd (Translated by) Cover Image
By Hiroko Oyamada, David Boyd (Translated by)
$13.95
ISBN: 9780811228855
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: New Directions - October 29th, 2019

Short and not at all sweet, Oyamada delves into Kafkaesque themes via clean, bristling prose. If you’re itching to get back into the office (circa COVID-19), The Factory will make you think twice. You may also find yourself watching the cormorants along the canal more closely.


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Once and Forever: The Tales of Kenji Miyazawa By Kenji Miyazawa, John Bester (Translated by) Cover Image
By Kenji Miyazawa, John Bester (Translated by)
$17.95
ISBN: 9781681372600
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: NYRB Classics - October 2nd, 2018

This is a magical book. Miyazawa (1896-1933) writes meandering fables that draw from traditional Japanese folklore while alluding to the challenges of a changing Japan. The moral lessons in these stories are not always clear--often it is Miyazawa's surreal voice, thoughtfuly retained by Bester, that leaves the most lasting impression. This is a book guaranteed to make you marvel at quiet things: a red blanket, telephone poles, a birch tree. Something to read slowly and revisit.


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Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption By Bryan Stevenson Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9780812984965
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: One World - August 18th, 2015

"There is no wholeness outside of our reciprocal humanity" (pg. 290). 

Stevenson's smooth and insightful prose makes an incredibly difficult subject highly readable. This book isn't just about criminal justice; it's about being a compassionate member of our complex and troubled US society. 


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She Would Be King: A Novel By Wayétu Moore Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9781644450017
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Graywolf Press - September 3rd, 2019

One of my favorite books of 2019. A beautiful and mysterious narrative voice. Moore covers witchcraft, colonialism, slavery, and nation-building through the eyes of deeply isolated, ultimately powerful characters. This book is at once wide-reaching, far-seeing, and heart-wrenchingly intimate. 


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Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead: A Novel By Olga Tokarczuk, Antonia Lloyd-Jones (Translated by) Cover Image
By Olga Tokarczuk, Antonia Lloyd-Jones (Translated by)
$18.00
ISBN: 9780525541349
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Riverhead Books - August 11th, 2020

Beautiful, odd, and deeply compelling. If you're looking for a thoughtful mystery for an animal lover, this is it. Forceful commentary on what it's like to be a woman, an elder, and--delightfully--an astrologer in an environment where these roles are discounted if not openly disparaged. Plus, the narrator's a kick! 


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Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb Series #1) By Tamsyn Muir Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781250313188
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Tordotcom - July 14th, 2020

A true romp! Action! Adventure! Space! Necromancy! Childhood acrimony turning into something more?? Gideon is a foul-mouthed, badass softie--a wise-cracking heroine who drags the reader along a wild ride. Read it, love it, wait for book two!


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American Birds: A Literary Companion By Andrew Rubenfeld (Editor), Terry Tempest Williams (Editor) Cover Image
$24.95
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ISBN: 9781598536553
Published: Library of America - March 10th, 2020

If birds are your thing, this is your book. Our feathery friends have always had something to teach us—now more than ever we can appreciate their resilience as well as their vulnerability. The eloquent admiration of naturalists, ornithologists, and poets has me reaching for my binoculars; take a page from their (this) book, go outside, and look up.


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White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide By Carol Anderson Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9781632864130
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Bloomsbury USA - September 5th, 2017

A careful and incisive chronology of the rollback of policies intended to bring about greater racial equality. Anderson clearly illustrates a pattern of knee-jerk racism and the enduring consequences this has had for American society


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H Is for Hawk By Helen MacDonald Cover Image
$16.00
ISBN: 9780802124739
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Grove Press - March 8th, 2016

I'll admit to loving most bird books, but I especially love THIS bird book. MacDonald is one of my favorite nature essayists, especially for how she acknowledges, appreciates, and then blurs the lines that separate humans from animals. 


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McGlue: A Novella By Ottessa Moshfegh Cover Image
$15.00
ISBN: 9780525522768
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Penguin Books - January 8th, 2019

A bitter, briny, bite-sized bit of madness. I desperately want to know what goes on in Moshfegh's head, but I'm also inclined to avoid her and McGlue at all costs.


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Convenience Store Woman By Sayaka Murata, Ginny Tapley Takemori (Translator) Cover Image
$16.00
ISBN: 9780802129628
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Grove Press - September 17th, 2019

A peculiar and memorable book. Keiko tests the limits of conformity and nonconformity, frequently to the discomfort of those around her. Her approach to the world demands you reevaluate yours. 


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Redwall: A Tale from Redwall By Brian Jacques, Gary Chalk (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Brian Jacques, Gary Chalk (Illustrator)
$9.99
ISBN: 9780142302378
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Firebird - September 30th, 2002

Warrior mice! Evil rats! Epic battles, legendary heroes, and a mystery from days long gone by. Read for adventure, coming of age, and for all the wonderful books that follow. Oh! and the BEST food writing!


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The Epic Crush of Genie Lo (A Genie Lo Novel) By F. C. Yee Cover Image
$9.99
ISBN: 9781419732096
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Amulet Paperbacks - June 25th, 2019

This book is definitely epic! Genie Lo--an authentic, exasperated, Chinese American teenager--tackles everything from SATs to demons to legendary heroes and gods. Fans of the ancient "Journey to the West" will get a kick out of this modern adaptation/twist--a journey to the West Coast, specifically San Francisco! 


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There Must Be More Than That! By Shinsuke Yoshitake Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9781452183220
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Chronicle Books - October 6th, 2020

If you're feeling bummed out abou the state of the world, take a page out of this girl's book! She's got some great ideas about the future--she's just the sort of thinker we need right now! (Especially if you're thinking about how you'd like your eggs for dinner.)


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The Nakano Thrift Shop: A Novel By Hiromi Kawakami, Allison Markin Powell (Translated by) Cover Image
$16.00
ISBN: 9781609453992
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Europa Editions - June 6th, 2017

Meandering plot and prose that captures the odd, frustrating, and episodic nature of day-to-day life. While realistic, this story is persistently charming and ultimately gentle. "Nakano Thrift Shop" is chock full of peculiar failures, triumphs, and people--pay them a visit, "you know what I mean?"


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The Song of Achilles: A Novel By Madeline Miller Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780062060624
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Ecco - August 28th, 2012

This portrait of Patroclus (Pa-tro-clus) and Achilles' relationship is carefully and lovingly rendered. Each character is given room to be flawed and to grow. As always, Miller's deep knowledge of the Classics shines through. A heartbreaking and heartwarming read.


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Maud and Grand-Maud By Sara O'Leary, Kenard Pak (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Sara O'Leary, Kenard Pak (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9780399554582
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Random House Books for Young Readers - August 18th, 2020

This charming book is as cozy as Maud and Grand-Maud's matching flannel nightgowns. If we can't have our own visits with Grand-Maud, we can make do enjoying Maud's.


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Margaret's Unicorn By Briony May Smith Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9781984896537
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Anne Schwartz Books - September 15th, 2020

A delightful story about chance encounters, friendship, and appreciating the time we (us and unicorns, obviously) have together. Features rolling hills, blustery weather, and unicorns that are sweet (but not overly so).


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Badger's Journey By Cecilia Heikkilä Cover Image
$18.95
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ISBN: 9781623719517
Published: Crocodile Books - September 1st, 2020

This book has everything I love: Badgers, boats, and an old grump who sets out on a seafaring adventure! Chase that horizon, Badger!


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The Invisible Library (The Invisible Library Novel #1) By Genevieve Cogman Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9781101988640
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Ace - June 14th, 2016

Featuring librarian/spy Irene, a steamy-punky London, unruly magic, and a powerful, interdimensional library. This book is pure page-turning fun. If you've ever needed affirmation that reading opens doors to new worlds, this is it. Plus, it's the first in an ongoing series, so the bookish excitement continues!


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The Bear and the Nightingale: A Novel (Winternight Trilogy #1) By Katherine Arden Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9781101885956
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Del Rey - June 27th, 2017

A frosty, surreal fairytale. Morally grey characters, Russian folklore, and prose lovely enough to give you chills. Perfect for cozying up in the winter and cooling off in the summer.


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Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams By Matthew Walker, PhD Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9781501144325
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Scribner - June 19th, 2018

Walker is great at explaining everything I'm doing wrong.


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The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth #1) By N. K. Jemisin Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780316229296
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Orbit - August 4th, 2015

Gritty and exciting, N.K. Jemisin doesn't pull any punches. I was absolutely captivated by the messy relationships people have with the land they inhabit and manipulate (often to terrifying ends). Fantasy that turns genre-typical tropes on their heads. If you're like me, you'll immediately buy the rest of the series!


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Gods of Jade and Shadow By Silvia Moreno-Garcia Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9780525620778
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Del Rey - February 18th, 2020

From the author of "Mexican Gothic"! A jazz-age adventure drawing from Mexican folklore. Quick-paced and pretty fun/light, especially for a story featuring a god (gods??) of death. 


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Kingdoms of Elfin By Sylvia Townsend Warner, Ingrid Hotz-Davies (Introduction by) Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781999944810
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Handheld Classics - October 31st, 2018

A truly peculiar collection. These stories are indifferent to your enjoyment of them--though you WILL enjoy them, disconcerting twists and all. Some turns of phrase were so surprising and delightful I went so far as to dog-ear, and I'm not the least bit ashamed.


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Mozart's Starling By Lyanda Lynn Haupt Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780316370905
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Little, Brown Spark - May 15th, 2018

Local author! Charming anecdotes! Musical history! What more could you ask for?? This book gave me a new appreciation for what I'd considered a "pest" bird. Hurrah!


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My First Day By Phùng Nguyên Quang, Huynh Kim Liên Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780593306260
Availability: Available - On our shelves now
Published: Make Me a World - February 16th, 2021

A young boy goes to school by boat! He's independent and eager to learn--and he's got things to teach us about his commute! Illustrations are bright, beautiful, and full of movement. 


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Where's Halmoni? (Halmoni & Family) By Julie Kim Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781632170774
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Little Bigfoot - October 3rd, 2017

Problem-solving siblings, fantastic facial expressions, and a snack-littered adventure--this story is a delight! See if YOU can find Halmoni first!


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My Journey By Akiko Miyakoshi, Akiko Miyakoshi (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Akiko Miyakoshi, Akiko Miyakoshi (Illustrator)
$16.99
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ISBN: 9781525304781
Published: Kids Can Press - March 3rd, 2020

This one really hit me. A little melancholic, a little hopeful, very lovely.


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The Wanderer By Peter Van den Ende Cover Image
$21.99
ISBN: 9781646140176
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Levine Querido - October 6th, 2020

Just SO, SO cool!! If intricate linework is your thing, this is your picture book.


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Something's Wrong!: A Bear, a Hare, and Some Underwear By Jory John, Erin Kraan (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Jory John, Erin Kraan (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9780374313883
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) - March 23rd, 2021

Something's wrong. But this little bear just cannot figure out what, and goodness, is the suspense getting to him. Features copious anxious babble, best friends, and some wonderfully wide-eyed blank stares. This book had the whole staff giggling! 


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Be a Tree! By Maria Gianferrari, Felicita Sala (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Maria Gianferrari, Felicita Sala (Illustrator)
$19.99
ISBN: 9781419744228
Availability: Available to order - Usually arrives at our store in 1-5 days
Published: Harry N. Abrams - March 30th, 2021

Beautiful and informative! If "The Hidden Life of Trees" were a picture book.