en Copyright 2009, Powells.com Tue, 6 Jan 2009 01:40:27 PST Tue, 6 Jan 2009 01:40:27 PST webmaster@powells.com Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann. Bring your crafting supplies as we talk books and crafts the first Tuesday of each month. ]]> Religion Explained by Pascal Boyer. New members to the group are always welcome.]]> Food Fray: Inside the Controversy over Genetically Modified Food (AMACOM), esteemed molecular biologist Dr. Lisa H. Weasel brings readers into the center of the global debate over genetically modified foods, capturing the real-life experiences of the scientists, farmers, policymakers, and grassroots activists on the front lines. Seminal and cutting-edge, Food Fray will allow readers to make up their own minds about one of the most important issues facing us today.]]> The Story of Edgar Sawtelle with the winning energy of Water for Elephants, Molly Gloss's breakout novel The Hearts of Horses (Mariner Books) is a remarkable story about the connections between people and animals -- and how they touch one another in the most unexpected and profound ways. "[T]here isn't a false move in this poignant novel," hails the Washington Post, "which demonstrates as much insight into the hearts of men and women as into the hearts of horses."]]> Shadow of the Lords by Simon Levack. New members to the group are always welcome.]]> Livability (Bloomsbury) is a collection of rich, powerfully human stories from Portlander Jon Raymond, the author of The Half-Life and the movies Old Joy ("one of the finest American films of the year" -- New York Times) and Wendy and Lucy. Cheers Publishers Weekly, "These nine gorgeous stories from novelist and screenwriter Raymond find pallid Northwesterners testing the moral perimeters of their decent lives."]]> Beauty of the City (Oregon State University Press) is the first biography of this celebrated figure.]]> Handmade Nation (Princeton Architectural Press) features photographs of the makers, their work environments, their processes, their work, and discussions of how they got their start and what motivates them. This event is sponsored by the Museum of Contemporary Craft. Joining Levine are contributing writer, Susan Beal; featured artist, Jill Bliss; as well as the illustrator for the book, Kate Bingaman-Burt.]]> Lark and Termite (Knopf) is a rich, many-layered work. Set in the 1950s in West Virginia and Korea, it is a story of the power of loss and love, the echoing ramifications of war, family secrets, dreams, and ghosts, and the unseen, almost magical bonds that unite and sustain families. "Phillips creates a wrenching portrait of devotion while keeping the suspense at a palpitating level," hails Publishers Weekly (starred review).]]> Join us every other Tuesday for a fun and informal meeting with like-minded Mac geeks. Bring your questions and tips to share with the group. Tuesday the 13th, 6:30pm Powell’s Technical Books ]]> The One Thing Holding You Back (HarperCollins), Raphael Cushnir, a leading voice in the world of personal and professional development, reveals that whenever people aren't living their dreams it's because they're not yet willing and able to feel specific emotions related to those dreams. Once we access and understand these emotions, our dreams can and will come true. "Cushnir's genius lies in his compilation of easy-to-follow principles, highlighted core concepts, and key refinements," cheers Library Journal.]]> The Pride of Chanur from the Chanur Saga by C. J. Cherryh. New members to the group are always welcome. ]]> Fifty Miles from Tomorrow (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) is the inspiring true story of one man's quest to preserve and defend his people's "Ilitqusiat," or Native Spirit. "[T]he deep-rooted values and strength of the Inupiat people are what make this work truly sing," hails Publishers Weekly.]]> Run by Ann Patchett. New members to the group are always welcome.]]> The Invention of Air (Riverhead Books), bestselling author Steven Johnson (The Ghost Map) recounts the story of Joseph Priestley — scientist and theologian, protege of Benjamin Franklin — an 18th-century radical thinker who played pivotal roles in the invention of ecosystem science, the founding of the Unitarian Church, and the intellectual development of the U.S. "The Invention of Air succeeds like a shot of the purest oxygen," raves Publishers Weekly.]]> The Book of Unholy Mischief (Atria Books), Elle Newmark's transcendent debut, follows a penniless orphan in Renaissance Venice as he is swept up from the streets and into a world of immeasurable passion and power on a journey that leads not only to betrayal and mystery, but also to love. "[A] nicely told adventure yarn," praises Publishers Weekly.]]> How to Cook Everything and How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, comes Food Matters (Simon & Schuster), a plan for responsible eating that's as good for the planet as it is for your weight and your health. Cheaper, healthier, and socially sound, Food Matters represents the future of American eating. This event is cosponsored by Edible Portland.]]> Bop Grit Storm Cafe. Rodney Koeneke's second book of poems, Musee Mechanique, is a delightful record of the words in our heads. ]]> Spy Candy by Gina Robinson. New members to the group are always welcome. ]]> The Secret Currency of Love (William Morrow) an anthology of original essays that explores the fraught and powerful connection between two of the most driving forces in women's lives: love and money. Publishers Weekly proclaims, "This exceptionally honest and poignant collection deserves a place on the bookshelves of women of all ages, backgrounds, income, net worth levels and walks of life."]]> Far from You (Simon Pulse), Lisa Schroeder, author of I Heart You, You Haunt Me, delivers an emotionally charged tale of family, loss, and love poignantly told through verse.]]> Second Nature (University of Washington Press) teems with expertly realized lyrics, monologues, and narratives. Duet with Hummingbird (Ink & Paper Group) is award-winning poet Ana Callan's collection of poems that reflect on life and death within the construct of nature.]]> Bad Habits (Soft Skull Press), graphic artist Cristy Road embarks on an uncensored and largely autobiographical tour of an underground world, one full of wild characters and personal revolutions. Rhiannon Argo's first novel The Creamsicle (Bella Books) is a tale of grit and glam that follows the adventures of an adrenaline junkie tomboy named Georgie and her skateboard crew. Featuring her usual dose of vegan recipes, priceless moments, friendships, humor, fashion, and heart, Invincible Summer Volume II (Microcosm Publishing) collects issues #9-14 of Nicole Georges's comic and focuses around Nicole embarking on a long-term relationship.]]> Veeps (Top Shelf) tells the sordid, head-scratching, perversely entertaining stories of these men we've chosen to ride shotgun in the biggest rig in democracy. As we prepare to usher in a new VP, join us for an alternately hilarious and horrifying (but always illuminating) look back at past ones.]]> People of the Book (Penguin Books) is the "complex and moving" (New Yorker) novel by Pulitzer Prize winner Geraldine Brooks that follows a rare manuscript through centuries of exile and war. "As full of heart and curiosity as it is intelligence and judgment," hails the Boston Globe.]]> The English Patient, Janice Y. K. Lee's The Piano Teacher (Viking) is a gripping tale of love and betrayal set in war-torn Hong Kong. "[A] standout debut dealing with the rigors of love and survival during a time of war," cheers Publishers Weekly (starred review).]]> New York Times-bestselling author of The Killing Spree and The Last Victim, comes Final Breath (Pinnacle), a riveting new thriller in which a serial killer hunts down heroes and takes their lives in the same way they have saved others. ]]> In Shade and Shadow (Roc) Wynn Hygeorht has returned to the Guild of Sagecraft, bearing texts supposedly penned by vampires from the time of the Forgotten History and the Great War. Suspicious of the Guild, Wynn embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of the texts. The Hendee's bestselling Noble Dead saga is "one of those [series] for which the term dark fantasy was definitely intended" -- Chronicle. ]]> Nickel and Dimed and Bait and Switch, Adam Shepard offers Scratch Beginnings (Collins), a compelling and inspiring work of investigative journalism in which the author sets out to see if someone who starts with nothing can still achieve the American Dream. ]]> Unjust Deserts (New Press) demonstrates that up to 90 percent of current economic output derives from society's collective inheritance. Gar Alperovitz and Lew Daly argue that there is no reason any one person should be entitled to that inheritance. "[D]eeply informed and carefully argued study of the social and historical factors that enter into creative achievement," praises Noam Chomsky.]]> My Private War (Pegasus) is Bussel's searing and honest story of his battle with PTSD, a battle that speaks to the hearts and minds of veterans of all wars who find themselves with liberated bodies but captive minds.]]> Getting Ghost (New Press) is a bracing and original analysis of the forces that shape their world, by a rising young scholar. "Not just illustrative and emotive, this pummeling, immersive social text is grounded in street-level reportage and seeded with wisdom," hails Kirkus Reviews.]]> The Tyranny of Dead Ideas (Times Books), leading political and business thinker Matt Miller offers a unique blend of business-world acumen and public-policy vision to lay bare how conventional wisdom holds America back. Miller introduces a new way of thinking — what he calls "tomorrow's destined ideas" — to reinvigorate the economy.]]> Join us every other Tuesday for a fun and informal meeting with like-minded Mac geeks. Bring your questions and tips to share with the group.]]> Plan C by Pat Murphy. New members to the group are always welcome.]]> Your Money or Your Life was first published in 1992, the book struck a chord with readers who appreciated its message of how to live well for less. A revised edition arrives at a time of economic crisis, when many of us are struggling to pay mortgages and pay off credit cards while simultaneously weathering layoffs and diminishing financial portfolios. Regardless of whether you are in debt or whether you have savings, you can embark on the road to financial independence and finally begin to make a life, rather than just make a living. Coauthor Mark Zaifman will be in attendance.]]> Reform at Victory (Pizan Media) is a nonfiction account of author Michele Ulriksen's harrowing experience in an unlicensed/unregulated fundamentalist Baptist reform school, where the only way home is full conformity. She spends one full year at the locked-down facility, which is located in the California desert. ]]> The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. New members to the group are always welcome.]]> Chocolat and Like Water for Chocolate, Erica Bauermeister's The School of Essential Ingredients (Putnam) is a gorgeously written novel about life, love, and the magic of food. Eight students gather in Lillian's Restaurant every Monday night for cooking class. It soon becomes clear, however, that each one seeks a recipe for something beyond the kitchen. "[A] remarkable debut," proclaims Publishers Weekly. "[C]ertain to satisfy."]]> What Every American Should Know about the Middle East (Plume Books) gives a crash course on one of the most complex and important regions of the world. In this highly informative and entertaining reference book, Rossi offers a clear analysis of the issues playing out in the Middle East, delving into each country's history, politics, economy, and religions.]]> Broken for You, Stephanie Kallos established herself as a writer of uncommon "wisdom and soulfulness" (Sue Monk Kidd). Sing Them Home (Atlantic Monthly Press) is a magnificent tapestry of lives connected and undone by tragedy, lives poised — unbeknownst to the characters — for redemption. "[A] fresh, invigorating novel," cheers Library Journal (starred review).]]> The Well-Dressed Ape (Random House) is an engaging and informative field guide to that oddest and yet most fascinating of primates: the human. "Holmes makes the scientific personal in prose that is juicy and humorous," cheers Publishers Weekly (starred review). ]]>