Now in Paperback - January 2014

Life After Life

by Kate Atkinson

"One of the best novels I've read this century. Kate Atkinson is a marvel. There aren't enough breathless adjectives to describe LIFE AFTER LIFE: Dazzling, witty, moving, joyful, mournful, profound." Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl

Love Water Memory

by Jennie Shortridge

"A wonderful book; lovely....just perfect."

Garth Stein, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain

A Tale for the Time Being

by Ruth Ozeki

“Nao, a suicidal Japanese girl, postpones her death as she grows closer to her 104-year-old great-grandmother, a Buddhist nun. Ruth, an American author with writer's block, discovers a diary washed ashore on her remote island in the Pacific Northwest. Ruth becomes obsessed with Nao and her diary, and readers will be drawn in as their stories intertwine. Ozeki's creatively constructed novel, complete with footnotes, Japanese characters, and appendices, will have readers marveling at the leaps in time and connection that bring the two women together in this witty, daring, and thoughtful novel.” Cheryl Krocker McKeon, Book Passage, San Francisco, CA

Tenth of December

by George Saunders

“Saunders' stories stretch the boundaries of reality, but his characters are often defined by their limits. He is a master satirist in top form with this collection, but his occasionally outlandish settings never overshadow the humanity of the men, women, and children struggling through each tale. These stories do all the things we hope good fiction will do: blow your mind and break your heart, make you laugh and make you think. They are the kind of stories I feel grateful for, that stick in my head and heart and make me want to be a better person.”  Jessica Stockton Bagnulo, Greenlight Bookstore, Brooklyn, NY

Book Review - The Orchardist

by Amanda Chopin

Books can be read and then be easily forgotten. This is not the case with The Orchardist by Amanda Chopin.

Initially, we are introduced to William Talmadge. He lives a quiet life in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains where he has lived since age nine. There are four constants in his life. The first is Caroline Middey, herbalist and midwife, to whom Talmadge entrusts some of his emotions. The second is Clee, a Nez Perce and horse wrangler, whose tribe stops by the valley each year to refresh their horses being taken to auction and to help harvest the fruit trees. The third constant is his mother and sister, Elsbeth. The fourth constant is the land and the fruit orchard which are the steadfast center of Talmadge’s being.

At age forty, his peaceful life is shattered by the appearance of two young girls at the edge of his orchard. They are filthy, hungry, and pregnant. His decision to help the girls, Jane and Della, triggers unexpected events and unintended consequences.  It also brings ghosts from the past that torment Talmadge and other characters in unforeseen ways.  

Amanda Chopin is a writer who scours the English language finding those words with a toughness when needed and a tenderness when appropriate. She explores complex relationships which might make the reader ponder why people forgive some but seek revenge on others. 

The book is a rewarding read. It can be intense at time, but it is well worth the effort.