tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73586882785113388772024-03-14T04:37:28.516-07:00Third Place BlogThird Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.comBlogger412125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-77316678289592847222017-07-24T10:24:00.000-07:002017-07-24T10:24:45.069-07:00I Think You Forgot Something : William Giraldi<div style="text-align: justify;">
In 2012 the New York Times Sunday Book Review published a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/19/books/review/inside-and-signs-and-wonders-by-alix-ohlin.html">very negative (and very hilarious) front-page evisceration</a> of two works by a young, largely unknown fiction writer. The review sparked much debate and launched a thousand tweets about what a book review can or should do. Condemned for being "mean", a descriptor that I personally feel criticism should never pay heed nor extend an ounce of patience, William Giraldi's scathing summation of a novel and collection of stories by Alix Ohlin ruffled many feathers, albeit almost entirely of the twee, "lives in Brooklyn" variety.</div>
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Whether you agree with the review or not, it is inarguably the epitome of modern criticism: it entertains, it informs, and it ultimately saves the savvy reader time, effort, and money. In lambasting Ohlin with dazzling verbosity and originality, he accidentally adds insult to injury with prose that upstages his subject's. In just a handful of columns, he manages to wield his own talents in a way that destroys Ohlin's chances of enduring while cementing his own.</div>
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What is most powerful in the review is the obvious chasm in capabilities between reviewer and reviewed - when passages of the examined works are framed by Giraldi's crackling and lacerating wit, they become all the more washed out and painfully flat. </div>
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Ohlin:</div>
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“Nobody could look their best when lying in a hospital bed after a car accident.”</div>
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Giraldi:</div>
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"When self pity colludes with self-loathing and solipsism backfires into idealism, the only outcome is insufferable schmaltz."</div>
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Nice? Not really. More accomplished? Clearly. What bothered me most about the ensuing debate was not the lack of authenticity from the angry villagers demand for artificial, folded-hands pleasantry in a book review (which certainly rankles) but, selfish bookseller that I am, that the backlash overshadowed Giraldi's utterly brilliant debut novel, published in hardcover the year prior.</div>
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The kind of first novel both reader and writer dream about, <i><b><a href="https://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780393342932">Busy Monsters</a></b></i> is an intelligent, entertaining yarn whose premise nods to the familiar mythologies of fiction we know, love and yearn to experience again. It is a hero's journey narrated by a broken-hearted narcissist in search of the giant squid that is the heart's desire of his heart's desire. With a protagonist that reads like an Odysseus raised on Mad Magazine and Gawker, it is a novel that proudly recognizes it is slapstick while achieving what high comedy rarely does in in fiction: generates chuckles without feeling broad or dopey. Even when Bigfoot makes a cameo.</div>
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With seemingly no interest in the theory of lightning striking twice, his sophomore effort, <i><b><a href="https://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781631490422">Hold the Dark</a></b></i>, is as enormous a departure as Giraldi could take. The ribaldry and humor of <i>Busy Monsters</i> is replaced by a violent moodiness and sense of dread more in line with Cormac McCarthy than <i>A Confederacy of Dunces</i>. Murder, revenge and a feral landscape all feature prominently but never bog the book down into any genre tropes. In an interview around the time of <i>Hold the Dark</i>'s publication, Giraldi said that all worthwhile literature strives to be religion, that it intends to outlive its creator and endure all trends and fads that rear their heads in its wake and it was that soundbite that informed my reading of <i>Hold the Dark</i>. I felt beholden to the book and its holy trinity of atmosphere, plot and tone, each so engrossing I was held in what can only be described as reverence. </div>
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Giraldi's third book, published this past year by W.W. Norton, sees him reaching even further. On paper, a coming-of-age memoir about bodybuilding and motorcycles interests me only slightly more than a 200-page history of the socks you're wearing. Knowing Giraldi and his otherworldly rapturous prose, though, there was really no choice but to give <i><b><a href="https://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781631492938">The Hero's Body</a></b></i> at least ninety pages of my time. Lo and behold, while the muscle and motor are the narrative's tent poles it is far more than this: it is a moving examination of a soul's evolution, one that searches for a balance and reason. Not just in a flat, presumptuous summary of gender division but by subjectively exploring the fallacies and many stripes of masculinity outside textbook definition:</div>
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The psychodynamics are not hard to untie: the vauntingly masculine and competitive are always trying to silence that inner whisper saying You're not man enough. It didn't occur to them, as it never occurred to my adolescent self, that a ranting masculinity is often the inverse of what it purports to be... The male bodybuilder and the female anorexic are equal through opposite manifestations of steady social arm-twisting. Women will be thin, men will be muscular, or both will be nobody.</blockquote>
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What I find most striking is his ability to take such a seemingly surreal, typically caricatural world and translate it into one of pragmatic contemplation. </div>
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Much of my life I have been (all in good jest, I'm sure) given a hard time for my concentration on art that concerns itself with the interior lives of women; rarely finding myself drawn to work that focuses on the traditional male perspective. Plots or writers that emphasize overt boyishness or even remotely imply machismo tend to make me roll my eyes so hard my mother's voice rings in my ears: "One day they're going to get stuck like that." </div>
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My matronly tastes is in direct opposition of all this bombastic masculinity Giraldi's jacket copy implies and what, quite honestly, on paper looks like plain old white maleness more synonymous with Kurt Vonnegut or Tom Robbins than I can usually stomach. But maybe it is just that: Giraldi's prose, an award-worthy mixture of punch and good old-fashioned lyricism, illuminates some strange corner of my psyche that when lit, like the protagonist of <i>Busy Monsters</i>, I find myself attracted to something that repulses me and discover it actually provides comfort in a surprising, unexpected way. </div>
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The books vacillate wildly in tone and provide that comfort I seek in a book. Boiled down to the simplest of meanings, they are each about the things for which we all search: love, justice, meaning itself. And great literature.</div>
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-Wes</div>
Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01896002751742106521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-19498069913163431772017-06-20T19:56:00.002-07:002017-06-20T20:00:17.728-07:00Read Your Feelings<div style="text-align: justify;">
How are you feeling these days? Tired, maybe? Frustrated? Anxious? Yeah, we get that! 2017 has been the Voldemort to 2016's Dolores Umbridge. Or the Milo Minderbinder to 2016's Captain Black, if you prefer. Not to put too dramatic a spin on it, but the effects of political turmoil can be felt on every level, and we are right there with you.</div>
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Whether you're feeling confused, exasperated, determined, or in need of solace and hope, it's clear that people continue to turn to books for answers and inspiration, and remind us of the value of compassion and resilience. Booksellers at all of our stores can attest that we've been getting a much higher number of book recommendation requests for books that might conceivably answer big questions like "how?" and "why?" and "how can we fix this?".</div>
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More specifically, we've also heard questions like:</div>
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"Do you have any books on community or grassroots organizing?"</div>
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"I feel like there's so much that's been going on and I want to catch up. What should I read?"</div>
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"I'm looking for a book about how to get involved in local politics."</div>
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"The news cycle is exhausting. Do you have suggestions on how to pay attention and not get worn out?"</div>
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These are important questions, and we will always do our best to put books in your hands that will address them. (Psst: have you seen <a href="http://www.phinneybooks.com/resist-list/">Phinney Books' Resist List</a>?) Some books have been leaping off our shelves and onto our bestseller lists already, from Michelle's Alexander's powerful <i><b>The New Jim Crow</b></i> to Margaret Atwood's <b><i>The Handmaid's Tale</i></b> to Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor's <i><b>From <a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781608465620">#BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation</a></b></i>. Below is a list of titles that we've been recommending lately.</div>
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This wasn't an easy book to stomach, but an absolutely necessary read, especially given these times when history seems insistent on repeating itself. <b>-Avery</b></div>
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<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781609805395">A is for Activist</a></b></i> by Innosanto Nagara</div>
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Start 'em young. - Lish</div>
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<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780451531841">Communist Manifesto</a></b></i> - Marx & Engels</div>
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Advocacy for social justice without consideration of class dynamics is hollow! Just as it would be without consideration of race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, etc. An obvious point of introduction to leftist cultural theory and very much still relevant today. - James</div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/448/759/9781576759448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="320" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/448/759/9781576759448.jpg" width="213" /></a><b><i><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781576759448">Trauma Stewardship</a></i></b> by Laura van Deernoot Lipsky with Connie Burk</div>
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Getting out into communities where things are happening is important to understanding and building movements... and things like crises, oppression and fear can be traumatizing. If someone is going to place themselves out there and interact with others' "pain, crises and suffering" it is important to have smart emotional boundaries and know what personal trauma looks like. This book helps someone recognize effects of internalized trauma and move towards healthy behaviors so that the work (their work!) can continue on. <b>- Garrett</b></div>
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This IS a really crucial book if you experience secondhand trauma because of your work (with a vulnerable population, with a volatile one, with straight up human misery, WHATEVER). I've been able to hear Laura speak twice now because of my old job, and she is amazing. I second Garrett's recommendation. <b>- Anje</b></div>
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<b><i><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780394713519">Women, Race, and Class</a></i></b> by Angela Davis</div>
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This book is an excellent crash course for anyone who hasn't felt the need to get involved in activism, until now. Angela Davis has a way of explaining the history, and significance of civil rights and social justice movements in a way that makes it crystal clear how these things intersect, and how and why to get involved in the ongoing struggle for freedom. <b>- Haiden</b></div>
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<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316315432">When We Rise</a></b></i> by Cleve Jones</div>
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[This book] is super great! It's about Jones' experience with the gay rights movement starting right before the AIDS crisis up to now. Has a lot of information on how he got involved, what he did to help, and Harvey Milk's strategies for protesting. <b>- Courtney</b></div>
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<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780805202410">Illuminations </a></b></i>- Walter Benjamin</div>
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Benjamin was a Jewish cultural critic who died very young while attempting to escape the Nazi regime. His essay "The Work of Art in the Age of Its Mechanical Reproduction" is worth the price of admission alone-- it assesses the ways in which technological advancement expedited the rise of fascism in culture. Benjamin argues that fascism is a cultural phenomenon as much as a political one, and proposes a radical shift in the consciousness of art-makers as one condition for a Communist challenge of a fascist culture. Also, his notes on the philosophy of history are important for conceptualizing the experience of long-term oppression from the perspective of the marginalized. <b>- James</b></div>
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<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780807737002">The Long Haul: An Autobiography</a></b></i> by Myles Horton.</div>
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I read this book years ago and was struck by Mr. Horton's respect for the communities he was active with and his understanding of anger as a source of energy that can cause destruction, be diluted to ineffectiveness, or used as powerful fuel for social change. He understood social change as something to be engaged in for the long haul, a point of view I find comforting. Per Wikipedia, Myles Horton was an American educator, socialist and co-founder of the Highlander Folk School, famous for its role in the Civil Rights Movement. Horton taught and heavily influenced most of the era's leaders.<b>- Dana</b></div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/843/351/9781849351843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="262" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/843/351/9781849351843.jpg" width="130" /></a><i><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781849351843">Against Equality: Queer Revolution, Not Mere Inclusion</a></b></i> edited by Ryan Conrad</i></div>
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This anthology of essays (gathered from writing across 2005 - 2012) destroyed some of my knee-jerk preconceptions about how safe, accountable communities are built. Some of the included essays dive into how state-reliant justice systems and laws intended to protect the vulnerable entrench criminality and retribution (often for profit) instead of restoration; others examine how many of the big-name civil rights victories for LGBT communities in the last half-century are centered around inclusion in organizations that have historically existed to control and destroy those same communities. This is a book that helps identify some of the contemporary mechanisms working to maintain oppression in our supposedly more liberal, learned 21st century.<b>- Christina</b></div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/827/515/9780147515827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="320" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/827/515/9780147515827.jpg" width="212" /></a><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780147515827">Brown Girl Dreaming</a></b></i> by Jacqueline Woodson</div>
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Hope and change start with stepping outside of ourselves and being open to the experiences of others. Brown Girl Dreaming is a collection of memories from Jacqueline Woodson's childhood in the south during the sixties. Written in verse, these small but powerful snap shots have stayed with me and have had a powerful effect. This important book is not just for kids! <b>- Patti H.</b></div>
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<b>But we're naturally circumscribed by our own experiences, learning, and access, and there's a lot we don't know! So when we meet a recommendation request for such a broad and complex issue, the best thing we can do is share knowledge and ask for the same. Tell us in the comments: what have YOU been reading lately to situate yourself in America in 2017? What has inspired, consoled, or taught you something valuable lately?</b><br />
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-Christina</div>
Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-8219395250117861992017-05-12T14:30:00.000-07:002017-05-12T14:31:07.948-07:00Books for Mom!<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's the Friday before Mother's Day and wait, you haven't gotten a gift for Mom yet? Have no fear, for Third Place Books is here with a book for every kind of Mom*. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062658807">The Little Book of Hygge</a></b></i> by Meik Wiking</span></div>
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It's pretty, it's small, and basically a guidebook to making life feel like an Ikea catalog. Yes, I know they're Swedish, not Danish, but you gotta admit, they've got very similar aesthetics.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781476785066">What Comes Next and How to Like It</a></b></i> by Abigail Thomas</span></div>
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A memoir of steadfast friendship, motherhood, creativity, and memory told in short, witty vignettes. For the Moms who are looking for empathetic companionship on page.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632170422">Weed: The User's Guide</a></b></i> by David Schmader</span></div>
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Don't let your Mom be like my Mom-in-law. (She was convinced to spend $800 on pot and pot-related equipment that she most certainly did not need.)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781501160769">Beartown</a></b></i> by Fredrik Backman</span></div>
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The newest book by the author of <i>A Man Called Ove</i>, <i>Britt-Marie Was Here</i>, and <i>My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry</i>. If your Mom liked any of those, this is a no-brainer. And don't forget, you can meet Fredrik Backman at our Lake Forest Park store on June 12th. <a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/event/fredrik-backman-beartown">Click here for more information.</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780735211209">Into the Water</a></b></i> by Paula Hawkins </span></div>
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For the Moms who loved <i>Girl on the Train</i>. A psychological thriller that'll pull her away from re-watching those episodes of Law & Order: SVU because ohgodisn'tthereanythingbettertowatchonNetflix???</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632861016">Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?</a></b></i> by Roz Chast</span></div>
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A humorous graphic-memoir about the absurdities of old age, dealing with parents during their absurd years of old age, and the relationship between parent and child throughout it all by The New Yorker Roz Chast.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780143127819">Blue Horses: Poems </a></b></i>by Mary Oliver </span></div>
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C'mon. It's Mary Oliver. You can't go wrong.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781579655976">In the Company of Women</a></b></i> by Grace Bonney</span></div>
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An empowering collection of encouragement and wisdom from successful and influential women across the globe. For the ambitious Mom.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250119889">You Are Here: An Owner's Manual for Dangerous Minds</a></b></i> by Jenny Lawson</span></div>
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Yes, I had to include a coloring book in this list, but this isn't your average-Joan coloring book - Jenny Lawson's includes short stories and words of inspiration coupled with intricate illustrations and her usual sharp wit, all based off of Jenny's own anxieties.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781101906750">The Chilbury Ladies' Choir</a></b></i> by Jennifer Ryan</span></div>
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A community of women band together to keep life going through the troubles of WWII, including the reformation of the local choir with only women. A charming historical novel best served with breakfast-in-bed and a steaming cup of tea.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Not guaranteed, husband speculation only. I've been told I'm spot on with gift giving, though.</span></div>
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-Avery</div>
Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-65718172771125416662017-05-04T09:48:00.000-07:002017-05-04T09:48:24.060-07:00A Man Called Fredrick Has a New Book Called Beartown!<div style="text-align: justify;">
Last week, Fredrick Backman released his latest title, <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781501160769">Beartown</a></b></i>. It follows his hugely successful A <i>Man Called Ove</i>, <i>Britt-Marie Was Here</i>, and <i>My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry</i>, </div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/833/139/9781594139833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/833/139/9781594139833.jpg" width="129" /></a><i>A Man Called Ove</i> has been a book club staple and staff favorite since its release. Emily says this: </div>
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<i>In Ove's ideal world, everyone would follow the rules, act with integrity at all times, and drive a Saab. Unfortunately, the rest of the world has other ideas. Hilarious, heart-wrenching, and a little absurd, this novel won me over on the first page. The short chapters make this the perfect book to keep in your bag for spare moments in the waiting room or on the bus.</i> </blockquote>
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About <i>Beartown</i> she says:</div>
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<i>No detail is superfluous in this portrait of a small forest town and the young hockey team that feels the weight of its collective hopes and fears. Love and loyalty to place, friends, and family are tested when a rift opens in the community. Even those who would stay out of the fight unwittingly take sides.</i></blockquote>
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<a href="http://d28hgpri8am2if.cloudfront.net/tagged_assets/2616893/411545926_th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="http://d28hgpri8am2if.cloudfront.net/tagged_assets/2616893/411545926_th.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a>And next month, we are so pleased to welcome Fredrick Backman to Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park. He will be here to read and sign books on Monday, June 20th at 7:00PM. This is a ticketed event. Tickets are available with a purchase of the book. Each copy of <i>Beartown</i> includes entrance for two people. If you would like to attend, you must have a ticket to enter. You can purchase books and tickets from our website, or by calling or visiting any Third Place Books location. <a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/event/fredrik-backman-beartown">Find more information here.</a></div>
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<b><i>Beartown</i></b> by Fredrick Backman</div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/769/160/9781501160769.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/769/160/9781501160769.jpg" width="208" /></a>People say Beartown is finished. A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing ground to the ever encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today. Their junior ice hockey team is about to compete in the national semi-finals, and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys. </div>
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Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semi-final match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected. <i>Beartown</i> explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain. In this story of a small forest town, Fredrik Backman has found the entire world.</div>
Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-8852921028924738482017-04-18T15:05:00.000-07:002017-04-18T15:05:55.419-07:00New Arrivals!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today's staff must-read new book isn't exactly new, but it was a successful debut novel last year and it just came out in paperback last week. The follow up novel, <i><b>Domina</b></i>, also comes out in July, so we thought it would be a good time to bring this book to your attention. (It's also been optioned for film, if that's a factor for you.)</div>
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Reviewers loved <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780399184277">Maestra</a></b></i> and Hilton was immediately compared to the likes of Patricia Highsmith, Stieg Larsson, and Gillian Flynn. In fact, it was touted as being a sort of <i>Gone Girl/The Talented Mr. Ripley</i> meets <i>50 Shades of Grey</i>. Smart, funny, compelling, and fast-paced, this book is compulsively readable. Wes, from our Lake Forest Park location, loved it so much he read parts of it to me while I was trying to eat my lunch. </div>
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Here's what he has to say about <i>Maestra</i>:</div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/277/184/9780399184277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/277/184/9780399184277.jpg" width="133" /></a>Listen. It's flashy. It's a little trashy. It's so gratuitous (and occasionally heartless) you might get a little rashy. But as someone who grew up obsessed with the silly lavishness of Dynasty and Lace these are all selling points. It's getting hot outside and a little decadence never killed anyone (summer isn't exactly the right time for The Decalogue, you know?). The character's slow, tawdry, expensive descent into psychopathy had me blushing, balking and laughing out loud. Maybe not Hilton's intention, but the low-throttle maniac she has created here wouldn't hold it against me. -Wes</div>
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Time to pick up this page-turner before<b><i> Domina</i></b> comes out in July!</div>
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-LishThird Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-33948138070594053462017-04-10T19:24:00.000-07:002017-04-10T22:10:42.606-07:00The Art of Independent Bookstore Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOuhyphenhyphennEOKO5XWYDgbGSM9DUJOWXSXwnvkX7xfPl-zTUxsg4fSuj0lymf9uwD8aeWxF6QcClLEgvxdeXyhXZFyAg7C6LlVTJrXQ1HwNspvbL_BD2AON18GZbIeN4bAovjmqpaKGUrKCVjD3/s1600/Indie+Bookstore+Day+map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOuhyphenhyphennEOKO5XWYDgbGSM9DUJOWXSXwnvkX7xfPl-zTUxsg4fSuj0lymf9uwD8aeWxF6QcClLEgvxdeXyhXZFyAg7C6LlVTJrXQ1HwNspvbL_BD2AON18GZbIeN4bAovjmqpaKGUrKCVjD3/s320/Indie+Bookstore+Day+map.jpg" width="207" /></a><br />
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Independent Bookstore Day is just around the corner (Saturday, April 29th!) and we've been busily preparing for all the fun. But Third Place's own in-house graphic designer, Stephen Crowe, has been extra busy with some special Seattle-specific Indie Bookstore Day projects. He's designing this year's Seattle Independent Bookstore Day Challenge Map, and he's also working on a lovely Insignia Print that will feature all of Seattle's favorite bookstores.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/event/independent-bookstore-day-0">Click here for more information on Independent Bookstore Day.</a></b></div>
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And read on for our interview with the artist!</div>
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<b>What is your art background?</b></div>
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<a href="https://scontent-sea1-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/17662119_1674871006148603_2399238709447753728_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://scontent-sea1-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/17662119_1674871006148603_2399238709447753728_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>I graduated in English, but the year after my graduation I started a project to illustrate every page of by <b><i><a href="http://www.wakeinprogress.com/">Finnegan's Wake</a> </i></b>James Joyce. Needless to say, I never finished, but I developed a small following of passionate nerds on the Internet, and in 2014 I was commissioned by a (very very very) small press to illustrate a new edition of <b><i><a href="http://www.deselbypress.com/dubliners/">Dubliners</a></i></b>. After that, I started to focus more on comics, especially an ongoing story called <i><b><a href="http://thecity.invisibledot.net/">The City</a></b></i> that I make with my wife, Melanie Amaral.</div>
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<b>How did you come to work at Third Place Books and what does your job entail?</b></div>
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After I finished the <i>Dubliners</i> job, I realised that I couldn't make enough money to live on illustration alone. I'd loved Third Place ever since I'd first come to the States from the UK in 2004. After twice missing the opportunity to apply, I began obsessively checking Craigslist for openings until one finally came up. I'm a general bookseller in charge of the poetry, essays, reference and bargains sections, but I've also become the store's unofficial in-house designer, responsible for the website, posters and displays, bookmarks, shelf talkers and whatever else needs to look like something.</div>
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<b>What was your inspiration for the look and colors of the 2017 Seattle Bookstore Day passports?</b></div>
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I did the map in a digital "cut-out" style that I like to use. Initially I tried to avoid going green, because last year's map was green. But this is the Emerald City, so there's no getting away from it. The other colours I tried looked like a band-aid, apparently, so it's hard to deny we're better off.</div>
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<b>Why do you think Seattle Bookstore Day is important to our community?</b></div>
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There are so many great bookstores in this area, and each plays such an important part in reflecting and maintaining the culture of its community. Customers tell me all the time how much they appreciate our store, and it's wonderful that there's a day to celebrate that appreciation. Especially in These times, an independent bookstore represents so many things that are absolutely vital: a strong local economy, literacy and free expression, and a community gathering together for companionship and the exchange of ideas.</div>
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<b>Have you celebrated Seattle Bookstore Day in previous years? If so, what did you experience?</b></div>
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My first Seattle Bookstore Day was last year, and I was at work! It was a really fun, celebratory atmosphere, and the cake was delicious. I'll make sure I'm there for the cake.</div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/344/240/9781925240344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/344/240/9781925240344.jpg" width="128" /></a><b>What is your favorite book (or a great book you have read recently)?</b></div>
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I find it impossible to choose one favourite book, but maybe the one that I think about the most lately is <b><i><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781925240344">How To Be Happy</a></i></b>, a beautiful and emotionally raw collection of short comics by Eleanor Davis (published by Fantagraphics!).</div>
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<b>Other than Third Place Books, what are some of your favorite local bookstores?</b></div>
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Elliott Bay has a very friendly atmosphere, and my son loves to read in the castle. I read a lot of comics, so if I go to south Seattle and don't pop into Fantagraphics, it feels like a wasted journey. I go to the University Bookstore for my art supplies. And the Neverending Bookshop is a really cute little bookstore in Bothell opened by one of our former Third Place co-workers.</div>
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<b>Tell me more about your bookstore insignia project for Seattle Bookstore Day.</b></div>
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I was asked to make some kind of commemorative print for the occasion, in the style of the bookstore-intersection illustrations that <a href="http://kevincannonart.tumblr.com/post/132526121368/the-minnesota-bookstores-poster-is-available-for">Kevin Cannon did for Minnesota bookstores</a>. I'm a big fan of Kevin Cannon, so I was more than usually keen to avoid the possibility of comparison! I hit on the "insignia" idea from looking at old national park patches, and it's been a lot of fun to try to represent each store's individuality in patch form.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEsyjrgFzAdjup-aqn5k1oru8NYRQuQq-2pb1ABusJOyE5LT47Fuye2_BRfCW8rowYNeIkEQ8X-zZtesVB3gnI0qoj8_7YDvMioZ953qGVUp8pBk0IcZte1tr6jMoiKaY4XTS6RNXPtUZ/s1600/insignia.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEsyjrgFzAdjup-aqn5k1oru8NYRQuQq-2pb1ABusJOyE5LT47Fuye2_BRfCW8rowYNeIkEQ8X-zZtesVB3gnI0qoj8_7YDvMioZ953qGVUp8pBk0IcZte1tr6jMoiKaY4XTS6RNXPtUZ/s1600/insignia.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"></a><a href="http://www.invisibledot.net/" style="text-align: left;">Click here for more on Stephen's designs and illustrations.</a></div>
Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-13708333574825373112017-04-08T18:01:00.001-07:002017-04-08T18:01:53.610-07:00New and Upcoming Graphica<div style="text-align: justify;">
2017 has not given me a lot to look forward to. Nonetheless, even as chaos rages all around, books are still being written and published. And that gives me little glimmer of hope for what’s to come. Here are some of my most anticipated adult graphica recently or soon to be released! </div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/858/993/9781942993858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/858/993/9781942993858.jpg" width="146" /></a></div>
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Junji Ito is a Japanese manga artist best known for his dark, disturbing works <a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781421561325" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Uzumaki</a> and <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781421579153">Gyo</a></i>. His newest manga, <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781942993858">Dissolving Classroom</a></b></i>, follows two cursed siblings, the older brother who is possessed by the devil, and the younger sister, who’s just plain evil. Wherever the two go, trouble seems to follow, as it weaves together stories sure to haunt you.</div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/361/300/9781534300361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/361/300/9781534300361.jpg" width="208" /></a>Lottie Person, aka <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781534300361">Snotgirl</a></b></i>, is a fashion blogger whose life looks like a dream online, but is pretty much a hot mess. She is surrounded by fake friends, keeps running into her ex, has a flowing river of snot and tears for a face (thanks allergies), and has to live with her own, honestly, terrible personality. To top it all off she seems to be teetering on the edge of a breakdown. <i>Snotgirl</i> is sure to be another great read from Scott Pilgrim creator, Bryan Lee O’Malley. </div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/514/300/9781534300514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/514/300/9781534300514.jpg" width="131" /></a>Jim Zub won me over hard with his ongoing series, <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632151735">Wayward</a></b></i>, and I’ve been waiting for <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781534300514">Glitterbomb</a></b></i> to come out in trade paperback for what seems like ages. Horror meets Hollywood in this comic, as the dark side of the entertainment industry is personified in this chilling read.</div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/461/725/9781626725461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/461/725/9781626725461.jpg" width="139" /></a>Cass Elliot was the astounding singer who formed The Mamas and the Papas, but is unfortunately known more for her untimely death and the false urban legends surrounding it. Penelope Bagieu explores Mama Cass’ life before hitting it big, giving this talented woman the story she deserves. If you’ve never belted out “Make Your Own Kind of Music” at the top of your lungs, hopefully <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781626725461">California Dreamin’</a></b></i> will inspire you to do so. </div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/606/300/9781534300606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/606/300/9781534300606.jpg" width="208" /></a><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781534300606"><i><b>Saga volume 7</b></i></a> may be the title I’m anticipating most this coming year. Me and everyone else in the world. If you haven’t picked up this amazing story, you’re missing out. Be sure to catch up before April, because Saga truly lives up to its name.</div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/867/557/9781616557867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/867/557/9781616557867.jpg" width="130" /></a>I have to be honest, I’m not really a fan of superheroes. That being said, I am a fan of</div>
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<a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/search/site/Jeff%20Lemire"><b>Jeff Lemire</b></a> (<i>Sweet Tooth</i>, <i>Descender</i>), as well as narratives about outcasts. I’m pretty pumped to read <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781616557867">Black Hammer</a></b></i>, the story of a group of superheroes living a rural, farm-town lifestyle after being written out of their own timeline.</div>
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Now, more than ever, is a time we need to be non-compliant. In a not-so-distant future, women who do not comply with their roles in life (being mild and submissive wives and daughters to men) are imprisoned and reprogrammed on a lonely piece of rock floating through space dubbed “Bitch Planet”. After hopes have been crushed in the last volume, I think we can all relate to the characters in <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632157171">Bitch Planet Volume 2</a></b></i> who will surely be saying, “no more”. </div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/737/154/9781501154737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/737/154/9781501154737.jpg" width="156" /></a><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781501154737">Trust No Aunty</a></b></i> is Bollywood meets pop art in the best way possible. Maria Qamar’s experiences as a Pakistani-born Canadian are brought to life in her vivid, pointed, and often hilarious paintings. I can’t wait to sit down and absorb her artwork in book-form.</div>
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-Ashley</div>
Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-25253227581211519542017-04-05T11:20:00.000-07:002017-04-05T11:32:18.578-07:00Laini Taylor's Latest<div style="text-align: justify;">
We love YA books, but for those that are YA-hesitant, I consider Laini Taylor to be a great crossover author. </div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/999/133/9780316133999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/999/133/9780316133999.jpg" width="130" /></a>If you're new to Laini, she's mostly known for her <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316133999">Daughter of Smoke and Bone </a></b></i>trilogy, though I was actually introduced to her by the book <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780545055864">Lips Touch : Three Times</a></b></i>, which is a trio of novellas set around an ill-fated kiss. The edition I read featured illustrations by Laini's husband, Jim Di Bartolo, which added to the luscious fairy tale quality of it. </div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/864/055/9780545055864.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/864/055/9780545055864.jpg" width="131" /></a>Those terms can be applied to any of Laini Taylor's work--luscious, lyrical--verging on poetic. Her landscapes and characters embody not just the full-bodied magical side of fairy tales, but also the edge of them as well. The beautiful are also broken and the light is enmeshed with darkness. The overall effect is a heady draft of magic and wonder that goes to your head, but also worms its way into your heart.</div>
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Laini Taylor's newest book, <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316341684">Strange the Dreamer</a></b></i>, is the first in a duology. It involves lost cities, gods and monsters, librarians, and the kind of world Taylor has become known for. Fans of Laini have been waiting anxiously for this book, and of course we have, too. This is not a book to gulp down--it is one to savor like good chocolate and rich coffee.</div>
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-Lish</div>
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A new epic fantasy by National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author Laini Taylor of the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy.</div>
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The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around--and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he's been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. </div>
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Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance to lose his dream forever.What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving? </div>
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The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries--including the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo's dreams. How did he dream her before he knew she existed? and if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so real?</div>
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In this sweeping and breathtaking new novel by National Book Award finalist Laini Taylor, author of the New York Times bestselling Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy, the shadow of the past is as real as the ghosts who haunt the citadel of murdered gods. Fall into a mythical world of dread and wonder, moths and nightmares, love and carnage.</div>
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Welcome to Weep.</div>
Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-17679620090171484252017-03-20T17:01:00.002-07:002017-04-05T11:20:48.141-07:00Scorching Sequel!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There aren’t many books that I’ll drop everything for in order to finish reading at any cost. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve missed my stop while reading on the bus more times than I care to admit, but few books exert the kind of pull that will, say, make me late for work. Well, truth booth, while sitting and thinking about what to write for this blog post I realized that every one of Lish McBride’s books has made me late for work at least once (SORRY BOSSES PLEASE DON’T FIRE ME). That weird young woman sitting in the janky pickup truck you walked by in the parking lot who was crying over what appeared to be a horror novel about necromancers? That was me.</div>
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Now, with that image in mind, just imagine how excited I am to inform you that Lish McBride’s newest book, <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780805098631">Pyromantic</a></b></i>, is out this week. It’s the follow up to <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250068248">Firebug</a></b></i>, AND IT IS WEIRDER AND FUNNIER AND MORE UNNERVING AND LOVELIER than I could have ever hoped for. </div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/248/068/9781250068248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/248/068/9781250068248.jpg" width="133" /></a>There are so many reasons to love this series, from the bizarre and irreverent gallows humor to the amazing variety of obscure mythical creatures represented; the fact that romantic love is not the only kind of love displayed or sought by the main characters; the value placed on multi-generational and non-conventional family units; the fully conceptualized female and queer characters; the insane action sequences; the witty banter, OH, THE WITTY BANTER. Did I mention the heavily-researched-and-cleverly-modified-to-make-them-even-more-appealing-but-also-terrifying-obscure-mythical-creatures? Because there are a lot of them. They are legion.</div>
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So stock up on coffee and snacks, make sure your laundry is already done or that you at least have clean underwear. I suggest starting with her first book, <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780312674373">Hold Me Closer, Necromancer</a></b></i>, before immediately jumping into the sequel, <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250034151">Necromancing the Stone</a></b></i>. You could also start with <i>Firebug</i>, but I personally really appreciated the world building and backstory that those first two books provided. Seriously, clear your schedules.</div>
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I could go on and on (really, I’ve had a lot of coffee and my dog is asleep on the couch so the sky’s the limit as far as me dweebing-out goes) but instead I’ll just leave you with this interaction that I had with my husband right after I finished reading Pyromantic for the second time:</div>
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THE SCENE: We're driving to his parents house for dinner...</div>
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<b>Me:</b> *squinting off into space in the passenger seat of truck*</div>
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<b>Husband:</b> Whatchya doin?</div>
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<b>Me:</b> Oh, thinking about what kind of were-creature I would be…</div>
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<b>Husband:</b> Oh my god.</div>
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<b>Me:</b> I think I would be like a jackrabbit or something. Or maybe a were-dog.</div>
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<b>Husband:</b> Okay.</div>
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<b>Me:</b> What would you be?</div>
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<b>Husband:</b> …..</div>
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<b>Me:</b> I could see you as like a wolfhound or deerhound.</div>
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<b>Husband:</b> *blinking*</div>
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<b>Me:</b> Something big and slow, thoughtful but also scruffy and fearsome.</div>
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<b>Husband:</b> *visibly trying to keep his eyes on the road*</div>
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<b>Me:</b> Yeah, wolfhound.</div>
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-Anje</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Lish McBride will be at our Lake Forest Park Store on Friday, March 24th at 6:30 PM</span></div>
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Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-45003088069346163892017-02-21T17:31:00.000-08:002017-02-21T17:31:39.923-08:00Time to BINGE!<div style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
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We've all been rather impatiently waiting for A Conjuring of Light to arrive on our shelves. If you haven't read this series yet, lucky you! Because now you get to get all three at once and binge read like nobody's business.</div>
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If you have read them, I am fairly certain that you not only knew that A Conjuring of Light was coming out this week, but that you've been preparing for it by rereading the first two books and also maybe figuring out how you can get your own Kell body pillow.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">*ahem*</span></div>
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If you haven't heard of the books yet at all, here is a list of things from the author that might tempt you. The Shades of Magic series includes:</div>
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–Magic</div>
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–Cross-dressing thieves</div>
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–(Aspiring) pirates</div>
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–Londons (plural!)</div>
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–Sadistic kings (and queens!)</div>
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–A royal who is equal parts Prince Harry and Jack Harkness</div>
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–More magic (blood magic, elemental magic, bad magic, etc. etc.)</div>
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–Epic magicky fights scenes</div>
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–Angst!</div>
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–And coats with more than two sides</div>
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I have two more reasons for you to get crackin' on this series.</div>
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1) It's being adapted for television. So basically you need to read it now so that you can be the cool kid who's already finished the series before the show even comes on.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) V.E. SCHWAB WILL BE AT THIRD PLACE BOOKS THIS THURSDAY. (Lake Forest Park) THIS IS NOT A DRILL, PEOPLE. A-WOOGA! A-WOOGA!</span></div>
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(This is how your face should look right now.)</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/71/ff/fc/71fffc6dbd3d87f3b1d581155c362031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/71/ff/fc/71fffc6dbd3d87f3b1d581155c362031.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If that isn't enough to make you check out this series, then I'm not sure we can be friends anymore. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Okay, we can still be friends. Maybe. But I've got my eye on you, people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-Lish</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/event/ve-schwab-conjuring-light-shades-magic-3"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Click here for more info on our author event!</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780765387462">A Conjuring of Light</a></i> by V.E. Schwab</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Londons fall and kingdoms rise while darkness sweeps the Maresh Empire, and the fraught balance of magic blossoms into dangerous territory while heroes struggle. The direct sequel to A Gathering of Shadows, and the final book in the Shades of Magic epic fantasy series, A Conjuring of Light sees the newly minted New York Times bestselling author V. E. Schwab reach a thrilling conclusion concerning the fate of beloved protagonists--and old foes.</span></span></div>
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Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-48834829448184288542017-02-01T13:24:00.000-08:002017-02-01T13:24:58.719-08:00New Arrivals : It's a Book!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250078261">Wires and Nerve</a></b> </span>by Marissa Meyer, illustrated by Douglas Holgate</div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/209/007/9781250007209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/209/007/9781250007209.jpg" width="133" /></a>Like many people, I devoured the <a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250007209">Lunar Chronicles series</a>. They had me at “cyborg Cinderella” <b>I’M NOT MADE OF STONE, PEOPLE</b>. It was a fun series with adventure, humor, and the kind of friendships we all hope for. So I was really excited to find out that Marissa Meyer was writing a comic book spinoff of the series. <i><b>Wires and Nerve</b></i> follows the exploits of Iko as she goes after the rogue wolf soldiers left on Earth. Excited, yes, but also a little nervous. I’m picky about my comic books—if I don’t love the art, it doesn’t matter if the story is great. And if the art is wonderful but the story is flat? I’m putting the book down. Not every novelist can manage the crossover into another form, either. Finally, there’s always the concern that a side character won’t have enough narrative oomph to carry a story on their own.</div>
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I managed to get my grubby little paws on an early copy of <i>Wires and Nerve</i>, and let me tell you, friends, you can breathe a sigh of relief. If you loved the original series, you’ll love the comic book. Meyer has used this opportunity to not only deliver Iko as her usual, charming self, but also to give us a more in-depth look into the problems of being an android. As much as Cinder faced prejudice for being a cyborg, Iko is constantly being dismissed as a non-entity—a frustration she handles with humor and wit, but a frustration nonetheless.</div>
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All of the other characters from the book are present, too. After all, things don’t wrap up with an easy, “And they lived happily ever after” at the end of the novels. Rebuilding takes work and time, and in the comic we get a glimpse of the characters getting on with the necessary business of starting over.</div>
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Let’s talk about the art. <i>Wires & Nerve</i> is done in various blues, blacks, and grays and usually I prefer my comics in full color. I thought the scheme worked for this book, though, what with the general setting being in ships, space, and the Lunar settlement. Doug Holgate’s drawings are charming and whimsical and I thought an excellent fit for the story.</div>
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Basically, if you liked the books, you need to get your mitts on the comic. Don’t usually read comics? This is a good place to start! Haven’t read the Lunar Chronicles? Well, you can read the comic without having read the series, but you will get a ton of spoilers for the books. So maybe you should just read all of the books. You won’t regret it. I mean, if cyborg Cinderella didn’t sway you, I’m not sure you can be reasoned with. Wolf soldiers? Dashing starship captains? Evil queens? Feisty androids that fight human prejudice as well as genetically engineered killing machines? I don’t know about you guys, but for me that translates into shut up and take my money.</div>
Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-77789699320576945762017-01-24T14:27:00.000-08:002017-01-24T14:28:13.288-08:00New Arrivals : It's A Book!<div style="text-align: justify;">
Today on New Arrival: It’s a Book—twins! Because we have two books we’re excited about. Only they are very different books, so we’ll consider them fraternal twins.</div>
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Sometimes at Third Place Books, we have a hard time articulating why we love a book. There are times where we just shake our heads and shove it at you saying, “Trust me.” Then there are books we can wax poetic on, practically writing you a dissertation on why it made our hearts grow three sizes. Different books require different kinds of recommendations—it’s not one size fits all. But then, there are many kinds of books and many kinds of readers in this world, and we try to cater to all of them.</div>
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First, we have <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781101905609">The Fifth Petal</a></b></i> by Brunonia Barry. When I asked my fellow bookseller Chelsea, why she loved <i>The Fifth Petal</i> so much her review was focused less on the actual book and more about how it made her feel to read it. To paraphrase Chelsea:</div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/609/905/9781101905609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/609/905/9781101905609.jpg" width="131" /></a>When you read it, there’s a spooky feel. Like it’s October and you’re listening to Fleetwood Mac while draped in flowy blankets. It’s light and full of magic and mystery and set in Salem. I think it will appeal to a lot of genre readers. It gave me the Stevie Nicks feels. -Chelsea</blockquote>
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Honestly, based on that alone, I know several people who will love it. It’s set in the same world as Barry’s last book, The Lace Reader, but you don’t have to read that before you dive into <i>The Fifth Petal.</i></div>
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The second book we’re featuring is <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250088550">This is How It Always Is</a></b></i> by Laurie Frankel. Emily, also at the Lake Forest Park location, will be recommending this title to book clubs. The subject is timely, the writing light, and the author local. That’s a solid trifecta right there. </div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/550/088/9781250088550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/550/088/9781250088550.jpg" width="131" /></a>Laurie Frankel's new book is fantastic and very current. I read the whole thing in one sitting - a 336 page manuscript devoured on my phone in a clunky format, and I hate reading electronically and knew a paper copy would be on my desk within a few days. I dipped in and just couldn't stop! It's a big-hearted novel of family, full of loveable characters that feel like friends. Frankel deals with serious social issues while keeping the tone light. Highly recommended for book clubs. -Emily</blockquote>
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<i>This is How It Always Is</i> has received many starred reviews and is getting a lot of love from readers already. And honestly, I also hate reading books on my phone, so that’s really a testament to how much Emily loved it!</div>
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-Lish</div>
Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-87799658363318892612017-01-22T19:02:00.000-08:002017-01-22T19:02:55.060-08:00On This Day In (Literary) History<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccURDiE8X8xg-wh4fukAqumpj0lSIYeoG-aXZwSLjNuNLIJqdfwZGTeiEQ85EkhZkkawiq8rZZU0gYGOA29HHTET5Xq_WqL8HljDccn_sIGFx6-ydIf5rS8xCXAGHpZh5k5hMYXpzOjYG/s1600/henry+james.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccURDiE8X8xg-wh4fukAqumpj0lSIYeoG-aXZwSLjNuNLIJqdfwZGTeiEQ85EkhZkkawiq8rZZU0gYGOA29HHTET5Xq_WqL8HljDccn_sIGFx6-ydIf5rS8xCXAGHpZh5k5hMYXpzOjYG/s640/henry+james.jpg" width="519" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://blog.thirdplacebooks.com/search/label/On%20this%20day%20in%20history"><span style="font-size: large;">More comics here!</span></a>Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-22182542162830134862017-01-18T18:56:00.000-08:002017-01-18T19:04:01.406-08:00New Arrivals : It’s a Book!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgI7NRxWxCMtcfkxirnronPnCdFmv4endoxMePIe0X1vjvA6M4i2BTYjTKI5tngYfcBMPS3fY3NsV-nbfEHgpeAsgsgA8LmGEIhMS5z3h4ucjWsKNA3lfcB_Gzvou2TsiH5LTabWmqzqRk/s1600/stork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgI7NRxWxCMtcfkxirnronPnCdFmv4endoxMePIe0X1vjvA6M4i2BTYjTKI5tngYfcBMPS3fY3NsV-nbfEHgpeAsgsgA8LmGEIhMS5z3h4ucjWsKNA3lfcB_Gzvou2TsiH5LTabWmqzqRk/s200/stork.jpg" width="200" /></a>Sometimes the stars align, the planets fall into place, the heavens open, and you fall in love with a book. Nothing is better than that feeling. And then you find out that the author has another book coming out and suddenly you’re swamped by two very different and conflicting emotions. On one hand, you are excited and happy that you get more from a talented writer that speaks to you on a bone-deep level. On the other hand, what if that last book was a fluke? What if the next one doesn’t live up to everything the last book promised?</div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/755/128/9780143128755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/755/128/9780143128755.jpg" width="131" /></a>In 2015, Ottessa Moshfegh released the book <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780143128755">Eileen</a></b></i> to much fanfare. It was an Indie Next pick, it was short listed for the Man Booker prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award, won the PEN/Hemingway Award for debut fiction, and David Sedaris picked it as his recommended book for his Fall 2016 tour. Basically, Moshfegh knocked it out of the park. We had two separate staff recommendations for it:</div>
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“Oh Eileen. You are antisocial, you are untrustworthy, you are selfish and self-hating at the same time. You are obsessive, you are put-upon. The way you live your life makes my skin crawl. So why do I love you so much?” <b>–Anje</b></blockquote>
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“A pretty wild departure from her debut (but equally excellent) novella McGlue, <i>Eileen </i>is a gut-wrenching journey with one of the most intriguing antiheroes I've ever encountered. Darker, complex interior lives of seedy characters are Moshfegh's stock-in-trade but that murkiness shouldn't dissuade potential readers. It is a fearless, compulsively readable novel that reads as if it's on fire.” <b>–Wes</b></blockquote>
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This week, Moshfegh’s new short story collection, <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780399562884">Homesick for Another World</a></b></i>, is out. And if you think <i>Eileen</i> got a lot of attention, people have been chomping at the bit for this collection. Why? Because Moshfegh is particularly known for her short stories. She’s been published in The Paris Review, The New Yorker and Granta. Her short stories have earned her a Pushcart Prize, an O. Henry Award, the Plimpton Discovery Prize, and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.</div>
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Moshfegh has been described as our Flannery O’Conner, which is saying something. (Basically that the stories will be weird and awesome.) So if you love a great short story, this collection is for you. If you’re new to short stories, <i>Homesick for Another World</i> is a good place to start. Wes described it as, “The weirdness and darkness of ‘Eileen’ ratcheted up to a ten, to all of our benefits.” </div>
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He also sent me this gif, which I assume means, “this book is number one.” You’ll just have to judge for yourself.<br />
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-Lish</div>
Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-83075884381195501992017-01-15T14:22:00.000-08:002017-01-15T14:34:45.268-08:00Why, Eh? : Adventures of an Adult Reader<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">It's Perfectly Normal</span><br />
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/574/020/9780062020574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/574/020/9780062020574.jpg" width="133" /></a>A couple months ago I was thrown headfirst into the vast ocean that is YA reading. Instead of choking and drowning in the dark abyss ala Jack Dawson, I found myself happily treading water. Soon after, I was wandering around the YA aisles when I saw the book <a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062020574"><i><b>A Miseducation of Cameron Post</b></i> </a>by Emily Danforth. A wonderfully magnificent book that features a young gay girl as the protagonist.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">WHAT? </span>This exists?! My entire belief system was rocked. In all my time stumbling around on this earth I never once considered that there would be young adult books with queer protagonists. WHAT HAVE I BEEN MISSING ALL THIS TIME?! I suddenly felt like Scrooge McDuck, but nicer. I just wanted to fill a room with these books and swim in them all day long whilst happily cackling to myself.<br />
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Growing up, finding any positive queer representation in any sort of media was hard enough, let alone in books. In fact, the first queer YA book was published in 1969, a year when homosexuality was still considered a mental disorder by the American Psychatric Association. LGBTQIA+ Americans were barred from government positions, and it was considered criminal in every state but Illinois. Since then the amount of YA queer books has grown from one a year in the 70s, to seven per year in the 90s, and now roughly 50 a year.</div>
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Before finding this paradise of inclusivity, much of the media I encountered featured queer characters and themes focusing on the pain and heartbreak that comes with being a gay kid. The general story was always that not everyone is accepting and there are garbage people out there, and sometimes they are the ones closest to you, and yeah it sucks. Its terrible and damaging and frightening and sad.</div>
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But these new YA books paint a different picture. They often include the character's "coming out" and their first same sex relationship and it's so cute and nostalgic it makes my teeth rot. The great thing about reading these now, is seeing that it is seriously okay. You'll find your own family, and you'll find people who love and support you. With all the garbage happening lately, it's critical to show that not every queer story is a tragedy. When the real world is cruel to queer people, especially queer and trans people of color, then it seems even more important to imagine worlds where it is not. It is essential to carve out spaces where being queer and happy are not seen as mutually exclusive. Of course we need stories that represent our struggles, but we also need stories to nourish us, and to comfort us in times of grief and pain.</div>
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Living in a world, even an imaginary one, centered around heterosexual love perpetuates the false and frankly dangerous belief that heterosexulaity is the norm, and anything else is alien, strange, other. Instead of reinforcing this, we should be eradicating it. There is something immensely powerful in recognizing yourself in all types of media. Diversity in YA provides role models for marginalized teens, but also creates empathy for people different than ourselves. Empathy is such a powerful tool in the fight against intolerance and bigotry. These books help with learning what it means to be a social creature, to understand how and where we fit in society.</div>
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YA books are a microcosm for our society, because they are geared toward the next generation. The changes in YA literature reflect changes in our world. And sexuality isn’t something that springs up on people in their mid twenties. Its something we are born with. When hormones kick in and we all start frantically trying to figure out how our bodies work, queer people are trying to figure out if their longings are important in addition to all the everyday angst. This shouldn't be something queer kids finally stumble upon in their 20s while researching for a blog post. This should be something they get to read about as they're experiencing it. Instead of leaving them out in the cold these books can show them that their longings are universal. They're not lonely or isolated, they're just like everyone else, and they belong.<br />
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-Courtney</div>
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<b><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Courtney's Ultimate List of the Queerest Books</span><span style="color: orange; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></b></div>
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<b>Lesbian</b><br />
<b><i><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780142422946">Everything Leads To You</a></i></b> by Nina Lacour<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062270986">Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit</a></b></i> by Jaye Robin Brown<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062433251">Of Fire and Stars</a></b></i> by Audrey Coulthurst<br />
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<b>Gay</b><br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780142413432">Most Excellent Year </a></b></i>by Steve Kluger<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780142425763">I'll Give You The Sun</a></b></i> by Jandy Nelson<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781442408937">Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe</a></b></i> by Benjamin Alire Saenz<br />
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/030/053/9781945053030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/030/053/9781945053030.jpg" width="131" /></a><b>Bisexual</b><br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781484715703">Far From You</a></b></i> by Tess Sharpe<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781622500048">Bi-Normal</a></b></i> by M.G Higgins<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781945053030">Not Your Sidekick</a></b></i> by C.B. Lee<br />
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<b>Transgender</b><br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316053600">I Am J</a></b></i> by Cris Beam<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250078407">If I Was Your Girl</a></b></i> by Meredith Russo<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781481459297">Boy Robot</a></b></i> Simon Curtis<br />
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/099/107/9780545107099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/099/107/9780545107099.jpg" width="131" /></a><b>Queer</b><br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/search/site/Brooklyn%20Burning">Brooklyn Burning</a></b></i> by Steve Brezenoff<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062404176">Girl Mans Up</a></b></i> by M-E Girard<br />
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<b>Intersex</b><br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781510711587">Double Exposure</a></b></i> by Bridget Birdsall<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062335319">None of The Above</a></b></i> by I. W. Gregorio<br />
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<b>Asexual</b><br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316044387">Guardian of The Dead</a> </b></i>by Karen Healey<br />
<a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780545107099"><i><b>How To Say Goodbye In Robot</b></i></a><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>by<i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>Natalie Standiford<br />
<br />Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-25190685434941373112017-01-10T21:21:00.000-08:002017-01-18T19:05:44.037-08:00New Arrivals : It's a Book!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There is a bit of a curse in being a book lover—there are many, many books in this world and try though you might, you can't read all of them. I’m occasionally struck by an overwhelming dread about this fact, and I know I’m not alone. The thing is, even if you’re not on an epic quest to read every book ever written, there are still so many books and more come out every Tuesday. How do you choose?</div>
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It is a wonderful and horrible problem to have—this indecision, but we here at Third Place Books would like to help you out a little bit by highlighting our favorite new releases, on New Release Tuesday.</div>
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So here we go!</div>
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<b><i>The Bear and the Nightingale</i></b> by Katherine Arden</div>
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<i>The Bear and the Nightingale </i>begins with Vasya and her sibling huddled around a fireplace as their nurse spins tales about Frost, the winter demon. Arden’s voice and world building is strong—she envelops you with sensory details of Vasilisa’s world. Reading the opening pages you can almost feel the sharp bite of cold as you come in from outside. The fire is warm, the smell of honey cakes redolent in the air, and the creaky, worn voice of the storyteller beckons you to sit closer. The story is rich with fairy tale elements, but also steadied by the reality of 14th century Russia.</div>
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My coworker, Vlad, states it more eloquently:</div>
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What struck me from the very first paragraph in The Bear and the Nightingale was the confidence of the writing; I was immediately pulled into a liminal space, between historical and fable. The lives of Vasya and her family, and their medieval Russian culture are painted in evocative detail, and yet Arden effortlessly slips the reader into this fantastical layer of ancient spirits large and small that permeates the Russian countryside.</div>
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The book draws from a wealth of folklore and fable without losing a certain modern appeal: Vasya's struggle as a young woman against a strict patriarchal tradition; the clash between faiths—the old beliefs versus Christianity; the ageless human urges and failings, vanity, deceit, lust, fear.</div>
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Arden's prose itself is lively and engaging, and bolsters the intricate balance of her story.</div>
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There is, in fact, a heady richness to the novel, and it’s especially remarkable when you consider that the book is Arden’s debut. <i>The Bear and the Nightingale</i> immediately puts her into good company—the book is being likened to the works of Neil Gaiman, Erin Morgenstern, and Naomi Novik. I would recommend her for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s books as well.</div>
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And luckily, this book is just the first course. The Bear and the Nightingale is the first book in a three book series, so you have more to look forward to. The book hits the shelves today, so come on down and take a peek. <a href="http://katherinearden.com/excerpts">(Or you can even take a sneak peek on Katherine Arden’s website as she has some excerpts posted!)</a></div>
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-Lish<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div>
Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-58707840536232823472016-12-31T12:50:00.000-08:002017-01-07T15:12:54.173-08:002016 BOOKSELLER TOP TENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<div>
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Here they are! Our Top Ten favorite books of the year, now with bonus Seward Park lists! Remember, I don't limit these lists to books published in 2016, but all books must have been <i>read</i> in 2016.</div>
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Usually, when I compile this post, there are some clear favorites. Last year our obvious winner was <i style="font-weight: bold;">Between the World and Me</i>, with eight total votes. But this year our highest ranking book was Trevor Noah's <i>Born a Crime</i>, with only four votes. Not to imply that this year's books are only fair to middling, just that we had a lot more books with two and three votes, instead of any landslide victors. So while we couldn't solidly agree on one or two favorites, we sort of loosely settled on a whole slew of champions. And that means more options for you!</div>
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In light of our lack of focus, I give you our Fabulous, Fantastic, Fifteen Favorites of 2016!</div>
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<li style="font-style: italic;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780399588174">Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood</a></b></i><span style="font-style: normal;"> by Trevor Noah</span></li>
<li style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780812995343">Lincoln in the Bardo</a></b></i> by George Saunders</span></li>
<li><i style="font-style: italic;"><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555977351">The Argonauts</a></b></i><i style="font-style: italic;"> </i>by Maggie Nelson</li>
<li style="font-style: italic;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780385542364">The Underground Railroad</a></b></i><span style="font-style: normal;"> by Colson Whitehead</span></li>
<li><i style="font-style: italic;"><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250098993">Children of the New World: Stories</a></b></i><i> </i>by Alexander Weinstein</li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316348409">Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman</a></i> by Lindy West</li>
<li><i style="font-style: italic;"><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632864123">White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide</a></b></i><i> </i>by Carol Anderson</li>
<li><i style="font-style: italic;"><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062444134">The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet</a></b></i><i> </i>by Becky Chambers</li>
<li><i style="font-style: italic;"><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632153661">Bitch Planet Volume 1</a></b></i><i> </i>by Kelly Sue Deconnick, Robert Wilson IV, Taki Soma, and Valentine De Landro</li>
<li><i style="font-style: italic;"><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632156747">Paper Girls</a></b></i><i> </i>by Brian K Vaughan</li>
<li><i style="font-style: italic;"><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781476790114">After the Parade</a></b></i> by Lori Ostlund</li>
<li style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555976903">Citizen: An American Lyric</a></b></i> by Claudia Rankine</span></li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781609806576">The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter</a></b></i> by Kia Corthron</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555977412">Grief is the Thing with Feathers</a></b></i> by Max Porter</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780804179058">Uprooted</a></b></i> by Naomi Novik</li>
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Check out our individual top ten list below for more of our favorite reads of 2016!<br />
-Erin<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Chelsea</span> at Lake Forest Park<br />
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<li><i style="font-style: italic;"><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632153661">Bitch Planet Volume 1</a></b></i> by Kelly Sue Deconnick, Robert Wilson IV, Taki Soma, and Valentine De Landro</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250098993">Children of the New World: Stories</a></b></i> </span>by Alexander Weinstein</li>
<li><i style="font-style: italic;"><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/search/site/Geek%20Love">Geek Love</a> <span id="goog_1521897778"></span></b></i>by Katherine Dunn</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062449689">A House Without Windows</a></b></i> </span>by Nadia Hashimi</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316308106">Mischling</a></b></i> </span>by Affinity Konar</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062409928">The Muse</a></b></i> </span>by Jessie Burton</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781594748622">My Best Friend's Exorcism</a></b></i> </span>by Grady Hendrix</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632157119">Saga, Volume 6</a></b></i> </span>by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781451697728">The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness</a></b></i> </span>by Sy Montgomery</li>
<li><span style="font-style: italic;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316242851">To the Bright Edge of the World</a></b></i> </span>by Eowyn Ivey</li>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Robert</span> at Lake Forest Park</div>
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BOOKS TO BE READ TOGETHER</div>
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<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316261241">Underground Airlines</a></b></i> by Ben Winters<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780385542364">The Underground Railroad</a></b></i> by Colson Whitehead<br />
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MORE BOOKS TO BE READ TOGETHER<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780399184512">The Mothers</a></b></i> by Brit Bennett<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062359988">Another Brooklyn</a></b></i> by Jacqueline Woodson</div>
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NOVELS BASED ON SHAKESPEARE<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780804141291">Hag-Seed</a></b></i> by Margaret Atwood<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780385542074">Nutshell</a></b></i> by Ian McEwan</div>
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BOOKS COMING OUT EARLY 2017</div>
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316391283">The Evening Road</a></b></i> by Laird Hunt<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780374282103">Universal Harvester</a></b></i> by John Darnielle<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780812995343">Lincoln in the Bardo</a></b></i> by George Saunders<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780802125873">History of Wolves</a></b></i> by Emily Fridlund</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mark</span> at Ravenna<br />
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<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250072405">The Story of a Brief Marriage</a></b></i> by Anuk Arudpragasam</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780385542364">Underground Railroad</a></b></i> by Colson Whitehead</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780393241730">Miss Jane</a></b></i> by Brad Watson</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632864123">White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide</a></b></i> by Carol Anderson</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781620970089">Out of Sight: The Long and Disturbing Story of Corporations Outsourcing Catastrophe </a></b></i> by Erik Loomis</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780300192483">Every Twelve Seconds: </a></b></i><b><i><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780300192483">Industrialized Slaughter and the Politics of Sight</a> </i></b>by Timothy Pachirat</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780544716193">Spill Simmer Falter Wither</a></b></i> by Sara Baume</li>
<li><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780375423758"><i><b>Strange Gods: </b></i><b><i>A Secular History of Conversion</i></b></a> by Susan Jacoby</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062364845">Crooked Heart</a></b></i> by Lissa Evans</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780143128755">Eileen</a></b></i> by Ottessa Moshfegh</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062400833">Sweetgirl</a></b></i> by Travis Mulhauser</li>
</ul>
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<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Rich</span> at Seward Park<br />
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780765365279">Way of Kings</a></b></i> by Brandon Sanderson</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316390811">Sharp Ends</a></b></i> by Joe Abercrombie</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781607069676">Black Science</a></b></i> by Rick Remender</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316098809">Rook</a></b></i> by Daniel O'Malley</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781476765679">Highway to Hell</a></b></i> by Max Brallier</li>
<li><b><i><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780451418050">The Thousand Names</a></i></b> by Django Wexler</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780785196570">Vision: Little Worse Than Man</a></b></i> by Tom King</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781682151211">Faith: Hollywood and Vine</a></b></i> by Jody Houser</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780763689223">Under Water, Under Earth</a></b></i> by Aleksandra Mizielinska</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632158796">East of West</a></b></i> by Jonathan Hickman</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Naomi</span> at Seward Park<br />
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781564787071">Autoportrait</a></b></i> by Édouard Levé</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781933517407">Bluets</a></b></i> by Maggie Nelson</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780679738046">By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept</a></b></i> by Elizabeth Smart</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780811225526">Counternarratives</a></b></i> by John Keene</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780802134585">The Last World</a></b></i> by Christoph Ransmayr</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781566892742">Leaving the Atocha Station</a></b></i> by Ben Lerner</li>
<li><i><b>Letty Fox: Her Luck</b></i> by Christina Stead</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781932511390">On Looking: Essays</a></b></i> by Lia Purpura</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780811216098">War & War</a></b></i> by László Krasznahorkai</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780312421199">What I Loved</a></b></i> by Siri Hustvedt</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ashley</span> at Lake Forest Park<br />
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781927668313">What is Obscenity</a></b></i> by Rokudenashinko</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780765385253">Binti</a></b></i> by Nnedi Okorafor</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062444134">The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet</a></b></i> by Becky Chambers</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555977351">The Argonauts</a></b></i> by Maggie Nelson</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781608867899">Giant Days</a></b></i> by John Allison</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632154262">Descender</a></b></i> by Jeff Lemire</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632153661">Bitch Planet</a></b></i> by Kelly Sue Deconnick</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780618871711">Fun Home</a></b></i> by Alison Bechdel</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632156747">Paper Girls</a></b></i> by Brian K Vaughan</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316246620">Ancillary Justice</a></b></i> by Anne Leckie</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Adam</span> at Lake Forest Park</div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780545819787">The Letter for the King</a></b></i> by Tonke Dragt</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780718021641">Bonhoeffer: Student Edition</a></b></i> by Eric Metaxas</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316404624">The Kingdom of Speech</a></b></i> by Tom Wolfe</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780310517375">Ordinary: Sustainable Faith in a Radical, Restless World</a></b></i> by Michael Horton</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780142411698">Figgs & Phanoms</a></b></i> by Ellen Raskin</li>
</ul>
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<div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Alex</span> at Ravenna</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780399588808">Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets</a></b></i> by Svetlana Alexievich</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781101870570">How to Set a Fire and Why</a></b></i> by Jesse Ball</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781481459532">Dark Run</a></b></i> by Mike Brooks</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062444134">Long Way to a Small Angry Planet</a></b></i> by Becky Chambers</li>
<li><b><i><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781781084496">Ninefox Gambit</a></i></b> by Yoon Ha Lee</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781101870693">The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye</a></b></i> by Sonny Liew</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632157096">Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening</a></b></i> by Marjorie Liu and Illustrated by Sana Takeda</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632156747">Paper Girls, Vol. 1</a></b></i> by Brian K Vaughan</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781501126345">The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race</a></b></i> edited by Jesmyn Ward</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781590177815">On the Abolition of All Political Parties</a></b></i> by Simone Weil</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Avery</span> at Seward Park</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250098993">Children of the New World</a></b></i> by Alexander Weinstein</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781476790114">After the Parade</a></b></i> by Lori Ostlund</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555973865">What Narcissism Means to Me</a></b></i> by Tony Hoagland</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780312202316">A Home at the End of the World</a></b></i> by Michael Cunningham</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781681370088">Slow Days, Fast Company</a></b></i> by Eve Babitz</li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780765385505">Every Heart a Doorway</a> </i>by Seanan McGuire</li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632863386">Hide</a> </i>by Matthew Griffin</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780847858316">On Christopher Street</a></b></i> by Mark Seliger</li>
<li><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316098809"><b><i>Rook</i></b></a> by Daniel O'Malley</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555838881">S/he</a></b></i> by Minnie Bruce Pratt</li>
</ul>
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</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Wes</span> at Seward Park</div>
<div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><i><b>Such Times</b></i> by Christopher Coe</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781476790114">After the Parade</a></b></i> by Lori Ostlund</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781590176252">Transit</a></b></i> by Rachel Cusk</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780399159367">I Met Someone</a></b></i> by Bruce Wagner</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780984459834">A Fast Life: The Complete Poem</a><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780984459834">s</a></b></i><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780984459834"><i><b> of Tim Dlugos</b></i></a> by Tim Dlugos</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781631492334">The Red Car</a></b></i> by Marcy Dermansky</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781573660518">Hospice</a></b></i> by Gregory Howard</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780307474407">Happy All the Time</a></b></i> by Laurie Colwin</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781939419729">Arcade</a></b></i> by Drew Nellins Smith</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780374534493">Nobody is Ever Missing</a></b></i> by Catherine Lacey</li>
</ul>
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<div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Deborah</span> at Lake Forest Park</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780425285046">Girl Before</a></b></i> by J P Delaney</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781101985137">All Our Wrong Todays</a></b></i> by Elan Mastai</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781101987490">I Let You Go</a></b></i> by Clare Mackintosh</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780451494146">Mistletoe Murder</a></b></i> by P D James</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781455536917">Obsidian Chamber</a></b></i> by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780385348485">Travelers</a></b></i> by Chris Pavone</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780345539960">Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd</a></b></i> by Alan Bradley</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781501107962">All the Missing Girls</a></b></i> by Megan Miranda</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781501132933">Woman in Cabin 10</a></b></i> by Ruth Ware</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250044655">Heartless</a></b></i> by Marissa Meyer</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Kalani</span> at Lake Forest Park</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780374534141">My Struggle: Book 1</a></b></i> by Karl Ove Knausgaard - I had long been curious about attempting to read this worldwide phenomenon and finally gave it a shot this year. It was perhaps one of the more frustrating books I’ve ever read, and yet it sits atop my top ten list… This is the great conundrum of Knausgaard. The painstaking detail of his writing is like a drug. The middle 100-pages details a single scene in which a 16-year old Knausgaard sneaks beer to a New Year’s Party... For most of the time, I actually hated reading this book. Upon completing it this summer I fell in a funk and stopped reading anything for about a month. And yet, I’m still hypnotized by the writing and find myself anxiously awaiting Book 2, which is already sitting on my nightstand. </li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781564789556">A Contrived World</a></b></i> by Jung Young-moon - Oddly reminiscent of the Knausgaard My Struggle books in that the entirety of the “novel” details the actual inner-monologue of the author as he travels to San Francisco to write a meaningless anti-novel. This is a bizarre read that has me seriously concerned about the sanity of Mr. Jung Young-moon.<span id="goog_1521898548"></span><span id="goog_1521898549"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781573226066">Drown</a></b></i> by Junot Diaz - This year marked the 20th anniversary of Junot Diaz’s famous debut, a fact I kept seeing on social media for some reason, which is why I strangely felt pressure to finally read it all the way through. This collection of stories will surely stand the test of time and be read with awe 20 years from now. Coming-of-age stories don’t get much better than this one. </li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780679761792">Going to Meet the Man</a></b></i> by James Baldwin - I read quite a bit of James Baldwin this year, so he couldn’t possibly be left off any list of mine. When we think of Baldwin, we don’t typically think of his short fiction, but these stories are absolutely brilliant. The middle two stories “Previous Condition” and “Sonny’s Blues” are perfect and should be taught in schools. </li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780399588174">Born a Crime</a></b></i> by Trevor Noah - It’s truly a shame that Trevor Noah might just have to live in the shadow of Jon Stewart for the duration of his comedic career because his path to getting in that host’s chair is unbelievable. Noah shares his powerful story of growing up mixed in apartheid South Africa. In discussing his beautiful and complicated relationship with his mother, it’s hard not to get teary-eyed. </li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781451685855">Two Hours: The Quest to Run the Impossible Marathon</a></b></i> by Ed Caesar - I’ve always found the endurance sports to be underrated, but after reading this book, I’m more convinced than ever that long-distant runners are superhuman and that the major marathons should be televised events that everyone should watch. The early review of this book as “Hoop Dreams for runners” is as good as anything I can say about it. I’m just amazed that within our lifetime, we are going to see a human being run 26.2 miles in under two hours! </li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780802125392">Difficult Women</a></b></i> by Roxane Gay - Many of these collected stories detail sexual trauma, a subject Roxane Gay has personally discussed in the past. Needless to say, this collection makes for an uncomfortable read. Each story additionally explores themes of motherhood, gender, class, and race all while detailing intricate, difficult women. Roxane Gay is an incredible writer for being able to pack such an emotional punch in each of these short stories. This is a deeply powerful collection of short fiction at its very best. </li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316324465">Disgraced</a></b></i> by Ayad Akhtar - After missing out on the performance of this play at the Seattle Rep last year I decided to read it. This 2013 Drama Pulitzer Prize winner had the most heartrending conclusion of anything I read this year. Post 9/11 Muslim-Americans need more stories like this told. Quite similar to the David Mamet play “Race,” but far superior in that the playwright, Ayad Akhtar, can actually write meaningfully about race first-hand. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781922182555"><i><b>Out of the Line of Fire</b></i></a> by Mark Henshaw - This brilliant work of metafiction has everything - unreliable narrators, exotic world locations, sex, drugs, murder, family secrets, and a bunch of philosophy!?! Fans of Italo Calvino will love this book (just read the first two pages to get hooked). This hidden Australian classic was an absolutely great reading experience for me and I look to reread this someday. </li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780812995343">Lincoln in the Bardo</a></b></i> by George Saunders - This book comes out early in 2017 and it will get a lot of attention, be a bestseller, and likely win a bunch of acclaim and awards and all that. It will deserve all the praise it gets. </li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Patti</span> at Ravenna</div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781484709672">Lockwood and Co. the Creeping Shadow</a></b></i> by Jonathan Stroud</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780142426814">The Forbidden Library</a></b></i> by Django Wexler</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780385540162">Smoke</a></b></i> by Dan Vyletta</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780451476333">Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle</a></b></i> by Janet Fox</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780399252518">Brown Girl Dreaming</a></b></i> by Jacqueline Woodson</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062272720">Monstrous</a></b></i> by MarcyKate Connolly</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781616205799">Ghostly Echoes</a></b></i> by William Ritter</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781595148049">Ember in the Ashes</a></b></i> by Sabaa Tahir</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062320940">The Doldrums</a></b></i> by Nicholas Gannon</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062224774">Crimson Bound</a></b></i> by Rosumund Hodge</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Courtney</span> at Lake Forest Park</div>
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<div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780399588174">Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood</a></b></i> by Trevor Noah - The ending made tears and snot flow from my face holes. In a good way.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316348409">Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman</a></b></i> by Lindy West - Lindy is my BFF now so I am a little obligated to include her.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780812998603">The Girls</a></b></i> by Emma Cline - I'm pretty sure that given the promise of friendship I def would join a cult. So I get it.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781556594953">Night Sky With Exit Wounds</a></b></i> by Ocean Vuong - UGH. Just ugh. So good it made me want to barf.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555976903">Citizen: An American Lyric</a></b></i> by Claudia Rankine - It's a hard read but an absoltely necessary one. Forget Huck Finn, this should be required reading.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316315432">When We Rise by Cleve Jones: My Life in the Movement</a></b></i> - A reminder that our place at the table is not secure, and that we are still a distinct community that has come far, but also has far to go.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780345806567">Giovanni's Room</a></b></i> by James Baldwin - Every time I think about this book I get heart pains and I feel like crying. SO GOOD!</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781606999103">Meat Cake Bible</a></b></i> by Dame Darcy - There's a charcter named Stregapez who speaks by dispensing Pez like tablets through a bloody hole in her throat.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781594633010">Boy Erased</a></b></i> by Gerard Conley - It really is outstanding how compassionate and understanding someone could be after being forced through conversion therapy. A gem of a person.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555977351">The </a><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555977351">Argonauts</a></b></i> by Maggie Nelson - I want to be married to this book for 60+ years and then die minutes apart from each other holding hands.</li>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Eric</span> at Seward Park</div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555975999">Erasure</a></b></i> by Percival Everett</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781606997406">How to Be Happy</a></b></i> by Eleanor Davis</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780300180701">Origin of the World</a></b></i> by Pierre Michon</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781594633478">Reputations</a></b></i> by Juan Gabriel Vasquez</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780807057834">Indigenous People's History of the United States</a></b></i> by Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780811225397">Revulsion</a></b></i> by Horacio Castellanos Moya</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780307275936">If Beale Street Could Talk</a></b></i> by James Baldwin</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780811226080">The Last Wolf</a></b></i> by Laszlo Krasznahorkai</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632864123">White Rage</a></b></i> by Carol Anderson</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780811222754">Because She Never Asked</a></b></i> by Enrique Vila-Matas</li>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Wendy</span> at Lake Forest Park</div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781940456669">Girl with the Ghost Eyes</a></b></i> by M.H. Boronson</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780765385239">Witches of Lychford</a></b></i> by Paul Cornell</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780804179058">Uprooted</a></b></i> by Naomi Novik</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316228046">Stiletto</a></b></i> by Daniel O'malley</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062290427">Fate of the Tearling</a></b></i> by Erika Johansen</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250097750">Futuristic Violence & Fancy Suits</a></b></i> by David Wong</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780765376466">Darker Shade of Magic</a></b></i> by V.E. Schwab</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781933368368">Good Fairies of New York</a></b></i> by Martin Millar</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250099082">Certain Dark Things</a></b></i> by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781101870815">Everything is Teeth</a></b></i> by Evie Wyld</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Stephen</span> at Lake Forest Park</div>
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Best Comics of 2016</div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781770462540">Mooncop</a></b></i> by Tom Gauld - This funny and poignant vision technological alienation follows the last cop on a moonbase that’s being automated one job at a time.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781606999059">Patience</a></b></i> by Daniel Clowes - A deceptively rich and emotional charged mash-up of pulp influences by a true comics master.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781770462557">Rolling Blackouts</a></b></i> by Sarah Glidden - A fascinating and timely book of comics journalism that focuses on the human toll of the violence in Turkey, Iraq and Syria.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781941250105">Jacob Bladders and the State of the Art</a></b></i> by Roman Muradov - An experimental exercise, a satire on the illustration business, an act of conscious malice against its own reader: Muradov’s weird and funny little book is all this and more.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781606999714">Laid Waste</a></b></i> by Julia Gfrörer - A dark and tragic fantasy about immortality and death in the plague-infested countryside of medieval France.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781606999288">Disquiet</a></b></i> by Noah van Sciver - A diverse and enjoyable collection of short works by the creator of Fante Bukowski.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781770462267">Panther</a></b></i> by Brecht Evens - A surreal, visually inventive exploration of grief and childhood imagination in which a young girl is visited at night by a shape-shifting talking panther.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781770462649">The Greatest of Marlys</a></b></i> by Lynda Barry - An overdue reprinting of Lynda Barry’s hilarious and touching strips about an irrepressible girl named Marlys and her family.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781681370460">Soft City</a></b></i> by Hariton Pushwagner - Daily life becomes a deranged nightmare in this rediscovered comic from the 1970’s by a Norwegian pop artist.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781101871591">Sequential Drawings</a></b></i> by Richard McGuire - After reinventing comics with the remarkable <i>Here</i>, Richard McGuire does the same for spot illustrations with these smart, minimalist series</li>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Christina</span> at Ravenna</div>
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<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781400032662">I Saw Ramallah</a></b></i> by Mourid Barghouti</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780802125767">The Angel of History</a></b></i> by Rabih Alameddine</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555976903">Citizen</a></b></i> by Claudia Rankine </li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780399575891">Pond</a></b></i> by Claire Louise Bennett</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780679763888">The Warmth of Other Suns</a></b></i> by Isabel Wilkerson</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781101972120">Stories of Your Life and Others</a></b></i> by Ted Chiang</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780765385246">Sorcerer of the Wildeeps</a></b></i> by Kai Ashante Wilson</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781609806576">The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter</a></b></i> by Kia Cothron</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780618663026">The Queen of the Night</a></b></i> by Alexander Chee</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781618731142">The Winged Histories</a></b></i> by Sofia Samatar</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Erin</span> at Lake Forest Park</div>
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<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781609806576">The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter</a></b></i> by Kia Corthron</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555977351">The Argonauts</a></b></i> by Maggie Nelson</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555977412">Grief is the Thing with Feathers</a></b></i> by Max Porter</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555977092">Leaving Orb</a><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555977092">it: Notes From the End of American Spaceflight</a></b></i> by Margaret Lazarus Dean</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780399588174">Born a Crime</a></b></i> by Trevor Noah</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781401308940">Grief</a></b></i> by Andrew Holleran</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316348409">Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman</a></b></i> by Lindy West</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250094735">The Selfishness of Others: An Essay on the Fear of Narcissism</a></b></i> by Kristin Dombek</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250094735">A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories</a></b></i> by Lucia Berlin</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781455554584">Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget</a></b></i> by Sarah Hepola</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0cZpfltNSJMLrESfiBKOaMm41bYwZxGmmVLTdeg92mQRJrY92EPmuCrrY4WoSFZGJ25nlaDvyruiVDhcQSAQaFs_2R7HdxmMe83aShIxmYh69vIhL2pIlOKAuCYKpl8LkZ9p81BsgH5hn/s1600/Erin+2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0cZpfltNSJMLrESfiBKOaMm41bYwZxGmmVLTdeg92mQRJrY92EPmuCrrY4WoSFZGJ25nlaDvyruiVDhcQSAQaFs_2R7HdxmMe83aShIxmYh69vIhL2pIlOKAuCYKpl8LkZ9p81BsgH5hn/s400/Erin+2016.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Jason</span> at Lake Forest Park</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780811222174">The Wisdom of the Heart</a></b></i> by Henry Miller</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781585670932">Gringos</a></b></i> by Charles Portis</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780965618397">The Psychic Soviet</a></b></i> by Ian Svenonius</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780802133311">The Wild Boys</a></b></i> by William S. Burroughs</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780140118827">The Job</a></b></i> by William S. Burroughs</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780547572413">VALIS</a></b></i> by Philip K. Dick</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781563892677">The Invisibles</a></b></i> by Grant Morrison</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781584351672">To Our Friends</a></b></i> by The Invisible Committee</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781907661471">Tertium Organum</a></b></i> by PD Ouspensky</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780262582445">The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art</a></b></i> by Linda Dalrymple Henderson</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghpT-IkuUXTF29s-ItJ5TQl_i9zSNN0aCxiqhn85QdT_LWi6TOlA2wjh0mTvAm0tFBQ_PV93EthQ_eBRxXQBCkIGbPHqXY8G-WkPcshtF1HW6_fAKxgZel6vfU5ZOFYzn1zu_V9WQ8AXxA/s1600/Jason+2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghpT-IkuUXTF29s-ItJ5TQl_i9zSNN0aCxiqhn85QdT_LWi6TOlA2wjh0mTvAm0tFBQ_PV93EthQ_eBRxXQBCkIGbPHqXY8G-WkPcshtF1HW6_fAKxgZel6vfU5ZOFYzn1zu_V9WQ8AXxA/s400/Jason+2016.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">James</span> at Ravenna</div>
<div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780819570901">My Vocabulary Did This to Me</a></b></i> by Jack Spicer</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780393348798">Mayakovsky's Revolver</a></b></i> by Matthew Dickman</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780802130112">The Master and Margarita</a></b></i> by Mikhail Bulgakov</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780312424091">Housekeeping</a></b></i> by Marilynne Robinson</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781590176016">Cassandra at the Wedding</a></b></i> by Dorothy Baker</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780060932138">The Unbearable Lightness of Being</a></b></i> by Milan Kundera</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781903517949">New Finnish Grammar</a></b></i> by Diego Marani</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780141439471">Frankenstein</a></b></i> by Mary Shelley</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780983520306">Beauty Was the Case That They Gave Me</a></b></i> by Mark Leidner</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780307387899">The Road</a></b></i> by Cormac McCarthy</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rCQwfIOthOQSVdrJFkGgGWvcWe6RooHZnvNSDWHVZccLN5pq9fUJRXJgZnlQpuSkUmIMQA0DibfYbdKG5HMe0xgSWgZWmUkcNn7LyRrhgtOv0AnU_ZEiR0enVovOCdACSB4Iubh8cUcW/s1600/James+2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rCQwfIOthOQSVdrJFkGgGWvcWe6RooHZnvNSDWHVZccLN5pq9fUJRXJgZnlQpuSkUmIMQA0DibfYbdKG5HMe0xgSWgZWmUkcNn7LyRrhgtOv0AnU_ZEiR0enVovOCdACSB4Iubh8cUcW/s400/James+2016.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Patti</span> at Lake Forest Park</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062244987">Two Old Women</a></b></i> by Velma Wallis</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781570767708">Traditional Nordic Knits</a></b></i> by Joanna Wallin</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780061997112">Following Atticus</a></b></i> by Tom Ryan</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781849763400">Jill the Dragon</a></b></i> by Lesley Barnes</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780545662826">Dash</a></b></i> by Kirby Larson</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780345536730">His Majesty's Hope</a></b></i> by Susan MacNeal</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781942021667">Knit a Square</a></b></i> by Nicky Epstein </li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062319203">All the Stars in Heaven</a></b></i> by Adriane Trigiani</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781452145037">ABC-Touch Think Learn</a></b></i> by Xavier Deneux</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780385755559">Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer</a></b></i> by Kelly Jones</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRle9Px3V8krmiVkEmuwOTUNdCEBP-y_A2h-fRiNfvaRIiQgNKMTR1dyX5Wb6wH6ZU3a5vaOtCDeWd6tFmDp20KDaWWhErBj4ymDDSe5839G35gRX4zepaRLdQuMv5cFGxHgNudFEhyphenhyphenKqD/s1600/PattiJ+2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRle9Px3V8krmiVkEmuwOTUNdCEBP-y_A2h-fRiNfvaRIiQgNKMTR1dyX5Wb6wH6ZU3a5vaOtCDeWd6tFmDp20KDaWWhErBj4ymDDSe5839G35gRX4zepaRLdQuMv5cFGxHgNudFEhyphenhyphenKqD/s400/PattiJ+2016.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">JP</span> at Ravenna</div>
<div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780743288781">Barkskins</a></b></i> by Annie Proulx</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781556595035">Run the Red Lights</a></b></i> by Ed Skoog</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780785188780">Silver Surfer Vol 1: New Dawn</a></b></i> by Dan Slott and Mike Allred</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781101873717">The Visiting Privilege</a></b></i> by Joy Williams</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780544253216">The Hidden Letters of Velta B</a></b></i> by Gina Ochsner</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780306815331">Hollow Earth: The long and curious History of Imagining Strange Lands, Fantastical Creatures, Advanced Civilizations</a></b></i> by David Standish</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780156031066">My Life in Orange</a></b></i> by Tim Guest</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780199217953">The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner</a></b></i> by James Hogg</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781938073946">Further Joy</a></b></i> by John Brandon</li>
</ul>
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<div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Michelle</span> at Seward Park</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780140077032">Nights at the Circus</a></b></i> by Angela Carter</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781771471299">Prickly Jenny</a></b></i> by Sibylle Delacroix</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780544002234">Are You My Mother?</a></b></i> by Alison Bechdel</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780307455796">The Buried Giant</a></b></i> by Kazuo Ishiguro</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780345524508">Embassytown</a></b></i> by China Mieville</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062334510">Seveneves</a></b></i> by Neal Stephenson</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780061990496">Celebrity Chekhov</a></b></i> by Ben Greenman</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781419714917">The Terrible Two</a></b></i> by Mac Barnett and Jory John</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780763665302">Du Iz Tak?</a></b></i> by Carson Ellis</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781616957339">Incensed</a></b></i> by Ed Lin</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sam</span> at Lake Forest Park</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781771961011">The Life-Writer</a></b></i> by David Constantine - This tender and wrenching novel – about a literary biographer piecing together the story of her late husband's early life and first love – absolutely floored me.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780804179058">Uprooted</a></b></i> by Naomi Novik - I don't read fantasy. I don't. But after some weeks of a friend urging me to do so, I picked up Uprooted, and for the next three days or so, I had a very hard time putting it down. </li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781940450711">All My Puny Sorrows</a></b></i> by Miriam Toews - I'm kind of ashamed that it took me so long to read this quiet, brilliant tragicomic novel. Don't be like me: read it sooner rather than later. A minute, loving examination of grief, depression, and family.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062444394">Half Wild</a></b></i> by Robin MacArthur - I read a lot of really, really strong debut story collections this year, but Robin MacArthur's interconnected stories of rural Vermonters stood out – it's masterful in its execution, distinct in its voice, and powerful in its depictions of generations upon generations, all living on the edge of something.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781770413030">The Clay Girl</a></b></i> by Heather Tucker - The story is poignant, devastating, and ultimately uplifting, but it's Heather Tucker's almost unbelievable grasp of language and voice that makes The Clay Girl one of the best novels I read in 2016.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780812995343">Lincoln in the Bardo</a></b></i> by George Saunders - Okay, this one isn't really fair, because it won't be released until February, but I got my hands on an advance copy of George Saunders' first novel this summer, and I'm still having trouble really describing it, except to say that it is unconventional, funny, sad, complex, brilliant – in other words, exactly what I've come to expect from Saunders - and that, in that way I can only describe as Saunders-esque, it presents concepts you thought you understood (fatherhood, death, leadership, history), and proceeds to examine them from a vantage point that you did not know existed. I can't wait until it's on our shelves.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781616204570">Welcome Thieves</a></b></i> by Sean Beaudoin - Beaudoin's first adult short story collection is smart, a little twisted, and funny as hell – especially when you realize you recognize all of your friends and maybe yourself within its pages.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781620971734">A Meal in Winter</a></b></i> by Hubert Mingarelli - Three German soldiers, stationed in Poland during World War Two, wrestle with their own morals in this poignant, brutal little novel. A Meal In Winter is understated, gorgeously written, and immensely human.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781568585284">Invisible Man, Got The Whole World Watching</a></b></i> by Michael Denzel Smith - Probably the most important and illuminating work of non-fiction I read this year.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555977573">Cabo De Gata</a></b></i> by Eugen Ruge - You know those novels where nothing seems to really happen, and then you get to the end and you realize that you may (or may not) have been reading about something really fundamentally important? </li>
</ul>
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<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Halley</span> at Ravenna</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781594633409">Boy, Snow, Bird</a></b></i> by Helen Oyeyemi</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780684838465">Cruddy</a></b></i> by Lynda Barry</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780385541299">The Heavenly Table</a></b></i> by Donald Ray Pollock</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780140434798">Villette</a></b></i> by Charlotte Bronte</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555977412">Grief is the Thing with Feathers</a></b></i> by Max Porter</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062292063">Lovecraft Country</a></b></i> by Matt Ruff</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780143107064">The Sundial</a></b></i> by Shirley Jackson</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780553418620">The Library at Mount Char</a></b></i> by Scott Hawkins</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://nine%20stories/">Nine Stories</a></b></i> by JD Salinger</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781627792134">Crooked Kingdom</a></b></i> by Leigh Bardugo</li>
</ul>
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<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Garrett</span> at Seward Park</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781771641494">Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ</a></b></i> by Giulia Enders</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781101994887">Still Life With Tornado</a></b></i> by A.S. King</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781770461987">Supermutant Magic Academy</a></b></i> by Jillian Tamaki</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780385354387">Hitler: Ascent, 1889-1939</a></b></i> by Volker Ullrich </li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781596437746">This One Summer</a></b></i> by Jillian Tamaki</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781559365420">The Humans</a></b></i> by Stephen Karam</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780763655983">I Want My Hat Back</a></b></i> by Jon Klassen</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780374535629">Political Order, Political Decay: From the Industrial Revolution to the Globalization of Democracy</a></b></i> by Francis Fukuyama</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781618730596">North American Lake Monsters: Stories</a></b></i> by Nathan Ballingrud</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781590173138">The One-Straw Revolution</a></b></i> by Masanobu Fukuoka</li>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Jane</span> at Lake Forest Park</div>
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<li><span style="font-weight: bold;"><i><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316300674">Sing for Your Life: A Story of Race Music and Family</a></i></span> by Daniel Berger</li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780399588174">Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood</a></i> by Trevor Noah</li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780553496680">The Sun is Also a Star</a></i> by Nicola Yoon</li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780385524414">The Patriots</a> </i>by Sana Krasikov</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780670026197">A Gentleman in Moscow</a></b></i> by Amor Towles</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781439182840">Memory Wall</a></b></i> by Anthony Doerr</li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780393350821">Saint Monkey</a> </i> by Jacinda Townsend</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780525428657">The Gallery</a></b></i> by Laura Max Fitzgerald</li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780452295292">City of Thieves</a> </i>by David Benihoff</li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780385755924">Holding Up the Universe</a></i> by Jennifer Niven</li>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Lish </span>from Lake Forest Park<br />
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<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781608867899">Giant Days Vol 1-3</a></b></i> by John Allison - One of the most enjoyable comics I've read in a long time.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250092144">City of the Lost</a></b></i> by Kelley Armstrong - I also really enjoyed her YA book The Missing this year.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780451474476">Marked in the Flesh</a></b></i> by Anne Bishop- this continues to be one of my favorite series. The covers are...not great, but the story is.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780743436168">Young Miles</a></b></i> by Lois McMaster Bujold- certianily not a new series, but new to me this year, and I'm trying to catch up! Young Miles collects several of the first Miles Vorkosigan books.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781481416474">Strictly No Elephants</a></b></i> by Lisa Mantchev. A warm, touching (without being sappy) story matched with adorable illustrations by Taeeun Yoo.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780425270691">Magic Binds</a></b></i> by Ilona Andrews. Again, one of my favorites series that also tends to have the worst covers. They're better than they used to be, though.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781608868988">Goldie Vance Vol 1</a></b></i> by Hope Larson. A charming and bright new comic for lovers of Nancy Drew.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781616205461"><i><b>Jackaby</b></i></a> by William Ritter. Again, not a new book, but I finally got around to it this year. A dash of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who, this whimsical series is smart, funny and entertaining.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/search/site/Three%20Dark%20Crowns">Three Dark Crowns</a></b></i> by Kendare Blake. If this book doesn't have you by the end of the Poisoner's Feast, then I'm not sure we can be book friends.</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781101911761">We Should All Be Feminists</a></b></i> by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. A short, witty, brillaint piece. The kind of book you want to hand out to everyone you know and make them read it. (Her TED talk on the danger of the single story is also worth your time. You can find it online.)</li>
<li>BONUS BOOK:<i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781627792134"> Crooked Kingdom</a></b></i> by Leigh Bardugo. The only reason this book isn't on my list (Six of Crows certainly was last year.) is because I just started it and couldn't add it yet. But this duology is AMAZING.</li>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Dana</span> at Ravenna<br />
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<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780786182312">In the Shadow of Fame: A Memoir </a></b></i>by Sue Erickson Bloland</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780820317595">A Childhood: The Biography of a Place</a></b></i> by Harry Crews</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781611803167">The Great Spring: Writing, Zen, and This Zigzag Life</a></b></i> by Natalie Goldberg</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781455566389">Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging</a></b></i> by Sebastian Junger</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062223074">The Art of Memoir</a></b></i> by Mary Karr</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781941040072">Wondering Who You Are</a></b></i> by Sonya Lea</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316247757">Hold Still</a></b></i> by Sally Mann</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780874519068">Georgia O'Keefe: A Life</a></b></i> by Roxana Robinson</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780670016952">The Glass Universe : How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars</a></b></i> by Dave Sobel</li>
<li><b><i><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780385493000">The Intuitionist</a></i></b> by Colson Whitehead</li>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Anje</span> at Seward Park</div>
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<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781607067702">East of West (volumes 1-6)</a></b></i> by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780156035521">My Abandonment</a></b></i> by Peter Rock</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780062222961">Do You Believe in Magic: The Sense and Nonsense of Alternative Medicine</a></b></i> by Paul Offit</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780399159367">I Met Someone</a></b></i> by Bruce Wagner</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781883642006">We So Seldom Look on Love: Stories</a></b></i> by Barbara Gowdy</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780385523363">Bellevue: Three Centuries of Medicine and Mayhem at America's Most Storied Hospital</a></b></i> by David Oshinsky</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781632153661">Bitch Planet (volume 1)</a></b></i> by Kelly Sue Deconnick / Valentine De Landro</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316216869">The Shining Girls</a></b></i> by Lauren Beukes</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781570270598">Caliban and the Witch: Women, the Body and Primitive Accumulation</a></b></i> by Silvia Federici</li>
<li><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781555977207">On Immunity: An Inoculation</a></b></i> by Eula Biss</li>
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Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-68989822942646130942016-10-26T09:52:00.001-07:002016-10-26T09:53:49.064-07:00Read This Book(er)<div style="text-align: justify;">
Winner of the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award in Fiction, named one of the best books of 2015 by The New York Times Book Review and the Wall Street Journal, and now winner of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/oct/25/paul-beatty-wins-man-booker-prize-2016">Man Booker Prize for Fiction</a> (the first American to do so), Kalani say, "Read this book,"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781250083258">The Sellout</a></i> by Paul Beatty</div>
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<b><i>This is what absurdist social commentary is all about! Beatty tackles the always hot-button issue of race beautifully in this satirical masterpiece of a black urban farmer who attempts to resegregate his hometown. This is as funny as it is deeply thought-provoking. One of the best, most entertaining novels I've read in awhile. </i> -Kalani</b></div>
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A biting satire about a young man's isolated upbringing and the race trial that sends him to the Supreme Court, Paul Beatty's <i>The Sellout</i> showcases a comic genius at the top of his game. It challenges the sacred tenets of the United States Constitution, urban life, the civil rights movement, the father-son relationship, and the holy grail of racial equality the black Chinese restaurant.</div>
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Born in the "agrarian ghetto" of Dickens on the southern outskirts of Los Angeles the narrator of <i>The Sellout </i>resigns himself to the fate of lower-middle-class Californians: "I'd die in the same bedroom I'd grown up in, looking up at the cracks in the stucco ceiling that've been there since '68 quake." Raised by a single father, a controversial sociologist, he spent his childhood as the subject in racially charged psychological studies. He is led to believe that his father's pioneering work will result in a memoir that will solve his family's financial woes. But when his father is killed in a police shoot-out, he realizes there never was a memoir. All that's left is the bill for a drive-thru funeral.</div>
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Fuelled by this deceit and the general disrepair of his hometown, the narrator sets out to right another wrong: Dickens has literally been removed from the map to save California from further embarrassment. Enlisting the help of the town's most famous resident the last surviving Little Rascal, Hominy Jenkins he initiates the most outrageous action conceivable: reinstating slavery and segregating the local high school, which lands him in the Supreme Court.</div>
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Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-74483543699395345002016-10-22T13:01:00.000-07:002016-10-22T13:30:51.788-07:00Read This Book : Shirley You Jest Edition<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dean and Halley say, "Read this book:"</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780143039976">We Have Always Lived in the Castle</a> </span></i>by Shirley Jackson</div>
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<i>Well, Jackson did it again! This beautiful strange novel leaves quite a distinct and lingering impression. In this tale of mystery and isolation we are met by two sisters cut off from the world. They live alone, happily and ferally in their dilapidated family home in an almost mundanely mystical lifestyle a la Grey Gardens. Delivering and effortless sense of unease, this captivating and understated story will leave you in a satisfying state of unknowingness.</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">-Dean</span></div>
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<i>Merricat lives with her older sister and uncle after her family is killed due to the mysterious appearance of arsenic in the sugar bowl. After her sister is acquited of the murder, she and Merricat are ostracized by the village. For a time, they are content in their isolation...until a visitor comes to stay. Strange and haunting, this novel stayed with me long after I finished it. Shirley Jackson managed to tell a story without violence, gore, or horror and yet by the end you're left chilled to the bone</i>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">-Halley</span></div>
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And speaking of Shirley Jackson, just now is a pretty good time to be an SJ fan (or to become one) as the queen of horror is experiencing a bit of a resurgence. And it's about time too. </div>
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When Shirley Jackson was first introduced by The New Republic, it was as, "Shirley Jackson, the wife of Stanley Hyman... living in New Hampshire and writing a novel." Not as she should have been, "Shirley Jackson the bad*ss writer of truly haunting and creepy short stories is writing a novel and lives in New Hampshire where she has to drive Stanley Hyman (the husband of Ms. Jackson) around because she knows how to drive and he doesn't." Not that not being able to drive is a reason for ridicule.</div>
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All I'm trying to say is it's time to give this author and licensed driver the appreciation she deserves. And with a new biography, last year's novel based on her life, and a soon to be released graphic novel based on one of her most well-known short stories, we finally are! -Erin<br />
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<i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780809066506"><span style="font-size: large;">Shirley Jackson's The Lottery</span></a></i> by Miles Hyman</div>
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Shirley Jackson's <i>The Lottery</i> continues to thrill and unsettle readers nearly seven decades after it was first published. By turns puzzling and harrowing, it raises troubling questions about conformity, tradition, and the specter of ritualized violence that haunts even the most bucolic, peaceful village. </div>
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This graphic adaptation, published in time for Jackson's centennial, allows readers to experience <i>The Lottery</i> as never before, or discover it anew. The visual artist--and Jackson's grandson--Miles Hyman has crafted an eerie vision of the hamlet where the tale unfolds, its inhabitants, and the unforgettable ritual they set into motion. His four-color, meticulously detailed panels create a noirish atmosphere that adds a new dimension of dread to the original tale. Perfectly timed to the current resurgence of interest in Jackson and her work, <i>Shirley Jackson's The Lottery: The Authorized Graphic Adaptation</i> masterfully reimagines her iconic story with a striking visual narrative.<br />
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780871403131">Shirley Jackson : A Rather Haunted Life</a></span></b></i> by Ruth Franklin</div>
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Placing Jackson within an American Gothic tradition that stretches back to Hawthorne and Poe, Franklin demonstrates how her unique contribution to this genre came from her focus on "domestic horror." Almost two decades before The Feminine Mystique ignited the women's movement, Jackson stories and nonfiction chronicles were already exploring the exploitation and the desperate isolation of women, particularly married women, in American society.Franklin's portrait of Jackson gives us a way of reading Jackson and her work that threads her into the weave of the world of words, as a writer and as a woman, rather than excludes her as an anomaly (Neil Gaiman).</div>
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The increasingly prescient Jackson emerges as a ferociously talented, determined, and prodigiously creative writer in a time when it was unusual for a woman to have both a family and a profession.A mother of four and the wife of the prominentNew Yorkercritic and academic Stanley Edgar Hyman, Jackson lived a seemingly bucolic life in the New England town of North Bennington, Vermont. Yet, much like her stories, which channeled the occult while exploring the claustrophobia of marriage and motherhood, Jackson's creative ascent was haunted by a darker side. As her career progressed, her marriage became more tenuous, her anxiety mounted, and she became addicted to amphetamines and tranquilizers. In sobering detail, Franklin insightfully examines the effects of Jackson's California upbringing, in the shadow of a hypercritical mother, on her relationship with her husband, juxtaposing Hyman's infidelities, domineering behavior, and professional jealousy with his unerring admiration for Jackson's fiction, which he was convinced was among the most brilliant he had ever encountered.</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780147516190"><span style="font-size: large;">Shirley</span></a></i> by Susan Scarf Merrell </div>
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In this darkly captivating novel, Susan Scarf Merrell uses the facts of Jackson's life as a springboard to explore the 1964 disappearance of Paula Weldon, a young Bennington College student. </div>
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Told through the eyes of Rose Nemser the wife of a graduate student working with Jackson's husband, Bennington professor Stanley Edgar Hyman Shirley reimagines the connections between the Hymans volatile marriage and one of the era's great unsolved mysteries.</div>
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Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-8169604705457161592016-10-19T11:56:00.001-07:002016-10-19T11:58:27.900-07:00Scary Books!<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's my favorite time of year for reading. Not that I don't read at all other times of the year. It's only that reading October through December is THE BEST time for reading. It's like the sports year, sure, hockey is good all season long, but it's THE BEST during Stanley Cup playoffs.</div>
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Nothing is cozier than curling under a blanket, drinking a cup of tea, and reading to the sounds of rain falling and wind scattered leaves. I also like to put my Yule Log on, but you should feel free to light a real fire should you have a fireplace. Admit it, me describing it right now has you contemplating just how many sick days you can get away with.</div>
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Since Reading Season Playoffs begin in October, I like to start off with scary books. I've put together a table at the Lake Forest Park Store. Here are a few of the titles on display, come on down and check out the rest...if you dare.</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780446603775">Dawn</a> </i> by Octavia Butler</i><br />
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Lilith lyapo awoke from a centuries-long sleep to find herself aboard the vast spaceship of the Oankali. Creatures covered in writhing tentacles, the Oankali had saved every surviving human from a dying, ruined Earth. They healed the planet, cured cancer, increased strength, and were now ready to help Lilith lead her people back to Earth--but for a price.</div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/591/541/9781455541591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/591/541/9781455541591.jpg" width="132" /></a><i style="font-weight: bold;"></i><br />
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<i style="font-weight: bold;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781455541591">The Year of Voting Dangerously</a> </i>by Maureen Dowd</i><br />
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Trapped between two candidates with the highest recorded unfavorables, Americans are plunged into The Year of Voting Dangerously. In this perilous and shocking campaign season, Dowd traces the psychologies and pathologies in one of the nastiest and most significant battles of the sexes ever. If America is on the escalator to hell, then this book is the perfect guide for this surreal, insane ride.</div>
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<i><i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781594633072">White is for Witching</a></b></i> by Helen Oyeyemi</i><br />
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There's something strange about the Silver family house in the closed-off town of Dover, England. Grand and cavernous with hidden passages and buried secrets, it's been home to four generations of Silver women Anna, Jennifer, Lily, and now Miranda, who has lived in the house with her twin brother, Eliot, ever since their father converted it to a bed-and-breakfast. The Silver women have always had a strong connection, a pull over one another that reaches across time and space, and when Lily, Miranda's mother, passes away suddenly while on a trip abroad, Miranda begins suffering strange ailments. An eating disorder starves her. She begins hearing voices. When she brings a friend home, Dover's hostility toward outsiders physically manifests within the four walls of the Silver house, and the lives of everyone inside are irrevocably changed.</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780763660659">A Monster Calls</a></i> by Patrick Ness</div>
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At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting-- he's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It's ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd-- whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself-- Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined.</div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/572/716/9781476716572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/572/716/9781476716572.jpg" width="131" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781476716572"></a><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781476716572"><i style="font-weight: bold;">All the Single Ladies Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation</i> </a>by Rebecca Traister<br />
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In 2009, award-winning journalist Rebecca Traister started All the Single Ladies about the twenty-first century phenomenon of the American single woman. It was the year the proportion of American women who were married dropped below fifty percent; and the median age of first marriages, which had remained between twenty and twenty-two years old for nearly a century (1890 1980), had risen dramatically to twenty-seven. </div>
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But over the course of her vast research and more than a hundred interviews with academics and social scientists and prominent single women, Traister discovered a startling truth: the phenomenon of the single woman in America is not a new one. And historically, when women were given options beyond early heterosexual marriage, the results were massive social change temperance, abolition, secondary education, and more. Today, only twenty percent of Americans are married by age twenty-nine, compared to nearly sixty percent in 1960. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And my favorite literary/author pun...</span></div>
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<b><i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780307165480"><span id="goog_1044294444"></span>Richard Scarry's Best Storybook Ever<span id="goog_1044294445"></span></a></i></b></div>
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Boo!</div>
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-Erin</div>
Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-61773534728831064002016-10-01T15:05:00.001-07:002016-10-01T15:06:40.608-07:00Reading Fast, and Reading SlowIn 16 years of bookselling, I’ve always been a voracious reader, devouring 2-3 books each week. This spring I hit a reading slump. My personal life turned upside down, and suddenly I couldn’t focus. Reading has always been a refuge, so it was strange to be so distracted that I couldn’t read more than a few pages without losing track of the narrative.<br />
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I loved Charles DuHigg’s <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780812981605">The Power of Habit</a></b></i>, so I snapped up an advance copy of his latest book, <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780812993394">Smarter Faster Better</a></b></i>. I took notes on the first few chapters and could hardly wait to read the rest, but life got in the way. Ironically, I fell out of the habit of picking up a book whenever I had a spare minute.<br />
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By April 4 I’d managed to finish one book: <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780544373419">Marrow Island </a></b></i>by Alexis Smith. I adored Smith’s debut gem, <i><b>Glaciers</b></i>, and her second effort is the type of novel I’d ordinarily finish in a day or two: literary fiction with an edge of mystery, set primarily in the San Juan Islands. I spent six weeks reading this wonderfully stitched 256-page story, determined to see it through and return to my usual reading pace.<br />
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/135/947/9781101947135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/135/947/9781101947135.jpg" width="133" /></a>In May I had a few more false starts but only finished one book: <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781101947135">Homegoing</a></b></i> by Yaa Gyasi, a beautifully wrought portrait of two half-sisters and their descendants, from the Gold Coast of Africa at the peak of the slave trade to 21st century America. The memorable characters each evoke a unique time and place, bringing humanity to history.<br />
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June brought me just what I needed: Maria Semple’s forthcoming romp <b><i><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316403436">Today Will Be Different</a></i></b>. Funny and smart with a touch of the ridiculous, it follows Eleanor Flood through a single day in which she tries to be a better person, to hilarious effect.<br />
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/197/026/9780670026197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/197/026/9780670026197.jpg" width="132" /></a>By the end of July I felt accomplished; I'd finished three whole books! I savored my favorite, <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780670026197">A Gentleman in Moscow</a></b></i> by Amor Towles, over several weeks. Sentenced to live out his days as a Former Person at the Hotel Metropol in 1922, Count Alexander Rostov resolves to make the best of his reduced circumstances. With unparalleled charm, he moves through three decades, befriending staff, guests, and foreign journalists, always the gentleman. Fans of Helen Simonson’s delightful <i><b>The Summer Before the War</b></i> will enjoy the count's quick wit and the minutiae of his days.<br />
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/851/242/9780316242851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/851/242/9780316242851.jpg" width="128" /></a>In August I enjoyed a few pages a day of Eowyn Ivey’s second novel, <i><b><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780316242851">To the Bright Edge of the World</a></b></i>. Set in nineteenth century Alaska, this historical novel follows an expedition up the Wolverine River into the unknown, told through the leader’s journal entries and his wife’s letters.<br />
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At first I felt horribly guilty neglecting the stacks of unread advance reading copies on my shelves, but over the past few months I’ve let go of the guilt somewhat. I’ve fallen out of the reading habit, but I have faith it will return. Right now I’m spending 6-8 hours each week on my bike, writing loads of letters and postcards, journaling, paddle boarding, camping, and anything else that gets me out in the glorious summer sun.<br />
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-EmilyThird Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-22531523109672186022016-09-07T18:59:00.004-07:002016-09-07T18:59:45.834-07:00On This Day In (Literary) History<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkhAjZfS-lKdujUyjFiHhrBv-6C-FoMeKgPW0vzn98uWQsG6Kf7-qR0QddWJtddA7fQa7OM9Yddrcq6FwN-hMc8lXSYCVoROlF13mkixjzLlysh2sMHdb3xIzU7pgt_jLNSsBX614mLwb/s1600/chaucer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkhAjZfS-lKdujUyjFiHhrBv-6C-FoMeKgPW0vzn98uWQsG6Kf7-qR0QddWJtddA7fQa7OM9Yddrcq6FwN-hMc8lXSYCVoROlF13mkixjzLlysh2sMHdb3xIzU7pgt_jLNSsBX614mLwb/s640/chaucer.jpg" width="519" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://blog.thirdplacebooks.com/search/label/On%20this%20day%20in%20history">More comics here!</a></span>Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-15047878482685233412016-08-29T19:57:00.001-07:002016-08-29T20:22:12.224-07:00When Nobody Loves the Book You Love<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLs0aTS3RKKaVm5ZoRubjEyF0yFur056d3hXEJ2EYPMmL3nXI9pcw1eXSe2UZVQ4wmP0M8azFboKkiQdPySzrdetw_HIJyZcBEcy_gV2nZW4V8zdSOtzJT6LGcnlT6RyE254mRXpHCDp3U/s1600/treats+cereal.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLs0aTS3RKKaVm5ZoRubjEyF0yFur056d3hXEJ2EYPMmL3nXI9pcw1eXSe2UZVQ4wmP0M8azFboKkiQdPySzrdetw_HIJyZcBEcy_gV2nZW4V8zdSOtzJT6LGcnlT6RyE254mRXpHCDp3U/s200/treats+cereal.png" width="128" /></a>Have you ever watched your child perform really poorly? Like you're at the soccer field and your kid can't even drink his Gatorade without spilling it all down his front, let alone run fast or kick the ball with any sort of accuracy? How about a television show you love being cancelled after one season? Or when they stop making your favorite brand of novelty breakfast cereal (you broke my heart Rice Krispies Treats Cereal)? All of those feelings of sadness, disappointment, abandonment, and unfairness...those are the feelings I feel every day when I walk by the book I love and you haven't bought it yet. </div>
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Only I feel all those feelings times one million.</div>
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I bet you didn't think bookselling involved such angst and anguish. Well, it does, and it's mostly your fault. You see, I read this book, this book I really loved. I told people about it. I staff picked it. I put it on Instagram. It featured on one of our monthly theme tables. But you didn't care. You ignored it. It's like I'm shouting to an empty room. Or a room filled with angry people trying to read the books they bought instead of the book I'm suggesting. </div>
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So here's my last ditch effort, and if a hastily crafted, marginally edited blog post won't convince you to buy it, I guess I'm not very good at my job. Fair warning, I'm not above some pretty dubious tactics. Like pilfering words from this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/books/review/the-castle-cross-the-magnet-carter-by-kia-corthron.html?_r=0">New York Times Book Review</a> by Leonard Pitts Jr.:</div>
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<b> <i><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781609806576">The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter</a></i>... a narrative that sweeps forward (and then back) between World War II and the first decade of the new millennium, touching on the civil rights movement, AIDS, deaf culture, lynching, love and sexuality, that emotional terrain remains the book’s bedrock.</b></div>
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<b>...what Corthron does best in this book. She blindsides you. She sneaks up from behind. Sometimes, it is with moments of humor, but more often with moments of raw emotional power — moments whose pathos feels hard-earned and true.</b></div>
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<b><i>The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter</i> is a big book that has a lot — arguably too much — on its mind. But it succeeds admirably in a novel’s first and most difficult task: It makes you give a damn. It also does well by a novel’s second task: It sends you away pondering what it has to say.</b></div>
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What he said. </div>
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And what's a little plagarism compared to the exploitation of a good friend's emotional health and job stability? Because, I haven't been entirely unable to sell this book, in fact I convinced a friend to read it and she loved it. She loved it so much she had to call in sick while she was reading it. She couldn't wait to finish and refused to read at work because she didn't want to cry in front of coworkers. Those are real emotions people.</div>
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<a href="https://images.booksense.com/images/707/172/9780804172707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.booksense.com/images/707/172/9780804172707.jpg" width="129" /></a>I will even do the thing I hate most about bookselling: the comparison. Here goes:</div>
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<b>If you loved Hanya Yanagihara's <i><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780804172707">A Little Life</a></i>, then you will love <i>The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter</i> even more. They are both super long, super big books. 10 pounds each. Serious. Both have these characters your heart will break for. And both will make you weep. <i>Castle Cross</i> just does it WAY better.</b></blockquote>
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And last but not least... I understand the importance of cover design, so I have updated the original cover with everyone's favorite things in an attempt to appeal to a wider audience.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVvTyzZ8b7Jn3Y1wMtG-U6RikjsTEJqOwHYhcvtOJ6ZzoEQzjsXbH1E1aYaJ5xy2q3AW5xEfzpB7UR72aR8TbEaCFSNvWwqc6c8icgVUT4FYEQO59UbyD4xVNKConaGos9HDIJVAGQt59/s1600/Castle+Cross.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVvTyzZ8b7Jn3Y1wMtG-U6RikjsTEJqOwHYhcvtOJ6ZzoEQzjsXbH1E1aYaJ5xy2q3AW5xEfzpB7UR72aR8TbEaCFSNvWwqc6c8icgVUT4FYEQO59UbyD4xVNKConaGos9HDIJVAGQt59/s640/Castle+Cross.png" width="432" /></a></div>
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All joking aside. <i>The Castle Cross The Magnet Carter</i> is a beautiful book. A sprawling, messy, sweeping epic. It gives you the chance to burrow in and really connect with the characters. Weirdly, Kia Corthron does a lot of things I usually hate: child narrators, dialects, switching perspectives, jumping through time. But in her hands they become this perfect conduit for a heartbreaking tale of race, sexuality, disability, familial strife, and the power of brotherhood. These pages deal with a lot of hate, sadness, and confusion but there's also a lot of courage and love here too. I wish this book were 800 more pages, and then 800 more after that.<br />
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Please read it. Don't let it be the book on the sidelines with Gatorade all down its front.</div>
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-ErinThird Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-58079394894431830102016-08-17T18:14:00.004-07:002016-08-17T18:23:43.752-07:00Soon to be a Major Motion Picture<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was recently at the local cinema seeing a great art house piece, <i>Ghostbusters</i>. Perhaps you've heard of it? The movie was fantastic. Obviously. But the previews were pretty great too. And three of them are books!</div>
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For a book lover, I'm unusually unfazed by movie adaptations. I'm not the type to say, "the book is always better," because they really are two separate entities. But that doesn't mean an upcoming movie release won't compel me to read the book. Sometimes movie release schedules fairly dictate my to-read pile. Like right now.</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780060885618">Billy Lynn's Long Half-Time Walk</a> </i> by Ben Fountain</i></div>
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<i>Three minutes and forty-three seconds of intense warfare with Iraqi insurgents has transformed the eight surviving men of Bravo Squad into America's most sought-after heroes. Now they're on a media-intensive nationwide tour to reinvigorate support for the war. On this rainy Thanksgiving, the Bravos are guests of the Dallas Cowboys, slated to be part of the halftime show alongside Destiny's Child.</i></div>
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<i>Among the Bravos is Specialist Billy Lynn. Surrounded by patriots sporting flag pins on their lapels and Support Our Troops bumper stickers, he is thrust into the company of the Cowboys' owner and his coterie of wealthy colleagues; a born-again Cowboys cheerleader; a veteran Hollywood producer; and supersized players eager for a vicarious taste of war. Over the course of this day, Billy will drink and brawl, yearn for home and mourn those missing, face a heart-wrenching decision, and discover pure love and a bitter wisdom far beyond his years.</i></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780763660659">A Monster Calls</a></i> by Patrick Ness</i></div>
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<i>At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting-- he's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It's ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd-- whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself-- Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined.</i></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9781594746031">Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children</a></i> by Ransom Riggs</i></div>
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<i>A mysterious island.</i></div>
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<i>An abandoned orphanage.</i></div>
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<i>A strange collection of very curious photographs.</i></div>
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<i>It all waits to be discovered in "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children," an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow impossible though it seems they may still be alive. A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows</i>.</div>
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-Erin</div>
Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358688278511338877.post-48131615315729063802016-08-13T14:33:00.000-07:002016-08-14T16:15:29.320-07:00Going for Gold<div style="text-align: justify;">
I don't want to perpetuate any stereotypes and I'm not saying that booksellers can't be athletes, or that we aren't interested in sports or the Olympics, what I am saying is that literary prizes are usually more important to us than say who wins bronze in road biking.** So instead of honoring the greatest athletes in the world and all their feats of strength and agility, we are honoring the greatest writers in the world.</div>
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This month at Lake Forest Park we are featuring Literature Nobel Prize winners from all different countries. Because the great thing about the Nobel Prize is that it is awarded across all nations. They even get a medal. Just like the Olympics! Imagine an Author Olympics. Speed Editing! Synchronized Plot Development! Water Outlining! </div>
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Check out our beautiful display all month long. We'll be playing various national anthems over the PA system. Actually, we won't.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">**Except pentathlon. That's something I care deeply about</span><br />
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And if you are a bigger sports fan that we are, check out this new history of the Olympics:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Games : A Global History of the Olympics</i> </span>by David Goldblatt<br />
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<i>For millions of people around the world, the Summer and Winter Games are a joy and a treasure, but how did they develop into a global colossus? How have they been buffeted by and, in turn, affected by world events? Why do we care about them so much?</i></div>
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<i>From the reinvention of the Games in Athens in 1896 to Rio in 2016, best-selling sportswriter David Goldblatt brilliantly traces their history through national triumphs and tragedies, individual victories and failures. Here is the story of grand Olympic traditions such as winners medals, the torch relay, and the eternal flame. Here is the story of popular Olympic events such as gymnastics, the marathon, and alpine skiing (as well as discontinued ones like tug-of-war). And here in all their glory are Olympic icons from Jesse Owens to Nadia Comaneci, Abebe Bikila to Bob Beamon, the Dream Team to Usain Bolt.</i></div>
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<i>Hailed in the Wall Street Journal for writing about sports with the expansive eye of a social and cultural critic, Goldblatt goes beyond the medal counts to tell how women fought to be included in the Olympics on equal terms, how the wounded of World War II led to the Paralympics, and how the Olympics reflect changing attitudes to race and ethnicity. He explores the tensions between the Games amateur ideals and professionalization and commercialism in sports, the pitched battles between cities for the right to host the Games, and their often disappointing economic legacy. And in covering such seminal moments as Jesse Owens and Hitler at Berlin in 1936, the Black Power salute at Mexico City in 1968, the massacre of Israeli athletes at Munich in 1972, and the Miracle on Ice at Lake Placid in 1980, Goldblatt shows how prominently the modern Olympics have highlighted profound domestic and international conflicts.</i></div>
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<i>Illuminated with dazzling vignettes from over a century of the Olympics, this stunningly researched and engagingly written history captures the excitement, drama, and kaleidoscopic experience of the Games.</i></div>
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And last but not least, by far my favorite thing to come out of the Rio Olympics:<br />
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- Erin</div>
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Third Place Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06590510929892828645noreply@blogger.com0