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2012 Puddly Awards


Don't Miss Third Book's a Charm! Get Your 3rd Book Free Europa Editions Sale: Save 30% Introducing Indiespensable #34 Powell's Meridian App for iPhone and Android More at Powell's PowellsBooks.Blog Interviews \| Q&As; \| Essays Original Essays \| May 31, 2012 Alphabet Everywhere 0 comments By Elliott Kaufman This book has been in my mind ever since I started taking photographs in the '70s. It seemed to be the perfect visual exercise — seeing the... Continue » $10.47 Sale Hardcover add to wish list Alphabet Everywhere Elliott KaufmanElliott Kaufman 9780789211156	Powells.com » Locations » Powell's Books on Hawthorne Powell's Books on Hawthorne Loading... Powell's Books on Hawthorne 3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Portland, OR 97214 (map/directions) Phone 503-228-4651 Hours Monday - Thursday: 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Friday - Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Sunday: 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. July 4: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Book buying hours: Daily: 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. From appropriately funky beginnings in a slightly funky neighborhood, Powell's on Hawthorne has grown into the largest used and new bookstore on Portland's east side. Located in a vibrant, diverse, and highly desirable neighborhood, Powell's on Hawthorne now covers more than 10,000 square feet of retail space and offers more than 200,000 used and new books. The atmosphere is relaxed, but the store is big enough to warrant a map. Not as extensive as the labyrinth at the City of Books, Powell's on Hawthorne is divided into just three rooms, each named for a neighborhood landmark: Madison, Hawthorne, and Tabor. The latter is named for Mt. Tabor, the world's only extinct volcano residing within city limits. Powell's on Hawthorne hosts lively and interesting author readings several times each week in its Tabor Room. Adjacent to the reading space, readers congregate in The Fresh Pot, an inviting corner of the store serving delicious homemade pastries and other sweet delights, along with some of the best coffee in a town that really knows its coffee. Judy Jewell says, "My favorite thing about working at the Hawthorne store is the lively feeling of community I get from my co-workers and customers. I think next best is the great used books we see here. You just never know what's going to turn up or who's going to turn up to buy it. Like the other day, we got in this copy of Huber the Tuber, a book about tuberculosis. We thought it was goofy and charming so we put it in the front window. That same afternoon, a customer snatched it up, saying it was her first book. Her father had been a lung doctor, and the book had come out when she was a toddler. She was way thrilled and we were all pretty tickled about it." -- More about Powell's Books on Hawthorne: Directions to Powell's Books on Hawthorne Here are just some of the books we're talking about at Powell's. Konfidenz It is dumbfounding that Ariel Dorfman is not more widely read, as his writing is so remarkably trenchant and unafraid. The exiled Chilean novelist, short story writer, playwright, poet, and essayist has been teaching at Duke University since 1985. His works are direct, compelling, and often characterized by a looming intensity or immediacy. Dorfman is a relentless critic of imperialism, tyranny, and oppression, framing much of his art in the context of human rights. Private life is an illusion in our world, Barbara. When you can torture one person, private life ends for everybody else. Konfidenz is a novel written almost entirely in dialogue, an effect employed to lend the story a chilling effect. Set in Paris sometime in very late 1939 or early 1940, just before the Nazis invaded France, the story confronts notions of identity and loyalty. Much of Konfidenz is marked by uncertainty, for both reader and characters alike, a quality that colors the whole work with an ever-increasing urgency. As powerful a tale as this novel is, it perhaps would have an even greater impact were it adapted for the stage, especially given its abundance of dialogue. While not Dorfman's strongest work, Konfidenz still resounds with arresting significance. Recommended by Jeremy February 16, 2012 product Konfidenz by Ariel Dorfman The Dylan Dog Case Files Dylan Dog does a great job of rolling up elements of the macabre, humor, and romantacism into one classic Italian comic book rich with cinematic undertones. Dylan himself is based on Rupert Everett, while his comedic sidekick is a Groucho Marx impersonator. Once I picked this up I was hooked. Unfortunately, only seven stories have been translated into English while there are over 200 issues in Italian. Recommended by Nate Ashley February 16, 2012 product Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter The house I grew up in (with my sister, my two parents, a constant but ever-changing assortment of critters, and all the associated clutter one might expect) was 800 sq. ft. In a word: tiny. But the homes in Lloyd Kahn's Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter give my childhood home a run for its money. Tiny Homes showcases a fantastic assortment of structures under 500 sq. ft. What these buildings lack in square footage, they deliver in character, affordability, energy efficiency, and, in some cases, portability! From prefab tiny homes to tree houses, boathouses, hobbit homes, houses on wheels, and, my personal favorite, the pumphouse-turned-chicken-coop-turned-stationary-yacht, this book is a treasure trove of micro-inspiration, and a testament to the benefits of scaling down. Recommended by Tove February 16, 2012 product The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane Connie moves into her grandmother's house to ready it for sale. She stumbles upon an ancient key with a tiny piece of paper rolled up inside that which reads: "Deliverance Dane." The search for the meaning of this phrase leads Connie to witches, hangings, a bit of romance, a little supernatural phenomenon, and an elusive spell book. Katherine Howe is an art historian and her own ancestors include Elizabeth Howe and Elizabeth Proctor, both of whom were tried in the Salem witch trials. Howe uses her own family stories here in this suspenseful read. Recommended by Dianah February 16, 2012 product Tyrant Memory Tyrant Memory, Castellanos Moya's fourth (and longest) work to be translated into English, takes place in the tumultuous spring of 1944, during which metaphysically-inclined Salvadoran president Maximiliano Hernández Martinez ("The Warlock") survives a coup but is ultimately deposed following the student-led Strike of Fallen Arms. The story, while based on historical events, is a fictionalized one. The tale concerns the Aragon family, and the tribulations they are forced to endure as a result of political repression in a time of great change and uncertainty. The narrative shifts between the diary entries of Haydée (wife of Pericles, a journalist and former presidential secretary now held as a political prisoner, and mother to Clemen, a dissident and newly-minted enemy of the state) and the third-person account of Clemen's sometimes comical attempts at evasion and escape. These alternating sequences lend Tyrant Memory a startling quality, as the diarist's worrisome writings complement the humorous antics of the fleeing Clemente well. Although Castellanos Moya had not yet been born at the time of Hernández Martinez's reign, the story (originally published in Spanish in 2008) presumably was a very personal one to have written. Tyrant Memory is a fantastic novel, though it seems to lack much of the gravitas that made both Senselessness and The She-Devil in the Mirror so sensational. The political novel is common to Latin American literature (whether as subject or setting), and Castellanos Moya's effort will surely rank amongst the finer of them. It does not, however, muster the same emotional power and haunting intensity often found in the writings of, say, Mario Benedetti or Ariel Dorfman. Nonetheless, Tyrant Memory is an excellent work of fiction, one that hopefully precedes the translation of many more of his works into english (especially his collections of short stories!). Recommended by Jeremy February 16, 2012 product by The Blind Contessa's New Machine Carey Wallace has written a beautiful little novella based on the invention of the first typewriter. Who knew it was for a blind woman? In 1808, Pellegrino Turri invented his "writing machine" to help the blind communicate. The Blind Contessa's New Machine uses this invention, and its subsequent gift to the Contessa, as a basis for the spark that starts a passionate love affair. Both the inventor and the Contessa are married to others, so there is no easy road to their happiness. What is, perhaps, even more interesting than the love affair is the dream-like quality of this story. As the Contessa gradually loses her sight, she becomes more attached to her dreams, in which she can still see. She is even able to influence her dreams to the point where she can fly. There is a blurring of the line between dream and reality throughout, which gives this books an illusory, unearthly, and fantastical quality. Recommended by Dianah February 9, 2012 product The Seamstress and the Wind Though most of César Aira's books tend to be slim affairs, they make up with inventiveness for whatever they may lack in length. The prolific Argentine novelist's works are wildly imaginative, and the depth of his creativity seems matched by the ease with which he is able to blend, cross, and move within different genres. The Seamstress and the Wind is the sixth of Aira's books (of more than 80) to be translated into English. The Seamstress and the Wind combines a number of elements that, at first glance, might appear to make for a jumbled, undisciplined, and haphazard work. The brilliance of Aira's writing, however, is that he, like a literary alchemist, transmutes disparate components into something fantastical and rewarding. Mixing the mundane with the phantasmagorical, Aira's novels are richly engaging, for one is never sure upon which point the story is about to veer into the realm of the wholly unforeseen. The word predictable is one that ought never be employed to describe any aspect of Aira's fiction. The magnificent range in his work is no mere clever device, but instead reflects an unfettered imagination that allows for a story to freely evolve. The effect is disarming and seems refreshingly natural (perhaps in contrast to the abundance of forced narratives that abound elsewhere in contemporary literature). Contributing to the overall affluence of his writing are his reliably intriguing characters, seemingly average yet possessed by a charming singularity. The Seamstress and the Wind features characters the likes of which will not soon be forgotten (nor their entrances into the story). César Aira is remarkably gifted, and his ability to seamlessly infuse his work with humor, fantasy, poignant observation, unrestrained style, and invigorating prose is truly amazing. Although each one of his books is entirely unlike its predecessor, they all seem to complement one another in a way that reinforces the prowess of his creativity. The more Aira that I read, the more easily I am convinced that he is one of the most talented, original, and important writers at work today. Though few of his books are even as long as 150 pages, they leave the reader bewitched long after the story has concluded. Recommended by Jeremy February 9, 2012 product The Art of Fielding If it weren't for the Morning News Tournament of Books, I would never have read The Art of Fielding. Baseball? No, thanks. But have no fear — it's not really a book about baseball. Henry Skrimshander is a shortstop prodigy who lives and breathes baseball. Luckily, he is talented enough to catch the eye of Mike Schwartz, the de facto student coach of all things sports at Westish College in Wisconsin. Henry can't believe his luck as he is suddenly accepted into college, playing shortstop for a real team, and about to match the all-time professional record for error-free games. But, things never work out this well, do they? What follows is an anxious and uneasy coming-of-age story, which rings absolutely true and comes complete with a shattering identity crisis. Chad Harbach manages to convey the degrading, confusing, and humiliating realities of this period of life, all the while his characters are insinuating themselves thoroughly into your heart. Woven throughout is one of the most truly radiant, yet at the same time, deeply distressing, love stories I've ever come across. Thank you, Tournament of Books, for forcing me to read this! Recommended by Dianah February 7, 2012 product Olive Kitteridge Set on the coast of Maine, this fantastic Pulitzer Prize winner (2009) is a terrific character study. Olive is an irascible, crabby old lady who is difficult to like. Yet, as her life, marriage, and story play out, her character changes in ways that are wholly believable. This novel runs the gamut of human emotion and delicately exposes the secret inner workings of the human condition. Beautifully written, Olive Kitteridge is a book I didn't much expect to like — but how wrong I was. Recommended by Dianah February 7, 2012 product Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout Handheld Pies Part cookbook, part culinary road trip, part mouthwatering, flaky-crusted, fresh-from-the-oven feast for the eyes, Handheld Pies combines recipes for scrumptious handheld treats with profiles of some of the best small-pie makers in the United States, including Portland's own fried-pie purveyor Whiffies (p. 34). First-time pie makers will appreciate the introductory chapter devoted to equipment, ingredients, and techniques, as well as Billingsley's clear, step-by-step instructions. Seasoned pros looking to expand their repertoire are sure to find something they haven't tried, like Orange Marmalade-Mascarpone Pop Tarts (p. 37) or Vanilla Malt Jar Pie (p. 86). This book makes me want to embark on a tiny ~~eating~~ baking spree. Recommended by Tove February 6, 2012 product Half a Life Darin Strauss dissects the one event that forever demarcates his life: as a teenager, he kills a schoolmate after hitting her with his car. To his credit, Strauss never once plays the pity card; instead he seems to question his every emotion and thought for signs of weakness. As he grows into adulthood, he shares his story with others and sits unflinchingly while they either excoriate or coddle him. No, this memoir is not for the faint of heart — demanding introspection and exhaustive emotional digging are the hallmarks of his life. Half a Life not only describes Strauss's life but also his schoolmate's life, and he mines this reality for all its subtle and explicit meaning. Kudos to Strauss for his strength in not only living this particular nightmare but for sharing it, as well. Recommended by Dianah February 6, 2012 product by The Rabbits' Wedding Eeee! This book will fill you with an endless supply of the warm fuzzies. And, who knew, but when the title was first published in 1958 it was banned! Adorable bunnies equals controversy? Unfortunately, yes. It was banned because it supposedly encouraged interracial marriage. Sigh. Luckily times have changed (sort of), and The Rabbits' Wedding is back in print! Recommended by Morgan R. February 6, 2012 product The Rabbits' Wedding by Garth Williams

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