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"But if books were a gift for my father - transportive, salvific - he made sure that, for his children, they were a given. In one of my earliest memories, he has suddenly materialized in the doorway of the room where my sister and I were playing, holding a Norton Anthology of Poetry in one hand and waving the other aloft like Moses or Merlin while reciting "Kubla Khan." Throughout my childhood, it was his job to read aloud to us at bedtime; to our delight, he could not be counted on to stick to the text on the page, and on the best nights he ditched the books altogether and regaled us with the homegrown adventures of Yana and Egbert, two danger-prone siblings from of all places. Rotterdam. (My father had a keen ear for the kind of word that would make young children laugh and that was one of them.)"
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excerpt from "The Stack: The Life-changing Magic of a Disorganized Pile of Books,"
by Kathryn Schultz (
The New Yorker,
March 25, 2019)
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Author Events and Readings
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Thursday, April 4, 7:00 pm
We are thrilled to welcome former Bainbridge Islander
Evan James
as he discusses his new novel,
Cheer Up, Mr. Widdicombe
. The novel is set during a single summer on Bainbridge Island, and the island features heavily in the book, almost as a character itself. The inimitable - some might say incorrigible - Frank Widdicombe is suffering from a deep depression. Or so his wife, Carol, believes; but she is convinced that their new island home is just the thing to cheer her husband up. And so begins a whirlwind summer as their house becomes the epicenter of multiple social dramas involving the family, their friends, and a host of new acquaintances. Written in a singularly witty and satirical style, this book is perfect for fans of Maria Semple's
Where'd You Go, Bernadette?, Andrew Sean Greer's
Less, and Jess Walter's
Beautiful Ruins.
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Thursday, April 11, 7:00 pm
It's that time of year! Gardening season is just around the corner. Join master gardener and cookbook author
Tara Weaver
as she offers tips and tricks from her new book,
Growing Berries and Fruit Trees in the Pacific Northwest: How to Grow Abundant, Organic Fruit in Your Backyard. This engagingly written and beautifully illustrated book covers more than 75 cultivars of berries and fruit trees -- from common varieties such as apples, pears, and strawberries to more unusual fruits like kiwi berries and quince. Included are 10+ master recipes for jams, sauces, curds, caramel, and other ways to preserve your bountiful harvest.
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Thursday, April 18, 7:00 pm
Setting the Wire is a memoir of postpartum psychosis and a meditation on containment: what we hold and what holds us together. A lyric exploration of motherhood, mental illness, and familial ties, Sarah Townsend weaves together personal anecdote, film, music, visual art, and psychology.
Setting the Wire
is a visceral reflection on the experience of fragmentation as a young psychotherapist and new mother. Sarah will be in conversation with Bainbridge Islander
Claire Dederer, bestselling author of
Poser and
Love & Trouble.
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Thursday, April 25, 7:00 pm
Local author and artist
Deborah Milton will give a presentation that aims to awaken the imaginative spark in each of us and help us remember our interconnectedness.
Ode to Gaia: Calling Forth our Imaginal Selves is a poetry-like, artistic exploration in creativity. For the past forty years, Milton has devoted herself to the challenge of expanding human awareness, healing our relationships, and embracing the mysteries of consciousness by guiding creative and spiritual experiences. More recently, she honed her focus to Gaian philosophies. By painting the many faces of Gaia and writing prose-poetry to deepen the meaning of the images, she inspires the reader to see our humanness with new eyes.
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Sunday, April 28, 3:00 pm
A celebration of Northwest poetry!
Joanie Strangeland of Seattle, who won the Floating Bridge Press publication award, will read from her new collection,The Scene You See, which looks at art, marriage, and the art of marriage (with some food and wine thrown in, as well as a bit of science). Joannie's poems have appeared in Prairie Schooner, Mid-American Review, The Southern Review, Valparaiso Poetry Review, and other journals and anthologies. |
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Poulsbo author Jenifer Lawrence, will be reading from her book, One Hundred Steps From Shore, published by Blue Begonia Press. She is co-editor of Crab Creek Review, the Kistap based literary magazine. Jenifer's awards include the Orlando Poetry Prize, the James Hearst Poetry Prize and a Washington State Artist Trust GAP grant. Recent work appears or is forthcoming in Bellevue Literary Review, Los Angeles Review, Narrative, North American Review, Rattle, and elsewhere.
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Natasha Moni is the author of The Cardiologist's Daughter, Lay Down Your Fleece, Nearly, and A Nation - the latter was winner of the 2018 Floating Bridge Press Contest. Her poetry, fiction, essays, and reviews have been published in over fifty journals, recognized in competitions, and awarded her a Puffin Foundation grant.
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FOMO?
If you're feeling sad that you can't make it to one of these great events, don't worry. Call us or pre-order the book and we'll make sure that you receive a signed copy.
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Independent Bookstore Day!
Saturday, April 27
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Join us for Indie Bookstore Day, a national celebration of indie bookstores and the customers that support them. In the Seattle region, more than 20 area bookstores celebrate together as partners, giving our customers even more ways to love local! Visit all the stores, and become a Bookstore Champion with 25% off at all bookstores for a year. If you can't visit them all, just visit three, and get a coupon for 30% off a purchase at any of the stores. Our party starts at 7:00 a.m.! We will have muffins and coffee for our earliest guests, but do know that nearby Blackbird Bakery (home of delectable pastries!) will be ready and eager for early bookworms!
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The Book of Dreams, by Nina George
Better than any other author, George moves her brilliant characters from the depths of darkness and despair, back into the light, always along the path of love. The novel begins with Henri, a former war correspondent. On the day he is to meet his only son, Sam, for the first time, he is involved in an accident that puts him into a severe coma. A former lover, Eddie, who has been out of his life for years, is surprised to be listed as his medical guardian. The story unfolds from there. Through amazing imagery and deft storytelling, we are moved to explore whether there are do-overs. Could there be parallel stories with unending possibilities? Can healing occur on other planes of consciousness? At its core, this novel is an examination of the transcendent power of love.
~ Jane
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Run Away, by Harlan Coben
This is one of Coben's most propulsive thrillers! Simon Green and his wife Ingrid have lost their daughter Paige to the Central Park drug scene. He and his wife attempt to follow Paige via sketchy leads from area junkies. When Paige's boyfriend is found brutally murdered, Simon intensifies his search and ends up a possible suspect. Simon is sucked into a dark and dangerous world beyond his imagining and his fight to save both his wife and his daughter is a stunning story. To call this a page turner is a gross understatement. I am a huge fan of Harlan Coben and I am excited to see that his stories just get better and better! ~ Susan
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Waiting for Bojangles, by Olivier Bourdeaut
Bourdeaut's first novel packs a punch.It will make you burst into laughter, and then tears, but will leave you grateful for the ride. The story follows an eccentric family living in a Parisian apartment and is told from the perspective of a young boy whose mother is grappling with a degenerative mental illness, and a husband whose love for her only compounds over time. It's hard to believe the novel was translated from French, as its wit and rhyme cleverly shine through. Already a bestseller in France, this gem of a story and family will have English-speaking readers falling in love with it as well. ~ Rebecca
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Parable of the Sower, by Octavia E. Butler
By 2024, through a combination of economic collapse, climate change, rampant drug addiction, and systemic corruption, the U.S. has devolved into a violent, feudal society. Against this grim backdrop, we're introduced to Lauren, a black teen with two secrets: She suffers from a genetic affliction called "hyperempathy", and she has lost faith in the Christian God of her father. To preserve her sense of purpose, Lauren chooses to redefine God. We know Lauren's days in her walled community are numbered, yet Butler surprises by imbuing Lauren with emotional depth, intelligence, and agency without making her superhuman. Though it may be perceived as too dark, this novel is at its core optimistic. One of Butler's finest works, it was nominated for the 1995 Nebula Award for Best Novel. ~ Kiyo
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Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
This engaging collaboration between Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman takes on an upcoming apocalypse with hilarious results. A prissy angel and a hedonistic demon team up to halt the coming rapture. Witty and well written, Good Omens proves that even the apocalypse can be enjoyable. ~ Katie
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Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgion's Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart, by James R. Doty
What an enlightening memoir! In 1968 in Lancaster, California, a young boy with an alcoholic father and an often bed-ridden mother happens into a magic shop. He finds not the owner but the owner's mother who, as they speak, intuitively understands his outlook on life. She instructs him in the basics of meditation, of calming his mind, and finally of visualizing his goals in life. It's a powerful talent and one that in the future allows him to succeed as a college student and eventually as a neurosurgeon. Not until he also taps into the benevolence that he learned from the owner's mother, however, does he achieve peace of mind. It's a fascinating study of the mind's power and well worth reading.
~ Ann
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The Impossible Climb Alex Honnold, El Capitan and the Climbing Life,
by Mark Synnott
If you are an experience mountaineer or (say) a designer of quilts, read this book since both of you will then have one thing in common; a sense of wonderment that any sane person would (let alone could) do what Alex Honnold did. Considered the last great rock climbing challenge, he climbed 3000 feet straight up the most difficult route on El Capitan without help - no rope, no partner, no equipment. The author, himself an elite rock climber, astutely explains how someone can seemingly lack the capacity to experience fear. The complexities of us humans are magnified in this telling. The purity of the pursuit butting up against the pressure to monetize doing the impossible; petty cruelty and selfless concern for others, and self-confidence bordering on insanity all the while preparing for the climb with thousands of hours choreographing the exact placement of every hand hold and a nubbin of friction for each foot hold. By the end we wonder; which of us is living the fullest of a lives.
~ Dave
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All Creatures Great and Small, by James Herriott
This is the first in a series of memoirs taking place in the early 1900s. Fresh out of vet school, Herriot finds himself with an unexpected job opportunity - that of a country vet. His start in practice is rocky as he tries to win over the trust and approval of the local farmers. He treats everything from sheep and cows to a little dog named Tricki Woo. Through the ups and downs of his work and love life, a colorful depiction of the Yorkshire countryside and the people who lived there emerges. This book is more than just a memoir or a vet's tale; it is a reminder of the value of animals and the love that we feel for them. ~ Katie
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On the Come Up, by Angie Thomas
This YA novel is a winner that easily lives up to, and occasionally surpasses, its predecessor, The Hate U Give. Set some time after the events in that book, within the same community, it tells the story of Bri, a high school student who wants to allow her words and her musical talent to take her and her family places. Of course, there are many real-world struggles along the way, as Bri's community is still reeling from the recent police violence, protests and riots. Bri struggles to balance her talent and financial success with justice for her community. Thomas's talent with verse is immense, and I only wish we could one day have an album of all the songs featured in these pages. Ages 14-17. ~ Jenna
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BAD BLOOD: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup,
by John Carreyrou
Indomitable will, charisma, that level of hubris one equates with Silicon Valley, and the judgement of a fruit fly is John Carreyrou's description of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of Teranos. In this fly-on-the-wall account of Holmes' determined effort to revolutionize the testing of blood, the author took no prisoners. Only a few years too old be seen as an ingénue, this story captures how she attracted a preeminent grey beard board of male directors to lend gravitas to her claims and how she let loose the lawyers on the increasing chorus of engineers and scientists wondering if there was any there, there. Like the skilled investigative reporter he is, Carreyrou's readers get all the facts to help us decide if she became a fully former huckster early on or if she honestly believed that, until Teranos imploded and the federal government prosecutors took notice, all she needed was a bit more time before permanent glory and riches were hers. ~ Dave
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Song for a Whale, by Lynne Kelly
What a wonderful Middle Reader story about a clever deaf girl and the lonely whale she desperately wants to tell, "You are not alone." Iris's "voice" is realistic and endearing, and her long-distance journey to reach the whale provides many opportunities for growth. Sure, parts of the story require suspension of disbelief, but ultimately this is a tale that successfully emphasizes the need to be heard -- and understood -- by others. Ages 8-12. ~ Jenna
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The Cyclops Witch and the Heebie-Jeebies,
by Kyle Sullivan, illus. by Derek Sullivan Available April 9th!
This is a scary good story that teaches young readers about having compassion and facing our fears. It helps us realize that what we fear is never actually what it seems, and that we should always look at things from another angle. While the book may seem a bit long, and may require a greater attention span to reach the end, the adorable illustrations provide plenty of eye popping surprises for kids to explore and admire on every page. The characters show an abundance of diversity, both monster and human alike. A bonafide hit for ages 3 and up.
~ Jenna
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The Library of Lost and Found
by Phaedra Patrick
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Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss
by Rajeev Balasubramanyam
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The American Agent
by Jacqueline Winspear
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Lost and Wanted
by Nell Freudenberger
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Stay Up with Hugo Best
by Erin Somers
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The Editor
by Steven Rowley
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Outside Looking In
by T.C. Boyle
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Tiamat's Wrath
by James S.A. Corey
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The Book of Dreams
by Nina George
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The New Silk Roads
by Peter Frankopan
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The Honey Bus
by Meredith May
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Greek to Me
by Mary Norris
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I Miss You When I Blink
by Mary Laura Philpott
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American Moonshot
by Douglas Brinkley
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What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker
by Damon Young
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To Stop a Warlord
by Shannon Sedgwick Davis
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A Gentleman in Moscow
by Amor Towles
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The Only Story
by Julian Barnes
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Warlight
by Michael Ondaatje
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Noir
by Christopher Moore
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The Overstory
by Richard Powers
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The Girl Who Never Read Noam Chomsky
by Jane Casale
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The Temptation of Forgiveness
by Donna Leon
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Grace After Henry
by Eithne Shortall
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Mr. Flood's Last Resort
by Jess Kidd
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New in Paperback Nonfiction
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I Am, I Am, I Am
by Maggie O'Farrell
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Heart Berries
by Terese Marie Mailhot
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It's Up to the Women
by Eleanor Roosevelt
Introduction by Jill Lepore
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The Future of Humanity
by Michio Kaku
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Our Damaged Democracy
by Joseph A. Califano Jr.
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Faith: A Journey for All
by Jimmy Carter
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The Girl Who Smiled Beads
by Clemantine Wamariya
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The Best Cook in the World
by Rick Bragg
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On Cussing
by Katherine Dunn
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A Piglet Named Mercy
by Kate DiCamillo
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Fresh Princess
by Denene Millner
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Tomorrow Most Likely
by Dave Eggers
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The Strangers
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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Pax (now in paperback)
by Sara Pennypacker
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Katt vs. Dogg
by James Patterson
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New Books for Young Adults
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It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime
by Trevor Noah
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Internment
by Samira Ahmed
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The Hazelwood
(now in paperback)
by Melissa Albert
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Wicked Saints
by Emily A. Duncan
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Every Moment After
by Joseph Moldover
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Drop in - You are welcome!
All Store Book Group titles are discounted 15%
up until the date of discussion
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The
Women's Prize for Fiction Longlist has been announced! This prize celebrates books written by women, for everyone. We have our favorites for the shortlist, to be announced later this month, with the winner to be announced in June. Stay tuned!
Thank you for supporting the
island's independent bookstore
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