STAFF PICKS

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The Other Boleyn Girl

Author: Phillippa Gregory
Staff Picks
Genre Historical Fiction
Retail Price $16.00 Paperback
The Other Boleyn Girl tells the famed story of King Henry VIII's second wife, Anne boleyn, and the little known story of her sister, Mary, who first gained King Henry's affection. Phillippa Gregory makes this historical tale come alive and allows the readers to know the complexities of both Mary, the narrator, and her tormented, power-hungry sister. A page-turner to be sure, the exciting and sometimes sad story of The Other Boleyn Girl will have you staying awake at night to read chapter after chapter. -Dani
 
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House & Home

Author: Kathleen McCleary
Staff Picks
Genre Fiction
Retail Price $23.95 Hardcover
Author Kathleen McCleary has created a marvelous balance in portraying issues of a Woman's Heart without the weight of maudlinness. Interspersed with humor, this debut novel is a delight! - Kathleen
 
 



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The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

Author: Junot Diaz
Staff Picks
Genre Fiction
Retail Price $24.95 Hardcover
Oscar de Leon is a 300 pound, sci-fi obssessed, virgin Dominican. Some would call him a freak of nature. Oscar calls himself cursed. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao follows Oscars quest for love in a world so unlike his novels. The story also dives into the roots of the family curse, or fuku, in an attempt to explain why things go so wrong. Filled with informative footnotes, interjected by colloquial Spanish, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is a love story buried by dictators and immigration. Oscar may be horribly unique, but he will strike a chord within anyone who reads his story. - Nick
 
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Michele's Review/ Service Included

Author: Phoebe Damrosch
Staff Picks
Genre Non Fiction
Retail Price $$13.95
This is not just another expose of the behind the scenes restaurant world. The writer trained as a waiter at the four-star "Per Se" in New York City and she gives the reader a fascinating glimpse into high-end dining. Foodies will salivate at entrees priced at a week's salary, chefs will appreciate the aesthetic values of Chef Thomas Keller(of French Laundry fame) and everyone will relate to the missteps of trying to find Mr.(or Mrs.) Right. The author's romantic travails add spice and humor to this entertaining read. *Michele
 
 



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The Birthday Tree

Author: Paul Fleischman
Kids Picks
Genre Children's Picture Book
Retail Price $16.99
This book is very special. It has the mythical qualities of a story that transcends the ordinary. Jack's parents plant an apple tree to honor his birth and Jack loves the tree like a friend, in fact, it is as though "they are one". Not since "The Giving Tree" has a mere tree held such power; to comfort, to shelter, and to ultimately convey truth. Powerful in its simplicity, the story is complimented by the extraordinary illustrations of Barry Root. A perfect fable to read in a month when we celebrate our green earth. -Michele
 
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Bad Rats

Author: Eric Drachman
Kids Picks
Genre Children's Picture Book
Retail Price $18.95 Hardcover
What exactly is a good rat? A good rat stays close to the curbs, keeps his tail in a straight line, and never ever goes out in the daytime. Josiah was a bad rat, or so Professor Perimeter told him. Josiah daydreamed, wandered away from walls and carried on during the daytime. AND Josiah wanted to be an artist! This delightful picture book reminds us that it is important to listen to our hearts as well as our minds. - Amy
 
 



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The Looking Glass Wars

Author: Frank Beddor
Kids Picks
Genre Youth Fantasy
Retail Price $8.99 Paperback
It was the Reverend Charles Dodgson, more familiarly known as Lewis Carroll, who wrote Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland. The Looking Glass Wars proposes that Dodgson's story is a twisted account of real events from another world. Beddor follows Alyss Heart from the day that her mother, Queen Genevieve of Wonderland, is killed by her Aunt Redd through Alyss's exile on Earth to her return to Wonderland and the dynastic wars that follow. Filled with the magic of Imagination, card warriors, and people with odd abilities, The Looking Glass Wars is an ingenious spin-off of Alice in Wonderland. Recommended for early teen readers. - Nick
 
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Triangle

Author: Katharine Weber
Staff Picks
Genre Historical Fiction
Retail Price $14.00 Paperback
In 1911, a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory killed 146 people, mostly women. Weber tells the tale of the only remaining survivor, Esther Gottesfeld. In 2001, Esther lives in a nursing home visited often by her granddaughter, Rebecca and Rebecca's fiance, George. Esther's tragic story of losing her twin sister and her fiance in the fire, comes to the attention of a feminist scholar and secrets begin to surface. Rebecca, a geneticist and George, a composer, find their careers linked in a curious outcome fueled by Esther's recollections. This is a very unique and surprising book, I completely enjoyed it. -Amy
 
 



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Farewell, My Subaru

Author: Doug Fine
Staff Picks
Genre Memoir/Green Living
Retail Price $24.00 Hardcover
NPR contributor Doug Fine pens a hilarious account of his "off-the grid" attempts to live an environmentally conscious lifestyle on a remote ranch in New Mexico. With no prior experience in sustainable living, Fine's admirable efforts to go carbon neutral, install solar heating, and grow his own food(including two feisty sheep) are related with a self-deprecating wit and charming honesty. Considering Fine is a man admittedly addicted to certain creature comforts, netflix and his aging Subaru , to name a few, his tale is ultimately an inspiring call to action for those of us who think recycling your newspapers is responsible.
 
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The Third Jesus

Author: Deepak Chopra
Staff Picks
Genre Religion
Retail Price $24.00 Hardcover
Chopra, in his new book, offers the reader a stunning depiction of Jesus as a universal teacher; viewing Christ's biblical exhortations as an invitation to join Him on a higher spiritual plane. The first Jesus is presented as a "sketchy historical figure" and the second, as an" abstract theological creation". This third Jesus, however, offers a direct relationship which is personal and present; "the living aspect of the gospels. This Jesus we cannot ignore. -Kathleen
 
 



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The Thirteenth Tale

Author: Diane Setterfield
Staff Picks
Genre Fiction
Retail Price $15.00 Paperback
Vida Winter is a famous but reclusive British author. The public eagerly reads every novel she publishes but hungers to know the author's mysterious background. Miss Winter has never told the same story about her life twice until she commissions lonely bookseller, Margaret Lea, to write her biography. What unfolds is a chilling, gothic tale with twists and turns on every page. Readers will be reminded of Jane Eyre and Rebecca. This is a very entertaining yet haunting novel. -Amy
 
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What is the What

Author: Dave Eggers
Staff Picks
Genre Fiction
Retail Price $15.95 Paperback
Dave Eggers had a difficult time finding the right voice in which to tell the story of Valentino Achak Deng, one of the Lost boys of Sudan. It took him years to determine the most effective way to translate the heartbreaking saga of one boy's experience of war and genocide and survival. Eggers came close to giving up. In the end, he decided to write Deng's story in the form of a novel and let his voice tell his own powerful story. Eggers succeeded brilliantly. The novel begins with Deng's life in America and his struggle to assimilate into a modern society. Told through flashbacks, Deng relates the horrors of being driven from his homeland and forced to walk across three continents, facing lions, militias, starvation and disease. Incredibly moving, terrifying and at times, even humorous, Deng's voice is authentic and true, a testament to the resiliency of the human spirit. The current genocide in Darfur makes this novel even more timely and essential for compassionate understanding . This should be required reading for every American who values their freedom. -Michele
 
 



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Grace (Eventually)

Author: Anne Lamott
Staff Picks
Genre Biography/Religion
Retail Price $14.00 Paperback
If you're looking for a fresh voice in spiritual memoirs - or if you're searching for a good laugh and food for thought, look no further than Anne Lamott. Balancing reflections on the life of a single mother with insights into the journey of spiritual growth, Lamott wins readers' hearts with her honesty, intuition, and great willingness to laugh at and delight in her own quirks and foibles. Highly recommended! - Lauren
 
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Oxygen

Author: Carol Cassella
Staff Picks
Genre Fiction
Retail Price $25.00 Hardcover
From the first paragraph to the last page, Cassella has poignantly captured the unfolding circumstances surrounding the unanticipated death of a patient of anesthesiologist, Dr. Marie Heaton. The pain accompanying the loss and the steady eroding of Dr. Heaton's confidence impacts with profundity both her personal life and that of the hospital anesthesia team. Clearly an "I can't put this down" read! -Kathleen
 
 






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