November 2017 Readings, Great Gift Books, New Science Fiction, and More!

In This Issue:
First Friday
Great Gift Books
2017 Caldecott Event
Upcoming Readings
Indie Bookseller Picks
New in Sci-Fi
Storytellers Telling Stories
First Friday
November 3 is First Friday!

Come visit us during First Friday in Multnomah Village.
For your browsing enjoyment, we'll be serving wine. Plus, we'll be giving away great prizes for our monthly drawing.

Drop by Annie Bloom's anytime after 6:00 on Friday night and register to win!
Great Gift Books
2017 Caldecott Winners Come to Portland
We're thrilled to be the booksellers for this event!
 
Caldecott Medal Javaka Steptoe will be joined by honorees Vera Brosgol, R. Gregory Christie, Carson Ellis, and Brendan Wenzel. 
 
Sunday, November 12, 2:30-4:30pm
First Unitarian Church - Eliot Chapel
1011 SW 12th Ave.

Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat 
 
Freedom in Congo Square
by Carson Ellis 
Join Our Mailing List
November 2017 Readings, Great Gift Books, New Science Fiction, and More!
We have just a few more readings scheduled for 2017! Plus, check out our Great Gift Books section, read about the latest in Sci-Fi, and find out which new titles indie booksellers across the country are loving. And drop by and see us on First Friday!
Readings
Upcoming Author Readings:
   
Crazy Horse: The Lakota Warrior's Life & Legacy
Thursday, November 2, 7pm
 
The Edward Clown family, nearest living relatives to the Lakota war leader, presents the family tales and memories told to them about their famous grandfather. In many ways the oral history differs from what has become the standard and widely accepted biography of Crazy Horse. The family clarifies the inaccuracies and shares their story about the past, including what it means to them to be Lakota, the family genealogy, the life of Crazy Horse and his motivations, his death, and why they chose to keep quiet with their knowledge for so long before finally deciding to tell the truth as they know it.
 
Upstream
Thursday, November 9, 7pm
 
From the author of The Mushroom Hunters comes the story of an iconic fish, perhaps the last great wild food: salmon. This firsthand account--reminiscent of the work of John McPhee and Mark Kurlansky--is filled with the keen insights and observations of the best narrative writing. Cook offers an absorbing portrait of a remarkable fish and the many obstacles it faces, while taking readers on a fast-paced fishing trip through salmon country. Upstream is an essential look at the intersection of man, food, and nature.
 
Skavenger's Hunt
Thursday, November 16, 7pm
 
The Portland author and screenwriter of Cars 3, The Rookie, and Finding Forrester will read from his novel, Skavenger's Hunt. After young Henry Babbitt tragically loses his father, he can't help but remember the promises of the great adventures they would now never take. Then, on a snowy Christmas Eve, his grandfather reveals that he's tracked down a series of mysterious century-old clues left by Hunter S. Skavenger, the eccentric magnate who launched the first and greatest scavenger hunt.
November Indie Next List 
Every month, the coalition of independent bookstores puts together a list of titles recommended by booksellers across the country. Come in to browse the titles below, along with other great new bookseller picks for November. 

In the Midst of Winter
by Isabel Allende

"By the end of In the Midst of Winter, I felt as though I'd had a south-of-the-border history lesson. The title, which comes from an Albert Camus quote, takes on many meanings in the story. Two NYU professors, Richard Bowmaster and his tenant, Lucía Maraz, both in their 60s, have each resigned themselves to a ho-hum existence. When a snowstorm accident brings Evelyn Ortega, a housekeeper for a wealthy family, into the picture, these three lives become entangled and anything but boring. The story takes the reader from Brooklyn to Mexico, Guatemala, Chile, and Brazil as the three characters bring their unique histories to the story. Allende's new novel is both a love story and a story of the plight of the immigrant. This is a page-turner and a wonderful book club choice." -Mamie Potter, Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, NC

American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West
by Nate Blakeslee

"American Wolf uncovers the true legacy of the American wolf's survival after its reintroduction into the Rockies after nearly becoming extinct in the 1920s. The book focuses on renowned wolf Six-O, who's unlike any female wolf that Yellowstone park ranger Rick McIntyre has ever seen. Many of Six-O's survival challenges are directly linked to the larger issue between those against the reintroduction of wolves and those who see wolves as an integral part of our ecosystem. Nate Blakeslee's American Wolf is an essential read for anyone interested in a fascinating piece of American history and learning more about an important issue that continues to plague the West." -Stephanie Coleman, Tattered Cover Book Store, Denver, CO

It Devours!: A Welcome to Night Vale Novel
by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor

"Even if you've never heard of Night Vale, I truly believe you'll enjoy It Devours! It's a book about science and religion. It's a book about belonging and how sometimes to truly understand what is happening, you may need an outsider's perspective. It's also a book about a friendly desert town that finds its way into some of the strangest predicaments, and the people who live there. In other words, it's superbly written science fiction that deserves to be read more than once." -Allison Skaggs, Lowry's Books, Three Rivers, MI

Hiddensee: A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker
by Gregory Maguire

"This origin story of The Nutcracker's creator blurs the lines of fantasy. In it, we are treated to the best commentary on mythology, whether Greek or Germanic. Resurrected from death at a young age, Dirk Drosselmeier returns to the living with a gift from the great god Pan. As he grows older, Dirk remains young at heart and becomes a master figurine and toy maker. Maguire's gift at fleshing out characters of beloved and classic tales is so evident in Hiddensee that it will keep you reading at all costs." -TJ Byrnes, Oblong Books and Music, Millerton, NY

Plus, here are some previous Indie Next entries, now out in paperback:
 
To Capture What We Cannot Keep
by Beatrice Colin

Recommended in hardcover by Jennifer Gwydir, Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, TX
 
Difficult Women
by Roxane Gay

Recommended in hardcover by Becky Gilmer, Bloomsbury Books, Ashland, OR
New in Sci-Fi 
Here are some of the latest additions to our Science Fiction/Fantasy Section:
     
The Name of the Wind: 10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
by Patrick Rothfuss
This deluxe, illustrated edition of the first book in The Kingkiller Chronicle includes more than 50 pages of extra content, including a cover by artist Sam Weber and designer Paul Buckley, never-before-seen illustrations by artist Dan Dos Santos, detailed and updated world map by artist Nate Taylor, a brand-new author's note, an appendix detailing calendar system and currencies, and a pronunciation guide of names and places.

Biketopia: Feminist Bicycle Science Fiction Stories in Extreme Futures
edited by Elly Blue
Twelve writers tackle extreme utopias and dystopias--and the grey areas in between--in Biketopia, the fourth volume of the Bikes in Space series of feminist science fiction stories about bicycling. Some find love and fierce resistance in the end times; others imagine an ecological future of saving technology, with solarpunk ecotopian visions, at times paired with crushing social control. Whatever your own future or present reality, these stories will motivate and inspire you to envision something different... and maybe even better. This collection is edited by Portland writer and bicycle activist Elly Blue.

The Stone Sky
by N. K. Jemisin
In this shattering conclusion to the post-apocalyptic trilogy that began with The Fifth Season, The Moon will soon return. Whether this heralds the destruction of humankind or something worse will depend on two women. Essun has inherited the power of Alabaster Tenring. With it, she hopes to find her daughter Nassun and forge a world in which every orogene child can grow up safe. For Nassun, her mother's mastery of the Obelisk Gate comes too late. She has seen the evil of the world, and accepted what her mother will not admit: that sometimes what is corrupt cannot be cleansed, only destroyed.

Death's End
by Cixin Liu
The conclusion to the Remembrance of Earth's Past Trilogy is now out in paperback! Half a century after the Doomsday Battle, the uneasy balance of Dark Forest Deterrence keeps the Trisolaran invaders at bay. With human science advancing daily and the Trisolarans adopting Earth culture, it seems that the two civilizations will soon be able to co-exist peacefully. But the peace has also made humanity complacent. Cheng Xin, an aerospace engineer from the early twenty-first century, awakens from hibernation in this new age. She brings with her knowledge of a long-forgotten program dating from the beginning of the Trisolar Crisis, and her very presence may upset the delicate balance between two worlds. Will humanity reach for the stars or die in its cradle? 
Storytellers Telling Stories
Storytellers Telling Stories is a literary "radio theatre" podcast with new episodes every Tuesday. Annie Bloom's is a proud sponsor.
 
Storytellers Telling Stories was created to focus on what shapes our constructive discourse: point of view, narrative, community, and culture. Stories are how we jump into others' lives and feel what they're feeling. Our stories tell of raising children, falling in love, talking to the dead, protesting hatred, being objectified, falling out of love, and playing music in front of strangers.
 
For new episodes and teaser trailers, subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or any smartphone podcast app by searching for "Storytellers Telling Stories". You may also visit http://sttspodcast.buzzsprout.com.

Here's the schedule of episodes through the end of 2017:
 
November 7
Season 1, Ep.7 - Jenny Forester
 
November 14
Season 1, Ep.8 - Zach Ellis
 
November 21
Season 1, Ep.9 - Domi Shoemaker
 
November 28
Season 1, Ep.10 - Paul E. Lapier
 
December 5
Season 1, Ep.11 - Kate Gray
 
December 12
Season 1, Ep.12 - Reema Zaman (part 1)
 
December 14
Season 1, Ep.13 - Reema Zaman (part 2)
 
December 19
Season 1, Ep.14 - Davis Slater (part 1)
 
December 19
Season 1, Ep.14 - Davis Slater (part 1)
 
December 21
Season 1, Ep.15 - Davis Slater (part 2)
 
December 26
Season 1, Ep.16 - Daniel Elder