Stewart ONan
[isbn]
All of the knights of the round table cannot match the nobility and honor displayed by Manny, the manager of a Red Lobster in suburban Massachusetts slated to close the next day. A deeply felt novel about the meaning of even the most seemly meaningless jobs, and the best novel about work that I've read in years.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Molly Wizenberg
[isbn]
One doesn't need to be familiar with Wizenberg's earlier memoirs to be both crushed and elated by her newest, in which she recounts how she fell in love with a woman after 10 years of marriage. Her thoughtful reflections on the fluidity of gender, love, sexuality, motherhood, and self shows how successfully she's transitioned to the role of author and reminds me how important bloggers are: they chronicle ordinary stories in extraordinary ways and... (read more)
Recommended by Eva F.
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Magda Szabo, Len Rix
[isbn]
A novel that begins as a romp quickly turns into a wrenching drama. Set in Hungary during the Second World War, a young woman banished to a strict boarding school soon learns that nothing there is as it seems. If she is to keep her loved ones and even her country safe, she must learn to be selfless and brave.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Dorothy B Hughes
[isbn]
A WWII veteran with a dark secret winds up in California... will the law catch up with him before the body count rises? Hughes's terse, suspenseful style is marvelous. If you love classic noir or The Talented Mr. Ripley, you'll probably love this brief, gripping novel.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Brad Thomas Parsons
[isbn]
Parsons knows his spirits up and down (see his fabulous book on amaro), but in Last Call he hangs out on the other side of bar. This is a thoughtful, enjoyable look at the important social role that such establishments play from the perspective of the master storytellers and magicians who make it all happen, with recipes for "last request" cocktails both humble and artful.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Tyler Kord, Amanda Hesser, Merrill Stubbs
[isbn]
Kord is the genius behind A Super Upsetting Book About Sandwiches, which sold me immediately on this title. Going by Melissa Clark's theory that if it sounds bad, it's got to be good, I tried the chicken cooked in chocolate milk. It was great, as were the chicken and beans. This is an creative, flavor-smart collection of recipes for the home cook who isn't afraid to get a a little wild in the kitchen.
Recommended by Eva F.
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James Ellroy
[isbn]
This is grit lit crime fiction that will suck you in and spit you out feeling like you've just spent an hour in an interrogation room with Vogel and Koenig. The splendid and grotesque Black Dahlia, the first in Ellroy's L.A. Quartet series, it a terrific place to begin.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Jen Beagin
[isbn]
Bizarre, uncomfortable, moving, and so creative. Following her breakup with a junkie, Mona moves to New Mexico and falls in with an cast of odd characters, all while excavating her past. A smart, very dark comedy.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Amy Hempel
[isbn]
Don't mistake Hempel's one-paragraph stories for gimmicks; they're powerful and precise enough to take my breath away with a devastating sentence casually dispensed. And oof, that novella at the end! Simmering with loss and tension, it has haunted me for weeks.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Jason Allen
[isbn]
When a horrible accident at a wealthy family's estate threatens to bring uncomfortable secrets to light, a young man who was in the wrong place at the right time must make some life-changing choices, and quickly. This drama will keep readers glued to the page with its urgency, sympathy, and subtle social commentary.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Cory Schreiber, Julie Richardson
[isbn]
Think of this as the dessert companion to Six Seasons, full of local produce simply prepared. A ricotta tart is heaped with fresh strawberries; raspberries melt into a creamy brown betty; a recipe for stone fruit slump calls for whatever peaches, nectarines, or plums you have on hand topped with tangy buttermilk dumplings. The perfect end to a great meal. Or breakfast. No judgement here.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Eve Babitz
[isbn]
Jacaranda spends her twenties partying. As she nears 30, she uses those years as fodder for an eventually successful writing career. The slim plot is vehicle enough for thoughtful meditations on art and impostor syndrome and, of course, Los Angeles. Babitz writes about Los Angeles with the same subtlety and love that others write about Paris, and though the attention paid to the rich inner lives of her female characters is probably what caused... (read more)
Recommended by Eva F.
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Vanessa Kimbell
[isbn]
This book is so beautiful I had to pick it up. The instructions are clear, including simple scientific reasons that tell you why to do something alongside how to do it. The loaves turned out chewy but not tough, and with a distinctive, earthy tang, better than any of my previous sourdough baking sessions. I can't wait to try some of her other, more creative leavens.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Esi Edugyan
[isbn]
I don't remember the last time I've been so suddenly and convincingly landed in a book. A young slave with a talent for scientific illustration escapes bondage only to find that the wider world is both perilous and full of wonder. Written in a style evocative of Victorian adventure tales, this novel is like a smarter, more grown-up Treasure Island.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Paul Bonine
[isbn]
With a focus on perennials (for veggie growing, look elsewhere), this is the perfect option for a beginning gardener looking to take advantage of our region's wonderful climate. Pictures of and info on specific plants will ensure you make good choices to create and maintain a beautiful yard.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Eileen Stark
[isbn]
Support wildlife, conserve water, attract bees and other pollinators, and make your yard beautiful. Geared towards Pacific Northwest gardens, this book has great information to help you to replicate our wonderful and unique ecosystem at home.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Zadie Smith
[isbn]
A complex and varied collection of essays on culture. Who else would compare Justin Bieber to Martin Buber? Smith is so thoughtful, her interests and references so eclectic, that I found myself wishing I could view the whole world with a hearty helping of her wise analysis.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Joe Hagan
[isbn]
In high school I was obsessed with the music of the ’60s and ’70s and the big collections of Rolling Stone interviews. This book reveals the man behind the magazine, and provides all of the juicy gossip and wild anecdotes my heart desires. Although Jann Wenner's behavior was almost grotesquely appalling on a regular basis, it's inarguable that the magazine he helped to create changed how we look at and talk about music and culture.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Ronni Lundy
[isbn]
Humble ingredients elevated to satisfying near-perfection. The key? Technique and respect for food. Try the "sallet" — fresh wild greens pan-fried for an instant in bacon grease.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Louise Erdrich
[isbn]
After accidentally killing the young neighbor boy, Landreaux gives his own son to the grieving parents. These actions and their consequences guide the rest of this unforgettable story that perfectly captures those turn-of-the-millennium years when relative peace gave way to deep uncertainty.
Recommended by Eva F.
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