Miriam Toews
[isbn]
I eagerly anticipate each and every new book by Miriam Toews, one of my favorite writers. Toews’s books always feel fresh and new, with one consistency: they open your heart and your mind. In Fight Night, you will fall in love with the vivid protagonists Swiv and her grandma Elvira and you’ll laugh out loud and be moved to tears.
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Michelle Zauner
[isbn]
I make it a point to read books by Portland authors, and when I heard about Crying in H Mart from another bookseller at Powell’s, their recommendation prompted me to put this book on the top of my stack. I am grateful for the opportunity to experience Michelle Zauner’s beautiful story about her experiences growing up as one of the few Asian Americans in Eugene, Oregon, as well as her travels to Korea to see her grandmother and family. It... (read more)
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Meredith Westgate
[isbn]
Meredith Westgate’s debut novel stood apart from the dozens of books I read in 2021 as timely and innovative. Sophie and Lucien meet at a rehabilitation center for people who are addicted to Memoroxin, an Alzheimer’s medication that allows patients to choose and encapsulate their memories and to relive them. In The Shimmering State, we experience the pain and joy, the loneliness and the friendship of these characters. Woven masterfully... (read more)
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Patricia Engel
[isbn]
In Infinite Country, Patricia Engel chronicles the journey of Mauro and Elena from Bogotá, Colombia, seeking a better life in the United States. As the family unit grows and has mixed legal status, the challenges intensify and eventually Mauro is deported. A story of love, survival, and hope, the parents and children each share their unique voice and perspective, although their dream is the same — to be together without worry.
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Elias Rodriques
[isbn]
In Elias Rodriques’s debut novel, Daniel returns to his hometown in the American South to mourn the loss of his former girlfriend and make sense of her death. This beautiful story not only tenderly reflects on their relationship, it speaks to many topics, including sexuality, racism, and class.
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Kazuo Ishiguro
[isbn]
Kazuo Ishiguro, the Nobel Prize-winning British author is one of the most celebrated writers of our time. Of his long list of novels, Booker Award-winning The Remains of the Day, published in 1989, stands out as one of the most highly regarded books of the past 50 years. In The Remains of the Day, Stevens, a dignified English butler at Darlington Hall, evaluates his life and considers how for decades he has been of service to... (read more)
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Ann Patchett
[isbn]
Ann Patchett has done it again. Her latest novel, The Dutch House, is an engrossing, fairy tale-like family drama, complete with a castle and evil stepmother. But it's the sibling bond between Danny and Maeve — the highlight of this story — that will truly move you.
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Sophia Shalmiyev
[isbn]
When I read it back in March, Mother Winter immediately popped to the top of my best books list for 2019. Portland author Sophia Shalmiyev tells her personal story of strength and perseverance with sharp honesty and vivid scenes. Any mother, feminist, artist, son or daughter, or immigrant will appreciate the gift Sophia has shared with us.
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Patrick deWitt
[isbn]
It's a treat to experience the humor and satire in DeWitt's latest novel about a family's fall from high society and its bemusing mother-son relationship. You will become emotionally attached to Frances and Malcolm, wanting to steer them away from self-destruction — but that story would be far less interesting than French Exit.
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Chris McCormick
[isbn]
This is not a book about wrestling! The Gimmicks is a gorgeous debut novel, sharing the immigrant survival stories and friendship of three remarkable characters — Avo, Ruben, and Mina — still haunted decades later by the 1915 Armenian genocide.
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Tom Rachman
[isbn]
Tom Rachman's bestselling author status will continue with The Italian Teacher. I was completely immersed in this family drama, and admired Pinch's determination to maintain a relationship with his distant father, a famous artist. One of my 2018 favorites, so far!
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Helen Oyeyemi
[isbn]
Gingerbread begins as a somewhat standard family story, but promptly unfolds into an imaginative tale of a mother and daughter's long family history, at the center of which is an inherited gingerbread recipe. Don't miss this satisfying, unconventional story by award-winning author Helen Oyeyemi.
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Stephen Hawking
[isbn]
Stephen Hawking's final book presents some of the biggest questions and most important issues before us today: Will the human race survive? Is there a God? His brief answers will challenge your thinking and bring you out of your bubble.
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Sally Field
[isbn]
In Pieces is an intimate look at Sally Field's life, filled with stories about her career and family. She also shares raw, honest details about her relationship with her mother, whose death prompted her to start writing this account. You'll appreciate every beautiful word, coming straight from the heart.
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Michiko Kakutani
[isbn]
It can be challenging to listen to the events of the day, wondering if there is truth in what is being shared by news outlets amidst the political chaos. In The Death of Truth, Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Michiko Kakutani takes us through the decline of truth, which started years ago with foreshadowing by many writers including George Orwell, and offers thoughts on the path forward.
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Francisco Cantu
[isbn]
I was so excited to read The Line Becomes a River having heard Cantu's story on This American Life. This firsthand account, from a very well-educated Border Patrol agent, is a compassionate view of the humans on both sides of the wall and their motivations. Even if you've heard all you need to know about immigration and U.S. policy, Cantu's perspective brings you as close as you can get to being there.
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Ed Yong
[isbn]
We have over 39 trillion microbial cells in and on our bodies. What is the value of all of these bacteria, and should they be destroyed? With humor and intellect, Ed Yong provides a wonderful look at how microbes "contribute to our lives in profound and wide-reaching ways."
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Lesley Nneka Arimah
[isbn]
Debut author Lesley Nneka Arimah shares 12 amazing short stories set in the US and Nigeria. Her fresh, wonderful, creative writing is packed with layers of complicated emotions and themes that will make you think.
Recommended by Kim S.
|
John Freeman
[isbn]
Tales of Two Americas is an amazing, heart-wrenching collection of stories and poems that highlight the vast inequality in the United States. Dozens of my favorite authors — Rebecca Solnit, Anthony Doerr, Karen Russell, Roxane Gay, Héctor Tobar, and more — share deep insight into the obstacles that interfere with achieving the American dream. There's no better time to increase our understanding of these issues.
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Gabe Habash
[isbn]
Stephen Florida is a wonderful, refreshing book with especially intimate access to Stephen's loneliness and obsession. The flow of the book between narrative and train of thought creates an interesting and unpredictable experience. And then there's the underlying suspense — will he win the NCAA Championship? From the first paragraph, Habash's powerful writing pulled me in and kept me captivated.
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Edan Lepucki
[isbn]
As a fan of Lepucki's earlier work, California, I was excited to read Woman No. 17. I found that this book is just as innovative as her last. The story follows the path of the complicated Lady Daniels, a writer; Seth, her adult mute son; and S, the nanny for Lady's toddler, Devin. All of these characters interact in unexpected ways that twist and turn, creating thrill and suspense that had me glued to the pages. This is the... (read more)
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Ruth Wariner
[isbn]
The Sound of Gravel really wasn't on my radar, but my mom asked me to bring her a copy on my next visit. Of course I opened the book to see what had captured her interest, and I was absorbed from the first page. I have read plenty of stories about love, resilience, and courage, but The Sound of Gravel stands out as one of the best. I love how Ruth Wariner tells her story — in an honest, straightforward way and from her... (read more)
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Paul Auster
[isbn]
Yes, an 880-page novel can be daunting to almost anyone, but once you start reading, each and every page is so satisfying and absorbing, you don't care how many pages you've read and how many you have left. Auster is an amazing storyteller with sentences that captivate, and the clever approach of telling four stories simultaneously about the same characters is brilliant. Definitely put this on your 2017 "to read" list. Recommended by Kim S.
|
Diane Guerrero and Michelle Burford
[isbn]
I picked up In the Country We Love with little awareness of Diane Guerrero's acting fame (maybe I've watched one episode of Orange Is the New Black?). Guerrero's amazing narrative — in the same league as The Sound of Gravel, my #2 pick — is a truly heartbreaking story of her immigrant family being torn apart, and her determination to remain in the United States and raise herself at age 14. This account of Guerrero's... (read more)
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Jason Porter
[isbn]
Raymond Champs is on a quest to gather data to support his theory that there is an epidemic of clinical depression. His survey tool, he thinks, will deliver the answer. Why Are You So Sad? is a dark, witty book that gives us an uncomfortable yet hilarious view of human behavior and the senselessness we encounter every day. When was the last time you felt happy (survey question #4)? When I was reading Jason Porter's debut novel.
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Erdrich, Louise
[isbn]
Erdrich's writing runs deep with 14 acclaimed novels, including The Round House (winner of the National Book Award) and The Plague of Doves (a Pulitzer finalist). While it's likely you've read her more recent titles, to get the keenest sense of Erdrich and her heritage, it's well worth it to return to the first novel of her Native American series, Love Medicine. Winner of the 1984 National Book Critics Circle Award,... (read more)
Recommended by Kim S.
|
Toews, Miriam
[isbn]
All My Puny Sorrows has a force that pulls you into the story and immerses you so completely that it's difficult to put the book down. Yoli's voice is honest and raw, telling Toews's semi-autobiographical story of heartbreak and loss, but her sharp wit helps take the edge off the pain. You will appreciate every page of this unforgettable novel.
Recommended by Kim S.
|