Staff Picks
We take great joy in picking out what we hope is an appealing selection of books. And we love making recommendations to customers. If only we had time to read them all!
Here are some of our current staff favorites:
A thought-provoking love story of immigration and of race and identity in Nigeria and America.
Carol
Beautiful late in life love story, and the last book from beloved Kent Haruf.
Kathy, Lisa, & Carol
I loved this story of generations of boys & men who attended the Boy Scout camp in Haugen, WI. The setting is of course familiar to those of us in Northern Wisconsin (my son, like the author, attended Camp Phillips, renamed Camp Chippewa in the book). The characters are vividly drawn, and the pull of right and wrong and friendship over the ages are major themes.
— Carol
This book is filled with wonderful essays and native wisdom. One ov my favorites is " Allegiance to Gratitude".
Kathy
This is one of those books I want everyone to read. Written by a Jewish New Yorker who felt compelled to tell a story about Palestinians being pushed from their land. This wrenching novel of two brothers, reacting very differently to their circumstances, will stay with the reader
Carol
I love this debut novel of a publishing assistant, a famous novelist, and her quirky son. Frank will stay with me for a long time.
Carol
A powerful story of two sisters, each WWII heroes in their own way. I loved this book to the very last page.
Lisa
From the author of the much loved Snow Child comes another story set in Alaska. Using fictional letters, diaries, photo records, and more, Ivey tells a fascinating story of early white explorers of an Alaskan river valley. They venture past the known edge of the world, encountering native tribes and testing their own sanity. At the same time Sophie, the wife of the head of the expedition, is making her own life left back in Vancouver.
Carol
Groff is one of my favorite authors. We never really know what a marriage is like from the outside, but sometimes (often?) it looks very different even to those in it.
Carol
A post WWII story of a British family and the decline of their ancestral home. It is a love story and a beautiful story of music. Carol
A beautifully written debut novel, rich with imagery and unforgettable characters. The story takes place in the south and has been compared to To Kill a Mockingbird. I love it! Denise
Another wonderful book from Bolz-Weber about the transforming power of grace encountered in everyday life. Lisa
A fun first novel and fascinating way to tell the life story of Eva, who becomes a famous chef. Each chapter is narrated by someone whose life touches Eva’s and features a Midwestern food and how it affected her life.
Carol
A little futuristic, but not really. Water is scarce, (& gone in Texas), and states have erected borders. ‘Water Knives’ work for the haves, taking water from the less powerful. A brutal, fascinating thriller.
Eva & Carol
Set in Hong Kong and a now capitalist China, a murder mystery featuring characters troubled by the shadows of the cultural revolution. Sendker is the author of another favorite—Art of Hearing Heartbeats. Carol
Alice is turning 40. After a fall, she can’t remember the last 10 years of her life. My 3rd recommendation of a Moriarty book—I can’t put her down!
Denise
Cameron is loved for his stories told from the dog’s perspective. While there is a dog in this crazy story, it’s very different. Ex football star Ruddy is back home as a repo man, living a seemingly simple life until he hears the voice of a murdered local realtor in his head—demanding he find the murderers. Carol
Told through the eyes of three characters—Heidi, her husband, & Willow. The story unfolds as Heidi sees homeless Willow standing on the train platform in the rain, clutching a baby in her arms. A very good read. Denise
A companion novel to Life after Life. This is the story of Ursula’s brother Teddy, his role in the war ,and his life after. Carol
