Ellen Notbohm. Photo credit: Andie Petkus Photography

Conversations

Ellen Notbohm’s Historical, Heart-touching “The River by Starlight”

Author Ashley Sweeney interviewed Portland author Ellen Notbohm about her debut novel The River by Starlight. Shortly before publication, the book won the Gold Medal for Best Regional Fiction, West-Mountain, in the Independent Publisher Book Awards. Notbohm is also author of four award-winning nonfiction books. Ashley Sweeney: Thank you, Ellen, for allowing me to interview you about your debut novel, The River by Starlight. The novel’s first chapter affords the reader a glimpse into Annie’s psyche as her mother is dying. …

May 22, 2018

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May

23

2018

Go, Went, Gone

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Go, Went, Gone by Jenny Erpenbeck

A poignant, gripping novel about the refugee crisis challenging the globe. Recently retired and suddenly finding himself adrift, Richard becomes captivated by a group of young African refugees being housed by the German government in his quiet Berlin suburb—Who are these men? What do they want? The answers seem simple, yet issues of power, humanitarian …

May

21

2018

Knights of the Black and White

One Nightstand

Knights of the Black and White by Jack Whyte

In 2006, I discovered Jack Whyte’s multi-volume series on King Arthur entitled The Camulod Chronicles. Arthurian legends are one of my favorite topics to read. The series combined some of the myths as well as some factual information. I really enjoyed reading those books. The combination of truth and fiction is another attention-getting device to …

May

18

2018

World of Ursula K. Le Guin Official Trailer

In 2016, journalist Arwen Curry kickstarted a documentary about Ursula K. Le Guin, which received more than twice the goal amount. Now, two years later, she’s released the first trailer for “Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin.”

May

17

2018

Royals by Rachel Hawkins

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Royals by Rachel Hawkins

Daisy’s older sister is marrying into the British royal family, but Daisy is not paparazzi-ready (nor does she want to be). But maybe she can stay true to herself and even have some fun with all the makeovers, A-list hijinks, and royal wedding prep… This is a teen novel, but for anyone who enjoys a …

May

16

2018

I Am I Am I Am by Maggie O'Farrell

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I Am I Am I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death by Maggie O’Farrell

A curious memoir, gripping, lucid and raw. These are little vignettes of how the author has nearly died seventeen different times. Each chapter title is the name of the part of the body that would have been the cause of death: neck, lungs, spine, legs, pelvis, abdomen, head… It’s not a tragic or depressing book …

May

15

2018

Kid's Guide to Boise

The Storefront

Rediscovered Books Launches New Publishing Division

Boise’s independent bookstore makes its publishing debut with A Kid’s Guide to Boise Rediscovered Publishing, a new division of downtown Boise’s Rediscovered Books, will be releasing A Kid’s Guide to Boise by Rick Just on May 29, 2018. The book is a complete guide for what to do, where to go, what to eat all around …

May

14

2018

Saving Tarboo Creek

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Saving Tarboo Creek by Scott Freeman

Regional environmentalism and approachable science. So well-written, I felt like I was right there planting a tree or watching a salmon spawn. The Freemans do a wonderful job reminding us that we can make a difference — a little at a time. –Melissa DeMotte, The Well-Read Moose, Coeur d’Alene, ID When nice weather comes, you can get out into nature …

May

11

2018

Laurie Raisys and her mom (vintage)

Borrowed Copy

Happy Mother’s Day– Sunday May 13, 2018

Mother’s Day makes me mushy inside. I love picking out the cards, buying the gifts, and sending surprises to my mom and mom friends. It’s a special month. As a teenager I was never ashamed to kiss my mom or dad in public. We are fortunate to have children who still want to be around us (most …

May

10

2018

Cove

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Cove by Cynan Jones

I’d earlier read [Welsh writer Cynan Jones’s] novels The Dig, about a face-off between a violent misfit and a family man over a badger den, and The Long Dry, a chronicle of life on a cattle farm during a difficult summer. Both were terse and quietly potent, minimalist epics of elemental conflict between men and …

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