Kristen's Picks

Mr. Splitfoot (Paperback)

By Samantha Hunt

$14.95

ISBN: 9780544811812

Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days

Published: Mariner Books - January 24th, 2017

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This is one of those novels that makes me want to say, "Just read it," and then not tell you anything about it, and let you discover the whole thing for yourself.  If you love a good roadtrip, if you love a good ghost story, if you love a book that stays with you for a long time after, this one is for you.  It's received so much praise, but the quote that comes the closest to my feelings about the book is this one:

“I'm speechless. Mr. Splitfoot is so inventive, so new; I haven’t read anything like it in years. On the surface it's about false spirituality and the most demented road trip across New York State ever attempted, but it's also about the horrible ties that bind us and the small acts of redemption that make life almost okay. On top of that, it’s a thrilling page-turner. I couldn’t stop reading it.”
– Gary Shteyngart, author of Little Failure, Super Sad True Love Story, and many others

The Shepherd's Life: Modern Dispatches from an Ancient Landscape (Paperback)

By James Rebanks

$18.99

ISBN: 9781250060266

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Published: Flatiron Books - September 27th, 2016

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The Shepherd's Life is the beautifully written yet unsentimental memoir of a man who raises sheep in England's Lake District, as his family has for generations.  With a vivid sense of place and a compelling narrative, this book is a deeply enjoyable read, but it's much more than that:  The Shepherd's Life bears witness to the importance and relevance of small-scale farming not just as a means of production but as a way of life, as a source of community and cultural identity, as a way of raising a family and of living on the land.

Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age (Paperback)

By Sherry Turkle

$18.00

ISBN: 9780143109792

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Published: Penguin Books - October 4th, 2016

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An intriguing, inspiring book about the importance of face-to-face, human-to-human conversation in a world full of interruptions.  Well-researched and more optimistic than you might think, this book offers pragmatic recommendations for prioritizing real-life connections over digital ones.  Recommended reading for anyone with a smartphone, especially (but not limited to) parents and teachers.

Viking Economics: How the Scandinavians Got It Right-and How We Can, Too (Hardcover)

By George Lakey

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ISBN: 9781612195360

Availability: Out of Print

Published: Melville House - July 12th, 2016

It's been a brutal year so far as national news, and it can be hard to feel hopeful, but this book provides a hearty dose of hope, along with a lot of supporting evidence and good sense.  Lakey is a smart, amiable and accessible author, and Viking Economics was a pleasure to read (not something you can claim about every economics book!)  His account of how the Scandinavian countries have achieved such an enviable quality of life through practical, effective policies is inspiring.  While I was researching this book, I came across the talking point "The Nordics offer free university education and health care, along with affordable day care for young children.  Full employment is normal, and poverty was virtually abolished, even though poverty was once rampant."  Can you imagine being able to say "poverty has been virtually abolished" about the U.S., or even about Vermont?  It's a worthy goal, and, as Bill McKibben said, this book "shows us there’s no reason we couldn’t be making far more progress across a wide range of problems."  Viking Economics is a great pick for those who #feelthebern and for those who just think that we could be doing a better job of things in this country.

White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America (Hardcover)

By Nancy Isenberg

$28.00

ISBN: 9780670785971

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Published: Viking - June 21st, 2016

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There are a lot of important conversations we need to have in the U.S., and the conversation about class is one of them.  The sheer weight of Isenberg's well-researched argument makes it impossible to maintain that the US has achieved, or ever had, a classless society.  As has been said, if you're afraid to have the discussion, you'll never solve the problem, and this book provides a vital piece of context to the discussion of why our country is so deeply divided.

I happened to read this book alongside Carol Anderson's White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of our Racial Divide, and found the two books, which follow the same range of history and inform each other, to be a great pairing.

DIY Bitters: Reviving the Forgotten Flavor - A Guide to Making Your Own Bitters for Bartenders, Cocktail Enthusiasts, Herbalists, and More (Hardcover)

By Jovial King, Guido Mase

$26.99

ISBN: 9781592337040

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Published: Fair Winds Press - September 15th, 2016

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Trust me, bitters taste great, especially when they're mixed up by by Burlington's own Jovial King and Guido Mase.  This new book by the founders of Urban Moonshine is packed full of delicious, unusual recipes and specific, nuanced information about blending bitters, the health benefits of bitters, and a range of bitter herbs.  A brilliant choice for herbalists, foodies, and anyone interested in this fun, tasty way to support health and increase vitality.  It's also a gorgeous book, so makes a lovely gift!
—Kristen

Never Look an American in the Eye: A Memoir of Flying Turtles, Colonial Ghosts, and the Making of a Nigerian Amiercan (Hardcover)

By Okey Ndibe

$29.00

ISBN: 9781616957605

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Published: Soho Press - October 11th, 2016

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Okey Ndibe, originally from Nigeria, has written a generously good-humored memoir about his move to and adjustment to living in the US.  A wonderful read, this book also offers an eye-opening perspective on many aspects of American culture.

Heartless (Hardcover)

By Marissa Meyer

$19.99

ISBN: 9781250044655

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Published: Feiwel & Friends - November 8th, 2016

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Heartless - the origin story of the Queen of Hearts from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - is a brilliant adventure.  Despite the fact that we know the unhappy fate of the Queen of Hearts, readers will be swept away by the vibrancy of the world and its populace, the protagonist's sheer joy in her calling as a baker, the plentiful wordplay, and the mischievous and mysterious court joker, Jest.  While remaining true to her source material, Meyer has created a more cohesive world than Carroll's own, and it's one this reader didn't want to leave:  I tore through this book in less than two days, and then, that same night, started over again, this time only allowing myself the ration of one chapter a night.  It was still over too soon, and this book has left me hungry for tarts and mad tea parties.  I highly recommend it to devotees of wit and whimsy, and of course to those who have enjoyed previous incarnations of Wonderland stories, as well as readers of the author's Lunar Chronicles series.

Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging (Hardcover)

By Sebastian Junger

$22.00

ISBN: 9781455566389

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Published: Twelve - May 24th, 2016

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The Guardian has said, "Rather than asking how we can save our returning servicemen and women, Junger challenges us to take a hard look in the mirror and ask whether we can save ourselves."  While we're often told we live in the greatest country in the world, it is a country that is dangerously polarized, a culture that suffers from a profound sense of alienation, and an economy in which the gap between the haves and the have-nots continues to grow.  What's wrong with our society?  Junger has distilled this complex subject into a compelling, slim yet nuanced volume.  This book asks intriguing questions and starts the journey toward solutions.  Recommended reading for anyone with the nagging suspicion that the "civilized" world doesn't have all the answers after all.

LaRose: A Novel (Paperback)

By Louise Erdrich

$15.99

ISBN: 9780062277039

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Published: Harper Perennial - April 11th, 2017

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A powerful, beautifully crafted book about characters who possess such will and vibrancy that they wrestle this novel - which could have been purely a tragedy - into a story of resilience, determination, connection, and even generosity in the face of loss.