Staff Picks

Barbara Kingsolver's latest piece of nonfiction – Animal, Vegetable, Miracle – is awesome! She tells of her family's move from Arizona to Souther Appalachia and their year of being “locavores”. The effort they put into gardening, canning, raising animals, supporting the local farmers' market...is inspiring! The recipes look fabulous too. We are what we eat and this is a frightening thought these days. After reading this book you'll want to eat locally!

--Jacqueline

Read this book! Not only is The Audacity of Hope well-written, but the tone is positive and encouraging – a rarity in political books these days. Barack Obama is an intelligent, enthusiastic, and honest politician who has a conscience and really cares about his country and ALL of the people who live here. I am excited about the political future of Barack Obama!

--Jacqueline

Phoebe Damrosch's book Service Included is both engaging and entertaining. As head waiter of New York's 4 Star restaurant Per Se, Damrosch has seen, heard, and learned a lot. The knowledge Thomas Keller (of French laundry fame) demands of his staff is intense, to say the least. I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys wining and dining.

--Jacqueline

Timothy Egen captures the Pacific Northwest beautifully in his novel The Winemaker's Daughter. Although Egen touches on such controversial subjects as water rights, development, and forest fire tactics, he balances out his book by capturing the art of winemaking, the power of family, and the gift of hope. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

--Jacqueline