| Page (1) | 2 | |
 |
WALT Walt does not do Facebook. But he would love to share a favorite book, meet you face to face, and "friend" you in person. He neither tweets nor twerks. But he is open to all suggestions for other new experiences... especially if they involve food or film. You will oftentimes find him in the Arts section of Changing Hands Phoenix. |
This is outdoor writing at its very best and it could be the perfect escape from the cloistered times we are living in. The author is going to be your guide as you travel everywhere from the snowy peaks of Alaska to the rainforests of Borneo and the jungles of Costa Rica. Dial's accounts of his adventures are lush and detailed. And his love and respect for the outdoors is ever present. No wonder his son wanted to follow in his footsteps! But when that son disappears in the jungles of Central America, the adventurer's story takes a much more heartfelt turn.... and you are enveloped in the story of an even greater love....that of the love of a father for his son. There is just so much beauty found in these pages. A lovely and loving memoir.
Email or call for price.
This book does so many things well. It is a great spy novel, mystery, and love story....as well as an enthralling work of historical fiction. I loved it. Set in Elizabethan England, (fans of Hilary Mantel take note)...... it is the story of Mahmoud Ezzedine, a Muslim physician thrust into European "civilization" and the royal intrigues of the 1500's. It is a surprising encounter for both East and West. I was infatuated with the story right up to the very last page.
As a bookseller in the middle of Cactus League country, I originally picked up this book thinking that it might be an entertaining piece of fluff..... something to recommend to fans visiting for spring training. But what I got was a lot more than just an engaging sports story. This is really great storytelling and I was gripped from beginning to end. You are going to spend time with superstars, rookies, groupies, managers, trophy wives, groundskeepers, and the guy who plays the organ. Will you be on the field and attending games? Definitely. But you are also going to spend time away from the stadium finding out what goes on off the field. I was absorbed in all the characters' stories and loved how they intertwined. Even if you know next to nothing about baseball, you can enjoy this book. And if you are into the Cactus League, you are going to have a hard time putting it down. I didn't want the season to end!
Email or call for price.
I fell head over heels into the lovely melancholy of this book. Pufahl's writing is tender...filled with poignant moments of love and longing. I wanted to wrap comforting arms around these characters, as their stories revealed themselves gracefully and touched my heart. The struggles they faced still reverberate in the lives of the disenfranchised today, and are a reminder that the 1950's are not a lost "nirvana" for many in the country.
This approachable and engaging book is loaded with entertaining history and lesser known facts about the artists examined. Interestingly conceived, it was fascinating to learn how the artists' friendships and rivalries propelled each of their careers in very different directions. The result is an absorbing perspective on the development of "Modern Art". This is an excellent read for anyone who wants to expand their knowledge of art history or really anyone who has ever wondered exactly how all that thrown paint, abstraction, and contortion came to be called Art.
Email or call for price.
If you have a penchant for dark British humor, and count films like Four Weddings and a Funeral and Love Actually among your favorite screen titles, you are going to enjoy this book. I was smiling throughout despite the cringe-worthy title (and the main character's rather unfortunate livelihood). Reminders abound to live your life to the fullest and you will be rooting for the protagonist as he haltingly attempts to do just that.
Email or call for price.
This book is a "killer" mystery that seeps dark humor. But beyond that, it is a poignant tale of family fidelity and the ties that bind. I liked the author's language, the well paced story, the surprising plot twists, and the Nigerian setting. Need a quick page turner that you can knock off in an evening or two? Get your hands on this.
Where do you shelve a work as imaginative as this? The paintings are worthy of the Art section (that cover!). Many of the passages read like poetry. The imagery is lyrical. Tuck it away in Short Stories? That they are, and lovingly written. But maybe Nature is where this book really belongs. All the narratives are, after all, about animals. Some are pure fantasy and others read like beautiful little memoirs. Of course, the author's other works are often found in Graphic Novels. So many possibilities. And maybe that's how it has ended up in Teen. An odd choice in my mind, but which of its other potential homes would I pick? A teen will find this book captivating, I am sure. But pick it up, leaf through the pages. Read a story or two. Then you tell me where this book should be housed. Maybe, like me, you will simply decide that it belongs best right there on your bedside table at home.
Email or call for price.
The title of this book may be Leading Men, but it is really not their story. Rather, it is a sympathetic homage to those men and women cast in supporting roles.....the "believers" who make the success of their better known companions possible. In a masterful combination of fact and fiction, real and imagined characters, it explores the life of celebrity. It centers on the life of Tennessee Williams and his longtime companion, Frank Merlo. And it is a lovely sometimes heartbreaking chronicle of a closeted gay relationship in the 1950's, a time when love STILL "dare not speak its name". The settings are lush, the characters are engaging. (even the disagreeable ones), and I wanted to spend more time with them lazing on the Italian Riviera. It is a journey I highly recommend that you take, as well.
This book is fascinating stuff. It considers not only the last work of over one hundred artists but gives an account of their final days, as well. As you might expect, not a lot of happy endings here. Unfortunately many of the artists never received acclaim or financial recompense in their lifetime, leaving others to be the benefactors of their genius. Many died young. But the stories are all compelling and you will leave this book with a greater appreciation of their gifts. An easy recommendation for any art lover. Inspirational for any creative spirit.
I will be honest....this is not the sort of book I would normally pick up. I just don't read heartwarming dog stories. (Although I do like dogs....and cats.) But is was nominated for the National Book Award and that aroused my curiosity. A story about adopting a best friend's dog? Didn't sound like award winning material to me. Well, so much for my literary prejudices. I was totally taken aback by this book. It is about so much more than man's best friend. Each "part" delves into different territory as the author waxes nostalgic about her lost "human" friend. A lot of the book talks about the writing process. (Very well, I might add.) Others delve into everything from suicide to aging to millennials. And yes, there are certainly parts about dogs AND cats. And indeed, they are heartwarming (but never saccharine). But what I liked about this book was that there was so much more tucked into these pages. It surprised me and I liked that very much.
Email or call for price.
Hands down, my favorite literary diversion of 2018. This work of historical fiction chronicles the life of Madame Tussaud, the namesake of the famous wax museums. Yes, she was indeed a real person and lived at the time of the French Revolution. She narrates her own story here and quite the charming narrator she is. It's a captivating, bewitching, and sometimes horrifying story. (And big bonus! It is lovingly illustrated throughout by our storyteller's own drawings!) Can't recommend this book highly enough. It was a total pleasure. Those of you who enjoyed A Gentleman in Moscow should find this book to be another literary feast! Partake at your earliest opportunity.
I really enjoyed this anthology of Eugenides's short stories. They have been compiled from a variety of publications, some dating back to 1989. The characters are vividly drawn, the subject matter surprises, and they all feel like complete little novels....as a good short story should. I like every one of them, and that's not easy for me to say about any collection of short stories.
Email or call for price.
I have always been intrigued by tales of obsession. Whether that obsession be orchids, postage stamps, or Britney Spears......how does what starts out as healthy interest devolve into the consumption of a person's life? In this book the obsession is exotic bird feathers and the obsessed are fish fly tiers. That's right. Fish fly tiers. (If you're like me, you didn't even know fly tying was a "thing") That fixation leads yet to another....the author's obsession with the theft of a trove of bird feathers from the British Museum. It's a fascinating story. A disturbing history. A bizarre true crime.
Do you have a budding artist in the family who is ready for something more creative and challenging than the ubiquitous coloring books of yesteryear? The variety of activities and materials found in this book should engage their imagination and encourage them to launch into projects of their own.
Email or call for price.
Mind reading! Astral Projection! Telekinesis! Spoonbenders! How could I not pick up this book when it came into the bookstore? It's funny, touching, well written, and completely original. I loved it. You're going to have a good time. I can see your future. Smiles guaranteed.
Do you remember the "agony and and the ecstasy" of your first infatuation? The time you met someone and were gobsmacked simply by being in their presence? (This awakening soon to be followed by them occupying every moment of your imagination both night and day.) You remember the times you vacillated between praying they would notice you and then being terrified by the prospect that they would? Restless nights? Embarrassing conversations? Overanalyzing EVERYTHING? The tension and let's be candid....the lust? Yeah, you remember. This book will bring it all back to you in utterly beautiful prose and heartbreaking detail.
Don’t assume you know Stephen Florida. Because just when you think you do.....he proves you wrong. From the time I picked up this book until I turned the final page...it contradicted all the assumptions I was making. Looking at the cover, I thought...sci-fi fantasy. But nope, it is about a fiercely competitive college wrestler. Was Stephen’s story going to be the heartwarming tale of a challenged young man overcoming obstacles in his life? Well, yes. Until ten pages later when I would find his actions unconscionable. And so it went throughout the book. You are going to be thinking about this character and how you feel about him long after you put the book aside. A complex compelling story with no easy or expected solutions.
In her highly readable memoir, Susan Southard compassionately explores the lives of five Nagasaki youth before, during and after the Atomic Bomb. It is a riveting and disturbing history, and should be required reading for any world leader with a finger on the nuclear button. (And if there is a world leader out there who doesn't read books....then somebody needs to provide him/her with the audio CD.) We should all be familiar with this story. The cost of not knowing is far too dear.
This memoir is, at its heart, a romance. Billy Hayes moves to New York City and soon falls in love with its people, its neighborhoods, and its heartbeat. Lucky you....you get to join him as that romance unfolds. Along the way, Hayes unexpectedly finds love of another sort when he makes the acquaintance of the brilliant scientist and humanitarian, Oliver Sacks. This book traces his developing relationship with both. It is a lovely tale of discovery and an examination of the joy that can be found in life if you are just willing to open your heart and take a risk. Need a reminder that it is never to late to find love and inspiration?....(Or maybe you just need a kick in the butt to get on that plane and head to NYC again?) This is your book.
This powerful little novel is the heartbreaking tale of two men, each struggling with personal demons (and angels) in contemporary Iraq. I was intrigued by the small window opened to Iraqi home life, religion, and culture....subject matter seldom explored in Western media. More importantly, the book provides a stinging portrayal of the damage done in a closed society that preaches intolerance and refuses to recognize the validity and worth of all its people.
Please, please.....don't let the somewhat dry title dissuade you. This book charms from beginning to end. The "gentleman" is charismatic, and his supporting players are equally as beguiling. Beautifully written, the storyline surprised continually. And throughout, I was reminded of what it is to live a life fully...no matter what the circumstances. I have already passed this book on to friends as a "must read". Savor and enjoy!
Are you looking for a well written book that is not going to leave you emotionally distraught? A book that is neither apocalyptic nor dystopian? Are you ready for a novel that won't have you weeping, red-eyed, and groping for a box of tissues? Then this book should please. And it is far more than your proverbial summer "beach read". I am still amazed by how much I enjoyed this excellent book. You are going to be spending time with bitchy Truman Capote and his fabulous "Swans"...the beautiful, wealthy trophy wives of 1960's Manhattan. You've got gossip, melodrama, and good fun in this page turner. Page turner? Absolutely. I couldn't wait to find out how all the drama would be resolved. So put on your silk pajamas, pour yourself a glass of champagne, channel some Sinatra, and spend some time with Truman and his "ladies that lunch". (But be forewarned.....just watch your back.)
Hey there fellow city dwellers, if you live in Midtown Phoenix, you want a copy of this book. It is filled with great archival photos, and you can plot the changes in your neighborhood dating back to the 1800's. Did you know that there used to be a horse racing track at 7th Avenue and Osborn? Or that Brophy Prep predates St. Francis Xavier Church by thirty years? You're going to want to take a trip down Central after traveling the pages of this historical guide. (If you enjoy this edition...you might want to check out further volumes in this series in the Arizona section of the bookstore...Legend City!...and Encanto, among others.)
I am a big fan of Susan Cain's first book, Quiet. For me, her examination of what it means to be an "introvert" was both comforting and enlightening. Now Ms. Cain has given us a book for middle schoolers and adolescents which does for young people what her first book did for adults. It reassures them that being"quiet" is not a disability. Rather it is a strength to embrace. Practical advice is offered on how the quiet child can better navigate social situations, friendships, school, and even the family. This is a good, positive, highly readable resource not just for young people, but for the parents and teachers of quiet children, as well.
Email or call for price.
Anthony Marra masterfully intertwines the stories of his second book, The Tsar of Love and Techno. The stories are anchored in grim circumstance....Stalinist Soviet Union, Siberia, Chechnya. The time period spans from the 1940's to present day. Unhappy times in desolate places, but uplifting commonalities are found in all the stories. In each, the characters are able to find solace, kindness, and humor in the most desolate of situations. The readings could stand alone but one of the pleasures of this book is uncovering the references to prior stories. They interconnect and mesh unexpectedly. Wry humor is sprinkled throughout. One of my favorites..."Hipsterdom's a tightrope strung across the canyon of douche-baggery." Spot on! This book surprised in many and most excellent ways.