$35.00
ISBN: 9780062654427
Availability: IN WAREHOUSE - Usually Ships in 3-7 Business Days
Published: Custom House - January 26th, 2021
Hands-down the most playful, rollicking, joyous science book I have read to date. Chronicling the herculean efforts of NASA to sling a probe to Europa, David Brown handily breaks down complex astronomical concepts and bureaucratic minefields with an atmospheric tone suited for a beer pong tournament. The Mission is at once an underdog tale, a collective biography, and a celebration of human ingenuity. What a blast. ~ Reviewed by Digby Baker-Porazinski
$35.00
ISBN: 9781984858900
Availability: Click Title for IN STORE Location
Published: Ten Speed Press - October 27th, 2020
The heart of Dungeons and Dragons is community, and this official addition to the D&D canon makes the gaming table a little wider---and a lot more appetizing. Heroes’ Feast draws most of its recipes from meals mentioned in actual campaign worlds and materials, and sorts them by the cultures of in-game races, like Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and Halflings. At times it feels like there may actually be more pages spent on colorful descriptions of D&D lore than on actual recipes (which, if you’ve ever played, is fairly true-to-form), but this 200-page tome really is brimming with serious and delicious dishes. Gather your companions, pitch your tent, and dig into some Bangers and Smash, Cherrybread, or Iron Rations. ~ Reviewed by Digby Baker-Porazinski
$29.99
ISBN: 9780062997456
Availability: IN WAREHOUSE - Usually Ships in 3-7 Business Days
Published: Harper - November 10th, 2020
First Principles offers a compelling glimpse into the education of Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and Madison. Ricks’ down-to-earth writing style steers away from the worship that is often conferred upon the founding fathers, and instead paints them as the flawed humans they were. His meticulous research and elegant prose bring the world of colonial America to life, and shed light on the ancient ideals upon which the United States was founded. ~ Reviewed by Digby Baker-Porazinski
$29.00
ISBN: 9781982114732
Availability: IN WAREHOUSE - Usually Ships in 3-7 Business Days
Published: Scribner - December 1st, 2020
An absolutely fascinating examination of the chronically understated role of wood in shaping human society. The Age of Wood takes us from the first primitive tools of our distant ancestors, to the great wooden ships and edifices of empires around the world, to the modern ramifications of deforestation and climate change. Ennos demonstrates a broad understanding not only of plant biology and woodworking, but of politics, physiology, chemistry, and anthropology. This is a sweeping history in the style of Jared Diamond or Yuval Noah Harari, and should not be missed. ~ Reviewed by Digby Baker-Porazinski
$25.99
ISBN: 9780063051331
Availability: Click Title for IN STORE Location
Published: Harper Perennial - October 27th, 2020
When I first spotted this book on the shelf, I did a double-take. I had absolutely adored Sapiens, Yuval Noah Harari’s all-encompassing history of human development and behavior, but I could not for a second imagine how such a complex and cerebral work of literature would translate to, of all things, a graphic novel. It was almost begrudgingly that I flipped the cover open and began to read.
This adaptation is by no means a carbon copy of its ancestor, but it is just as effective as (and in some cases, more than) the original book. Harari himself is the star of the show, drawn as a cheerful and patient guide through history, and in this version he’s accompanied by half a dozen fellow scientists who aid him in his explanation of some of the more specialized subjects. This format lets us travel from the prehistoric savannah to the French Revolution in the span of a page without missing a beat, and makes it easier to digest complicated topics like legal fiction, genetic and cultural adaptation, or social stratification. Sapiens: The Birth of Humankind will be a hit with fans of the original book, history buffs new and old, and anyone else who might, like me, stumble across it by surprise. ~ Reviewed by Digby Baker-Porazinski
$36.00
ISBN: 9780525954989
Availability: IN WAREHOUSE - Usually Ships in 3-7 Business Days
Published: Viking - September 15th, 2020
On the heels of his Kingsbridge novels The Pillars of the Earth, World Without End, and Column of Fire, Ken Follett has once again proven his prowess with The Evening and the Morning. Set during the Viking invasion of England, Follett follows the stories of Edgar, an intelligent young shipwright struggling in poverty; Ragna, a fierce and ambitious French noblewoman; and a host of allies and enemies lurking around every corner. As always, Follett’s greatest strength is in the depth of his research, from medieval construction techniques to nuanced social rituals, lending a sense of total immersion that is impossible to evade. Fans of solid historical fiction, as well as the author himself, will not be disappointed. ~ Reviewed by Digby Baker-Porazinski
