This week's Email
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UPCOMING EVENTS IN BRIEF |
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Thursday September 2
Friday - Monday September 3-6
Tuesday September 7
Wednesday September 8 |
Thursday September 9
Friday September 10
Friday - Sunday September 10-12 |
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LETTER FROM BARBARA & CARLA |
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MEMBER DISCOUNTS THIS MONTH As a benefit to our members, all cookbooks on our shelves will be 20% off throughout the month of September. Don't forget that our usual fall storewide member sale will take place Friday-Sunday, September 10-12, and members receive a 20% discount on nearly every book and 15% off nearly CD and DVD in the store that weekend.
NAIBA LEGACY AWARD
PARKING LOT TO BE RESURFACED |
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BOOKNOTES |
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In July, she appeared (along with John Waters) on Michael Silverblatt's program "Bookworm" on KCRW, to offer her top ten list of Russians to read. Click here to see her selections on our website. The Possessed was one of our 2010 Summer Favorites and is discounted 20% to P&P members. Click here to see more our booksellers' recommendations, sorted by regions of the world. And it so happens that Penny du Bois is teaching a class this fall on Chekhov! |
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FALL CLASS |
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CHEKHOV IN ENGLISH The time is past that we must identify Chekhov with the picturesque decline of Russia under the Tsars or with the distorted image of his work projected by the Soviets. Chekhov has become an honorary world citizen, read and performed widely, studied, admired and imitated by writers and thinkers in many languages. Chekhov opposed theory and made fun of people who expected a better world to follow abstract principles. But his understanding of a vast range of characters is based on a definite attitude to life. “Pitiless” he was called, also tender and compassionate. Can we discern in the stories and the plays a definite moral attitude? He was able to observe and laugh at the foolishness and blindness of many different kinds of people, all struggling to survive, some forced to give up consoling images of themselves. We will be looking for the steely moral backbone that allowed him to pass through judgment to acceptance, and for insights into the stories which will help us to see how he created a new kind of writing for the theater. We will discuss a selection of Chekhov’s stories and then read "The Cherry Orchard". The text will be THE PORTABLE CHEKHOV (Penguin, $18). For the first class, participants should read "The Name-Day Party". The cost is $80 for members and $100 for non-members. Register at Politics & Prose or by clicking here. Penny de Bois introduces herself: I have always been a student of literature, at Harvard and Cambridge Universities, have taught at Harvard, Barnard College, in Belgium at the university in Namur, Catholic University in Washington, and for a long time in private groups. The modern period - i.e. early 20th century - and English are my 'field' but I have taught what I wanted to learn, a huge variety from classical writers to present day avant-garde writers with special favorites Homer, Naipaul, Coetzee, Elizabeth Bishop, Kleist, Sebald, Nabokov and Vasily Grossman but this leaves out a lot of time spent on French authors and poets Spanish, English and Polish. My teaching concentrates on the particular experience and task of reading responsively to an individual author, thus on the complexity of reading itself. |
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NEW IN PAPERBACK |
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These titles were store favorites when they were in hardcover.
A PARADISE BUILT IN HELL (Penguin, $16) is the most intellectually invigorating book I've read since college. With the sharp eye of a scholar and the passion of an activist, Rebecca Solnit explores the tiny, evanescent utopias that arise in the aftermath of disasters. She argues that our natural response to catastrophes like the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Hurricane Katrina, and 9/11 is a fleeting joy and heightened, altruistic sense of purpose (rather than the looting and mayhem the media portrays). Most intriguingly, she suggests that post-disaster behavior lets us glimpse alternative ways of living. Solnit seeks to challenge and unsettle the reader, and this powerful work succeeds on every page. - Elizabeth Sher WOLF HALL (Picador, $16), the latest Booker Prize-winner opens in 1527, as Henry VIII is trying to get rid of his wife of sixteen years, Katherine. He is interested in Anne Boleyn, a well-connected young woman at court who has kept him interested by refusing to consummate their relationship until they are married. Thomas Cromwell is the King's man to move things along. Cromwell's eye is on the main chance. "You don't get on by being original. You don't get on by being bright. You don't get on by being strong. You get on by being a subtle crook." Although society no longer burns people at the stake or beheads them, jockeying for political position and religious hysteria endure. The book's appeal is not only in its oft-told story, but Hilary Mantel's particular telling of the story. Humor and horror are close together—that is a characteristic of Mantel's writing and what gives her narrative so much power. - Mark LaFramboise
In THE FAMILY ALBUM (Penguin, $15) Penelope Lively paints a wonderful portrait of an ostensibly perfect family. Parents Alison and Charles, six children, and one au pair live at Allersmead, a shabby-genteel, sprawling Edwardian edifice where the huge kitchen is the heart of the home. Alison prides herself on her mothering, cooking, and homemaking and frets when family life is beyond her control. Her husband Charles remains aloof, constantly locked in his study while he researches and writes books. Most of the family scenes are presented in flashback as each of the adult children returns to the childhood home; thus memory is of keen interest here, along with a dark secret from the past. - Barbara Meade Click FICTION or NON-FICTION to buy these books and to browse a more complete selection of recent paperback releases. |
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BESTSELLERS |
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P&P Members always save 20% on our top twelve FICTION and NON-FICTION hardcover bestsellers. Click the titles to read more about these books and to buy them from Politics & Prose.
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COMING NOW TO YOUR FAVORITE BOOKSTORE |
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If you can't attend a talk, but would like to reserve a signed copy or a recorded author talk, click the title links to purchase online. P&P members save 20% on these author event titles.
Thursday September 2
Aviva Kempner - Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg Friday - Monday September 3-6 LABOR DAY WEEKEND - NO EVENTS Tuesday September 7 Constance Borde and Sheila Malovany-Chevalier (translators) - Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex 7 p.m. Beauvoir's monumental classic on the place of women in society originally appeared in English missing 15% of its text. Now, 60 years after that truncated edition (produced by a retired zoologist with college-level French), the complete work is available in English. Borde and Malovany-Chevalier will discuss the continuing relevance of Beauvoir's book. Wednesday September 8 ROSH HASHANAH - NO EVENT Thursday September 9 Richard Thompson - Cul de Sac Golden Treasury & Keith Knight - The Knight Life: Chivalry Ain't Dead 7 p.m. In conjunction with the Small Press Expo (September 11-12 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center), we're delighted to host two artists who excel at contemplating the minutiae of everyday life and making it hilarious. Thompson's strip is focused on a loveable family in a suburban development, while Knight's is told through the eyes of a city dweller. Friday September 10
8 p.m. Co-founder of the Center for Cartoon Studies, Sturm has set this beautifully crafted historical fiction in the Eastern European countryside of the 1900s. His day in the life of Mendleman, a carpet peddler, uses spare narrative and finely-honed images to achieve a powerful emotional resonance. Friday - Sunday September 10-12
P&P Fall Member Sale
The same discounts will apply to shopping completed online when members purchase items currently on our shelves between Friday, September 10, 12:01 a.m. and Sunday, September 12, 11:59 p.m.! |
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P&P CUSTOMERS ARE ALSO INVITED TO. . . |
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Thursday, September 16, 7:30 p.m.
Friendship Heights Village Center
MARTHA GRIMES Tuesday, September 21, 6:30-9 p.m.
From a former mortgage banker who's back in the classroom to a tough cop turned Nashville music agent, these in-depth testimonials offer encouragement and advice from real people who have changed careers mid-life. Kerry Hannon, a personal finance editor and retirement correspondent for U.S. News & World Report, will present an exciting roadmap for anyone looking to make their next job their dream job. TTN is a community of women over 50 who are navigating career transitions, broadening horizons, celebrating life, exploring options, and making connections. For more information and to register for this dinner meeting ($40; $35, TTN Members), contact Clare Donaher at cdonaher@starpower.net or visit www.thetransitionnetwork.org. Thursday, September 23, 7:30 p.m.
Her riveting new novel traverses, from the 1880s to World War II, the intimate landscape of one woman's inner world: of the little girl within the hopeful bride, of the young woman filled with yearning, and of the faithful wife who comes to harbor a dangerous secret. It is also a heartbreaking portrait of marriage and the mysteries that endure even in lives lived side by side. A masterly, unforgettable novel from one of our finest storytellers.
Please sign up in advance for this FREE event by calling the Village Center at 301-656-2797. |
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FROM THE CHILDREN AND TEENS' DEPARTMENT |
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Please join us when story time resumes after Labor Day on Monday, September 13, 10:30 a.m. BearSong, the Guitar Man, will be back after several years' hiatus, leading stories, songs, finger plays, and more for children from birth to 4 years old and their caregivers.
Teachers - from pre-school through grade 12 - and school and public librarians are eligible for Politics & Prose's educator's discount program. To qualify for a 20% discount on books purchased for your classroom or library and a 10% discount on personal purchases, please bring a current ID for the 2010-2011 academic year to the children's and teens' department to update your file. CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE WEEK
(20% off through 09/08/2010) Read about - and buy - more of our favorite books for children by clicking here. Click here to shop more of our 2010 Summer Favorites online.
We are excited about hosting her and look forward to having you join us. Even though Ms. Collins is not speaking, she is eager to meet her fans and very much wants to answer your questions as you go through the signing line. Please note: Due hand strain, Ms. Collins will be "signing" books with a special stamp custom created exclusively for Mockingjay events. Make sure you pick up your signing line ticket when you buy your book. You must buy your book from P&P to participate in this event. Click here to buy your copy of Mockingjay and to read more information about this book-signing! For upcoming events and more from the Children and Teens' Department, click here. |
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MARKDOWN BOOKS |
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London correspondent for The New York Times since the mid-1990s, Sarah Lyall has observed her subject closely, especially since marrying a Brit and become one of them. Her bestselling THE ANGLO FILES: A Field Guide to the British is a witty, sharp portrait of a diverse society. Lyall caught the British in an era of transformation as Tony Blair took the helm; nonetheless, class still proves complicated to decode, and the range of individual eccentricities makes for lots of great stories. Available in hardcover, $5.98. Where do you go after looking death in the face and then exploring the afterlife? If you're Mary Roach, the intrepid author of Stiff, Spook, and her most recent Packing for Mars, you ask some questions about current research on sex. BONK: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex is Roach's frank and very funny exposé of the study of the physiology of sex. How does it work, exactly? How could it work better? And she's not the standard disinterested journalistic observer. She participates in experiments herself. Available in hardcover, $6.98. ALPHABET JUICE: The Energies, Gists, and Spirits of Letters, Words, and Combinations Thereof; Their Roots, Bones, Innards, Piths, Pips, and Secret Parts, Tinctures, Tonics, and Essences; With Examples of Their Usage Foul and Savory - Who but Roy Blount, Jr. could think up a subtitle like that? Blount has a lot of fun with the English language, and to do that, you first have to take it seriously. His book is both serious and fun, telling you what you need to know about word derivations, pronunciation, use of hyphens, and other matters, but also telling stories so you won't forget to give words the respect they deserve. Available in hardcover, $6.98. Click here to browse more remainders that have recently become available. • Laurie Greer |
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MUSIC NEWS |
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NEW Bill Frisell, BEAUTIFUL DREAMERS (Savoy, $15.98) – Guitarist Bill Frisell has had a wonderful interplay with other string players during his career, whether violin, steel guitar, or cello. His new trio with long-time cohorts Eyvind Kang on viola and Rudy Royston on drums continues this winning streak. Melodically thrilling originals are interspersed with standards old and new: "Tea for Two" by Vincent Youmans; "Benny's Bugle" by Benny Goodman; "Keep on the Sunny Side," by the A.P. Carter; and the title track by Stephen Foster. Another beautiful release by Frisell. Richard Thompson, DREAM ATTIC (Shout Factory, $15.98) –Singer, songwriter, and masterful guitarist Richard Thompson, pioneer of the British (Folk) Invasion, has made classic albums with Fairport Convention, with Linda Thompson, then as a solo act. His songs and guitar playing (both electric and acoustic) are in a class by themselves. He unveils 13 new songs, recorded live with a versatile quartet during a West Coast tour. REISSUES Frank Sinatra, SEPTEMBER OF MY YEARS (Concord, $11.98) – Sinatra selected some memorable songs for his thematic album from 1965 that looked at the passing of time. Surrounded by luscious arrangements by Gordon Jenkins, Sinatra sings the title song, "Don't Wait Too Long," "It Gets Lonely Early," "Last Night When We Were Young," and "September Song," among others. Bonuses include a live version of "This Is All I Ask," and the single of "How Old Am I?" Miles Davis, BITCHES BREW: LEGACY EDITION (Columbia, 2CDs & DVD, $22.98) – The 40th Anniversary Edition of Miles Davis's pioneering album (with lots of added material, including a DVD of previously unissued live performance from Copenhagen, in November, 1969, featuring a band of superstars: Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Dave Holland, and Jack DeJohnette. The package also includes a 24-page booklet featuring an essay by Greg Tate. Click here for more reviews and news. Please call us at 202-364-1919 to order these CDs. • András Goldinger |
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DVD OF THE WEEK |
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UGETSU (Criterion Collection, $39.95) Weaving together two well-known fables, Kenji Mizoguchi's Ugetsu, is a work of stunning beauty. The movie takes place in sixteenth century Japan, amid an ongoing and bloody civil war. Genjuro, a potter, and Tobei, a peasant, leave their families to go on a dangerous trip into the city to sell their pottery in the hopes of achieving their separate dreams of riches and increased status. What they find, however, is that these dreams of lust, and this obsession for power and fame, only lead to tragedy. Mizoguchi's film traverses a fine line between the dreamworld and reality, mixing the supernatural easily with the misfortunes of life. This Criterion Collection production also includes a full length documentary on Kenji Mizoguchi and a booklet which includes an essay and the stories on which Ugetsu is based. This is a movie which will leave you stunned, amazed, and completely awestruck. Highly recommended. - Adam Waterreus |
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BOOK GROUPS |
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Politics & Prose currently hosts sixteen different book groups in the store each month.
Thursday, September 2, 7:30 p.m. NOTE: Due to September's Science Fiction Bookgroup occuring on Rosh Hashanah, this month the Science Fiction Bookgroup will meet twice to discuss Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow. Our first meeting will be on Thursday, September 9th at 7:30 p.m., in the remainder room. We will meet again on September 16th at 7:30 p.m. at Comet Pizza. Everyone is welcome to either gathering.
October 14 selection: The Moon is A Harsh Mistress, by Robert A. Heinlein |
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ROUND HOUSE THEATER |
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Save $10 on The Talented Mr. Ripley at Round House Theatre Politics & Prose customers can save $10 per ticket on center orchestra or center balcony seats for Round House Theatre’s U.S. premiere of The Talented Mr. Ripley, a play by Phyllis Nagy adapted from Patricia Highsmith’s thriller (W.W. Norton, $13.95). Conman Tom Ripley is determined to gain wealth and social status by any means possible. The perfect opportunity arises when American financier Herbert Greenleaf sends him to Italy to track down his son, who has been living the high life there. His mission takes on a sinister twist as the lives of Ripley and young Richard Greenleaf become inextricably entwined. For tickets, call the box office at 240-644-1100 and mention the “Politics & Prose” discount. This offer is good for performances from Wed., Sept. 8 through the matinee on Sat. Sept. 18. (Ripley is recommended for age 17 and above.) |
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NEWS FROM THE COFFEEHOUSE |
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For news from the coffeehouse, visit the Modern Times blog. |
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Though implausible, the most chortlingly funny book I’ve read in years is about graduate school. Elif Batuman - blogger, New Yorker writer, and madcap academic - is a disarming story-teller; her relentless enthusiasm for books is contagious. In the seven essays of







