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ODYSSEY GALLERY

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ON THE AIR

The Odyssey Bookshop is one of five independent bookstores participating in WAMC's Roundtable on Tuesday mornings, just after the 10:00 news. People from the Odyssey will be on about once a month, talking about our favorite books.

Click here to see the list of the books we have talked about.

The Odyssey Bookshop
9 College St.
S. Hadley, MA 01075

413-534-7307
800-540-7307
fax 413-532-3654

email odysseybks@aol.com

Ethan's Picks

Click on any title to order

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Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

A mysterious and moving novel that follows a group of boarding school students as they grow aware of the strange and sinister forces that control their lives . This fascinating story is part science fiction, part mystery, as well as a haunting and tender love story.

In Persuasion Nation by George Saunders

A series of short stories that explore and satirize America's commercial and media-saturated culture. At turns shockingly funny and horrifying, Saunders never loses hope in the humanity of his characters, despite the cultural wasteland they may find themselves in.

Don't Let The Pigeon Stay Up Late! by Mo Willems

My 3-year-old daughter loves all the hilarious stories about this cajoling, pleading, and sometimes downright whining pigeon, and this latest book in the series is no exception. She has a great time saying "NO!" to all the pigeon's clever attempts to not go to bed. My wife and I love the little guy too, and the story stays fresh and fun after repeated readings.

Dark Ages America by Morris Berman

A fascinating and lively analysis of America's current place in the world, and where we are heading as a nation. Berman discusses our imperial-minded foreign policy, cultural decline, and political slide away from democracy. Compelling and surprisingly witty.

Field Notes From A Catastrophe by Elizabeth Kolbert

A compelling, sobering, and often terrifying examination of global warming and the threat it poses to the future of human civilization. Kolbert visits scientists and communities in the Arctic, where villages are already disappearing as ice and permafrost layers recede. Also discussed are animal species that are permanently relocating or disappearing as temperatures change. Kolbert presents clearly and conscisely the global scientific consensus that man-made carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is causing global warming, and that serious action must be taken immediately to avoid potential catastrophe. Sadly, the book suggests that the unwillingness of global powers, and the United States in particular, to change our energy policies may lead to terrible consequences: "It may seem impossible to imagine that a technologically advanced society could choose, in essence, to destroy itself, but that is what we are now in the process of doing."

Here, There & Everywhere by Geoff Emerick

Geoff Emerick was the recording engineer for the Beatles for most of their career,and begin working with them on their earliest singles when he was only fifteen. His memoir of his time in the studio with the band is full of behind-the-scenes stories, many of which have not been told before, and illuminates the humanity and complexity of the four bandmembers. Readers familiar with the Beatles' music will be fascinated by stories of how certain sounds and songs were put together in the studio, and by the complex and challenging friendships that evolved over the years. Emerick's tone is warm, wry, and matter-of-fact throughout, despite the remarkable circumstances he found himself in and the amazing music he was in part responsible for.

The Last True Story I'll Ever Tell by John Crawford

John Crawford joined the National Guard for the tuition benefits; while on his honeymoon, his unit was activated in preparation of the invasion of Iraq and he was soon shipped overseas. The resulting memoir is a spare and riveting account of his experiences there. Crawford describes periods of tedium and anxiety, punctuated by horrifying and bloody battles with an increasingly vague enemy. The author and the soldiers in his unit quickly become indifferent and uncaring to the Iraqis and to the violence and destruction around them. Unsurprisingly, Crawford returns to America unable to relate to his wife, friends, and the civilian life that awaits him. Honest and understated, Crawford presents the reality of what it means to be a contemporary soldier in an increasingly complex world.