Friday, December 8, 2017

Boswellian Top 5's of 2017 part two

Olivia V is our resident pie expert. In both of her Christmas seasons here at Boswell, she has loved, loved a specific new pie cookbook.  Last year’s pie book was by Kate McDermott, it was called Art of the Pie. This year she has another in her top 5 and it is a humdinger:

Pie and Whiskey by Kate Lebo
Ummm how could I not? Essays that when read are as filling and at times, just as comforting as a piece of pie. $19.95

Art of Steven Universe by Chris McDonnell
Steven Universe is a cartoon show that happens to be one of my favorites right now. The themes present go deep into modern messages of love, and what it means to be loved. I hold the series dear to my heart, and this book is a brilliant look into the complex and fun process of all the work that goes into the making of the show. Good for fans of the show and Adventure Time, and people just interested in the animation field.
$29.95 on Boswellian Best till the end of the year for $23.96
Mud Book by John Cage, illustrated by Lois Long
Coming in part from the mind of John Cage, someone who has played heavily in my own studies for composition, this book is a gentle tug towards whimsical thinking for adults, and just plain fun for kids. Outwardly simple, but holding a heavier meaning and connection to nature, in the typical spirit of Cage. $14.95
Rick and Morty Book Two by Tom Fowler, Kyle Starks, Pamela Ribon
I had a hard time choosing between having book one or two for this. I have read book 1, and can trust book two will be great, but I feel most people who come to our store will see book 2 and will want to look into book 1 and might want book 1 instead? Or both? Not sure what would be in demand more, book 1 or 2? If book 2 goes on the top 5, I know I could sell copies of book 1 if you were able to keep one in the store. $49.95
Art of Over the Garden Wall by Patrick McHale, Sean Edgar
Again a TV series dear to me. It has developed a devoted cult following similar to Steven Universe or Adventure Time. The art direction, story and music are just fantastic and I know the art book will be an exciting in depth look at all of it. I'm definitely ordering the special edition for myself! With the golden age animation we are getting some pretty dope art books right now.
$39.99 on Boswellian Best till the end of the year for $31.99


Aaron has been a local Downer Avenue celebrity as long as Boswell has been around. Daniel worked with him on our first designed Boswell t-shirt done by a local artist (the one in blue with a fish and a line).  He also illustrates children’s books when he's not working here. We carry some of his titles (there are so many!!),and you should come in and see some of his great work! Having him working in the shop has been a delight and I love his choices for his top 5:
Donner Dinner Party
If you love books you likely love games. A fun, easy and quick moving game for game night; for four or more players trying to deduce or mislead fellow players as to who the cannibal is in the group. You get eaten, you're out. Find the cannibal, you win! A new edition to my personal game collection. Teen and up. $19.95

Strega Nona by Tome dePaola

An admitted sentimental favorite of mine, but a classic none-the-less. Follow Anthony and Strega Nona on their dilemma of what to do with too much pasta! Warm and fun for all ages 1-99. A book that inspired me to become a children's book illustrator. $7.99

The Gold Leaf by Kirsten Hall, illustrated by Matthew Forsythe

Enchanted Lion Books has been putting out some of the most captivating children's books I've seen in recent years. A wonderful melding of story and art—Follow the Gold (gold embossed) leaf as it moves through the forest with each little critter wanting it for themselves. This book is a delight and would be a favorite for any child.

$18.95 on Boswellian Best till the end of the year for $15.16
Classic Storybook Fables by Scott Gustafson

A great collection of classic children's fables illustrated by one of the best contemporary children's book illustrators, Scott Gustafson. It’s a beautiful collection of stories and art that will remain timeless for children and adults alike. $19.95



Out of Wonder by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderley, Marjory Wentworth, illustrated by Ekua Holmes
Ekua Homes art dances off the page! A beautiful blending of mediums that captures the soul of the written word. A work of art for any age!!!
$16.99 on Boswellian Best till the end of the year for $13.59



Tim was patron of the shop way before he joined us with all his vast book knowledge (he was teacher in his previous life, but, honestly, do you ever stop being a teacher? With Tim, I don't think so.). He defines the very idea of a book collector/lover—as he inspects each book for dings or dents and is very keen on acquiring autographed copies of his favorite books. Having him in the shop has expanded our staff’s knowledge on a lot great titles that we haven’t had the time to experience. His top 5 this year shows his broad range of interests:
How in the world did this long, murderous conspiracy fall from American history's collective memory? Grann weaves a fascinating, horrifying story that includes carefully researched history about: a very wealthy Osage Nation; the West and U.S. expansion; the Texas Rangers, and how one former Ranger became the heroic lead investigator of these crimes during the earliest days of J. Edgar Hoover's five decades with the FBI. An extraordinary book about the pain of racism.
$28.95 on Boswellian Best till the end of the year for $23.16
A Piece of the World by Cristina Baker Kline
This novel is Christina Olson's story, told by her, of her brave and difficult life with a disabled body, and how the iconic American painter Andrew Wyeth created his 1948 masterpiece Christina's World while working privately in Olson's own home. Kline's beautiful, spare use of language perfectly fits the setting of 1920's coastal Maine, and her character portrayal is engrossing. A must read for fans of American culture and American art! $27.99
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Seventeen-year-old Justyce is a smart, strong, and also very confused young man attending a mostly white, elite high school Academy and working toward the Ivy League. He is disturbed and amazed that he's constantly judged by the color of his skin rather than the content of his character, and even the people closest to him don't fully understand. So he begins writing letters to someone who can't answer but would understand, Dr. Martin Luther King. "What would you do in my situation, Martin?" This is a great teen novel that makes the subtleties of modern African American suffering so clear.
$17.99 on Boswellian Best till the end of the year for $14.39
Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk
Wolk is a very skilled writer. It's always refreshing to read the work of someone who uses words and structures ideas in a way that pull my eyes across the page. This fictional story is about a girl named Crow, a twelve-year-old who'd been tied into a small boat, alone, as a baby, and pushed out to the sea. She washed up onto a small island shore in the Elizabeth Islands of Massachusetts. It's 1925, and her life is saved by a man called Osh, who has left his past behind to live as the only person there. Crow wants to understand who she is and where she came from; and as clues emerge which lead to a mysterious, harrowing search for the truth, she struggles with what's truly valuable and real about life. $16.99
Doctorow: Collected Stories by E.L. Doctorow
Having great respect and admiration for Toni Morrison, Philip Roth, Joyce Carol Oates and others, I still don't believe there is a voice in American literature more powerful than E. L. Doctorow's. His historical fiction ranges in time from the crisis of the Civil War to the complexity of modern life in New York, with books such as Ragtime, Billy Bathgate, World's Fair and others receiving the highest awards given to a novelist. This collection of stories, all published previously in other collections, were placed in sequence for the book by the author himself, apparently as his last contribution to publication before he died on July 21st, 2015. I had read most of these stories, but what a thrill to reread them in the order he chose! We lost one of the greatest when he died. $30.00
I have been working with Anne pretty much as long as I lived in Milwaukee, which was sometime in 2003. Her reading is always fascinating, and talking to her about books that thrill her, is one of the best parts of working here. If you ever have a mystery book question (or you need help finding one as a gift), then I would find out when Anne is here and pick her brain for suggestions. Her mystery knowledge is second to none here at the shop. Anne’s top 5:
Glass Houses by Louise Penny
The appearance of a mysterious figure signals the beginning of events that change life in Three Pines forever.
$28.99 on Boswellian Best till the end of the year for $23.19

http://www.boswellbooks.com/book/9780345544216The Loyal Son by Daniel Epstein
Benjamin Franklins son hold views opposite to those of his father. A fascinating look at this land's early history. I knew nothing about this topic when I started -- including that Franklin had a son, let alone a Loyalist. A fascinating picture of that period of history and the cost that the founding of this country demanded from families.

$30.00 on Boswellian Best till the end of the year for $24.00
The complexities of South African society in the early 1970's.
$26.00 on Boswellian Best till the end of the year for $20.80
The Trust by Ronald Balson
Liam Taggart suddenly finds himself in the middle of tangled family relationships and troubled Irish history when an uncle he has not heard from in sixteen years dies and names him trustee of his estate. Liam returns to Northern Ireland from Chicago to carry out his duties and lands in the middle of a nightmare that threatens to engulf not only the Irish branch, but also Liam’s wife and infant son. The Trust is a suspenseful read that taught me a few things about Irish history as well! $26.99
A Line Made by Walking by Sarah Baume
Absolutely gorgeous writing and a poignant story of recovery from mental problems. $25.00
And that's it for this post: parts three and four will be next week!











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