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There is no end to the varieties of non-fiction: adventure, personal memoir, biography, autobiography, science, history, current events, spiritual and philosophical essays, poetry, parenting, art and craft, design and decor, travel -- the list goes on and on. There is a genre for every mood; a perfect book for everybody. We can help you find it. We invite you to explore these special books, as well as some of our fiction favorites.
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 Drinking with Miss Dutchie: A Memoir
by Ed Breslin
(Thomas Dunne/St. Martin's Press, $23.99, 9780312619756, March 15, 2011)
Breslin calls this a memoir, and indeed it is, but it's also much more than that. This is a meditation on grief, alcoholism, loss, destructive behavior and the author's love for his wife, along with occasional rants about things he finds unconscionably stupid and, most of all, his inordinate love for the dog who helped transform his life.
When Breslin, a former book editor and publisher, bought the puppy--telling himself it was for his wife, Lynn--at first it seemed he had made a huge mistake. The black Lab pup was a squealer, a screamer, a climber; in short, a terrified, almost feral animal. Within 36 hours, Breslin had fallen in love with Miss Dutchie and she had calmed down--a little. The household of three settled in to walks around Central Park, clandestine swims in forbidden spots, trips to the Hudson Valley from Manhattan, in-house games and a routine that worked for all of them. Miss Dutchie was one lucky dog, but she had her own ideas about acceptable behavior.
Miss Dutchie left the room every time Breslin lit a cigarette and showed her contempt for his drinking--she would have nothing to do with him when he was on a bender. Ed had tried Alcoholics Anonymous and decided it was for wimps, people who wanted a bunch of platitudes and another addiction--AA itself--to substitute for plain, old-fashioned drinking. Not for him. He could beat it on his own, or, better yet, try controlled drinking. "Alcoholics are wired wrong. We go in the wrong emotional and intellectual direction all the time."
He finally gave AA a fair try and worked the program successfully. Miss Dutchie stood by him when he grieved the death of friends and couldn't drink to dull the pain. She was at his side when his novel was rejected, repeatedly. For the last several years of her life, Ed Breslin was the companion his faithful dog deserved.
The memoir is full of wisdom gleaned from many years of living, loving Lynn, reading, writing and thinking, time spent in analysis and what he learned from Miss Dutchie about how to behave in the world. Breslin's description of having to part with his pet to stop her suffering is, as you might imagine, heartbreaking.
Yes, there was eventually another dog--Sadie--a mixed breed from a shelter. She and her sibs had been left by the highway to die. At first, Sadie was so cowed and frightened, Ed and Lynn hardly knew what to make of her. They just kept loving her, cuddling her, reassuring her, and she came around, as a well-treated dog will. If there is such a thing as reincarnation, any one of us could do worse than to come back as a dog in the Breslin household. |
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 The Year of Living Biblically
by A.J. Jacobs
Subtitled "One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible," A.J., as his two-year-old son calls him, does just that. It is likely that no one BUT A.J. Jacobs could have accomplished such a feat. After all, his last book, The Know-It-All, chronicles his reading of the entire Encyclopedia Brittanica, from A to Z. No one but a smart, witty, self-deprecating, nitpicky kinda guy would undertake two such daunting tasks, and complete them with grace, no pun intended.
A.J., a New York Jewish agnostic, decides to follow the laws and rules of the Bible, beginning with the Old Testament, for one year. ( He actually adds some bonus days and makes it a 381-day year.) He starts by growing a beard and we are with him through every itchy moment. Jacobs is borderline OCD, at least as he describes himself; obsessing over possible dangers to his son, germs, literal interpretation of Bible verses, etc. He enlists the aid of counselors along the way; Jewish rabbis, Christians of every stripe, friends and neighbors.
In an open-minded way he also visits with atheists, Evangelicals Concerned ( a gay group), Jerry Falwell, snake handlers, Red Letter Christians - those who adhere to the red letters in the Bible, those words spoken by Jesus Himself, and even takes a trip to Israel and meets Samaritans. Through it all, he keeps a healthy skepticism, but continues to pray and is open to the flowering of real faith. Jacobs is a knowledge junky, to be sure. He enjoys the lore he picks up along the way as much as any other aspect of his experiment. One of the ongoing schticks is his meeting with the shatnez tester, Mr. Berkowitz. He is the one who determines whether or not your clothes are made of mixed fibers, in keeping with the Biblical injunction not to wear wool and linen together. The two become friends and prayer partners, in only one of the unexpected results of this year.
The book has so many charming parts: he gives his wife all the good lines, he has a goofy neighbor whom he befriends, but not quite closely enough, he goes for IVF and, indeed, his wife conceives and bears twin boys before the year is over, he attends weddings, funerals, parties - all of life's normal events - but never gives up his determination to live the Bible.
In the end, he says, "I'm now a reverent agnostic. Which isn't an oxymoron, I swear. I now believe that whether or not there's a God, there is such a thing as sacredness. Life is sacred." Not a bad outcome. |
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.A few books about Cannon Beach, written by those who know it best!
Encounters with Small Creatures by the Sea
by Phyllis A. Knutson
"From life in nature, vignettes, poems and tales simply told." Phyllis lived in Cannon Beach and was well known by residents and visitors alike.
Comin' In Over the Rock
by Peter Lindsey
An anecdotal history of Cannon Beach, well told by a great storyteller. Pete is a carpenter, historian and a raconteur.
Cannon Beach, A Place by the Sea
by Terence O'Donnell
Covering 100 years of Cannon Beach history, filled with clam diggers, mail-carriers with a taste for Dickens, developers, dreamers and sandcastle builders.
Cannon Beach Cottages
by Jill Grady
The captivating charm of cottages in Cannon Beach expressed through photographs, personal narratives and historical documents.
Cannon Beach: The Art, Cuisine, History and Atmosphere of Oregon's Favorite Coastal Village.
by Adam Carlsen and Donny Masterson
Lots of color and photos on every page.
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