Heidi is co-owner of the store. She's too tired to write a longer bio right now.
The consulting firm McKinsey has its hand in everything. This book gives a sense of the scope of their work and the consequences of a private enterprise exercising such worldwide influence in everything from Healthcare to Authoritarian Governments. For a company that masquerades as a way for young graduates to change the world, they do a nauseating amount of harm.
Sparse, moving, a beautiful piece of writing that will stay with you long after you finish.
Louise Erdrich is a singular talent. Her books span a range of time, topics and genres. The Sentence is the best book I read in 2021 and it covers everything from the early pandemic to the George Floyd protests to Native American history to the difficulties of independent bookselling. It's beautifully written and utterly captivating.
An engaging and wonderfully written memoir of poverty and single motherhood. I sat down to read a few pages and was glued to my chair for the next few hours. Perfect for fans of Educated and Evicted.
Elizabeth Taylor is an incredible writer and this book is the perfect combination of gossipy and smart. Set in post-WWII England, she perfectly captures the feeling of a seaside town in decline and somehow makes it funny and charming. The pages are populated with a quirky and unique cast of characters that will stay with you long after you finish.
It's a catchy title but this book is less about how to do nothing and more about how to redirect your attention to the things you care about. Odell is an artist, critic and amateur birder, and her lens makes for a delightful journey, through the Garden School of Epicurus in 4th century BC to David Hockney and much more. As a call to reconnect with ourselves and those around us, it's one of those rare reads that feels both important and completely enjoyable
-Heidi
I love everything written by Barbara Comyns, and this is a good place to start.
Her novels are characterized by beautiful, compelling prose and horror lurking
just beneath the mundane. Our Spoons Came from Woolworths is a domestic tale
with a twist. Like many of her protagonists, Sophia is resilient and unsentimental,
telling her story with a cool detachment that makes the circumstances all the more
unsettling. If you like Shirley Jackson, you must give Barbara Comyns a try!
-Heidi
You probably know Shirley Jackson for her strange, creepy and masterfully done novels and short stories. But did you know she also wrote hilarious parenting pieces for Mademoiselle and Woman’s Day? These stories were eventually gathered into two memoirs, Life Among the Savages and Raising Demons, which show a totally different side of the horror writer.
Difficult to find
Renowned Belgian artist Dominique Goblet’s graphic novel, available in English for the first time, will hook you immediately with the gorgeous art and intensely personal story. Our favorite graphic memoir in recent memory.
-Heidi & Michael
Joy Williams is the best. These are the funniest short stories you’ll ever read, and they’re the darkest, and they’re the truest. After you read this, you’ll want to know where Joy Williams has been all your life.
-Heidi & Michael
Difficult to find
A completely unique social, cultural and linguistic journey. An enthralling portrait of deaf culture and a coming of age story wrought with the universal desire for connection and acceptance.