Carmen's Picks
Carmen moved to Asheville on a whim in 2013 and hasn’t looked back. She credits reading to shaping her character...whether that’s good or bad, nobody can decide. On her bookshelves you can find anything from contemporary fiction, feminist commentary, magical realism, to 19th century novels (she may or may not have a copy of Little Women that’s survived 18 years and 2 torrential downpours and no, she will not stop reading it). In another life she was probably a cat or Sylvia Plath.
When she’s not slinging books she can be found tending to her houseplants, planning potential vacations, searching for fun cocktails, or re-watching episodes of Law and Order SVU with her partner and their pets. She thinks that if the world had more bookstores it would solve most geopolitical problems, but she doesn’t know much about geopolitics, so don’t take her word for it.
Books:
$27.00
ISBN: 9780525510543
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Random House - August 6th, 2019
In this world where it is increasingly difficult to hear amongst the static, Jia Tolentino's voice rings out articulate and devastating. She dissects the state of our society and the role that millenials play in it deftly and without bias, but with enough personal experience and intellectual prowess to bring necessary weight to the collection. The topics range from the internet as a force of degradation and self-empowerment, nationwide scams, barre classes, self-optimization, and the paradoxical acceptance of difficult women in mainstream feminism. She is critical in a disarmingly even manner, careful not to separate herself from any parties criticized. In fact, her involvement is key to the story she's telling.
Rebecca Solnit argues that naming cultural phenomena gives us a platform for change. Tolentino is embodying that idea. She's not giving us answers. She's not even giving us a roadmap. Instead she's giving us definitions, connections and observations that could lead ato more power and agency to affect change. She's arguably a millennial voice unlike any we've seen yet, and she makes a convincing case that we should all be listening.
$15.00
ISBN: 9780374529949
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Farrar, Straus and Giroux - November 15th, 2005
Most people meet Joan Didion in an autobiographical or journalistic essay form. I fell in love with her because of this novel. This book challenged the way I saw the female character portrayed. "Unlikeable" women hold a precarious place in both literature and society, and Didion plays with nihilism, apathy, and moral grey areas throughout the book in a way that generally leaves people squirming. It's a scathing look at Hollywood in the 1960s, a theme she is no stranger to, but what resonated with me was Maria's unsettling awareness of the lunacy of the world surrounding her, as well as her attempts at finding agency in a world that didn't allow for female agency. This book may not be light or easy, but you'll devour Didion's terse language and acute cultural observations. You won't be able to shake this book once you're done.
$16.99
ISBN: 9781612197593
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Melville House - May 7th, 2019
$15.00
ISBN: 9781933372006
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Europa Editions - September 2005
What an astonishing book. A raw, feverish, electrifying account of the depths of the human psyche when we lose grasp of the stories we've built for ourselves. Ferrante pulls you beneath the surface of the water and doesn't let go. Is there such a thing as an exquisite drowning? I'm beginning to think so.
$16.99
ISBN: 9780062290380
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Harper Paperbacks - April 14th, 2015
I fell into this series without even meaning to. It follows the life of Kelsea Glynn, a girl who has lived in exile her entire life while unknowingly being groomed to be the next queen. Seem like a familiar plot? Think again. This series has serious layers. A failed utopian society in a dystopian world, dark and corrupt magic, an impending massacre, and a surprisingly insightful look at power structures, gender roles, human nature, and government. I couldn't put this book down.
$16.00
ISBN: 9781555977887
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Graywolf Press - October 3rd, 2017
I've only recently gotten into short stories, and oh boy, do I feel late to the party. These stories practically bleed off the pages. They're a little horrific (don't let that deter you if you aren't a fan - I'm not either ), a little science fiction, a little queer, and a thick thread of feminism tie it all together. Each story keeps you guessing and wanting more. I can't believe this is Machado's debut collection... consider me a die-hard fan.
$12.95
ISBN: 9781608464661
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Haymarket Books - September 2015
Essential reading for all. The term "mansplaining" may have lost some of its punch, years after the essay credited with popularizing it was published, but the ideas presentedremain just as, if not more, relevant today.
Solnit thoughtfully connects numerous cultural power structures and the everyday silencing of women to the epidemic of violence against half the world's population. This book will enrage you, make you think, a nd in the end, give you hope that the fight for equaility hasn't seen its last d ay.
$17.00
ISBN: 9780143125679
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Penguin Books - July 29th, 2014
Smart, fantastical, a little dark and twisty. I had such a blast with this book and am eagerly awaiting the sequel!
$15.95
ISBN: 9781608469468
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Haymarket Books - September 4th, 2018
I'm absolutely smitten with Rebecca Solnit. Read this book. Read all of her books. Just do it.
$21.00
ISBN: 9780385720250
Availability: Not Currently On Our Shelves. Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Anchor - October 17th, 2000
$15.99
ISBN: 9780060837020
Availability: Not Currently On Our Shelves. Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Harper Perennial Modern Classics - August 2nd, 2005
$16.00
ISBN: 9780735223530
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Penguin Books - June 4th, 2019
$17.00
ISBN: 9780553384833
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Bantam Discovery - April 29th, 2008
$15.99
ISBN: 9780062282712
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Harper Perennial - August 5th, 2014
$16.99
ISBN: 9780062420718
Availability: Not Currently On Our Shelves. Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Harper Perennial - June 12th, 2018
$24.00
ISBN: 9781635572582
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Bloomsbury Publishing - April 2nd, 2019
Eight women learn that they (and their children) have been repeatedly violated by the men in their remote Mennonite colony. The book follows their gathering to discuss whether or not they will fight, flee, or do nothing. What results is an astonishingly intelligent and witty discourse on violence, patriarchal structures, and civil responsibility. Toew's manages to give the women an agency that is raw and inspiring. Their relationship dynamics are relateable, at times hilarious, and their voices grow stronger over the course of the novel. In the wake of the #metoo movement, this book is current and essential, using an isolated real-life event to shed light on a world of women waking up and standing up.
$16.99
ISBN: 9780316434782
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Back Bay Books - October 2nd, 2018
$13.95
ISBN: 9780679720201
Availability: Not Currently On Our Shelves. Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Vintage - March 13th, 1989
$16.99
ISBN: 9780060932138
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Harper Perennial Modern Classics - July 5th, 2005
$16.00
ISBN: 9780385721677
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Anchor - March 30th, 2004
$24.95
ISBN: 9780385537070
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Doubleday - July 16th, 2019