Staff picks by Jeff R

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The Expats

Reviewed by Jeff R on May 10, 2013

4

Secrets-- how to keep them and who to keep them from-- lie at the heart of Chris Pavone's riveting new spy thriller. Read more...

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The Hungry Ear: Poems of Food & Drink

Reviewed by Jeff R on April 12, 2013

4

This is the perfect antidote for our era of processed foods and artificial additives; a recipe for how to enjoy food's simple pleasures. Read more...

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A Historical Guidebook to Old Columbus

Reviewed by Jeff R on March 29, 2013

4

Rich in detail and filled with colorful characters, this historical guidebook provides a fascinating account of Columbus history. Read more...

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The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human

Reviewed by Jeff R on March 15, 2013

4

Are stories an evolutionary adaptation, or are they an evolutionary side effect? Do they mirror reality or shape it? Read on and find out. Read more...

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The Dog Stars

Reviewed by Jeff R on February 19, 2013

4

Imagine the editors of "Field and Stream," "Soldier of Fortune" and "Poetry" magazine getting together to write a post-apocalyptic novel. Read more...

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The Diviners

Reviewed by Jeff R on January 22, 2013

4

"The Diviners" is nothing if not ambitious, comparing favorably to such supernatural classics as "The Stand" and "American Gods." Read more...

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Talking to the Dead

Reviewed by Jeff R on January 11, 2013

4

Harry Bingham's riveting U.S. debut introduces readers to Fionna Griffiths, a Welsh detective with razor-sharp intelligence and a mysterious past. Read more...

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Back to Blood

Reviewed by Jeff R on December 14, 2012

4

One of the keenest social observers of our time is back with a blistering look at the cultural clashes that simmer in southern Florida. Read more...

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11/22/63: A Novel

Reviewed by Jeff R on November 23, 2012

4

Love, loss, history and time travel collide in this ambitious and, ultimately, likable novel. Read more...

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Goliath

Reviewed by Jeff R on November 6, 2012

4

This is a spare and pensive retelling that reminds us that there are two sides to every story, even the most familiar. Read more...

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How to Sharpen Pencils: A Practical and Theoretical Treatise on the Artisanal Craft of Pencil Sharpening

Reviewed by Jeff R on October 16, 2012

4

Recommended if you like the humor of John Hodgman, Dave Eggers, McSweeney's or Amy Sedaris. Read more...

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How Will You Measure Your Life?

Reviewed by Jeff R on August 28, 2012

4

How Will You Measure Your Life offers a unique perspective on charting life's course. Read more...

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The Baseball: Stunts, Scandals, and Secrets Beneath the Stitches

Reviewed by Jeff R on August 21, 2012

4

This is perfect reading for a pennant race. Catch it! Read more...

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The Knife of Never Letting Go

Reviewed by Jeff R on June 19, 2012

4

Brisk and violent, The Knife of Never Letting Go is an alternate reality that's not for the squeamish. Read more...

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InGenius: A Crash Course on Creativity

Reviewed by Jeff R on May 22, 2012

4

If you only read one book on creativity, make it InGenius. Read more...

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Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

Reviewed by Jeff R on May 8, 2012

5

Every introvert should read this book. So should everyone who loves an introvert, teaches introverts, works with introverts or raises an introvert. Read more...