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Favorite books by our beloved Darvill's staff
A surreal and elegantly written portrait about the absurdity of war. A profound glimpse at the lengths in which a person might go to in hopes of escaping the madness. This book will follow you around like a ghost.
- Andy
I loved this book! Follow four young men as they move through life with some unimaginable difficulties that bond them forever. Characters you will never forget and miss terribly when you are done. A tribute to friendship.
- Sandie
The book reminds us of the weight our childhood and early relationships carry throughout our lives. In the Dutch House we follow and explore the lives of such different individuals passing through a home which seems untouched by time. We learn although some things never change, how we perceive and understand them is always open to interpretation.
- Alainah
Lovely collection of essays on flora, fauna, and family. Beautiful, sensitive writing. Her observations are a joy to read.
- Jenny
A fascinating read of an amazing family that has encountered more tragedy than seems possible. They are a dynasty committed to service and in so doing put themselves in uncompromising situations.
- Sandie
A bizarrely fascinating novel unlike anything I have ever read. Darkly comic and absurd. Highly Recommended!
- Susen
I’ve always used major sporting event as markers to help me remember where I was and what I was doing at a given time. World Cup 2006 in Germany: next to Melissa in chemistry class, Edmonds. NBA Finals 2012, Lebron’s first title: university graduate, vacation in the Philippines. World Cup 2018 in Russia: Darvill’s Bookstore, Orcas Island. For Ekelund and Knausgaard, World Cup 2014, Brazil, produced this book. Their letters—reacting to, ruminating over, and celebrating Brazil 2014—will bring back memories both good and bad, of Tim Howard and Joe Hart. Like all good writing on the World Cup, this book will make you loathe the wait between tournaments.
- Max
This is an insanely fun, genre bending piece of escapism. This book will leave you with a ton of what the f*** moments. So incredibly satisfying. One hell of a debut novel. I can’t wait for his next book.
- Andy
A sweet, modern tale—an American heartland contribution to the wonderful canon of food novels… Complete with recipes! A great summer read.
- Andrea
A thoughtfully written first hand account of the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States. With compassion and grace Verghese writes of the lives of the people he met and worked with and the prejudices of those not understanding. This has been one of my favorite books for years.
- Jenny
This is a very readable work of serious history… A myth-shattering narrative of how the nation embraced “separation” of the races. Covering 50 years of history veteran Washington Post editor Luxenberg tells the story through the lives of three individuals who were the main characters in the civil rights struggle of the period. The book supplies deep fascinations background to the racial struggles we still grapple with today.
- Andrea
In this moving memoir May shares the story of how her troubled childhood in 1970s California was mended by an unbreakable bond with her grandfather, an eccentric beekeeper who invited her into the secret world of bees. I loved the interactions between May and her grandfather and her descriptions of the bees.
- Jenny
If you’re into, or have an interest in, any of the following: punk rock, entrepreneurship, skateboarding, fashion, branding, The Hundreds, Supreme, or NikeTalk, this book will be like catnip for you. This is a dollar-and-a-dream story; a DIY passion project by two law school students selling t-shirts that turned into a multi-million dollar business. Bobby writes of his life as a Korean-American kid in the suburbs of L.A., making a career through his loves of art and skateboarding, and what it’s like to have American Eagle try to steal from you and Tommy Hilfiger try to buy you.
- Max
This is a weird and wild mystery that is also very funny. Compelling and terrifying!
- Susen
I couldn’t put this down! Great characterizations of people connected by blood and chance who experience a terrible tragedy and somehow find compassion and forgiveness in the end.
- Sandie
Set on the remote Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia, this compelling novel begins with the disappearance of two young sisters, then introduces us to a string of female characters from this tightly woven community who are all impacted in some way by the disappearance. We meet most of them fairly briefly, but they are richly drawn and form a moving portrait of the culture and community of this fascinating place. A good read!
- Andrea
An engaging and aptly named book… The book is divided into three unequal parts, each exploring, through well-told tales, the role of imbalance in our lives, cultures, and relationships. Good reading, beautifully drawn characters… A talented new writer!
- Andrea
A heartbreaking story of love, loss, and loneliness. Part mystery with exquisite attention to natural history. A beautiful book!
- Susen
This book is a delight! Published in 1969, in some ways it may be outdated, nevertheless, it’s fun and humorous, and peculiar in the best of ways. A travel writer’s writer, Graham Greene is referenced as an inspiration by Pico Iyer, Paul Theroux, and the late Anthony Bourdain. Travels with My Aunt is a great entry point to the Greene canon.
- Max