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Scheer, whose profiles of and interviews with U.S. presidents have helped shape journalism history, will be presenting his newest book, THE PORNOGRAPHY OF POWER on Sunday, September 7. In it, he takes aim at America's defense policy and bloated military budget with a pugnacious and rigorously researched ... (mer)polemic, vigorously arguing that war cannot defeat terrorism. About the Author: Robert Scheer is currently Editor-in-Chief of Truthdig.com, 2007 Webby Award winner for best political blog. Between 1964 and 1969, he was Vietnam correspondent, managing editor and editor in chief of Ramparts magazine. From 1976 to 1993, he served as a national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, writing on diverse topics such as the Soviet Union, arms control, national politics and the military. In 1993 he launched a nationally syndicated column based at the Los Angeles Times, where he was named a contributing editor. That column ran weekly for the next 12 years and is now based at the San Francisco Chronicle. Scheer can be heard on the political radio program Left, Right and Center on KCRW, the National Public Radio affiliate in Santa Monica, CA. He has written seven books, including With Enough Shovels: Reagan, Bush and Nuclear War. He is a contributing editor for The Nation as well as a Nation Fellow. He has also been a Poynter fellow at Yale, and was a fellow in arms control at Stanford.

The Lace Reader is a mesmerizing, tale which spirals into a world of secrets, confused identities, lies and half-truths where the reader quickly finds it's nearly impossible to separate fact from fiction, but as narrator Towner Whitney points out early on in the novel, "There are no accidents." Born ... (mer)and raised in Massachusetts, Brunonia Barry studied literature and creative writing at Green Mountain College in Vermont and at the University of New Hampshire. She has created Brain Teaser puzzles for Smart Games and lives in Salem, Massachusetts, with her husband and their beloved golden retriever, Byzantium. "In Barry's captivating debut, Towner Whitney, a dazed young woman descended from a long line of mind readers and fortune tellers, has survived numerous traumas and returned to her hometown of Salem, Mass., to recover. Any tranquility in her life is short-lived when her beloved great-aunt Eva drowns under circumstances suggesting foul play. Towner's suspicions are taken with a grain of salt given her history of hallucinatory visions and self-harm. The mystery enmeshes local cop John Rafferty, who had left the pressures of big city police work for a quieter life in Salem and now finds himself falling for the enigmatic Towner as he mourns Eva and delves into the history of the eccentric Whitney clan. Barry excels at capturing the feel of smalltown life, and balances action with close looks at the characters' inner worlds. Her pacing and use of different perspectives show tremendous skill and will keep readers captivated all the way through."—Publishers Weekly

Marsha Scarbrough finds herself divorced, middle-aged, living in Los Angeles with a downhill career in film production, and then is given a bad mammogram. After fruitless visits to doctors she hears of a Native American visionary and teacher in town doing private healings, one Joseph Rael, also known ... (mer)as Beautiful Painted Arrow, and goes to him for treatment. When her doctors finally schedule an ultrasound, they find nothing. This is just the beginning of an apprenticeship with Beautiful Painted Arrow to learn more about these ancient ways of healing. Marsha endures a range of treatments including sweatlodges, marathon walking meditations, and a three-day dance-fast. Marsha Scarbrough spent 17 years scheduling, planning and running the sets of major feature films, prime time television series, movies of the week and network sitcoms. She has handled logistics, organization and administration for various directors including Clint Eastwood, Leonard Nimoy, and Carl Reiner.

A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell it. Garth Stein is the author of How ... (mer)Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets, which won a 2006 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Book Award, and was a Book Sense Pick in both hardcover and paperback, and Raven Stole the Moon. After receiving his B.A. from Columbia College, and his M.F.A. in film from Columbia University, School of the Arts, Garth Stein worked as a documentary film maker for several years, and directed, produced or co-produced several award winning films. He lives in Seattle with his family and his dog, Comet. "I savored Garth Stein’s The Art of Racing in the Rain for many reasons: a dog who speaks, the thrill of competitive racing, a heart-tugging storyline, and—best of all—the fact that it is a meditation on humility and hope in the face of despair. Since finishing this engagingly unique novel, I’ve found myself staring at my own dog, thinking, Hmm, I wonder ... — Wally Lamb, Author of I Know This Much Is True

It's been called the "musical version of Seabiscuit," a book that tells you everything you didn't know you wanted to know about . . . the relationship between a piano, a piano tuner, and the eccentric and enigmatic pianist, Glenn Gould. Katie Hafner is a former correspondent for the New York Times ... (mer)and the author or coauthor of four books, including Where Wizards Stay Up Late, Cyberpunk, The Well, and The House at the Bridge. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. "It isn't giving away too much to say that A Romance on Three Legs has its share of tragedy. But you wouldn't want to miss how clearly Hafner makes us see why Gould's eccentricities were more than just charming or laughable. The weird chair, the odd posture, the action of CD318-all were vital to his genius. The results were not always magical, but when Gould was paired with the right composer, Bach especially, he could make you wonder if he was altogether human. And reading Hafner on Gould is sometimes as much fun as listening to him play. And that's saying a lot." -Malcolm Jones, Newsweek

The Sharper the Knife The Less You Cry More details coming soon.

One of the most anticipated books of the season will be available at the first possible moment from Village Books! Be among the first to know what happens to Eragon and Saphira! You, or someone in your life, have been waiting eagerly for this book. Brisingr is the third book in the Inheritance Cycle ... (mer)from Christopher Paolini. Join your friends on the main floor of Village Books (enter by the 11th Street front door) for a release party at 11:00 pm on Friday, September 19. We'll have refreshments and some fun and games. The book will be released at Midnight.

One of the most anticipated books of the season will be available at the first possible moment from Village Books! Be among the first to know what happens to Eragon and Saphira! You, or someone in your life, have been waiting eagerly for this book. Brisingr is the third book in the Inheritance Cycle ... (mer)from Christopher Paolini. Pick up your copy of Brisingr at 12:01 AM on September 20. (that's one minute after Midnight of Friday, September 19 at the Mill Avenue side of store, the door next to the garage)

Diesel Bookstore is proud to welcome back Irvine Welsh, the bestselling author of Trainspotting as he presents his newest book, Crime. As Welsh's very first novel set in the U.S., CRIME is a shocking and gripping story about the corruption and abuse of the human soul, and the possibilities for redemption.

Outrageously funny, Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar has been a breakout bestseller ever since the authors—and born vaudevillians—Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein, “The Philosophy Guys,” did their schtick on NPR’s Weekend Edition. Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein pursued the usual careers ... (mer)after majoring in philosophy at Harvard. Cathcart worked with street gangs in Chicago and dropped in and out of various divinity schools. Klein wrote jokes for comedians including Flip Wilson and Lily Tomlin, designed stunts for Candid Camera, and continues to pen thrillers.

Coming Through With Grace is an unusual love story about a woman's personal transformation upon discovering that she's married to a sex addict. A book of forgiveness, understanding and finding freedom after the shock of confronting painful discoveries about her life choices and her relationships. Kate ... (mer)Morgan offers her experiences to help others find hope within excruciating circumstances. She has been a nurse for 17 years and a life consultant since 2003. Kate Morgan counsels men and women nationwide about the devastating affects of sex addiction. She operates her consulting practice out of La Conner, WA. Visit her web site at gracenotebooks.com.

San Juan Island is well known for its splendid vistas, saltwater shore, quiet woodlands, and orca whales. But it was also here, in 1859, that the United States and Great Britain nearly went to war over a dead pig. Historian Mike Vouri has selected nearly 200 historical images to illustrate this final ... (mer)boundary clash between two future allies. He has authored two previous works on the Pig War.

In the early 17th century, mathematicians generally agreed that it was impossible to accurately and scientifically determine the likelihood of one event occurring rather than another. Everything from the result of a dice roll to the possibility of rain was consigned to the realm of pure, unknowable chance. ... (mer)In 1654, everything changed. Blaise Pascal wrote a letter to Pierre de Fermat describing a method to predict mathematical futures. Human life has never been the same. The Unfinished Game traces the history of Pascal's letter and the lives of the author and recipient while exploring the remarkable mathematical advances the men achieved. Keith Devlin explains how vital the concept of risk management is to modern life, how humanity was changed by Pascal's letter, and how radically it has caused humans to rethink the concept of the future. Keith Devlin, the "Math Guy" on NPR's Weekend Edition, is a Senior Researcher at Stanford Center for the Study of Language and Information and its Executive Director. His books include: Mathematics: The Science of Patterns, The Math Gene, and The Math Instinct. He lives in Palo Alto, CA.

In Carl Maxey: A Fighting Life, Jim Kershner explores the sources of Carl Maxey’s passions as well as the price he ultimately paid for his struggles. The result is a moving portrait of the man called a “Type-A Gandhi” by the New York Times, whose own personal misfortune spurred his lifelong, tireless ... (mer)crusade against injustice. Jim Kershner is a journalist for The Spokesman-Review in Spokane and staff historian at HistoryLink.org.

In 1935, Miguel Navarro finds himself in conflict with the Spanish Civil Guard, and flees the Basque fishing village of Lekeitio to make a new start in Guernica, the center of Basque culture and tradition. In the midst of this isolated bastion of democratic values, Miguel finds more than a new life—he ... (mer)finds someone to live for. Miren Ansotegui is a charismatic and graceful dancer who has her pick of the bachelors in Guernica, but focuses only on the charming and mysterious Miguel. The two discover a love that war and tragedy can not destroy. Dave Boling is a veteran columnist for the Tacoma News Tribune and has provided coverage and commentary on sports since 1980. In 1998 he was honored as the top sports columnist in the Pacific Northwest. Boling has covered Super Bowls, Final Fours, the Olympics, and many of Jim Walden's Washington State Cougar football teams.

Join Diesel Bookstore for a green event with Van Jones, author of Green Collar Economy! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Van Jones is the founder and president of Green For All, based in Oakland. The mission is to help build an inclusive, green economy - strong enough to lift millions of people out of poverty. Van ... (mer)is a tireless advocate, championing "green-collar jobs and opportunities" for disadvantaged people. He is committed to creating "green pathways out of poverty," while greatly expanding the coalition fighting global warming. He's worked to combine solutions to America's two biggest problems: social inequality and environmental destruction. Under the slogan "green-collar jobs, not jails," he is calling for green economic development in urban America. As an advocate for the toughest urban constituencies and causes, he has won many honors, which include the 1998 Reebok International Human Rights Award, the international Ashoka Fellowship, selection as a World Economic Forum "Young Global Leader," and the Rockefeller Foundation "Next Generation Leadership" Fellowship. He's also served on the boards of numerous national environmental organizations. Presently, he is a board member of the National Apollo Alliance, which advocates for clean energy jobs. He is also a founding board member of 1Sky, a national coalition working to avert catastrophic climate change. In 2007, Van helped the City of Oakland pass a "Green Jobs Corps" proposal; the City allocated funds to train Oakland residents in eco-friendly "green-collar jobs." At the national level, Van worked successfully in 2007 with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), U.S. Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA), U.S. Rep. John Tierney (D-MASS) to pass the Green Jobs Act of 2007. That path-breaking, historic legislation authorized $125 million in funding to train 35,000 people a year in "green-collar jobs." Van is also a co-founder of a new national coalition that promotes the idea of a national "Clean Energy Jobs Corps." This multi-billion-dollar federal initiative would put hundreds of thousands of people to work rewiring and retrofitting the energy infrastructure of the United States. In 2005, Van produced the "Social Equity Track" for the United Nations' World Environment Day celebration. UNWED 2005 drew dozens of mayors from around the world to San Francisco, where they developed policies promoting the concept of "Green Cities." In 1996, Van co-founded (with Diana Frappier) the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, now located in Oakland, California. Named for an unsung civil rights heroine, the award-winning Center promotes alternatives to violence and incarceration. The Center, for which Van serves as board president, incubated Green For All in 2007 and spun it off in 2008. His many media appearances includes the popular Peabody award-winning show, The Colbert Report.

Join Clare Langley-Hawthorne at Diesel Bookstore as she presents the second book in her fantastic new historical mystery series! Featuring the strong, outspoken, intelligent and sassy Ursula Marlow, THE SERPENT AND THE SCORPION is a thrilling story of scandal and betrayal that's richly detailed and ... (mer)action-packed. ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Clare Langley-Hawthorne was raised in England and Australia. She practiced law in Melbourne until 1995 when she emigrated moved to the United States and began work as a health economist. Clare has since put her pursuit of a PhD on hold to focus on her career as a writer. She lives in the San Francisco bay area with her husband and twin sons. This is her second novel. For more information, visit her web site at www.clarelangleyhawthorne.com

Details forthcoming...

Two Dudes, A Car Powered By Vegetable Oil, and a Cross-Country Trip in Search of a Greener World When Greg first laid eyes on the 1985 Mercedes that would soon become he and his wife’s vegetable-oil fueled car, he never dreamed he’d someday set off across the country with the goal to be the first ... (mer)to drive from one coast to the other in a grease guzzlin’ vehicle. Soon after proposing the idea to his college buddy Iggy, though, the two were on the road. Greasy Rider is the hilarious and insightful tale of Greg and Iggy’s trek. We follow the two from Burlington, VT to Berkeley, CA, stopping at green meccas to learn about other alternative energy along the way: the solar-powered Google headquarters, the wind turbines of southwestern Minnesota, and the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden, CO, among others. You’ll be amazed at what is happening around the country to help Mother Nature. Greg Melville is a freelance journalist and author of 101 Best Outdoor Towns: Unspoiled Places to Visit, Live & Play. He’s written for Men’s Journal, Outside, Popular Science, and National Geographic Adventurer.

Russell Harmon is the self-proclaimed king of his small-town Idaho dart league, but all is not well in his kingdom. Taking place in a single day, The Dart League King follows five characters at pivotal moments in their lives. Keith Lee Morris is an associate professor of English and creative writing ... (mer)at Clemson University. His short stories have been published in The Sun, and the Georgia Review, among other publications. His previously published books include The Greyhound God and The Best Seats in the House. "What a testament it is to a splendid novelist's powers to pitch-perfectly create a small-town dart league and in doing so not only illuminate the zeitgeist but some universal truths to boot. The Dart League King is a nine-darter of a novel and Keith Lee Morris is a writer whose books I have promised myself never to skip."—Robert Olen Butler, author of A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain

Details coming soon.