www.portlandbookreview.com 526 S. 15th Avenue Cornelius, OR 97113 info@portlandbookreview.com 503.701.6761
IN THIS ISSUE Art, Architecture & Photography...... 13 Biographies & Memoirs............... 10-11 Childrens......................................... 15
EDITOR IN CHIEF M. Chris Johnson chris.johnson@portlandbookreview.com 503.701.6761
Cooking, Food & Wine........................ 8 Historical Fiction.............................. 11 History............................................... 6
ASSOCIATE EDITORS Aimee Rasmussen Catherine Gilmore
Mystery, Crime & Thriller................... 5 Parenting & Families.......................... 8 Poetry.............................................. 14
LAYOUT & GRAPHICS EDITOR WEBSITE ADMINISTRATOR Grayson Hjaltalin
COPY EDITORS Aimee Rasmussen Catherine Gilmore Donna Reynolds Elizabeth Franklin Galina Roizman Kathryn Franklin Jon Sanetel
Popular Fiction............................ 12-13 Religion............................................ 14 Science Fiction & Fantasy.................... 4 Science & Nature................................ 9 Spirituality & Inspiration................. 14 Travel................................................ 6 Tweens............................................. 16
COLUMN COORDINATOR FOR “WRITERS ON WRITING” AND “THE READER’S PERSPECTIVE”
Young Adult...................................... 16
Joseph Arellano
Parenting & Families.......................... 8
The Portland Book Review is published quarterly and is licensed from 1776 Productions, producers of the San Francisco Book Review and Sacramento Book Review. The opinions expressed in these pages are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Portland Book Review advertisers. All images are copyrighted by their respective copyright holders. All words © 2012, Portland Book Review. September - November 2012 print run: 10,000 copies. For Advertising inquiries, please contact Jack Godwin (jack.godwin@portlandbookreview. com) or call 503.539.9932.
Hundreds of reviews in a variety of additional categories are available at www.portlandbookreview.com ‘Like’ us on Facebook www.facebook.com/portlandbookreview Follow us on Twitter @PDXBookReview
Read the “From the Editors” column: w w w.portlandbookrev iew.com
FROM THE EDITOR The Power of the Storytellers I love books, as I’m sure many of you do. To me, there’s just something amazing about diving into a story of another place, time or person’s life, allowing you to live in a world completely different than your own. We not only do this with books, but also through movies, news broadcasts, gossip, and so on. Stories are our life, and not just in a small way. We ARE stories. A person’s whole being is basically made up of the stories that he grows up with – fairy tales, children’s books, cartoons, textbooks, magazines, novels and movies. We think that our personalities, thoughts and morals are developed independent of these stories, and that we aren’t really influenced by them – they’re just for relaxation or entertainment, right? Well, this isn’t true. Stories shape us. They influence the way we see the world. Have you ever watched a movie or read a book and felt changed after it was over? You suddenly see things from a new perspective, or maybe you finally understand what someone else is going through because that story gave you a different view of the world. Even if we don’t realize it, each story we hear, read or see affects us in some way. Therefore, our storytellers – authors, playwrights, directors, poets and journalists – are probably the most powerful and influential people in the world! They have the ability to completely change your mindset, morals, opinions and personality – even without you being aware of it. Wow, that’s a lot of responsibility! Therefore, we should all be aware of which stories we are allowing into our brains, and for you parents out there, what your children are putting into theirs. We should understand the power that a story has and be critical of what we consent to affect us. You can’t watch hundreds of horror flicks without eventually becoming numb to the violence it portrays. A constant diet of romance novels is bound to change your expectations about love and sex. Even historical fiction blurs your knowledge of the realities of the past. None of these genres are necessarily bad in themselves, but as the saying goes, anything can be bad for you in excess. Go for a well-rounded, healthy diet of a wide variety of stories, peppered with some common sense and critical thinking skills. Knowing the power of stories will help you see them, and the world, in a more tempered, realistic way. Don’t stop reading or watching movies – there’s no way I could, either! Just realize that those stories may be changing you, and hopefully you will choose ones that change you for the better.
Aimee Rasmussen
Aimee Rasmussen, Associate Editor
SeptemberJune - November 2012 - September 2012
3