January
buyers’ picks
Book buyers’ picks
Easy as Pi, by Jamie Buchan; The Classics, by
Caroline Taggart; E = MC2, by Jeff Stewart;
and Spilling the Beans on the Cat’s Pajamas,
by Judy Parkinson. Did you know that there’s
a seldom-used 13th sign in the zodiac? Have
you forgotten most of the physics you learned
in high school? Maybe you, like me, have pon-
dered the origin of expressions such as “read
the riot act” or “keep your powder dry.” Or,
just maybe, you’re forever confusing Hercules
and Hermes or sirens and harpies. If any of
this sounds familiar, or if your New Year’s
resolution is to keep your brain in shape, one
of these titles is bound to appeal to you.
—Jonna Erickson, assistant buyer, books
h
FRANCE FREEMAN
NONFICTION
Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the
38 Healthiest Ingredients, from the editors
of Whole Living Magazine. I’ve long thought
that finding the right cookbook would make
me want to broaden my cooking repertoire. I
just hit pay dirt. Not only do the recipes in
this book feature healthy ingredients such as
kale, beets, quinoa and wild Alaskan salmon,
they are easy to follow and make. I dare you to
take a look at the gorgeous photos without
your mouth watering or stomach rumbling.
—Jeffrey Purtell,
inventory control specialist, books
go m
FICTION
The Outlaws, by W.E.B. Griffin and William
E. Butterworth IV. As the father of three
young children, I have a soft spot for parent-
child collaborations. Add some fast-paced
action, from an author who had counter-
intelligence training when he was in the
Army, and you’ve got a great mix. In this
book, Charlie Castillo’s secret unit has been
disbanded, but that doesn’t mean he’s out of
business. When a FedEx package arrives
bearing photos of barrels containing some of
the most dangerous biohazardous materials
on earth, Castillo starts asking who has them,
and what do they want? He has a feeling he’s
not going to like the answers.
—Josh Lilly, inventory control specialist, books
JUVENILE
Where’s Waldo?; Where’s Waldo Now?;
Where’s Waldo? In Hollywood; Where’s
Waldo The Wonder Book; Where’s Waldo?
The Fantastic Journey; and Where’s Waldo?
The Incredible Paper Chase, by Martin
Hanford. That hat! Those glasses! The red-and-white-striped sweater! He’s a character
we’d all know anywhere, but where, exactly, is
he? Waldo has been providing fun for the
entire family for more than 20 years. And
searching for him in this assortment at the
fair, on the beach or in exotic locales is as
much fun today as it was when I was a kid.
—Melissa McMeekin,
assistant buyer, books
Blu-ray/DVD buyers’ picks
The Social Network
©2010 BIG BEACH LLC AND OVERTURE FILMS, LLC. ALL RIGH TS RESERVED.
A NEW YEAR symbolizes a time to refresh
and renew one’s life. So while you’re making
resolutions to recharge yourself, why not take
time to update your DVD library? Here are
some suggestions to help guide you.
COURTESY OF SPHE
—Stacy Thrailkill, Costco media buyer
The Social Network. In 2003, a Harvard
computer genius created a website where
people could gather with their friends for virtual camaraderie. It was called Facebook, and
no one suspected that in a few years it would
become a worldwide phenomenon worth billions of dollars—especially those who were
there at its inception. This is their story, told
through a dramatic prism. It’s been touted
among last year’s best, with a top-quality
script by Aaron Sorkin ( The West Wing, A
Few Good Men), direction by David Fincher
(Zodiac, The Curious Case of Benjamin
Button) and star-making performances by
Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Timberlake. PG- 13
—Cody Yaple, assistant media buyer
changing performance with solid direction
from Rodrigo Cortéz. A powerful, tense tale
with an ending that will leave you gasping for
air, Buried is not for the claustrophobic. R—ST
Jack Goes Boating
Street date
list
Jack Goes Boating. In this part romantic
comedy, part poignant drama, Philip Seymour
Hoffman makes his directorial debut and
stars as Jack, a socially awkward New York
City limo driver. His friend and co-worker,
Clyde (John Ortiz), introduces him to the
equally awkward Connie (Amy Ryan) and
romance—yes, an awkward one—blossoms.
Based on an off-Broadway play by Bob
Glaudini (with a screenplay adapted by the
playwright), the film made me laugh and cry,
leaving me with the feeling that there’s someone for everyone. R
—Myeesha Parker, assistant media buyer
December 28
The American
Resident Evil: Afterlife
January 18
Buried
Jack Goes Boating
Takers
January 4
Big Love Season 4
Buried. This is a harrowing tale of a civilian
contractor in Iraq who is taken captive and
buried in a coffin-like box. It is all told from
the perspective of the contractor, with other
characters only heard through the captive’s
cellphone. Ryan Reynolds gives a career-
January 11
Alpha & Omega
Dinner for Schmucks
The Social Network
January 25
The Girl Who Kicked
the Hornet’s Nest
Secretariat
