Blind Guides by Scott Stahlecker

The controversy of religiously based politics is the premise of Scott Stahlecker’s new thriller, Blind Guides. His futuristic prediction pits the minority fundamentalists against the rest of American society in a tale that shows how politics would be enacted with the profound influences of religion. Bigotry prevails and suppression of free speech and basic human rights becomes common place. Also throughout the novel is the allusion that Stahlecker’s extrapolation is not too far from the truth. Overall, a fascinating and well-told story that, while placed in the future, asks us to assess our current political climate.

Brushed by Feathers: A Year of Birdwatching in the West by Frances Wood
Frances Wood, a novelist, teacher and naturalist, lets us peer into the world of birds with her new novel, Brushed by Feathers. She gives us an intimate look at ravens, godwits and willets. And we learn more than we ever wanted to know about these creatures’ path to migration, habits and culture. Enthusiasts and experts alike will marvel at the winged-world Wood opens up with her well-tracked observation of birds. Wood will discuss her book October 21, 4:30pm at the Book Barn in downtown Bend. The event is free and open to the public. Information: 389-4589.

The Falls by Joyce Carol Oates
Set in the city of Niagara Falls during the 1950s, The Falls tells the turbulent story of Ariah Littrell who is widowed on her wedding night when her husband, a minister and masked homosexual, plunges into the falls. Convinced that she is cursed, Ariah finds happiness and love both impossible states of existence. Her bad luck falters when she meets Dirk Burnaby, an attractive and good-hearted man. The only rift between them is Ariah’s paranoia that something will go wrong and her increasingly bizarre behavior. What follows is a melodramatic account of family drama.