I credit William Kent Krueger for helping me to get out of one of the worst reading "ruts" of my life. He's helped locally, of course, by the fact that all of his books take place on Minnesota's North Shore—with plenty of regional flavor thrown in to make all of us feel instantly at home
Northwest Angle is the latest adventure starring Krueger's main character, Cork O'Connor. While on vacation, Cork and his daughter Jenny are caught in a violent storm. Once the storm is over, they come upon the body of a teenage girl who has been brutally murdered—and they find a baby, still very much alive. You will be on the edge of your seat as you eagerly turn the pages to find out what happens in this spine-chilling thriller. –Charlie Leonard
607 E. Lake St.
Wayzata
952.473.8341
Besides being the owner of the Bookcase in Wayzata, the Twin Cities’ oldest independent bookstore, Charlie Leonard has been at various times a writer, editor and teacher, and is currently the founder and executive director of Blue Water Theatre Company in Plymouth.
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With November upon us, I can’t think of anything better than sitting back, raising a glass of California Syrah and toasting with friends and family. Most reach for a glass of Beaujolais to accompany Thanksgiving dinner, but I go for Morgan Winery’s 2008 Monterey Syrah. The Syrah grape from California is completely underrated and needs to be on everyone’s watch list for value and quality. The 2008 Syrah is deep purple in color, and the nose is completely what you would expect: blackberry, plum, and spices such as clove and cinnamon. Wait until your first sip to find tons of dark ripe fruit with spices lingering on into the smooth finish. Pairing this with ham or turkey will put a smile on everyone who’s‘round the table. –Ryan Sadowski
17521 Minnetonka Blvd.
Minnetonka
952.988.9463
Ryan Sadowsk is the owner of The Wine Shop. Sign up for his weekly recommendations by e-mailing wineshopmtka@gmail.com, and read his best seasonal wine pick on this page each month.
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CHEAT SHEET
Bands - Slint
Album - Spiderland (by Slint), Nevermind (by Nirvana), Loveless (by My Bloody Valentine)
Songs - "Breadcrumb Trail," "Don, Aman" [spelling weird, I know], "Washer," "Good Morning, Captain"
In late 1990, four boys from Kentucky recorded a arty rock album under the name Slint. They disbanded before Spiderland's 1991 release, and though it sold a meager 50,000 copies, its influence now looms large. Six tracks of slithery guitars, bursts of feral distortion and hypnotic spoken-word/shouted lyrics tell disparate stories about disillusionment with Western life. Spiderland's restlessness starts with "Breadcrumb Trail," following a man wandering a carnival and deciding to ride the rollercoaster, making curiously-potent the shouted line "I said goodbye to the ground." "Don, Aman" explodes in a fury of teeth-bared power chords, almost at random. Achingly-beautiful guitars saturate "Washer." Closer "Good Morning, Captain" may be the bleakest anthem ever recorded. Somewhere in Spiderland's purgatory, though, is a human voice aching to escape the malice and exhaustion of the modern world. –Jack Kentala
FIND THE ALBUM AT:
13131 Ridgedale Dr.
Minnetonka
952.546.2006
Jack Kentala, a local freelance writer and filmmaker, haunts most Twin Cities indie rock shows. He’s the tall guy blocking your view of the stage. He also recently directed his second feature film, which will hit the festival circuit in 2012.
