Upcoming Author Events for December

Laureen Nussbaum, Terry Tempest, Local broadcaster and historian Feliks Banel, and two open mic readings at Ballard and Columbia branches are in store this month.

The free programs listed below are held at a variety of locations in December; please check our online Author and Books Events calendar for complete details on these featured December events and more.

Nussbaum discusses ‘Shedding Our Stars’
Sunday, December 8 at 2 p.m.
Wallingford Branch
Join us to hear Nussbaum talk about her personal experiences during World War Two, when her family was saved by Hans Calmeyer during World War Two, who was able to save over 3700 Jews from deportation. Nussbaum was recently honored as winner of two categories at the American Book Fest for Shedding Our Stars in the categories of Biography and History.

Writers Read
Sunday, December 8 at 2 p.m.
Columbia Branch
Join us for a monthly reading series featuring an open mic and selected author readings from local writers. Local writers will read from their diverse repertoires of poetry, short stories, novels and essays. The event will end with a Q&A session, followed by an open mic session. This program is presented in partnership with African-American Writers’ Alliance on the second Sunday of the month.

Terry Tempest Williams discusses ‘Erosion: Essays of Undoing’
Tuesday, December 10 at 7 p.m.
Central Library
Join us to hear Williams discuss the concept of Erosion: of the land, of the self, of belief, of fear, as she wrangles with the paradox of desert lands and the truth of erosion in her book Erosion: Essays of Undoing. The event is presented in partnership with Elliott Bay Book Company.

It’s About Time Writers’ Reading Series
Thursday, December 12 at 6 p.m.
Ballard Branch
The Ballard Branch welcomes the 362nd meeting of the It’s About Time Writers’ Reading Series, featuring author readings and open mics. This month’s presentation features Doug Johnson of Cave Moon Press, Priscilla Long, and an Open Mic Extravaganza in honor of It’s About Time Writers’ Reading Series Anthology, So, Dear Writer…

Words, Writers & SouthWest Stories
Thursday, December 12,  6 p.m.    Southwest Branch
Local broadcaster and historian Feliks Banel explores our region’s darkest weather days and most infamous storms. Using archival photos, radio, and TV clips, Banel takes us back in time to hear stories of those who survived some of the worst Pacific Northwest weather in recorded history. Further, Banel explores how these storms can revive our shared humanity. This program is in partnership with the Southwest Seattle Historical Society and Humanities Washington.

Indigenous Wisdom

November is Native American Heritage Month and in exploring our American story in the Pacific Northwest I asked myself what relationship I’ve had with indigenous peoples in my own region.

At a young age I knew of the Duwamish tribe because of my grandmother’s relationship with Cecile Hansen. “For over 30 years, Cecile Hansen has been the elected chair of the Duwamish Tribe. Cecile Hansen is the great great grandniece of Chief Si’ahl’.” Some days I would find them chatting in my grandmother’s dining room after school and as I got older I asked Cecile if she would be a guest speaker at my high school shortly after they got recognition under the Clinton administration and then had that recognition revoked under the Bush administration. She showed us her tribe’s frustration, their strength, and their history in this region – not of the city that was built, but of a time before. Their land, their wisdom, and their relentless spirit that continues to say we’re still here.

Here are a few books in our collection by indigenous authors that highlights their wisdom, their spirit, and their deep connections to the land.

Library Reads for October 2019

Ready to place some holds? Check out these ten books coming in October that librarians across the US are loving.

The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson
A fascinating look at the human body and how it functions. Each historical tidbit is well-researched and thoroughly cited. Interesting stories, such as how diseases, cells, nerves, and organs were discovered, are woven throughout. For readers who like narrative nonfiction such as Gulp by Mary Roach, Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, and Guts by Giulia Enders.
~ Carolynn Waites, Manvel Library, Manvel, TX

The Art of Theft by Sherry Thomas
In this fun, playful series, Thomas has created a female version of [Sherlock] Holmes who is vibrant, real, relatable, and intelligent. This fourth book has Holmes and Watson travel to France, with twists and turns the reader won’t see coming. Perfect for fans of Laurie R. King’s Mary Russell series and Tasha Alexander’s Lady Emily series.
~ Carrie Pedigo, Tippecanoe County Public Library, Lafayette, IN

The Butterfly Girl by Rene Denfeld
Denfeld’s writing is like lyrical poetry, with every word captivating. Add to this an amazing mystery, a plethora of suspense, and an ending that exceeds all expectations, and we have another 5 star book. For fans of What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan and Love You More by Lisa Gardner.
~ Cyndi Larsen, Avon Free Public Library, Avon, CT

Bee Smart! Books about Pollinators for Kids

As National Pollinator Week comes to a close, discover books about bees and other pollinators to enjoy with your children and to help kids understand the roles pollinators play in our environment. And then on Monday, June 24, sign them up for Summer of Learning so they can continue to Explore Your World!

 

The Honeybee by Kirsten Hall
Told in rhyming couplets, the poem of this book follows bees as they search for nectar, gather pollen, and make the nectar into honey. For readers preschool-grade 2.

#BookBingoNW2019: Science

Looking for something to fill in your Book Bingo “Science” square?  Something that will stretch your brain? How about a fascinating page-turner that somehow makes complex topics easy to grasp? Here are some titles that bear no resemblance to a dusty chemistry textbook:

A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Human Story Retold Through Our Genes by Adam Rutherford
The first complete sequencing of the human genome in 2003 (as part of The Human Genome Project) opened the floodgates to voluminous scientific data which are changing our understanding of the human species. Rutherford, a British geneticist and science writer, explains how recent genetic research upends much of what we thought we knew about evolution, migration, race and more. He writes in an engaging and at times humorous style. According to the New York Times Book Review, this book is “Nothing less than a tour de force–a heady amalgam of science, history, a little bit of anthropology and plenty of nuanced, captivating storytelling.”