New and Notable Northwest Nonfiction

 

Would you like to “read local” this fall? From history to art to the great outdoors, there’s something for anyone interested in exploring the Pacific Northwest through 20 nonfiction books coming out this late summer and fall.

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History buffs.
In Abandoned North Cascades, Debra Huron uncovers deserted buildings taken over by nature. Brad Holden uncovers the life of the “Johnny Appleseed of LSD” in Seattle Mystic Alfred M. Hubbard. Take a deep dive into two Seattle neighborhoods with Magnolia: Midcentury Memories, the third book from the Magnolia Historical Society, and Belltown Exposed where Staci Bernstein uncovers the storied history of the Belltown neighborhood. True crime fans will sink their teeth into Bryan Johnston’s Deep in the Woods, about the disappearance of 9-year-old George Weyerhauser in 1935.

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Art and Design lovers.
From the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) comes Barbara Earl Thomas: The Geography of Innocence, highlighting the work of the Seattle-based artist as she reexamines Black portraiture; the accompanying exhibit is at SAM through January 2, 2022. Also from SAM is Frisson, featuring nineteen works of abstract expressionism recently acquired and on exhibit from October 15, 2021 to November 27, 2022. From the Cascadia Art Museum in Edmonds comes Kenjiro Nomura, American Modernist, which explores the work of the acclaimed Japanese-born artist who made a name for himself in Seattle.

Frame by Frame: Celebrating Northwest Art and Artists

Seattle hosts a rich tradition of art-making from Northwest Indian arts to contemporary artists. A spectrum of artists of every level and medium, of organizations, collectors and art lovers engenders a vibrant community within and beyond our city limits.

The Seattle Public Library has long held a significant place in this city’s arts infrastructure. Our collections continue to be an important resource for artists, educators and the general public as a source of information and inspiration in the arts.

For over 100 years, The Seattle Public Library has collected artworks by Northwest artists that can be seen in the Central Library and in branch libraries.  Containing works by such noted artists as Guy Anderson, Paul Horiuchi, James W. Washington, Jr. and Doris Totten Chase, The Seattle Public Library Northwest Arts Collection is a testament to the persistence of the significant presence of the arts in this region.

See for yourself! Opening tomorrow, February 6 and running through March 26 The Seattle Public Library will host the exhibit Frame by Frame:  Celebrating Northwest Art and Artists.

New & Notable Northwest Nonfiction

A dozen new and updated books about Seattle and the great Northwest, past and present, are coming to shelves at a library near you.

Building Tradition: Pan-Asian Seattle and Life in the Residential Hotels by Rose Marie Wong. This history of the International District is told through the neighborhood’s single-room occupancy hotels.

20 Essential Seattle Books, Part 4: Northwest Classics

For the fourth of our posts suggesting twenty essential books for Seattleites, having focused on history, race and place, we now attempt to suggest some writers whose work best characterizes our “regional literature.” In previous posts we’ve already mentioned Richard Hugo and Sherman Alexie, both of whose works certainly belong on this post. Here are some more Northwest classics for your shelf.

With his mischievous, playful tone, Tom Robbins has certainly helped to define our offbeat Northwest style, but when it comes to picking one book for readers new to Robbins, we’re torn. Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and Another Roadside Attraction are both classic early gonzo Robbins. Then again, Jitterbug Perfume and Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas are both terrific, and set right here in Seattle. In the end, we’ll go with our heart: Still Life With Woodpecker. Why? Maybe it’s the way he writes about blackberries, how they force their way into polite society, engulfing dogs and small children, entwining the legs of virgins and trying to loop themselves over passing clouds. Maybe we’re still a little sweet on the girl who gave us this book in college. Does it really matter? Read it.

Book Bingo: Set in the Northwest

   – Posted by Misha

This summer The Seattle Public Library, in partnership with Seattle Arts & Lectures, is excited to offer a summer reading program for adults called Summer Book Bingo! In order to help you along on your quest to complete your bingo sheet, we have pulled together some book suggestions based on each category. Stay tuned for more throughout the summer!

There are so many great books set in the Northwest. I mean, who wouldn’t want to write or read about our majestic evergreens, white-capped mountain ranges and superior cups of coffee? If you are trying to cross this category off your summer bingo card, here are some under-the-radar NW set books to try:

The Sasquatch Hunter’s Almanac by Sharma Shields: This debut by a Spokane author following three generations in a Washington State family is told with some mind-bending slipstream weirdness. And it starts with a bang: 9-year-old Eli Roebuck comes home one day to find his mother with a sasquatch. She leaves with the hairy beast and never comes back. Things just get stranger and more compelling from there.