Arctic Traverse: A Thousand-mile Summer of Trekking the Brooks Range by Michael Engelhard Warning: reading Arctic Traverse: A Thousand-mile Summer of Trekking the Brooks Range by Michael Engelhard may cause you to fall in love with Alaska’s Brooks Range – and also to dream about being pursued by grizzly bears. Engelhard is an evocative writer, and Arctic Traverse is very … Read more
Adrift: the Curious Tale of the Lego Lost at Sea by Tracey Williams For some, summer days spent along Washington’s rocky shores conjure up memories of kite flying, flipping rocks to startle baby crabs, and beachcombing. The joy of finding the occasional shell or sand dollar, a piece of interesting driftwood or the ultimate prize – … Read more
Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune Reading “Under the Whispering Door” by T.J. Klune is, as the name suggests, like curling up in a cozy chair with a hot cup of tea. Some books inform the reader with new knowledge, but Klune’s writing inspires the reader to live more fully. Wallace, a career-minded lawyer … Read more
Medicinal Plants of the Pacific Northwest: A Visual Guide to Harvesting and Healing with 35 Common Species by Natalie Hammerquist Hikers beware! It’s the season for stinging nettles, and they’re all over the place on local trails. But one person’s hazard is another person’s healthy elixir — so if you’re like my friend, the minute you … Read more
I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger Against the backdrop of a dystopian landscape in a climate-changed near future, “I Cheerfully Refuse” by Leif Enger tells the story of Rainy, a gentle bear of a man, house painter and aspiring bass player, as he seeks redemption after the loss of his beloved wife, Lark. Setting sail on … Read more
Calling for a Blanket Dance by Oscar Hokeah “Calling for a Blanket Dance” is a moving tale of the power of heritage and generational connections. Author Oscar Hokeah stitches together a series of distinct narrative vignettes to create a unified story; one deeply profound and heartbreaking, yet also uplifting and inspiring. The thread running throughout … Read more
Thunder Song: Essays by Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe’s debut memoir, Red Paint, was all about healing. Her new book, Thunder Song, is all about embracing contradiction—about both charting a new path and staying rooted. These carefully crafted, multi-layered essays explore themes that are dear to LaPointe’s heart: her queer and indigenous identity, activism, and family history. … Read more
Splinters: Another Kind of Love Story by Leslie Jamison After the birth of her first child, Leslie Jamison finds that home is no longer a place she wants to be. She pushes her daughter’s stroller through art museums to avoid spending time with her husband, whose coldness has become unbearable. Splinters: Another Kind of Love Story is about … Read more
Ten Tomatoes That Changed the World: A History by William Alexander According to the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, tomatoes are “the world’s most popular vegetable.” Never mind that tomatoes, which come from the flowering part of the plant and have seeds, are more accurately a fruit — they represent 17% of all vegetables produced annually. … Read more
Here With You: A Memoir of Love, Family, and Addiction by Kathy Wagner The opioid crisis has reached epidemic proportions with virtually no place escaping its devastation. Here in Whatcom County, according to data provided by the Whatcom County Medical Examiner’s Office, there were 136 overdose-related deaths in 2023, up from 91 in 2022. Libraries and other agencies now offer free naloxone, a … Read more