Before the Wind by Jim Lynch Several years ago, Whatcom READS featured Jim Lynch’s excellent novel Border Songs, about a dutiful, extremely tall, bird-loving rookie Border Patrol officer and his observations of life along the 49th parallel between the United States and Canada. Since then, he has written several fine books. Before the Wind continues … Read more
The Stranger in the Woods The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel Finkel’s mesmerizing account of Christopher Knight, who disappeared into the Maine woods to live alone for 27 years, dissects the impact of solitude on the search for greater meaning. Check it out!
The History of Living Forever by Jake Wolff Precocious, brilliant Conrad Aybinder just spent summer vacation working with his favorite teacher to develop a winning science fair competition entry for the coming school year. In classic summer-love-story fashion, the teacher is also Conrad’s first love. And then, contrary to the title of Jake Wolff’s debut … Read more
By Christine Perkins, executive director, Whatcom County Library System, and Rebecca Judd, director, Bellingham Public Library Troubling limits imposed by publishers on public library purchases of electronic books and audiobooks are inspiring a strong response from libraries across the country. We are raising awareness about this issue because pricing and access barriers make it difficult … Read more
Bull by David Elliott The myth of the Minotaur gets a contemporary verse reworking told from varied perspectives in a bunch of poetic forms. Searing, woeful, and debauched. Check it out!
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders Grief is the logical ending of love. This bold work of supernatural historical fiction imagines the aftermath of the death of Lincoln’s son and the all-encompassing grief enveloping the President. Check it out!
Their Great Gift by John CoyCourage, Sacrifice, and Hope in A New LandPhotographs by Wing Young Huie Lyrical language and breathtaking photography celebrate the immigrant experience, and the strength and beauty it represents for us as a nation. Check it out!
Blaine Public Library and Humanities Washington invite the community to an engaging conversation with T. Andrew Wahl, a member of the 2019-2020 Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau. This free event takes place Thursday, August 1, 2019, at Blaine Public Library, 610 3rd Street, Blaine, Washington. For more information, visit wcls.org/events.
The Way Home: Tales from a Life without Technology by Mark Boyle Mark Boyle is no stranger to remaking himself. In the fall of 2008, he embarked on an experiment in living without money, documenting the experience with the publication of The Moneyless Man: A Year of Freeconomic Living (2010) and a follow-up guide, The … Read more
The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs The experts at America’s Test Kitchen furnish more than 100 recipes for young chefs to practice and perfect, because kids belong in the kitchen. Check it out!