Red Paint: The Ancestral Autobiography of A Coast Salish Punk by Sasha taqwšeblu LaPointe An Indigenous artist from the Nooksack and Upper Skagit Indian tribes, Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe, shares her story of trauma, healing and the search for home in “Red Paint: The Ancestral Autobiography of a Coast Salish Punk,” a vulnerable and luminous debut … Read more
Little Witch Hazel: A Year in the Forest by Phoebe Wahl Move over llamas, foxes and rainbow unicorns — this is the year of the gnome. The fuzzy, pointy-hatted fellows are everywhere, on coffee mugs, tea towels, garden statuary and more. So it would be understandable if, at first glance, you mistook the rosy-cheeked character … Read more
Hiking Washington’s History by Judy Bentley and Craig Romano A few sunny days are all it takes to start getting excited about hiking season. One way to add variety to your repertoire of favorite trails, and add some mental stimulation, is to choose hikes with historical significance. The second edition of Judy Bentley’s guidebook … Read more
Shoal Water by Kip Robinson Greenthal Meeting in 1971 at a Vietnam anti-war rally, Kate and Andy’s beliefs about U.S. involvement in Vietnam inspire them to leave New York City behind and follow their yearnings for a simpler life. Set in a small Nova Scotia fishing village where Andy’s family has a summer home, “Shoal … Read more
This Land of Snow: A Journey Across the North in Winter by Anders Morley When setting off on a solo cross-country ski journey during the coldest months of a Canadian winter, an ordinary person might be discouraged by having chronic knee problems flare up the first day on the trail, forcing a return to the … Read more
Astra by Cedar Bowers Canadian writers Cedar Bowers and Michael Christie may be the latest literary power couple. Christie’s book “Greenwood” — which was reviewed last week in the Cascadia Daily News — is this year’s Whatcom READS selection; Christie will be speaking in Whatcom County March 3–5. Christie’s wife Bowers is no slouch either. Her debut novel “Astra” … Read more
The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson This year’s Whatcom READS title, “Greenwood” by Michael Christie, imagines the near future, where eco-tourists pay top dollar to experience one of the last surviving old growth forests. While “Greenwood” is not overtly science fiction, the effects of climate change are certainly a major element in … Read more
Small World by Jonathan Evison Screeching brakes, shattering glass, passenger names on a manifest, a retirement party that never happens. Jonathan Evison shows his hand on the first page of his new novel, “Small World,” described by Kirkus Reviews as “a bighearted, widescreen American tale.” Knowing that the characters will all find themselves in this … Read more
Mud, Rocks, Blazes: Letting Go on the Appalachian Trail by Heather “Anish” Anderson In summer 2013, Bellingham-based Heather “Anish” Anderson set the fastest, unsupported time on the Pacific Crest Trail. She recounted the 60 day, 17 hour, 12 minute thru-hike in her 2019 memoir “Thirst: 2,600 Miles to Home.” It is an exhilarating personal tale … Read more
Cascadia Revealed: A Guide to the Plants, Animals & Geology of the Pacific Northwest Mountains by Daniel MathewsOld Barns of Whatcom County: Photos and Poems by Jeff BarclayInside My Sea of Dreams: The Adventures of Kami and Suz by Susan Conrad If gift-giving is part of your holiday tradition, think about keeping it local with … Read more