On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer by Rick Steves Most folks in Whatcom County are familiar with Edmonds native and travel advocate, Rick Steves, whether from using his popular travel guides, watching his travel show “Rick Steves’ Europe,” hearing him speak at events (including Cascadia Daily News’ October … Read more
Supersonic by Thomas Kohnstamm A born-and-raised Seattleite, author Thomas Kohnstamm nails the Seattle ethos in his sprawling, funny and deeply human third novel, “Supersonic.” Shuttling between the late 1800s, the 1970s and 2014, “Supersonic” looks at the various inhabitants of a hillside community overlooking Seattle: the cynics, dreamers, schemers, strivers, bumblers, industrialists and idealists among them. … Read more
Orbital by Samantha Harvey Hour by hour, eight billion people wake across twenty-four time zones. High above the atmosphere, six astronauts on the International Space Station are having a very different kind of day. Over the span of sixteen sunrises and sixteen sunsets—one day—their spacecraft chases the sun as its orbit crisscrosses Earth. Orbital spends … Read more
Women’s Hotel by Daniel Lavery Welcome to the Biedermeier. It’s shabbier (and much cheaper) than the Barbizon, but it’s still a respectable residential hotel where a professional single lady can establish herself in 1960s New York City. Women’s Hotel meanders between the Biedermeier’s fifteen floors, offering the reader glimpses into the lives and daily dramas … Read more
Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes “Stone Blind,” by author, classicist and comedian Natalie Haynes is a feminist retelling of the Greek myth of Medusa and Perseus. With wit and irony, Haynes shifts the perspective on a story we thought we knew, pulling no punches and plainly portraying the faults, foibles and sins of the gods. … Read more
The Wives: A Memoir by Simone Gorrindo According to the U.S. Department of Defense, there are currently 2 million uniformed military personnel in the United States with 2.6 million family members. Journalist Simone Gorrindo shines a light on one subset of these military families: army wives. Her nonfiction account provides a portrait of the women … Read more
Big in Sweden by Sally Franson Paulie Johannson is a lovable hot mess. She’s 35, going through the motions at an unrewarding job as a college admissions coach in Minneapolis, wondering if her sweet but slightly dull computer programmer boyfriend Declan is “the one,” and nearly resigned to the fact that an exciting career as a … Read more
Spirit Whales & Sloth Tales: Fossils of Washington State by Elizabeth A. Nesbitt In “Spirit Whales and Sloth Tales: Fossils of Washington State,” Elizabeth A. Nesbitt and David B. Williams offer a captivating popular-level paleontological journey through the ancient natural history of our state. The fossil record guides the reader through this journey, as the … Read more
Cabin: Off-the-grid Adventures with a Clueless Craftsman by Patrick Hutchison Warmer weather and longer days are an invitation to take up home renovation projects, and weekend warrior homeowners often lean into YouTube videos and DIY books checked out from the library for guidance. If you’ve experienced home renovations that go sideways or take much more … Read more
The Pacific Northwest Disaster Guide by Henry Latourette Miller (illustrated by Jeff Parker) In the past few years, Pacific Northwest communities have experienced catastrophic flooding, landslides, wildfires and damage from severe wind. As close as it is to Whatcom County communities, a Mount Baker eruption would be cataclysmic. And there is the hulking threat of The … Read more