I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai The Granby School is an elite institution with a history marred by the scandalous murder of student Thalia Keith in 1995. Athletic director Omar Evans was convicted of Thalia’s murder, but online crime buffs have speculated for years that the case was rushed to judgment. In … Read more
Our Best Intentions by Vibhuti Jain Vibhuti Jain’s compelling, character-driven novel introduces readers to a fresh new voice in fiction. In the affluent suburb of Kitchewan, Babur Singh believes he has done everything possible to ensure a bright future for his daughter Angela, a talented swimmer. One afternoon Angela stumbles onto a shocking scene – … Read more
Calling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in A Data-driven World by Carl T. Bergstrom and Jevin D. West Ahh, spring in Whatcom County! The stench of cow manure wafts over fields. Home gardeners load Subarus with giant bags of the stuff. Bullshit — to be both crass and obvious — is everywhere. Authors Carl T. … Read more
Rose Quartz: Poems by Sasha taqʷšblu LaPointe and I Sing the Salmon Home: Poems from Washington State edited by Rena Priest Just in time for National Poetry Month, there are two newly published poetry collections by writers with roots in Whatcom and Skagit counties. “RoseQuartz” is the debut poetry collection by Sasha taqʷšblu LaPointe, the author of … Read more
Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention–and How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari If you’ve ever Googled “how to get my brain to focus” or lamented your lost capacity for concentration, check out writer and journalist Johann Hari’s most recent book, “Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention — and How to Think … Read more
Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen The Bachelor meets Bigfoot in this wacky page-turner. The cast and crew of reality dating show The Catch travel to a remote island in the San Juans to film an episode on location. The four remaining contestants all want very different outcomes from their time on the show, … Read more
Small Game by Blair Braverman Writer and dogsledder Blair Braverman has faced down nature on dozens of real-life adventures. After she became violently ill on an episode Naked and Afraid she wondered: what would have happened if the crew wasn’t there to pull me out? Small Game is Braverman’s answer to that question. In her … Read more
Red Paint: The Ancestral Autobiography of a Coast Salish Punk by Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe is the Whatcom READS 2024 book selection. Jess Walter, author of the 2023 featured title, The Cold Millions, announced the book and author during the March 3 author event at the Mount Baker Theatre. Winner of a 2023 Pacific Northwest Booksellers … Read more
The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka It takes a minute to dive below the surface of Julie Otsuka’s third novel, “The Swimmers,” because its style and point of view, told initially from the first person omniscient, is disorienting. We know we’re in a pool, underground, where many people come to swim laps. Collectively, the swimmers are … Read more
111 Places in Seattle That You Must Not Miss by Harriet Baskas February and March can be challenging months here in the Pacific Northwest. Snow is on the ground as I write this, the temperature is freezing and it will be dark in a few hours. It’s a time when PNWers fantasize about trips to … Read more