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
Whatcom County Library System’s summer calendar is loaded with free events for families, teens, kids and kids at heart. Headline events include the library system’s popular Summer Reading program and Whatcom Grooves, a series of free summer concerts. Whatcom Grooves premiered in summer 2023 with three jazz concerts. This year, it’s back. And it’s bigger. Between June 22 … 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
We discuss our free Mango Languages app with WCLS Learning Coordinator Maggie Mae Nase who is a world traveler and a lifelong learner. Download the Mango Languages app List of World Languages available on Mango Book Recommendations
Whatcom County Library System and Friends of Birch Bay Library will host a 6-7:30 p.m. Monday, June 10 community engagement session at the site of the future Birch Bay Vogt Library Express, 7948 Birch Bay Drive. At the meeting, the design team from Osborn Architecture and Planning will share the floor plan and color schemes … 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
WCLS recently honored long-time Blaine resident and library advocate Joyce Vanderpol, whose generous gift funded a meeting pod and other improvements at the Blaine Library. Vanderpol asked library staff what immediate changes could enhance the library experience in Blaine. “Joyce shared our vision for what a small meeting room space could mean for our patrons … Read more