“Working Boats: An Inside Look at Ten Amazing Watercraft” by Tom Crestodina For many of us, the working vessels that ply local waters and the people who work aboard are a bit of a mystery. We board ferries. We watch sturdy tugs push heavy barges. And we may eat the catch the mariners bring to … Read more
It may seem strange for a public library system to publish an annual gift guide, but hear us out: All of the books mentioned in the 2023 roundup are gifts, whether you check them out from Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) as a treat for yourself, or purchase them for friends and family. Our … Read more
The Wok: Recipes and Techniques by J. Kenji López-Alt The 2023 winner of the Washington State Book Award for General Nonfiction, J. Kenji López-Alt, is not a flash-in-the-pan. His first book, “The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science,” was a New York Times bestseller and won a 2016 James Beard Foundation Award. In 2020, … Read more
Where the Language Lives by Janet Yoder Vi taqʷšɘblu Hilbert was 49 years old when she got a phone call that changed the course of her life. Thom Hess, a linguist at the University of Washington, called Hilbert and asked her to review an audio recording of one of her mother’s traditional Coast Salish stories … Read more
Former Washington State Poet Laureate Rena Priest will host a night of diverse poetry as part of an inaugural festival. “Launched: Whatcom County Poets with New Titles in 2023” will be presented as part of Whatcom County Library System’s Open Book festival on Sunday, Nov. 5 at the Ferndale Events Center. Each of the highlighted … Read more
O Lady, Speak Again by Danya Patterson Let’s face it, I’m not at all qualified to review this powerful book of poems on the themes of feminism, Mormon culture and the women of Shakespeare’s plays. I’m in over my head, yet I’ve been drawn in by both wordplay and intimacy as Bellingham poet Dayna Patterson … Read more
Teaching in the Rain: The Story of North Cascades Institute by John C. Miles The North Cascades inspire dreamers. Count among them a group of five friends who, beginning in the early 1980s, turned a shared vision into the North Cascades Institute. The nationally respected environmental education nonprofit organization marked its 35th anniversary in 2021. … Read more
The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin Legendary music producer and founder of Def Jam Recordings Rick Rubin is known for his light touch with artists and an ear for what’s profitable. The list of musicians and bands he’s worked with is a who’s who of rap, hip-hop, heavy metal and rock: … Read more
Trailer Park Psalms: Poems by Ryler Dustin Ryler Dustin’s latest book of poetry, “Trailer Park Psalms,” is a slender volume of poems that speaks to readers with a quiet voice. Dustin developed his skill as a poet and spoken word performer at the long-running Poetry Night open mic at Stuart’s Coffeehouse on the corner of … Read more
No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister Some people mark summer by road trips and barbecues. Book lovers track the season by the pages we’ve read. Like Jenga pieces, we pull hardbacks from our teetering “to be read” piles, scan media for trending titles, and turn to library and bookstore staff for the next great book … Read more