September 2017

  • Intiman’s Dragon Lady and Philippine Migration

    The migration of a family from the Philippines to America has been explored in colorful form by Sara Porkalob in Dragon Lady, a one woman show at the Intiman Theater, closing October 1st. She revisits the arc of Philippine culture and assimilation from her grandmother’s time to her own, as she portrays three generations of her family members.… Continue reading

  • Ethnic Studies: Banned

    This past August, a federal judge lifted a ban on a Mexican-American ethnic studies program at the Tucson Unified School District. The decision came after a group of students sued, arguing the ban was overly broad, discriminatory, and violated their free speech. Although the ban and ruling that followed only affected Arizona, the case had… Continue reading

  • BOOKTOBERFEST 2017 IS HERE!

    That familiar chill in the air, those reddish tints starting to appear in the leaves, that playful note of pumpkin spice latte asserting itself amidst the less seasonal scents of marijuana and Axe body spray on city streets: it can only mean one thing. Another Booktoberfest has arrived! Each October, dazed and confused from the flurry of… Continue reading

  • Library Reads top 10 picks for October 2017

    Each month librarians across the U.S. nominate and vote for their favorite new books. It’s a great way to get ideas for what to look forward to and what to put on hold. That’s definitely what I do; but I also go back through the older Library Reads lists to find books that were Top… Continue reading

  • Are You Smarter Than A Librarian? Find Out!

    Question: In 1969, Washington’s Skamania County passed a law making it a felony subject to a penalty of up to five years in jail and/or a $5,000 fine, to shoot what? (Hints & answer follow.) Who can resist a good trivia question like that? October has rolled around, and with it Booktoberfest, our annual festival… Continue reading

  • Comics are a Medium, Not a Genre

    I hear it on occasion at the library, parents telling their children, comics in hand, “you need to choose a real book,” or, “I don’t want you only getting superhero stories.”  After the infamous campaign against reading comics in the middle of the 1950s by psychiatrist Fredric Wertham and the resulting self-censorship by the Comics… Continue reading

  • Seattle Rep’s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Beyond the Theatre

    Seattle Repertory Theatre presents Jane Austen’s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE adapted by Kate Hamill from September 29 to October 29, 2017. Librarians at Seattle Public Library created this list of books, CDs and films to enhance your experience of the show: Seattle Rep’s PRIDE & PREJUDICE: Beyond the Theatre. Seattle Rep presents Austen’s beloved classic this… Continue reading

  • The Vietnam War: Essential Accounts

    There is no single story of the Vietnam War. In our second of four lists commemorating the premiere of Ken Burns’ and Lynn Novick’s ten part documentary series on the Vietnam War, we feature twenty-five memoirs and personal accounts of the War and its aftermath, representing a wide array of experiences and voices. Here are some highlights. Continue reading

  • Join us for the 4th Annual Banned! Books in Drag

    In September, libraries put up their Banned Books Week displays that highlight the freedom to read, because every year books are challenged and banned due to their content. Books that explore themes of race, sexuality and gender are often the most challenged books in libraries across the country. So, it makes perfect sense to celebrate… Continue reading

  • The Vietnam War: Essential History

    As our city and our nation tunes in to the premiere presentation of Ken Burns’ and Lynn Novick’s ten part documentary series on the Vietnam War, interest is spiking in books and films that explore the War and the era from all angles. In the first of a four part series featuring lists including one hundred… Continue reading

  • The summer of 10,000 books: #BookBingoNW2017!

    Wow, Seattle readers! Those of you who submitted your Book Bingo cards this year read a whopping 10,870 books during our adult summer reading program! We had 668 official entries, and 323 of those were total blackouts. Continue reading

  • New books from Washington authors: September 2017

    We are thrilled to share some of the latest books published by authors in Washington state! First up, three novels for adults, beginning with one from a former SPL librarian: George & Lizzie by Nancy Pearl: From “America’s librarian” and NPR books commentator Nancy Pearl comes an emotionally riveting debut novel about an unlikely marriage at… Continue reading

  • What’s Your Type? The Art and Design of Text

    How can something so ordinary, so pedestrian and mundane be, at the same time, singular and iconic? Do you look at letters or are they just a means to an end? By ear and eye, we take them in–bite-sized, building block bold, every shape, look and length to behold. Text talks, draws us in, is… Continue reading

  • Comedy in Comics Spotlight: Chip Zdarsky

    Rose City Comic Con is coming up, the weekend of September 8-10, in Portland, OR. Comic book artist and writer Chip Zdarsky will attend as a guest. As he rarely travels south from the wilderlands of Canada (urban Toronto), this is a unique opportunity for fans to meet him in person. Chip Zdarsky is the pseudonym… Continue reading

  • Futurama Redux: Urban Mobility After Cars, a Traveling International Exhibition

    One of the highlights of the 1939 World’s Fair was a massive exhibit called “Futurama,” created by General Motors. It promised that within twenty years the working man would live in a glorious future filled with friendly suburbs, gleaming skyscrapers, and extensive highways—all of this made possible by the comfort and convenience of the personal… Continue reading

  • New Fiction Roundup – September 2017

    Eagerly awaited novels by local favorites Nancy Pearl and Jamie Ford, together with novels by Celeste Ng and National Book Award Winners James McBride and Jesmyn Ward are just a taste of the great fictional offerings in store this month. Continue reading

  • New nonfiction – September 2017

    This September, enjoy a bevy of books about technology and society, improving your life, reflections on the political landscape and 2016 election, and of course some new cookbooks. Continue reading