February 2019

  • Read along: Iditarod 2019

    This Saturday, March 2 the 47th Iditarod will begin. 52 mushers and their sled dog teams will run 1000 miles of rough terrain from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska, contending with mountains, frozen rivers, sub-zero temperatures, and sleep deprivation. The route roughly follows historic mail routes from the early 20th century, when gold came out and… Continue reading

  • Bus Reads for February

    Commuting to Seattle by bus five days a week gives me a lot of reading time. Here’s what I read on the bus in February: Brass by Xhenet Aliu. A story of a mother and a daughter and how one’s path sometimes winds it’s way differently than expected. Chapters were told in alternating voices of… Continue reading

  • Library Reads for March 2019

    Here’s a list of 12 novels releasing in March that librarians across the United States are recommending. And because librarians made this list, you’ll also find a “read-alike” entry at the end of each description. Why a read-alike? They work two ways: If you recognize the suggested read-alike title as one you enjoyed before, it… Continue reading

  • And the Winner Is… Books to Movies, 2019

    If Beale Street Could Talk, First Man, BlacKkKlansman, The Wife, Can You Ever Forgive Me? – many films nominated for Oscars this year – and every year – started off as books. 2019 will be a great year for bookish Seattleites, with film adaptations of both Garth Stein’s The Art of Racing in the Rain… Continue reading

  • Seattle Rep’s THE WOMAN IN BLACK: Beyond the Theater

    Seattle Repertory Theatre presents THE WOMAN IN BLACK adapted by Stephen Mallatratt from the novel by Susan Hill from February 22 to March 24, 2019. The basis for the play, Hill’s novel, is a chilling gothic ghost story set in the remote British moors featuring a solicitor who comes to settle the affairs of a… Continue reading

  • Fresh Romance Picks

    Romance is a genre with prolific writers and many sub-genres, which means there’s always something new to get excited about. Here are a few titles published in the past year; find a list of 25 recent titles selected by librarians in our catalog. A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole Naledi Smith is an epidemiology… Continue reading

  • New and Notable Northwest Nonfiction – 2019 edition

    Are you new to the Northwest, or a lifelong resident looking for some historical perspective? 2019 is shaping up to be an exciting year for publishing about our region, so let the reading begin! The University of Washington Press is releasing a number of regionally relevant titles. Explore local fashion with Seattle Style by Clara Berg, which… Continue reading

  • New African American Fiction for Teens

    2019 is already shaping up to be an excellent year in African American fiction for youth.  Here are a few recent and upcoming titles that are on our radar: Black Enough: Stories of Being Young and Black in America edited by Ibi Zoboi Seventeen different authors explore what it means to be a Black American teenager… Continue reading

  • Big Golden Books for February

    Big Golden Books for February

    While many books each year have “golden” in the title, these three novels caught my eye. Each had substantial pre-publication buzz and excitement, and all three are out in the world this month. Take a look at these highly anticipated books: Golden State by Ben H. Winters: Set in the near future, California is a… Continue reading

  • Snowbound! Winter Chills and Thrills

    Desperate messages came flooding in, through the silent darkness of the winter nights. “Help! Snowed in at home! I need something to read!” So, adding to our recent list of Wintry reads, here are some gripping novels that revolve around winter storms. The Quality of Silence, by Rosamund Lupton. An astrophysicist and her precocious hearing-disabled daughter… Continue reading

  • Book-It Repertory Theatre’s AMERICAN JUNKIE: Beyond the Theatre

    Book-It Repertory Theatre presents AMERICAN JUNKIE by Tom Hansen, adapted by Jane Jones & Kevin McKeon, directed by Jane Jones, from February 14-March 10, 2019. Librarians at Seattle Public Library created this list of books, videos, and music to enhance your experience of the show. Hansen’s memoir chronicles his heroin addiction and recovery against a… Continue reading

  • The World is Your Oyster

    Growing up in the Pacific Northwest the winter season wasn’t something that stopped us from doing what we enjoyed as a family. Sure cuddling by the fireplace and reading books was one way to enjoy it since we are a family of readers, but this is also the season of crabbing, clam digging, grilling oysters,… Continue reading

  • New Digital Collection Highlights Lives of Seattle Pioneers

    This month we’ve launched a new digital collection which reveals a glimpse into the personal lives of some of Seattle’s early pioneers. The Lu Jacobson Collection of Latimer and Denny Family Material includes materials focusing on Alexander Latimer, his wife Sarah Chesney Latimer and their five daughters: Narcissa Latimer Denny, Eliza Alice Latimer Fowler, Harriet… Continue reading

  • Women Spy Writers!

    Ian Fleming’s James Bond; John Le Carre’s George Smiley; Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne: the espionage shelves are packed with male spies by male writers. Which makes the following gripping titles and series penned by women a welcome change of pace. Who is Vera Kelly? by Rosalie Knecht. A different sort of spy story full of… Continue reading

  • New Fiction Roundup, February 2019

    February may be a short month, but it packs in a lot of new fiction releases. From quirky family sagas, to stories of immigrants at home and abroad, to some powerhouse fantasy novels, it’s a great month to find something you know you’ll love or to branch out in new directions. Continue reading

  • New Nonfiction Roundup – February 2019

    February may be the shortest month of the year, but it’s long on ambitious essay collections, guides for aging well, and deeply affecting memoirs. Happy reading! Continue reading