August 2020

  • Ray Harryhausen – Featuring Creatures

    As a kid in the 1960s I loved the Sunday afternoon movies. Sometimes a Tarzan flick, sometimes a Kung Fu movie, sometimes a Hammer Horror, and sometimes it was a creature feature. Sure Godzilla or Mothra were fun, but the BEST creature features were done by a guy by the name of Ray Harryhausen. Harryhausen… Continue reading

  • #BookBingoNW2020: Two Books by the Same Author

    Can’t believe this is our last Book Bingo square post! It’s definitely been an added challenge to stay focused. I’ve found with two books by the same author that you can go back to some of those authors you love. Re-read your favorite novel of theirs and grab one of theirs you haven’t read yet… Continue reading

  • Write into Fall!

    Seattle Writes returns this Fall-virtually! We will be offering a slate of live two-hour classes, short video lectures, and Write with Hugo House writing circles. Read on to find out more, or go directly to our Seattle Writes event calendar for more details! Attend Online Writing Classes Seasoned writers are sharing their knowledge and skill… Continue reading

  • 100 Years of Agatha Christie

    In October of this year, we get to celebrate Agatha Christie being brought into our lives. Her first novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles was published in the U.S. in October of 1920. The United States was first to be introduced to Hercule Poirot. He would go on to be the main character in 33… Continue reading

  • Book Series by Volume – Sleuth Edition

    Today’s Book Series by Volume adds three more cubic feet to your already stuffed bookshelves (if they aren’t over-stuffed then you need to get to work on that) with three series you should investigate. Leaphorn and Chee by Tony Hillerman – This series of 18 books fills in about one cubic foot, though the area… Continue reading

  • #BookBingoNW2020: Set in a City of Literature

    Now that summer is truly underway, it’s time for a book bingo check-in. How’s it going? Do you need a few more suggestions for books set in Cities of Literature? We thought you might need some recommendations for books to read, so we asked our colleagues in the thirty-eight other Cities of Literature to recommend… Continue reading

  • Read Magazines for Free with Flipster

    One of the downsides to grocery delivery, if you’re a magazine reader, is lack of access to impulse-buy reading material in the checkout line.  Those cover recipes on cooking magazines are a great way to get inspired in the kitchen. Celebrity gossip is an effective distraction on a rough day and can be a good… Continue reading

  • Three on a Theme: Pandemic Philosophy

    As we progress into what seems like the umpteenth month of this pandemic, the long-term effects of what it feels like to be isolated from loved ones, constantly exposed to news reports about death and infection rates are starting to feel quite exhausting. Even though some lockdown measures are slowly thawing (have you tried curbside… Continue reading

  • The Story of Film Part 13: New Boundaries – Cinema From Around the World

    As Mark Cousin’s The Story of Film marches into the 1990’s, we are now on the cusp of a technological step forward that will change the face of cinema itself. But before we cross the digital threshold, let’s focus on the filmmakers emerging during the waning days of celluloid. Though he began his film career… Continue reading

  • Magical Tales by Women of Color

    I went on a search for stories with a magical theme to them by authors who are women of color. On my search I managed to procure these six stories for your enjoyment. They are all a little different, so hopefully you’ll find one to strike your fancy. The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig… Continue reading

  • #BookBingoNW2020: Indigenous Author

    If you’ve been wanting to decolonize your bookshelf but aren’t sure how to start, Adult Book Bingo has an indigenous author square, which is an excellent opportunity to begin including more works by Native authors in your daily reading. The Library offers plenty of fiction and nonfiction by indigenous writers from all over the world,… Continue reading

  • Book Series by Volume – Classic Edition

    Today’s Book Series by Volume looks at a few ‘classic’ series that have stood up to time fairly well. A reminder: all series are measured in hardback as we all know that’s the only proper way. The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis – Filling over 1/3 of a cubic foot, this seven-book series seems… Continue reading

  • England, 1976: Heatwave

    If you spend enough time around books – reading books, reading reviews, shelving books – you start to notice trends, and sometimes they’re very specific. (For example in the first half of 2019, there were at least two books with main characters in comas reassessing their lives: The Inbetween Days and The Book of Dreams).… Continue reading

  • Short Stories on a Theme

    There are times when it may be hard to focus on a long novel, so a short story might be a better choice. You can pick up a book of short stories and read one or all. Many compilations feature different authors coming together to focus on one theme and giving you a selection of… Continue reading

  • Write On!: Get Graphic! Go Comic!

    Are you drawn to drawing your own world? Do you picture rows of frames, imagine scenes, come up with your own cast of characters and play those scenes out in your mind? Is there, somewhere near, a messy pile of graphic novels or comic books that you have poured over a hundred times or more?… Continue reading

  • #BookBingoNW2020: Mentioned in another book

    Book Bingo is still underway, and some of those squares may be giving you trouble. Here are some suggestions for the mentioned in another book square. The beauty of this category is that there are so many books about books to choose from. Additionally, so many books mention other books in them, naturally and surreptitiously,… Continue reading

  • Book Series By Volume: Hard-boiled Edition

    For this installment of Book Series By Volume I’m sleuthing out detective novels. There are several bulky series to look at, but I’ve picked my personal big three. Harry Bosch Series by Michael Connelly The 22 books cover about one and a half cubic feet, but Bosch shows up in a couple other satellite series… Continue reading

  • Three on a Theme: Books About Trees for All Ages

    There is nothing quite like a book with some really good tree lore in it. Trees have always been a source of awe and inspiration for people, inspiring a sense of intense calm and mystery with their age, stillness, and connection to forces of nature that human beings simply cannot understand. As such, there are… Continue reading