Want to be part of a book club that features selections by some of our region’s greatest talents, and offers you a chance to meet the author in person?
Welcome to the KUOW Book Talks Live series at the Central Library. From February through May, KUOW Book Club host Katie Campbell will sit down with a different local author each month to discuss their latest work. Each book is also a KUOW Book Club pick, so mark your calendar and get reading! (Or read the book after the talk, a completely valid choice.)
The series kicks off with author and historian Coll Thrush on Feb. 26, who will talk about his new book, “Wrecked: Unsettling Histories from the Graveyard of the Pacific.” On March 23, writer and artist Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe will discuss her essay collection, “Thunder Song,” and on April 23, Molly Olguín will share “The Sea Gives Up the Dead,” a collection of short stories. Seattle author Sonora Jha will close out the series on May 23 with a talk about her new novel, “Intemperance.”
“You can expect transformative conversations, diverse voices, and unforgettable storytelling,” says KUOW’s Campbell. “Read along, bring your questions, and be part of the conversation!”
All library events are free and open to the public (of course) but registration is required and space is limited. Find details and registration links below or at KUOW’s Live Events page.
KUOW Book Talk with Coll Thrush. Thursday, Feb. 26, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Central Library, Level 1, Microsoft Auditorium. Historian Coll Thrush will explore the stories behind his new book, “Wrecked: Unsettling Histories from the Graveyard of the Pacific” a deeply researched look at the Northwest coast, where more than 2,000 shipwrecks reveal powerful histories of place, people, and survival. Thrush is a professor of history and associate faculty in critical Indigenous studies at the University of British Columbia, and the founding co-editor of the “Indigenous Confluences” book series at the University of Washington Press. Register here.
KUOW Book Talk with Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe. Monday, March 23, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Central Library, Level 1, Microsoft Auditorium. Writer and artist Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe will discuss her celebrated essay collection, “Thunder Song,” which explores Indigenous identity, resilience, and community, weaving together stories of trauma, healing, and creative expression. A member of the Upper Skagit and Nooksack Indian Tribes, LaPointe is the author of three books and a distinctive voice of the Pacific Northwest. Register here.
KUOW Book Talk with Molly Olguín. Thursday, April 23, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Central Library. Seattle-based writer Olguin will discuss “The Sea Gives Up the Dead,” which won the 2023 Grace Paley Prize in Short Fiction. The imaginative debut collection reimagines myths and fairy tales through a queer lens, exploring the borders between fantasy and reality, love and loss, and the monstrous and the human. Olguín’s fiction has appeared in Redivider, The Normal School, River Styx, Quarterly West, and more. Register here.
KUOW Book Talk with Sonora Jha. Thursday, May 21, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Central Library, Level 1 – Microsoft Auditorium. Acclaimed Seattle author Sonora Jha will discuss her latest novel, “Intemperance,” a sweeping and intimate story inspired by an ancient Indian ritual and the complexities of aging, love, and self-possession in a modern world. Sonora Jha is the author of four books, including “The Laughter,” winner of the 2024 Washington State Book Award for Fiction. Register here.
P.S.: If you’re not a member of the KUOW Book Club, it’s easy to join by signing up for the newsletter.
Thanks to Library sponsors The Seattle Public Library Foundation and The Gary and Connie Kunis Foundation and to our partner Third Place Books. KUOW Live Events are supported by Phinney Ridge Painting and Microsoft.