Nonfiction

  • Fall Book Group Reads: Misha’s picks

    Here are some of my favorite reads from 2013 that I think would be fantastic for book group discussion. Continue reading

  • Are you registered to vote?

    The Seattle Public Library is partnering with the League of Women Voters of Seattle-King County on National Voter Registration Day, a nation-wide, nonpartisan effort to register thousands of voters on one single day. On September 24th, volunteers from the League of Women Voters of Seattle-King County will be joining a host of others across the… Continue reading

  • Struck By Lightning!

    Were you mesmerized by the recent news story about the motorcyclist who survived a lightning strike on I-5 during our severe weather last week? His hair was singed and an ear blackened, but other than being a little dazed, he lived to tell the tale. Although the odds of being struck by lightning in the… Continue reading

  • Comics That Educate

    I like to read comics and I also like to learn. I also like to read comics to learn. If you’re not one of the many people who already read non-fiction comic books, then you might find these reviews and recommendations helpful on where to start. The 14th Dalai Lama is a manga biography of Tenzin Gyatso… Continue reading

  • Columbia Branch Staff’s Favorites

    The Columbia Branch staff put up a popular Staff Picks display throughout July to celebrate this year’s Summer Reading Program. Here are some of the books the Columbia Branch staff loved: Blankets by Craig Thompson This graphic novel tells a story of coming of age, first love and early adulthood. Thompson captures those timeless themes perfectly… Continue reading

  • Strange History

    One hot July day a woman walks out of her house and starts dancing. She dances for hours and then days. Soon other people become infected with the dancing plague and before long hundreds are uncontrollably dancing in the streets. Sounds like a great science fiction story, right? Well it actually happened in Strasburg, Germany… Continue reading

  • Crime Comics: Fiction and Non-Fiction

    Crime comics were big in the 1940s and 50s, but when adoption of the Comics Code Authority in 1954 limited the types and severity of crime cartoonists could depict, their popularity waned. In recent decades crime comics have gained in popularity and stature as several talented creators have worked to resurrect and reinvent the genre,… Continue reading

  • Romantic Wednesdays: Real-Life Historical Romance

    Whether meeting (or creating) the perfect mate, experiencing a marriage gone wrong or finding lifelong love, romance is a main theme in much of life. Here are a few historical accounts of real-life relationships: How to Create the Perfect Wife: Britain’s Most Ineligible Bachelor and His Enlightened Quest to Train the Ideal Mate by Wendy… Continue reading

  • Awesome

    With the hustle and bustle of everyday city life, we sometimes forget to appreciate the simple things in life. I know I can’t be the only person who enjoys things like the other side of the pillow, popping bubble wrap, sweatpants and the smell of the coffee aisle in the grocery store. If you do… Continue reading

  • An Evening with Jamison Green at the Capitol Hill Library!

    On Thursday, August 1st at 6:30 p.m., come join us at the Capitol Hill Branch of the Seattle Public Library for a reading and discussion with author, educator, and transgender advocate, Jamison Green.  Mr. Green has spent over 25 years working for transgender civil rights, health, and social safety. Starting with a grass-roots support group… Continue reading

  • Author Kevin West shares five readable cookbooks

    We are thrilled to have Kevin West, author of Saving the Season: A Cook’s Guide to Home Canning, Pickling, and Preserving, a new (and gorgeous!) book covering the basics of preserving as well as advanced recipes.   Continue reading

  • Toilet Reads: Fascinating Nonfiction about the Necessary Acts

     The human body is fascinating. But sometimes what is more fascinating is what we do with what comes out of the human body. The book Life of Pee, by Sally Magnusson, is a testament to some of the strange and ingenious things we have done with urine. We have used it to dye our hair,… Continue reading

  • The rescued photos of Allen and Sachtleben

    Join us in the Central Library Microsoft Auditorium on July 11th at 7 p.m. as we welcome bicycle historian, David V. Herlihy, author of The Lost Cyclist: The Epic Tale of An American Adventurer and His Mysterious Disappearance and Bicycle: The History. Herlihy will present a selection of historical photographs of early bicycle tourists, Thomas Allen… Continue reading

  • A Tale of Two Burgs

    In July of 1863, 150 years ago, Blue still fought Gray and the fate of a nation was hanging in the balance. Two great battles ensued simultaneously, one to control the western nation and one as an invasion of the north. At Vicksburg, Mississippi, a great siege was in progress under the command of General… Continue reading

  • Historic Expeditions

    I love reading travel accounts from bygone eras, when so much of the world was still unknown and could be accessed only by foot, horse or boat. Here are some fascinating accounts of historic journeys: The Fourth Part of the World by Toby Lester The Waldseemüller world map of 1507 is the 1st that shows… Continue reading

  • Nightstand Reads: Some of Tao Lin’s favorites

    Taipei, Tao Lin’s newest novel, delivers a deeply personal, powerful and moving story about family, relationships, accelerating drug use and the lingering possibility of death. We are so pleased to have Tao Lin with us today on Shelf Talk, talking about books he loves. One of my favorite novels is Lydia Davis’ The End of… Continue reading

  • Nightstand Reads: Science reporter Sandi Doughton on earthquakes

    Seattle Times science reporter Sandi Doughton’s book Full-Rip 9.0: The Next Big Earthquake in the Pacific Northwest  covers the scientists who are trying to understand when, where, and how big the next earthquake will be. She’ll be discussing her book and research next Tuesday, June 18, at 7 p.m. at the Central Library. And today… Continue reading

  • Dancing about architecture

    The unusual design and architecture of Seattle’s Central Library has inspired many people. Every day, throughout the day, someone can be seen taking pictures of the steel and glass building both inside and out. Photographers are found around the Fourth or Fifth Avenue entrances looking into the honeycombed windows or skyward at the jutted angles… Continue reading