Andrea G.

  • Fiction new book roundup – May 2017

    Craving something to read by a favorite author or hoping to find a debut novelist? We’ve got you covered with new fiction coming out this month, May 2017. 5/1: 16th Seduction by James Patterson – the latest installment in the popular Women’s Murder Club series. 5/2: Salt Houses by Hala Alyan – a novel about a… Continue reading

  • Nonfiction to read alongside The Turner House

    In 2017 Seattle Reads The Turner House, a novel about a large African-American family set in Detroit. We hope you’ve read it, or are planning to. Perhaps it has left you wanting to know more about the Great Migration of African-Americans from the South to the North; or about the city of Detroit; about the economic… Continue reading

  • Seattle Reads The Turner House: Fiction to Read Next

    In 2017 Seattle Reads The Turner House by Angela Flournoy. Set in Detroit in 2008, post-economic crash, we meet the Turner family as the 13 adult siblings must decide what to do with their family home, worth only 1/10 of its mortgage. As we get to know three of the siblings better, we also get the… Continue reading

  • Fiction new book round-up – April 2017

    Looking for a new novel to read? Here is a selection of fiction being published in April 2017. Continue reading

  • Bringing Women’s Stories to Life

    For Women’s History Month this year, I’d like to highlight the way fiction can take a real person’s life and help fill in the gaps about what we historically know, using imagination in order to bring that person’s story back. In particular, since the historical register generally focuses on men, women’s full lives were often… Continue reading

  • New book round-up – March 2017

    Looking for something new? Here is a selection of books being published in March 2017. Continue reading

  • Intriguing Latin American Fiction

    Only about three percent of all books published in the United States are works in translation, and many of those books don’t necessarily garner a lot of mainstream press. As part of our ongoing series highlighting intriguing international fiction, here is a glimpse of some recent, interesting novels from Latin American authors. Continue reading

  • Publishing new book round-up – February 2017

    Looking for something new? Here is a selection of books being published in February 2017. 2/7 – The Book of Hygge by Louisa Brits – another book about the Danish phenomenon that promotes coziness, comfort and connection, from the happiest people on Earth. 2/7 – You Are the Universe: Discovering Your Cosmic Self and Why It Matters by… Continue reading

  • Epistolary Novels in the 21st Century

    If you ever took an English class that covered the history of literature, you very likely spent at least a few minutes on epistolary novels, or novels written as a series of documents, traditionally letters. The examples that spring to my mind are the classics, such as Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson (c.… Continue reading

  • Microhistories

    There is a certain satisfaction in reading deeply on one topic, which is why I love microhistories. For our purposes, microhistories are nonfiction books which view history and its larger themes through the examination of a singular object, event or idea. Here are a few recent titles to get you started – see a list… Continue reading

  • Best of the Best of lists

    Year-end lists can be the best, giving you ideas to round out your 2016 reading year and take into 2017. Here are some lists created by librarians – from the expected, such as best novels and top ten picture books; to the unusual, such as the best books with red covers. We’ve also added some… Continue reading

  • Intriguing African Fiction, 2016

    Sitting down to write about international fiction can be overwhelming simply because there is so much good stuff available, and any entry will inevitably leave so much out. Consider this a glimpse of interesting novels coming from outside our borders – in this case, coming from authors in countries throughout Africa. Nigeria’s literary scene is… Continue reading

  • Celebrate Native American Heritage Month through poetry

    National Native American Heritage Month, observed in November, honors the histories, cultures, and contributions – historical and ongoing – of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Here are a few suggestions of poets to read in celebration, both this month and all year; you can also find this list in our catalog. Or check out the… Continue reading

  • What We’re Reading: Staff Suggestions

    As you might guess, many library staff are big readers. Here is a selection of what some of us are reading and enjoying these days, and why. Find a longer list of staff favorites in our catalog. Continue reading

  • Celebrate Native American Heritage Month Through Fiction

    National Native American Heritage Month, observed in November, honors the histories, cultures, and contributions – historical and ongoing – of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Here are a few suggestions of novels to read in celebration; or view them as a list in our catalog. You can’t go wrong reading any book by Washington author… Continue reading

  • Drink and book pairings for the winter ahead

    Booktoberfest 2016, our month-long celebration of books and booze, has come to an end but fret not – the rest of winter is a great time to continue this thematic exploration on your own. To that end, here are some suggestions for book and drink pairings, initially presented by librarians Andrea Gough and David Wright as… Continue reading

  • Welcome to Awards Season

    Can you feel it in the air? Have you seen the announcements? Literary awards season* is upon us again! On September 9th, the shortlist for the Man Booker prize was announced. On September 15th, the National Book Foundation finished announcing the 40 longlisted titles for the National Book Award in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and young people’s… Continue reading

  • Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month Through Reading

    Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15th-October 15th, honors the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans with ancestry in Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. Here are a few recent books written by Hispanic American authors to help you celebrate the month through reading. How the García Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez… Continue reading