BOOKS

  • Torgny is #1

    There are a lot of wonderful things to say about the Swedish author Torgny Lindgren. However, we don’t have room here, and so I will simply say that Mr. Lindgren is the greatest living novelist. Of course that is only my opinion; others might suggest prolific writers such as James Patterson, Joyce Carol Oates, or… Continue reading

  • Growing Neighborhood Gardens

    Gardening is in my blood – my mom is a Master Gardener, and I’ve enjoyed digging around in the dirt since I was little. However, as a Seattle renter, I haven’t had much space to garden until this year when I finally got my own plot in a P-Patch Community Garden. Run by the City’s… Continue reading

  • Compassion and empathy

    “May you live in interesting times.” This phrase is most often said as a curse, and I am of the opinion that we are now living in interesting times. Many people around us have lost their jobs. Some have lost their homes as well. In these times, it is often difficult to deal with the… Continue reading

  • September Question of the Month: an irregular series

    The reference librarians at Seattle Public Library are pretty darn amazing. They don’t know everything, instead they know where to find everything. As part of an irregular series of posts we salute the talented and dedicated reference staff at your local library. Names and other identifying information have been removed from the questions we showcase.… Continue reading

  • Dinosaur News

    For creatures that went extinct 65 million years ago, there has been a surprising amount of dinosaur news in the last few years.  In fact, it seems like pretty much everything I knew as a child about dinosaurs is wrong!  First, Brontosaurus turned out not to be a unique species, or at least that’s not… Continue reading

  • Solidarity Forever! Celebrating Seattle’s Workers and Labor History

    As we enjoy our Labor Day barbecues and picnics, it’s a good time to reflect on Seattle’s extraordinary labor history and honor the men and women whose struggles and hard work not only built this city, but won us cherished rights. The Seattle Public Library is a great place to start research before going to… Continue reading

  • A Different Kind of Beach Read

    Personally, I’ve never understood the concept of a “beach read.”  I like to read the same kind of books at home by the fire (note to self: put in fireplace soon) in the middle of winter as I do while lying on a wrinkled, too small towel on the hot sands at the beach.  Here… Continue reading

  • What I Made: The Do-It-Yourself Bride

    Seattle is home to a thriving DIY ethic and culture.  As part of an occasional series of posts, we feature hand-made items created by staff at The Seattle Public Library and the library books, CDs, and DVDs that showed them how to do it themselves. We hope you’ll draw inspiration from their creations and check… Continue reading

  • Take a walk on the lighter side of religion

    Here are some unconventional books (and a movie) about religion and the kind of religious practices you might not hear about every day. The year of living biblically: one man’s humble quest to follow the Bible as literally as possible by A. J. Jacobs (2007). A. J. Jacobs’ quest is to follow the Bible as… Continue reading

  • What I Made: A Sustainable Landscape

    Seattle is home to a thriving DIY ethic and culture.  As part of an occasional series of posts, we feature hand-made items created by staff at The Seattle Public Library and the library books, CDs, and DVDs that showed them how to do it themselves. We hope you’ll draw inspiration from their creations and check… Continue reading

  • Bike to Work and Work to Bike!

    May is Bike to Work Month. As I was riding my bike home from work the other night, I got the idea of chronicling my commute right here on Shelf Talk. Maybe I can bike commute every single work day in May, I thought. I work at the Queen Anne Branch of The Seattle Public… Continue reading

  • What I Made: Handmade Graduation Card

    Seattle is home to a thriving DIY culture.  As part of an occasional series of posts, we feature hand-made items created by staff at The Seattle Public Library and the library books, CDs, and DVDs that showed them how to do it themselves. We hope you’ll draw inspiration from their creations and check some of… Continue reading

  • What I Made: A Treehouse for My Daughter

    Seattle is home to a thriving DIY culture.  As part of an occasional series of posts, we feature hand-made items created by staff at The Seattle Public Library and the library books, CDs, and DVDs that showed them how to do it themselves. We hope you’ll draw inspiration from their creations and check some of… Continue reading

  • What I Made: Embroidered & Embellished

    Seattle is home to a thriving DIY ethic and culture.  As part of an occasional series of posts, we feature hand-made items created by staff at The Seattle Public Library and the library books, CDs, and DVDs that showed them how to do it themselves. We hope you’ll draw inspiration from their creations and check… Continue reading

  • What I Made: Rich Chocolate Ice Cream. Mmmm. Jealous yet?

    Seattle is home to a thriving DIY culture.  As part of an occasional series of posts, we feature hand-made items created by staff at The Seattle Public Library and the library books, CDs, and DVDs that showed them how to do it themselves. We hope you’ll draw inspiration from their creations and check some of… Continue reading

  • Library Day at Seattle Art Museum

    If you’re a Seattle Public Library cardholder, you probably already know that your library card gives you free access to books, DVDs, CDs, eBooks, databases and many more resources. But did you know that this Sunday only it’s also a free ticket to the Seattle Art Museum (SAM)? That’s right, Sunday, February 28 is Seattle… Continue reading

  • Catholic Humor

    As a lapsed Catholic not ready to change religions or to abandon it completely, I’ve been reading modern novels written by other people who take “THE FAITH” seriously, but not that seriously. Morte D’Urban by J. F. Powers won the National Book Award in 1963, and it’s set in rural Minnesota, where my most of… Continue reading

  • Halloween for Grown Ups

    I am one of those people who just loves to decorate my home with each new holiday and season.  Because of this, Autumn has become my favorite season of all –the changing leaves, colorful pumpkins, and plethora of holidays throughout is just too much for me to resist.  In order to get myself properly decorated… Continue reading