library staff

  • Happy Birthday, Doris!

    A friend told me about the book Century Girl: 100 years in the life of Doris Eaton Travis, last living star of the Ziegfeld Follies, by Lauren Redniss, a mind-blowingly original and unique illustrated biography of Doris Eaton.  I love this book so much for all its cultural cross referencing and magnificent handwritten text, memorabilia… Continue reading

  • Dijiste Que Me Querías: Como Sobrellevar lo Impensable por Maria Antonieta Collins

     Our library serves people speaking many languages. Here is one of them. Maria Antonieta es una escritora fácil de leer, con un colorido y peculiar lenguaje. En este libro nos narra el sufrimiento y dolor que soporto con la enfermedad de su esposo Fabio Fajardo; para después descubrir que su amado esposo cometió bigamia y… Continue reading

  • What are your sure-fire hits when it comes to books?

    If you’re looking in on Shelf Talk, chances are good you are a “book person,” and as such, are probably the go-to person for friends and family when it comes to what books they should read. This task requires much thought. What do they normally like to read? What mood have they been in recently?… Continue reading

  • The War in Fiction, part 2: The Home Front

    A War is not one story, but many. Here is the second of three lists of fiction that views the war through many eyes, reflecting the diverse experiences of civilians and soldiers around the world whose lives were drawn into the Second World War. A Place on Earth, by Wendell Berry. As the war draws… Continue reading

  • Books About Autism

    Why are there so many good books about autism? Sadly, maybe it’s because there are so many families dealing with this very difficult diagnosis. I love to read “my problem and how I solved it books” (think Ladies Home Journal’s long-running “Can This Marriage Be Saved?” series). Unfortunately many of the family members with autism… Continue reading

  • Gaiman gives it away!

    And we like it. To celebrate the seventh birthday of his blog, the wildly inventive Neil Gaiman asked his fans to vote on which of his titles they’d like a free electronic copy of. Now that the voting is over, American Gods is available for online readers at the Harpercollins site for the month of… Continue reading

  • Modern Scotland: A unique view of a people

    Being of Scottish descent on my mother’s side of the family (the Crawford Clan), I eagerly await and devour each fictional window of modern Scotland from Alexander McCall-Smith. Although best known for his delightful tales (beginning with the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency) set in Botswana, he also brings today’s Scottish folks alive in two… Continue reading

  • An old master dies

    The dowager queen of suspense, prolific author Phyllis Whitney died earlier this month (February 8, 2008) from pneumonia. She was 104 years old. In 80 years she wrote more than 100 short stories and 70 novels in four genres – adult, children’s mystery, young adult and nonfiction guides to writing. She published her last book… Continue reading

  • The Romans are here: are you ready?

    Where would you stay if you were able to visit ancient Rome, say in 200 AD? What would you have for dinner? Where would you go for entertainment? What tips would help you survive on those mean, mean, streets? Ancient Rome on Five Denarii a Day by Philip Matyszak purports to be a travel guide… Continue reading

  • The War in fiction, part 1: Europe

    A War is not one story, but many. Here is the first of three lists of fiction that views the war through many eyes, reflecting the diverse experiences of civilians and soldiers around the world whose lives were drawn into the Second World War. Articles of War by Nick Arvin. Sent to Normandy in 1944,… Continue reading

  • Shelf Talk: The Seattle Public Library Blog

    Shelf Talk is created and maintained by the staff of The Seattle Public Library. This is our first post! Seattle loves its libraries. Four out of five Seattlites has a library card (what’s with you other fifth, anyway?), and our per capita library circulation is among the highest in the country. We’ve been ranked the nation’s… Continue reading