At Seaport Books we believe everyone is entitled to their own likes and dislikes when it comes to authors. In other words, we don’t judge a reader by her/his cover. Here are a few of the diverse titles and genres picked by our crew. We’ve also included titles suggested by our beloved customers. Happy Reading!
NOTE: We have books in Spanish in both our children’s area and in adult fiction. You will notice the Spanish flag on the spine. We feel this is especially important for books originally written in Spanish. We hope this is helpful to our customers in many ways.
SEAPORT BOOKS – ONLINE ORDERING – EBOOKS AND AUDIO BOOKS NOW AVAILABLE!
We are an active partner of bookshop.org, a website to support Indie bookstores which enables customers to order books online and give a percentage to us. Distributors ship the books directly to you. This gives us an online presence which will be handy for those living outside of our area or those who prefer to order online. You’ll find us here. Thank you, as always, for your continued support!
GIFT BOOKS FOR ALL TASTES AND AGES
Getting to the Water’s Edge on Whidbey & Camano Islands, Sound Water Stewards. This guide contains maps, photos, shoreline access and facilities as well as local history.
Clouds: A Guide for the Curious, Susan E. Clark. She gives us all the good reasons and information about why we should look up.
On Island Time, A Traveler’s Atlas: Illustrated Adventures on and Around the Islands of Washington and British Columbia, Chandler O’Leary. The art is amazing. The ferry information is accurate and the local history is done well. It’s the best!
Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments, Joe Posnanski. A delightful smorgasbord of baseball’s most memorable plays and players.
GOOD READS THIS SEASON
Bright Wings: An Illustrated Anthology of Poems about Birds, Billy Collins, Editor, David Sibley, Illustrator. A beautiful collection of poems and paintings celebrates the winged creatures that have inspired people for centuries. A thoughtful gift for anyone on your list.
Morsels of Zen, Sara Harlan. Sara has written a lovely memoir of her experiences following the death of her husband. Sara is an experienced art teacher, with the healing power of Zen and the art of Zentangle behind and within her. We can all benefit from her mindful essays and learn
how to let nature help us heal.
The Glassmaker, Tracy Chevalier. Travel like a skipping stone with Orsola across six centuries of Morano glass art as she tells her story and what an excellent story it is.
GOOD BOOKS TO STOCK UP ON
Gifted author, Niall Williams, now has three books we highly recommend: This is Happiness, Time of the Child, and Four Letters of Love. All have lilting, uplifting stories of love, faith and seizing the moment amid life’s unrelenting complications. Lovely reading at any time of year.
The Place of Tides, James Rebanks. A true story of the author’s experiences on an island in Norway above the arctic circle where he spends a Spring season with 70-year-old Anna who provides a safe haven for endangered eider ducks. You may already know this author from his book, The Shepherd’s Life: A People’s History of the Lake District which we also have in stock. Both books are food for the soul.
The Collected Regrets of Clover, Mikki Brammer. Perfect for readers of The Midnight Library and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. This story turns the subject of death into many reasons to celebrate life and was chosen by NPR as the best fiction of 2023.
A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck, Sophie Elmhirst. In June 1972 Maurice and Maralyn set sail and all went well – until it didn’t. Alone together for months in a tiny life raft we learn how they survived the most extreme conditions imaginable.
New and Selected Poems, Mary Oliver. We now have both volumes I and II of her best of the best.
A VERY SPECIAL BOOK
Wolf-Whale-Flicker, Terri Tavenner. This story is a rare gift, an insight into a Quileute world, an alternative to coming-of-age as we know it today. Quileute spirit helpers swirl around Duncan as the teen struggles to become a carver. Discovering his life’s work leads him into a thicket of unearthly encounters as deep and mysterious as the coastal rainforest where he lives. It is a rare look at the legends, life, and power of myth as experienced by native people.
BOOKS THAT STRIKE THE RIGHT NOTE AT THE RIGHT TIME
It’s No Fun Anymore, Brittany Micka-Foos. A collection of eight intriguing stories that show
us the many facets of being a woman in America. She is a local author, and we want to see
more of her work. They are all intriguing, well told stories.
Greetings from the Best Coast: 32 postcards, Chandler O’Leary. What a good idea. Artistic, humorous, postcards (16 images) ready to serve as a souvenir of your travels from Canada to Mexico. You will recognize her style from her atlas, On Island Time. They fit in your backpack!
The Next Day: Transition and Moving On, Melinda French Gates. Yes, this highly educated, wise, humanitarian has separated from her husband, but also from her position as director of the Gates Foundation. This is a good guide to making the most of the space between a sudden ending and a new beginning.
GREAT NORTHWEST READS!
Wintergreen: Rambles in a Ravaged Land, Robert Michael Pyle. Published in 1986, this history of the area known as the Willapa Hills between Grays Harbor and the Columbia River is as important as Sand County Almanac in learning what was done and why and what we can do now. This lyrical and lovely new edition has an excellent introduction by David Guterson.
Deep River, Karl Marlantes. Set in the 1900s in the same Willapa Hills, this book is a sweeping family saga in the early days of logging. It is a wonderfully detailed, dramatic story of the dangers of logging and the details of how families lived and thrived. It is a great American novel in every way, often compared to the work of Upton Sinclair and Willa Cather. It’s our story through and through especially for Scandinavians.
The Brothers K, David James Duncan. Set in Camas, Washington, not far from the books above, a family of four brothers comes of age in the 1950s and 1960s. This is a sweeping family saga also with many challenges and twists and turns. Another overlooked “great American novel” published in 1992.
The Evergreen Collection: Exceptional Stories from Across Washington State, Larry Clark,
Ed. Eleven journalists interviewed farmers, merchants, mountain climbers and hundreds of
others from Aberdeen to Zillah. They tell us in engaging ways what they learned. An excellent,
up-to-date rundown of life in Washington.
BIRD BOOKS FOR YOUR COFFEE TABLE OR SHELF
What It’s Like to be a Bird: From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing—What Birds Are Doing and Why, David Sibley. A beautiful guide to answer all your questions.
The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year, Margaret Renkl. An inspiring, uplifting 52 weeks.
The Backyard Bird Chronicles, Amy Tan. A gorgeous, witty account of birding, nature, and the beauty around us that hides in plain sight.
The Hawk’s Way: Encounters with Fierce Beauty, Sy Montgomery. These raptors live here in Skagit Valley and are so engaging to watch.
BEST NON-FICTION SUGGESTIONS
Cascadia Field Guide, Edited by Mountaineers Publishing. This outstanding book of art, poetry and stories offers a new relationship with heart, mind, and body, to Cascadia, the diverse eco- region from SE Alaska to Oregon and from the Pacific Ocean to the Cascade Mountains. It is a book to be savored and kept safe for generations.
A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There, Aldo Leopold. This seminal treasure launched a revolution and changed our thinking from seeing our land and its forests as timber to be cut, to living, breathing partners in a healthy life. This book has been hard at work informing minds for 75 years! We will always have it on our Caring for Our Earth shelves.
Project 562: Changing the Way We See Native America, Matika Wilbur. Ten years in the making, Matika visited every federally recognized tribe, took all the photographs and wrote all the text. We are so proud of our La Conner friend and Swinomish and Tulalip tribal member. She gracefully honors and adds substantially to the history and status of our Indigenous people.
HAPPY TO HAVE THIS IN STOCK!
Genuine Skagit Cooking, Featuring over 45 recipes from food producers, small business owners, and residents from around Skagit Valley, this new book is a collaboration between Genuine Skagit Valley, an organization that supports Skagit Valley growers and producers to help sustain farming in the region for generations to come, and Raspberry Bow Press, an independent book press located in Skagit.
MORE GREAT FICTION
The Mountain in the Sea, Ray Naylor. Humans discover intelligent life in a species of octopus with its own language and culture. They appear to hold the key to life on earth. This near-future thriller delves into the truths and nature of intelligence and brings thoughtful questions to mind.
The Little Village of Book Lovers, Nina George. The author of The Little Paris Bookshop takes us to a remote French mountain village where we find a book prescribed by the owner in the previous novel.
As we read the book, we meet villagers who also find books and acquire new awareness and enhanced lives. It’s a lovely fun sequel.
Forgotten on Sunday, Valerie Perrin, author of Fresh Water for Flowers. Justine, a young French woman, works in a retirement home. She is inspired by the stories of the residents to investigate her own life.
She was raised by relatives and does not know exactly why. A very good story evolves with the skillful storytelling and lovely prose of the author.
OUR NORTHWEST AUTHORS CONTINUE TO SHINE
Great Bear Wild: Dispatches from a Northern Rainforest, Ian McAllister. Through breath-taking photographs and moving prose, this book presents a compelling case for the urgent need to protect in perpetuity one of the most magnificent ecosystems on our planet. It is a rare book and priced at $29.95!
Beer Hiking Pacific Northwest: 52 hikes lasting from one to six hours and ending close by a brewery. Includes British Columbia. Our most popular hiking book!
ABOUT THE MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS
My Old Man and the Mountain: A Memoir, Leif Whittaker. The story of his father, Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Mt. Everest, and his family. A fine biography.
Of Men and Mountains, William O. Douglas. The man who conveyed to the rest of us the majesty and importance of preserving the snow-capped mountains and vast forests for all time, comes through clearly in this biography.
A Little Bit of Land, Jessica Gigot. A recent transplant digs into the rich soil of the Skagit Valley and reminds the reader of what true wealth is.
FOR YOUNG ADULTS AND CHILDREN
Cloudwalker, by Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd. This beautiful book tells the classic northwest First Nations legend of the origin of the life-giving lakes and rivers of northern British Columbia. The illustrations will take your breath away as you read it to a youthful audience. It is memorable in every way.
Something About the Sky by Rachel Carson, illustrated by Nikki McClure. Cut-paper wizard Nikki McClure is a brilliant steward for Carson’s eloquent essay in this wondrous ode to clouds – and the scientific “language of the sky.” Found in the children’s area but also in art books!
Want more ideas? Visit our Young Readers page for all the children in your life.
The right book can bring us new adventures and guide us out into nature. Books give us new ways of looking at the world and at our place in it. We have gardening books, biography and fiction that lets us see ourselves from the outside as other see us, and gives us a good look at the inside of others.
LOVED BY OUR CUSTOMERS:
Too Much Happiness is exactly how we feel about Canadian Nobel Prize
winner, Alice Munro. We have that title and Family Furnishings, Open
Secrets, Lives of Girls and Women, and others. Munro had such skill in
finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. We love her stories.
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, Ocean Vuong. Race, class, masculinity, are all part of a letter from a son to his mother who cannot read. Touches our hearts in every way. The Club, Ellery Lloyd. A smart and sinister murder mystery. The Forest Lover, Susan Vreeland. Only historical fiction can tell Emily Carr’s story. The Small Stuff, Paul Davidson. A romantic comedy told extremely well.
Cloud Cuckoo Land, Anthony Doerr. A superb novel about changing society.
STAFF PICKS & REVIEWS:
Seriously? The ‘gift’ of aging? How can anything filled with ailments, frailties, loss and fear be remotely considered a gift? Hold on to your walker, you’re about to find out. The award winning team of Marcy Houle and Dr. Elizabeth Eckstrom is back and stronger than ever in their latest The Gift of Aging – Growing Older with Purpose, Planning and Positivity. At a book launch in Portland last week, the audience was treated not only to words of wisdom but was also blown away by the presence of several smiling faces who are featured in the book. At one point, guests were asked to guess the age of one of these beaming elders. No one even came close. 102 and counting. Wow! Read Chapter 6 to learn about amazing Lucille. Another one of those friendly faces was Barbara Roberts, former Governor of Oregon who shares her story of loss, grief and a surprising new love in Chapter 29. And who doesn’t recognize the Bob’s Red Mill label? What you may not know is the story behind the label and the personal triumph of Bob Moore at age 87. Chapter 7 will take you on that journey.
Familiar with the term Humanitude? How about POLST? You’ll be happy to learn more about both. Death, diet, positivity, retirement, exercise, living arrangements, estate planning – key topics are outlined and addressed. The heartfelt insight gleamed through Marcy’s personal interviews and the practical steps of Dr. Eckstrom’s guidance proves to be an invaluable combination. And a great tool for all ages. Gift yourself a copy today. And send one to the young people in your life. We all age everyday. How we do it matters greatly. Here’s to staying connected, staying mindful and staying kind. NOTE: Scroll down to read about the author’s earlier award winning release: The Gift of Caring.
Can you imagine Mozart walking by a pet shop and hearing a bird chirping a melody he wrote? Can you imagine him NOT going in to investigate? Talk about an intriguing and fun premise. In Mozart’s Starling, local author, Lyanda Lynn Haupt takes the reader on an exploratory journey that delights and surprises. Even if you’ve never walked down Graben, Haupt does a masterful job of transporting you to the streets of Vienna and the era that Mozart lived there. With her own starling, Carmen, by her side (or on her shoulder), she treats us to the story of Mozart’s pet and illustrates details about this species that will have you applauding. The duality of her writing mirrors Mozart’s compositions which were both simplistic and complex depending on the audience. What makes birds imitate sounds? Do they really live in slow motion? What do they teach us? “To wander paths, nibble purslane, notice spiders. To be rained upon. To listen with changed ears and sing back what we hear.” Thank you, Ms. Haupt. Here’s to singing back!
What’s not to love about clouds? They come in all shapes and sizes, provide free sky entertainment and can be viewed from a window or a hill and on land, sea and air. Some of THE best books about clouds are by Gavin Pretor-Pinney. An Oxford grad and UK resident, Gavin started the Cloud Appreciation Society (CAS) which now boasts over 50k members worldwide. His expertise has been featured on NPR, OPB and a variety of science platforms. A Cloud A Day offers 365 photos from CAS members around the globe illustrating all 10 main cloud categories along with their 7 variations, 8 accessory types, 11 supplemental clouds and another 10 optical effects (really smashing ones like sun pillars and iridescence). Perfect for all levels of cloudspotting from beginning to seasoned spotter. You’ll love the photos and the message: Keep Looking Up!
“There are an estimated 70 sextillion (70,000,000,000,000,000,000,000) stars spread out over 2 trillion (2,000,000,000,000) galaxies in all the space we can possibly see (the ‘observable universe’).” Wow. Try wrapping your head around that one! If anyone can help shine some light into black holes and beyond it’s award-winning astrophysicist Lisa Harvey-Smith. And she does it in such a warm and witty way that you will actually read this book with an awe inspired smile vs a frustrated frown. The Secret Life of Stars – Astrophysics for Everyone provides fact based and utterly amazing information on everything from SETI (Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence) findings to constellation stats to R136a1 (Ray for short) and beyond. The types of stars alone will have you mesmerized – red dwarfs, cannibals, enigmas, giants, self-destructors – it truly is a limitless array of facts that seem like fiction. Perhaps the most awesome part of the author’s message is how very connected we are to each and every star. The ones we can see with the naked eye (about 3k) and the ones we can’t – the other trillion billion. Thank you, Lisa, for taking your backyard, wide-eyed young girl fascination for stars and growing it into a lifelong study and teaching about our cosmic family. This compact hardcover book is perfect for adults and young adults and easily slips into a travel bag or glove compartment.
There is no easy way to talk about caring for elderly parents. The trials and tribulations that unfold almost daily could cause a holy man to run for the hills. All the more reason why The Gift of Caring by award winning author, Marcy Houle, is a must read. If you have ever, are now or will be caring for your parents, read this book. If you are in the health or senior care industry, read this book. If you are a senior citizen, read this book. And keep a notepad (along with tissues) handy. There are SO many noteworthy moments as the author provides up close and personal accounts of caring first her retired physician father and later her mother. You’ll be stunned, angered, baffled and heartsick over much of what she and her parents endure. But don’t give up. As in life, alongside the pain there is promise. The hopeful message here is revealed slowly but most assuredly. It includes the reaffirming truth that as much as we fear it, death can bring a peaceful return to beloved memories. It confirms that once we learn how to practice self-care, we are better able to detach from the worry and pain. It is then that we can honor the process of letting go and allow our hearts to feel the love once more. And that is the treasure and gift of caring.
Recognizing that her journey is one undergone by thousands of others on a daily basis, the author brilliantly shares these chapters with an expert from the medical profession. Dr. Elizabeth Eckstrom, MD, MPH, director of geriatrics and cofounder of the OHSU Healthy Aging Alliance, provides answers and explanations in relatable, concrete terms. You’ll get resources, definitions and suggestions for coping with the myriad of challenges in elderly care – ‘little green men’ and GICU anyone? You have a comrade in Marcy and a coach in Dr. Eckstrom. What a perfect team. Most of all, if you love a happy ending … you have a book for keeps.
Winner of the national Christopher Award – presented to the producers, directors, and writers of books, films and television specials that “affirm the highest values of the human spirit”. Scroll down to read reviews of other works by Marcy Houle. Click here to read more about the author.
Shallow Waters and Midnight Beach by Kay Jennings. Feels like the perfect time for a shadowy trip to the Oregon coast. Enter the Port Sterling Mystery series. Start with Shallow Waters where you’ll be introduced to the town’s new sheriff and the creepy murder case that greets him. “They are human bite marks, I believe,” said Dr. Ryder. “I’ll want to call in our DMD to confirm, but the impressions are pretty deep. Someone bit her repeatedly, and they were serious about it.” Talk about a tempting read. Midnight Beach finds the savvy sheriff with another gruesome murder to solve (a beheaded victim). This time everyone from the FBI to the Coast Guard get involved to track down the killer and whoever else is tied in to the drug and human trafficking connected to the murder. Suffice to say they get their man in the end – or is it a woman? Both books are easy, weekend reads that won’t disappoint in character or plot. Grab a cup of whatever and curl up for some genuine coastal vibe whodunit entertainment. Read more about local author Kay Jennings in our Meet the Author section.
The Prairie Keepers, Secrets of the Zumwalt by Marcy Cottrell Houle. Isn’t it amazing how a book can pick you up and transport you (and any worries you’re carrying) to a new place? If you weren’t a fan after her Wings for My Flight (see below), you will be with this read. Once again, the author faces daunting challenges. This time we journey back to 1979 and her first assignment in the Zumwalt Prairie. Poetic descriptions of wild lupine and Indian paintbrush appear alongside the frustrations and fears (including a hair raising episode of being chased by a bull). Skeptical townsfolk, too many chiefs, assorted male egos, ranchers seemingly against the prairie and any efforts to preserve the buteo hawks … what’s a young female biologist to do? There’s humor and heartache as well as triumph. You’ll close this book feeling enlightened, inspired and more understanding of Mother Nature and the importance of caring for her creatures. Well done, Marcy and thanks for the ride! Read more about this award winning Northwest author.
Wings for My Flight: The Peregrine Falcons of Chimney Rock by Marcy Cottrell Houle. Even if you know nothing about falcons, Chimney Rock, the Forest Service or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – you are going to be in awe of the author. What this 21-year old, fresh out of college female (in a field dominated by men), encountered and endured in the summer of ‘75 reads like an adventure novel. We’re talking hostile townsfolk, sweltering heat, stark living conditions, accidents, a scary dentist (creepiest part for me), criminal activity and even the F.B.I. The author shares her experiences in such an honest, unassuming way – you’re rooting for her right from the start. Marcy’s obvious love and devotion to the mission behind her work and the admiration she gains through her diligence and fortitude is inspiring and heartwarming. I think you’ll agree – the peregrines aren’t the only stars of this book. Enjoy! Read more about Marcy and her other books in our Meet the Author segment.
“When we heal ourselves, we heal the world. For as the body is only as healthy as its individual cells, the world is only as healthy as its individual souls.” That’s just one of the hundreds of entries that you’ll be tagging to reflect back upon. Welcome to the 20th Anniversary of The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Living the Life You Have. Mark Nepo’s #1 York Times Bestseller holds a treasure map for anyone thirsty to explore this human experience. Written in the format of guidance for each day of the year, Nepo – a beloved teacher, poet and spiritual guide – also presents a simple exercise to coincide with that day’s wisdom. Honoring all faiths and traditions, his words embrace the heart and light within rather than dogma. It is a book that will comfort, encourage and help strengthen readers at any stage of life. And one that you will come back to over and over again.
OF NOTE: Be sure to add local author, Cate Schultz’s book Soul Primer to your list. Beautifully written and illustrated and a wonderful guide for those on the path to happiness – one lesson at a time.
You don’t have to be a rower to be absolutely blown away by this book. A Pearl in the Storm, Tori McClure’s true story of her solo journey across the Atlantic in a rowboat, is written so boldly and beautifully you will find it hard to put down and hard to leave behind. Faced with unimaginable odds, the author conquers one life threatening moment after the next. Hurricanes, rotted food, injuries, flooding … and the constant wrestling with emotions both past and present. This is a mesmerizing, epic tale told in very human and real terms. You will cry and cheer more than once. “In the end, I know I rowed across the Atlantic to find my heart, but in the beginning, I wasn’t aware that it was missing.”
“Maybe insanity will not change to wisdom and a focus on the common good anytime soon, but I can bring less hate to the pot of stone soup, the common well, less of my unbaked cake batter. More rosemary, more carrots.” What’s not to love about Anne Lamott? In Almost Everything – Notes on Hope, the bestselling author shares more of her musings on life, love, grief and the wisdom within us. From the children in her writing class to the aging of friends, Lamott brings her nuggets of discovery up to the surface to share with us. Everyone, every situation can be a teacher. The devastating fires in California. A friend’s suicide. Political chaos. The sharp criticism of parents still ringing in our ears. Life is not easy and, in fact, can feel overwhelmingly difficult and harsh. Arriving at the core of our starry selves, however, we find the truth needed to carry on. Empathy, acceptance, grace. Thank you, Anne, for providing a contemporary, gentle reminder that love is always the answer.
Tides: The Science and Spirit of the Ocean by Jonathan White. Now a resident of the San Juan Islands, Jonathan White has given us an awe-inspiring non-fiction literary classic. Tides is a blending of science, history, and storytelling. He captures the spirit of the ocean and its tides by sailing, surfing, diving, and meticulous study, throughout his life. Every boater, every person who lives near saltwater, every person who ever stood on an ocean beach will love this masterful work. It is simply unparalleled. We are very proud to call Jonathan White a local author.
The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce. Not only for music lovers, but all music lovers will find a place in their heart and memory for this music shop. Rachel Joyce brings each character to life – they are simply unforgettable. Frank has the uncanny ability to prescribe just the music you need. This story is contemporary, funny, and tender. You just might recognize Frank’s neighborhood and wish to move there. I know I did. The Music Shop is a lovely story. Rachel Joyce also wrote The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.
Seaport Books is pleased to introduce you to By the Shore: Explore the Pacific Northwest Coast Like a Local by author Nancy Blakey. Just published by Sasquatch Press this book is a keeper. It is a guide book, a cookbook, a camping manual, chock full of excellent ideas. What a good housewarming gift it will make. Warning: You better buy two so you can keep one! This book is not a picture of nature. It is a gentle guide into experiencing all of the wonders of our beautiful Salish Sea.
The Wood for the Trees: The Long View of Nature from a Small Wood by Richard Fortey. Journey to Oxfordshire, England and explore the wonders of wooded Chiltren Hills. Magical, inspiring, surprising and educational – Fortey takes you month by month through the trails and timbers of his four acres of forest. I love how the author traces the grand history of the land alongside the minute details of resident beetles, ferns, moths and fungi. Don’t let the fact that Fortey is an award winning scientist and retired senior paleontologist at the Natural History Museum in London scare you. He writes with a soft sense of humor and a humble respect for nature and all its gifts. Speaking of gifts, the beautifully embossed cover makes this a perfect gift choice that friends will love to display.
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. This is an exceptionally GOOD STORY – from beginning to the very end. The book is well written with superb character development and poignant insight into human nature. To me, it was delicious! It spans 30 years in the Metropol Hotel after the Bolshevik revolution; with spy vs. spy, irresistible friendships, wisdom, romance and humor.
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult. This is the story of racism in America especially as it effects the court system. Picoult exposes many shades of racism though her characters in this novel. The main character, a 44 year old Labor and Delivery nurse, is charged with murdering the newborn son of a neo-Nazi couple. It is a courtroom drama unlike any I have ever experienced through reading. This book will fire an excellent discussion at book clubs across the country if given a chance. And isn’t this the reason we read literature — to experience life that is beyond us? The title is taken from Martin Luther King Junior’s quote: “If I cannot do great things, I can do small great things.” It is being made into a movie with Julia Roberts, but then what isn’t?
The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World. Through the loving efforts of author Douglas Abrams who acts as co-author, guide and interviewer, we get up close and personal with Archbishop Tutu and the Dalai Lama as they meet and spend a week together. Knowing that this may very well be their last time together (the trip had to be postponed several times due to ill health), their conversations feel even more a privilege to share in. Just how do these two icons find peace in an increasingly troubled world? What message of hope can they give to us? The answers will inspire and delight and expand your heart. Yes. These are incredibly brave, intelligent and respected leaders but they are also human beings with flaws and needs. Their candor and humor will bring tears to your eyes and laughter to your soul.
Western Washington University has selected Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements as the Western Reads book for the 2018-2019 academic year. The book is a compilation of short stories written by a diverse group of activists, artists, poets, and organizers involved in building movements for social change. Edited by Walidah Imarisha and Adrienne Maree Brown. Read more about the current book choice. Or click here to read about their 2017-18 book selection: Tulalip, From My Heart: An Autobiographical Account of a Reservation Community by Harriette Shelton Dover.
The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery. “Here is an animal that has venom like a snake, a beak like a parrot, and ink like an old-fashioned pen. It can weigh as much as a man and stretch as long as a car, yet can pour its baggy, boneless body through an opening the size of an orange.” Treat yourself to this best seller and fall in love, as the author did, with one of the planet’s most amazing creatures. You may not have 3 hearts as the octopus does, but yours will certainly be expanded by meeting Athena, Kali and Octavia. I love this book! Makes a perfect gift, too. Read how a book reviewer discovered our store and fell in love with this book!
Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. Everything it says on the back cover is true! Robin Sloan has written a fascinating, warm, intelligent, suspenseful, fun story. I sincerely hope you finish this book well after midnight on some weeknight and say the same.
Going to Pieces – The Dismantling of the United States of America by Elaine Devery Willman. Any bookstore worth its salt is going to offer titles that stimulate conversation even when the topic is a controversial one. And here’s a book that has been stirring up heated debates since its debut. Originally written as a documentary companion to the author’s tribal land road trip in 2005; the content wasn’t made available to the general public until 2011. If you are a landowner, live near a casino, rent on tribal land or are curious as to what all the fuss is about; Willman presents a view that you may want to explore. Given recent hearings and headlines, the issue isn’t going away anytime soon.
Therapy Dogs and The Stories They Tell by Diana Lee. A certified counselor and NW resident, Ms. Lee shares heartwarming and often surprising stories surrounding therapy dogs and their ability to aid in her work with clients. For the past fourteen years, the author has created a private practice using Brussels Griffons as therapy dogs. The emotional effect these dogs have on her clients will bring you laughter as well as tears. The stories demonstrate how dogs can bring us joy and help us to move forward in our lives. I invite you to read this delightful book.
Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. This Seattle master of historic nonfiction can do no wrong in my eyes. I love all his work but my being a native Chicagoan gives this 2003 entry a slight edge. Larson paints history with such an entertaining brush the reader is truly along for the ride. This time it’s dual portraits of a city preparing for the 1893 World’s Fair with its feats of architectural wonders alongside the methodical plotting and doings of the country’s first serial killer. Talk about a dynamic combination. Best enjoyed with deep dish Chicago style pizza stuffed with broccoli, walnuts and cheese.
GUEST PICKS
At the age of 82, Arnold Ebneter set an aviation world record when he flew across the country in a plane he designed and built himself. Tomorrow marks the 7th Anniversary of that flight. In The Propeller Under The Bed, author, aviator and engineer, Eileen Bjorkman, shares the story of her father’s dream and what it was like for her growing up in a flying family. Thanks to our friend Jeromie from Seattle for recommending this read. A passionate pilot himself who flies out of the same air field in Snohomish, Jeromie reports that Arnold is a great guy to chat with and is still teaching people to fly. The book is on our shelves now. Here’s to dreams coming true at any age!
We love it when Seaport fans suggest books for us to carry like this “what if” from Portland authors Hays and McFall. Bonnie and Clyde: Resurrection Road has been getting great reviews since its debut. It’s a wild ride of historic facts, fantasy and fun. Suggested by Pete from Shreveport, LA – just a few stops away from the Bonnie & Clyde Ambush Museum. Thanks, Pete!
SEAPORT BOOKS 360-399-1800 