I grew up in a house where creativity lived in the walls. Cartoons taped along cabinets, carved rocks on display, a small unicorn painting near the coffee cups, and a 4-foot plaster cast of illustrated ducks hung on our dining room wall. As a child, I didn’t realize how these surroundings shaped my memories. They …
Surrounded by towering Douglas firs and a nearby forest to visit anytime, I enjoy sharing my days with backyard bird visitors—especially hummingbirds. Gentle, calming, and grounding, life in north Seattle truly feels like home to me. For as long as I can remember, nature and animals have always brought comfort and solace to my anxious …
Sashiko’s Stitches is a new picture book from local favorite Sanae Ishida (Little Kunoichi: The Ninja Girl). Sashiko is a little girl with overwhelming fears and worries. One day, her mother teaches her about a style of decorative traditional Japanese stitching also called sashiko, which was originally used to repair fishermen’s clothes. As Sashiko begins …
By: David Mura for JSTOR April 17, 2024 I Hear America Singing Japanese American poet Garrett Hongo is a guiding spirit to a glorious cacophony, an exuberant collective thrum made of different tongues and peoples. I’ve admired Garrett Hongo, the great Japanese American poet since I first read “Yellow Light” in The New Yorker in 1980. One arm …
It’s time for a Thursday Theme, where we shine a spotlight on some of the titles featured in this week’s Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association regional bestseller list. May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Let’s celebrate the first week with bestselling books by Asian American authors, and let’s work on getting some books by …
An agonizing must-read. Skewers the model-minority stereotype and creates space for the anger and trauma resulting from internment. Okada’s prose is haunting–perfectly suited to Ichiro’s sense of displacement (cultural, physical, moral). Sharp Seattle imagery and a fascinating publishing history (look up Shawn Wong at UW!). A vital history lesson, especially in today’s climate. –Ellen, Queen …
