Here is Sam Roberts’s Are They Dead Yet? The Art of the Obit. Roberts, a 50-year veteran of newspaper journalism, is an obituary writer. The Art of the Obit does a deep dive into his working process. Look, the fact that you are dead is the least interesting thing about your obituary—at the very least, …
From Secret Garden Books in Seattle, WA: What’s the staff reading? Hana just finished… Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth Meet Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick: eighty-one years old, gloriously grumpy, fiercely independent, and never without a hot cup of tea– or a cutting remark. She minds her own business in her quiet Melbourne suburb, until a neighbor …
A spooky fast-paced story perfect for young horror fans. Ryan and Teddy are thrust into a pure nightmare when they go into the Hungry Forest looking for their dad. The only thing? Their dad is dead and whatever goes into the forest never comes out. What follows is a story that explores grief, brotherhood, and …
From Brick & Mortar Books in Redmond, WA: Friday, September 25 is… Dolly Day Join us in the store or online for a one-day fundraiser in honor of the literary legacy of Dolly Parton. Inspired by her work with the Imagination Library, we’re donating 10% of all pre-tax sales between 9AM and 5PM on 9/25 …
Revolutionary Letters is as much a poetry collection as it is unabashed, radical, stream of consciousness speeches. Di Prima was one of the few female beatnik writers allowed in the boys’ club of the literary movement. Certain letters seem most pertinent to the time they were written, while others hold ideas that give perspective on …
This is a book about friendship, loss, finding happiness, time travel, and most of all—magical books. I was so drawn into our book-loving protagonist’s world as she discovers these fantastical books that there were multiple nights I stayed up reading far past my bedtime. This book is a necessary read for anyone who’s dreamed of …
Actor Lili Taylor writes and reads these thoughtful, beautifully crafted essays about her relationship with birds and the natural world, connecting birdwatching to the work of noticing and paying attention. I can’t wait to go on several longer walks this weekend and finish this collection. –Andrea, Browsers Bookshop, Olympia, WA Whether you listen to a …
Wilson spent the summer in the headlines for her takedown of Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey script — a film whose director had cited her translation as an influence. This is the better use of her attention: an orientation for anyone who finishes the Epic and wonders where to go next, a case for returning to the …
1930s Kentucky: Cussy Mary Carter is a packhorse librarian who brings books to the people of Troublesome Creek. She is also part of a family who has a unique shade of blue skin– a trait that causes suspicion and distrust within her own community. This historical fiction novel is as fascinating as it is educational …
Like the authors of some of my favorite recent memoirs—Hilary Peach’s Thick Skin, Finn Murphy’s The Long Haul, Charlotte Gill’s Eating Dirt—Paré-Poupart had access to the class-elevating levers of education but found himself in a blue-collar trade and chose to stay for decades. In his case, that’s hauling garbage in Montreal, hurling bags of trash into the …
