Rainy days are meant for a cozy chair, a cup of coffee and a good book….
There are so many brilliant writers in Seattle, and many who have called Seattle home at one time... so if you ask any Seattleite for a great book to read to get the Seattle Vibe, you’re going to get a lot of great suggestions.
I will always recommend “The Boys in the Boat” by Daniel James Brown. A beautifully told tale of working class young men who showed the world what true grit can accomplish. It is especially touching because the boat house they rowed from is still on the mouth of the Montlake Cut and still in use for recreational boat rentals Montlake Cut and still in use as a canoe and boat storage
“Chief Seattle and the Town That Took His Name” If you know anything about Seattle, it has to be that the city was named after Chief Si'ahl, (Sealth) whose name when anglicized, became Chief Seattle. He had a great friendship with Doc Maynard which helped foster relationships between pioneers and Native Americans. This in-depth look took twenty years to research and write, and brilliantly details our cities early history. You will recognize many street names and neighborhood names from the people of the time.
Although the list below does not come near to all the suggestions from my friends in the History of Puget Sound and Surrounds, (71 different books were mentioned) these were the most recommended and have definitely been added to my reading list. Feel free to share your favorite Seattle reads!
On The Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford - a novel that takes place in Seattle during WWII.
Sons of the Profits by William Speidel - The story of Seattle from 1851-1901. Speidel is also the founder of the Seattle Underground Tour and has many other books about Seattle.
Skid Road by Murray Morgan - a look at our Timber Towns’ first 100 years
Mercer Girls by Libbie Hawker - a tale of high caliber mail order brides arriving in Seattle in the 1860’s
The Good Rain by Timothy Egan - Egan shares the landscapes, historical information, and personal experiences and conversations that define the PNW. The Good Rain by Timothy Egan - Egan shares the landscapes, historical information, and personal experiences and conversations that define the PNW.
