Spokane County Library District: Spokane is Reading celebrates 20 years and shares 12 recommended books

Spokane Is Reading has announced its Writers Recommend Booklist for 2021 to mark its 20th anniversary. At first glance, these dozen books look like a mish-mash selection. And that’s because we’re putting the choices for wonderful reading recommendations in the hands of former Spokane Is Reading writers. Our only reservation was to pick one book (or in some cases two) that brought them hope, joy, or laughter over the past year. This is a change for me as a board member of Spokane Is Reading. I usually read the book I picked (along with dozens of other options) well in advance of the announcement. This year I am reading these books with you and I look forward to all of the great fiction and non-fiction books on this list. Here is the author’s suggested book list for 2021: Washington Black, by Esi Edugyan
The acoustic trumpet by Leonora Carrington
Perseverance: Shackleton’s Incredible Journey by Alfred Lansing
With love, Nina: A nanny writes home from Nina Stibbe
The Elizabeth McCracken Souvenir Museum
Everyone knows your mother is a witch from Rivka Galchen
Dear committee members, by Julie Schumacher
I Came As A Shadow: A John Thompson Autobiography
Writer and lover, by Lily King
Anxious People, by Fredrik Backman
Earthly possessions, from Anne Tyler
Transcendent Kingdom, by Yaa Gyasi On the Spokane Is Reading website you can find a quote from each recommending author about what they liked about the book (s) and how it brought them joy, hope or laughter. I’ll give you a glimpse of what two authors had to say about their book selection. Here is Jess Walter’s recommendation for Washington Black from Esi Edugyan: “It may be surprising to propose a book that begins with the horrors of slavery as uplifting read, but it is exciting to see the hero of this novel escape on a West Indian plantation Hot air balloon and experience a whole wide world of nineteenth century adventures. ” Amy Stewart shares this on Fredrik Backman’s Anxious People: “For sheer escape and stress relief, I recommend Anxious People, about a bank robber who didn’t really intend to hurt anyone. It’s a warm and comforting book about people overcoming difficulties.” Circumstances through outside help. It was a good friend when I woke up in the middle of the night and wanted to read something until I got back to sleep. “I hope you read one or more of the writers’ recommend booklist. And of course you could read them all! To make copies you can borrow or purchase them from the three sponsoring organizations: Spokane Public Library, Spokane County Library District and Auntie’s Bookstore For those of you who miss the personal writing events Spokane Is Reading hosts, please know Board members hope we can bring a book and author for Spokane Is Reading to Spokane County in 2022. Spokane Is Reading is a collaborative effort between the Spokane Public Library, the Spokane County Library District and Auntie’s Bookstore. More information is available at www.spokaneisreading.org.

This news release was prepared by the Spokane County Library District. The views expressed here are your own.