October holds hope of good reads
We’re approaching the halfway point in July, so there’s still plenty of time left to complete that summer-reading list.
A couple of books that have landed on my desk lately, though, are uncorrected proofs of volumes that won’t arrive on bookshelves until October. Even so, both seem well worth waiting for.
One is “Bretz’s Flood: The Remarkable Story of a Rebel Geologist and the World’s Greatest Flood” (Sasquatch Books, 320 pages, $21.95) by John Soennichsen. The book tells the story of J Harlen Bretz, the man who first theorized – arousing much controversy – that the unique scablands of Eastern Washington were caused by massive, ancient flooding.
Soennichsen, by the way, is the author of the ongoing online novel “Valley of the Shadow” that is being presented, chapter by chapter, at www.spokesmanreview. com/blogs/shadow.
The other book coming in October is Ivan Doig’s novel “The Eleventh Man” (Harcourt, 416 pages, $26). His ninth novel, and 12th book overall, is set during World War II and tells the story of one man’s attempts to document the wartime exploits of his 10 teammates on a legendary Montana college football team.
Doig is the Seattle-based writer of Montana roots whose previous works include “This House of Sky” and “Dancing at the Rascal Fair.”
None less than novelist Scott Turow has his name emblazoned on the cover of my review copy: “ ‘The Eleventh Man,’ ” Turow wrote, “is about loyalty and survival and sacrifice – and love – and remains intensely suspenseful and moving throughout.”
Mark your literary calendars for both.
What is genre?
Genre writing is the great misunderstood literary conundrum. When something is labeled “genre” – as in “mystery” or “science fiction” or even “romance” – it’s immediately considered, in some corners, as less than literary.
Yet some great writers of the 20th century, from Graham Greene to Raymond Chandler to Ursula K. LeGuin, toiled in various genres. And no one credible would question these writers’ literary abilities.
A discussion about genres will take place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Auntie’s Bookstore. The Inland Northwest Writers Guild, which is open to published and unpublished writers, is the host.
For information, e-mail Bonnie McDade at communiqueink@hotmail.com, or call Lind Bond at (509) 838-0206.
Book talk
•Inland Northwest Writers Guild, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Auntie’s Bookstore, Main and Washington. Call (509) 838-0206.
•Auntie’s Youth Book Group (“Airman,” by Eoin Colfer), 2 p.m. Saturday, Auntie’s Bookstore.
The reader board
•Michael Farley (“Dreamscapes”), Amber LaParne and Jasmine Paul (“Ghosts of Anne and Sylvia”), readings, 1 p.m. today, Auntie’s Bookstore.
•Kathleen O’Brien (“Northwest Green Home Primer”), reading, 7:30 p.m. Monday, Auntie’s Bookstore.
•Dale Soden (“Historic Photos of Washington State”), PowerPoint lecture, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Auntie’s Bookstore.
•Ken Bryan (“My Brother’s Eye”), Scott Melville (“The Scent of These Armpits”), readings, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Auntie’s Bookstore.
•T. Dawn Richard, Ed Muzatko, Charlotte McCoy, Mark J. Bessermin, Rosie Belisle, Jeff Lewis (“Northwest Tall Tales, Short Stories and Other Rare Ramblings”), group reading, 7 p.m. Friday, Auntie’s Bookstore.
•Kelly Milner Halls (“Dinosaur Mummies”), Verla Kay (“Rough, Tough Charley”), 11 a.m. Saturday, South Hill Library, 3324 S. Perry St. Call (509) 444-5385.