Book Notes: 19th-century Catholic bishop’s letters collected
A 19th-century bishop who worked in the Northwest is the subject of a new book co-edited by Patricia O’Connell Killen, academic vice president at Gonzaga University, and Roberta Stringham Brown, a French professor at Pacific Lutheran University.
“Selected Letters of A.M.A. Blanchet, Bishop of Walla Walla & Nesqualy (1846-1879)” was released this year by the University of Washington Press. The book includes 45 letters that offer a window into Washington history.
Blanchet, a French Canadian, was named the first Catholic bishop of Walla Walla in 1846. In his 32 years in the region he was witness to the California gold rush, Indian wars and displacement, and the Whitman incident in which Marcus Whitman, his wife and 11 others were killed by members of the Cayuse and Umatilla tribes who accused him of poisoning Indians in his care.
Killen and Brown will hold a reading Nov. 8 at University Book Store in Seattle, 4326 University Way N.E., on the UW campus. On Nov. 13, the duo will come to Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main Ave., for a reading at 7 p.m.
Also at Auntie’s
New York Times best-selling author Marissa Meyer – not to be confused with Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer – will be reading from the Lunar Chronicles at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
The first book, “Cinder,” is a sci-fi recasting of the Cinderella story. The follow up, “Scarlet,” is a riff on Little Red Riding Hood. The third book, “Cress,” due out in December, is the Rapunzel story.
Poetry, in motion
Lauren Gilmore, Spokane Poetry Slam’s 2013 grand champion, will be among the poets on stage for Auntie’s monthly 3 Minute Mic on Friday.
The fun begins at 7 p.m. In a Remember the Word showcase, Gilmore will read works by W.B. Yeats, Jack Gilbert and Zbigniew Herbert. Isaac Grambo will host.
Minidoka subject of new book
Walla Walla-based photographer and author Teresa Tamura is diving into U.S. history in a new book.
“Minidoka: An American Concentration Camp” is a photo essay book exploring the Idaho internment camp where Japanese Americans from the West Coast were relocated during World War II.
Minidoka, located in Hunt, northeast of Twin Falls, was the larger of two camps in Idaho. The other, Kooskia in North Idaho, is the subject of a research project at the University of Idaho.
Tamura’s book follows the stories of those who lived at Minidoka. It also includes 180 black and white photographs. The book was published by Caxton Press in Caldwell, Idaho.