Northwest Passages Book Club and Community Forum

The Spokesman-Review's community book club and forum features best-selling authors, innovators and newsmakers. We invite readers to join us for evenings of exploration, adventure and conversation.

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A&E > Books

‘The Butterfly Girl’ by Rene Denfeld: What the critics are saying

Tue., Oct. 15, 2019

Denfeld is bringing her tour in support of “The Butterfly Girl” to Spokane on Oct. 23 for an evening with the Northwest Passages Book Club.

A&E > Books

Timothy Egan comes home to share ‘A Pilgrimage to Eternity’ with Northwest Passages Book Club

UPDATED: Thu., Oct. 3, 2019, 10:30 a.m.

Seattle writer Timothy Egan, the National Book Award-winning author of “The Worst Hard Times,” as well as “The Big Burn” about the Great Fire of 1910, is coming to his hometown of Spokane on Oct. 29 to celebrate the release of his latest book with the Northwest Passages Book Club. Egan’s new book strays from the historical journalism for which he has become known. “A Pilgrimage to Eternity: From Canterbury to Rome in Search of a Faith” chronicles Egan’s travels along the Via Francigena, a 1,200-mile medieval route that runs from Canterbury to Rome, where he sought an audience with Pope Francis.

News > Column

Rob Curley: Author Tom Mueller, who has Spokane roots, explains America’s ‘Crisis of Conscience’

Sun., Sept. 29, 2019, 5 a.m.

Sometimes things are just meant to be. Like when you work for seven years researching and writing a book that takes a massive deep dive into the complicated and often misunderstood world of whistleblowers only to have one of the largest and most important whistleblower cases in our country’s history begin at almost exactly the same time your book is to be released. That’s exactly what happened to Tom Mueller.

A&E > Books

Tom Mueller discusses uncannily timed book on whistleblowers ahead of Northwest Passages event

Sun., Sept. 29, 2019, 5 a.m.

Considering all that has happened in the last few weeks, it’s remarkable that author Tom Mueller spent nearly seven years working on his latest book – “Crisis of Conscience: Whistleblowing in an Age of Fraud” – which will be released this week. Last week, while in Italy, Mueller answered questions via email about his new book.

A&E > Books

Life as a homeless teen inspires ‘The Butterfly Girl’

Sat., Sept. 28, 2019, 10 p.m.

Rene Denfeld’s new novel “The Butterfly Girl” is a heartbreaking story of children living on the streets of Portland who face some of the worst kinds of predatory crimes, including sexual abuse, trafficking and kidnapping.

A&E > Books

Rob Curley: These women are the inspiration we all need right now

Sun., Sept. 22, 2019

It wasn’t an R or a D moment. It had nothing to with a political party. It was about a promise to a daughter, one who as a little girl would hold my hand and look up to me and tell stories and ask questions and generally melt my heart with her smile.

News > Spokane

Spokane-based environmental writer discusses beaver book with Northwest Passages crowd

UPDATED: Wed., Sept. 18, 2019, 10:11 p.m.

A crowd filled the Montvale Event Center in downtown Spokane to hear Ben Goldfarb speak about his book “Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter.”

Read more Northwest Passages Stories » Reading the Northwest »

October 23: Rene Denfeld, "The Butterfly Girl" in conversation with Chris Crutcher - a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales benefit Safety Net and Volunteers of America Crosswalk program Get tickets.

October 28: Tom Mueller, "Crisis of Conscience Whistleblowers in An Age of Fraud" Get tickets .

October 29: Timothy Egan, "A Pilgrimage to Eternity- From Canterbury to Rome in Search of Faith" (book available October 15, 2019) Get tickets

November 4: World Court - Benefit for Quentin Hall Get tickets

November 12: Vintage Spokane The Art of Chris Bovey Get tickets

November 14: Making life work on your terms: A candid conversation between Karen Wickre and Tess Vigeland about finding your own way to bypass the glass ceiling Get tickets