Time to recognize what Spokane Is Reading

I remember when, in 2002, the Spokane Is Reading event began. The book that kicked everything off was “Plainsong,” the atmospheric little novel of small-town Colorado life by Kent Haruf. Over the years, the books and their authors — most of the authors, anyway — made the trek to Spokane. And I was fortunate to be able to interview many of them before I left the print edition of The Spokesman-Review in 2009.

My favorites? Haruf, of course. But I also enjoyed speaking to Orson Scott Card (“Ender’s Game,” 2004), Laurie R. King (“The Beekeeper’s Apprentice,” 2006) and especially the two authors with local ties, Jess Walter (“Citizen Vince,” 2007) and Sherman Alexie (“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” 2008).

Charles Frazier (“Cold Mountain,” 2003) did not make himself available. Enough said there.

All of this is intended as a preview of this year’s Spokane Is Reading selection, “Little Bee” by Chris Cleave. Along with the various book discussions that will be held throughout the month, Cleave will appear in two free readings on Oct. 12: 1 p.m. at the Garland Theater, 7 p.m. at the Lincoln Center. No tickets are required, and doors will open 45 mintues prior to each event.

By the way, if you click on the Spokane Is Reading home page, take the time to listen to Cleave talk about the “books that profoundy changed (his) life.” The first book he mentions is a bit of a surprise.