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Air date: Aug. 13, 2023
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JESSICA:
Hi, this is Jessica Russell. I’m the Assistant Director of Collection Services at Sno-Isle Libraries. And welcome to Book Buzz.
Today's reading recommendations are a stunning insight into Indigenous lives and a wonderfully quirky romance.
First, we’re going to hear from Kim, a library associate at the Snohomish Library, as she takes us on a visual journey. Over to you, Kim.
KIM:
“Project 562: Changing the Way We See Native America,” by local artist, storyteller, and Swinomish and Tulalip Tribes member, Matika Wilbur, reached number 11 for hardcover nonfiction on the New York Times Best Seller List in its initial week of publication.
This celebration of Indian Country is a powerful, must-read for anyone interested in the issues most urgently effecting Indigenous people right now. It is also a breathtaking example of the power of portrait photography as an art form.
This collection of honest and intimate portraits and interviews with members from hundreds of tribes across the U.S. is a labor of love, a work spanning ten years and covering over 600,000 miles. A decade ago, Wilbur hopped into her van, funded by a kick-starter campaign, to reflect contemporary Indigenous people through her Indigenous lens. Great care was taken by Wilbur to make sure that the stories shared remained intact and honored, and that the context of the images were self-chosen expressions of the individual being photographed.
As a long-time fan of Matika Wilbur's work on the podcast "All My Relations," it is so exciting for me to see this master work centering indigenous identity and experience in print. I consider this work a gift to humanity, a contribution to our common legacies of both art and biography.
JESSICA:
Thanks, Kim. I love that this celebration of Indigenous life is from a local author.
Next, Let’s change gears for a heartwarming story about relationships from Robyn, library associate at the Stanwood Library. Over to you, Robyn.
ROBYN:
If you’re ready for a romance that will make you laugh and cry, then “Book Lovers” by Emily Henry is for you. This story has the right amount of cheesy moments and predictability to make you chuckle out loud more than a few times.
In “Book Lovers” we follow literary agent Nora, an organized person with detailed checklists, even for dating. One day, she meets Charlie while seeking help with her client's book. It wasn't a pleasant encounter, but years later, they cross paths again during a vacation in small town Sunshine Falls. They start getting closer, but Nora also realizes her sister, Libby, might be keeping secrets from her.
Author Emily Henry’s usual witty banter and fast-paced writing kept the story moving along as she leaned into all the stereotypical small town romance tropes. It was easy for me to pleasantly get lost for a few hundred pages and forget about real world stresses.
I consider “Book Lovers” a comedic meditation on love, family, and the making of your own way. This romance, with a little “steam,” is also full of “bookish” references for those of us who are indeed book lovers. While the "sister" story is the binding of the book, the romance smiles on in the background. This book is the perfect beach read.
JESSICA:
Thanks, Robyn! I adore books about books! There’s a rumor that this one will be made into a movie.
Our recommendations this week are: "Project 562: Changing the Way We See Native America” by Matika Wilbur, and “Book Lovers” by Emily Henry.
Join us next time, when we’ll explore more great reading recommendations – interesting books you can find at your favorite local bookstore or at your local library.
Until then, I’m Jessica Russell from Sno-Isle Libraries.
Thanks for joining us for Book Buzz on KSER.
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