The Seattle Public Library - Programs & Events

How did Charles Darwin, a failed medical student and unpromising candidate for the priesthood, come to write "The Origin of Species," one of the most influential books ever published? In this entertaining talk, Darwin himself (with some assistance from evolutionary biologist and lecturer Pepper Trail) will recount how his country childhood, his voyage on The Beagle, and his vibrant circle of friends and colleagues led him, sometimes reluctantly, to the insights that revolutionized our understanding of the world. Pepper Trail earned a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology and ornithology from Cornell University. He has had a decades-long fascination with Darwin, and primary sources for his talk are Darwin's own writings and the authoritative two-volume biography of Darwin by Janet Browne.

The Washington Center for the Book invites everyone to celebrate the 2014 awards. The program in the Microsoft Auditorium will feature emcee Nancy Guppy, host and producer of the Seattle Channel's "Art Zone with Nancy Guppy" and brief readings from the winning titles. A reception, book sales and signing will follow in the Central Library Living Room on Level 3, with entertainment by the Seattle7Writers and Jennie Shortridge's cover band, The Rejections (and Trailing Spouses). The Washington State Book Awards recognize eight outstanding books published by Washington authors in 2013 in the categories of fiction, poetry, biography/memoir, and history/general nonfiction for adults. The Scandiuzzi Children’s Book Award honors a children’s picture book and one book each for early readers (ages 6 to 8), middle readers (ages 9-12), and young adults (ages 13 to 18). The authors of the award-winning books and the illustrator of the picture book will receive a $500 honorarium, thanks to generous support of The Seattle Public Library Foundation, Eulalie and Carlo Scandiuzzi, and Grace Nordhoff.

"Practicing Journalism" is about the varied reasons that journalists remain dedicated to reporting the news. At a time newspapers are under siege and laying off workers, many newspaper professionals soldier on. Why? At what point in their careers did the power and purpose of journalism captivate them? What happened, and what did they learn? Authors Paul Steinle and Sara Brown, Ph.D., decided to find out, interviewing editors and publishers, face-to-face, across America. Their book features profiles and first-person interviews -- stories of challenging authority, serving community, embracing empathy and influencing change. It includes testimonies from 91 journalists from The Seattle Times, The Tampa Bay Times, The Boston Globe, The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, The Garden Island, The Navajo Times, La Opinión and many more. Paul Steinle was a journalist for 29 years and has been a journalism teacher since 1991. A former president of UPI and Financial News Network and TV news director at KING-TV in Seattle, he is currently an adjunct professor teaching journalism at Quinnipiac University. Sara Brown, Ph.D., is a human resource professional, management trainer, columnist and educator in the newspaper business. Her columns have appeared in publications for the National Newspaper Association, and she has conducted workshops for the American Newspaper Publishers Association.

In Dubai at the height of its self-invention as a futuristic Shangri-la, the protagonist struggles with his new position as the “family officer” of the Batros family. And he struggles, even more helplessly, with the “doghouse,” a seemingly inescapable condition of culpability in which he feels himself constantly trapped. “The Dog” has been longlisted for the Man Booker prize. Joseph O’Neill is the author of five books, including “Netherland” (which won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and the Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award, and was named one of the 10 Best Books of the Year for 2008 by The New York Times.

Featured readers include Robert Pinsky, Seattle poet Heather McHugh; filmmaker Lynn Shelton; and Aidan Lang, Seattle Opera's General Director. Hosted by KUOW's Marcie Sillman, the evening will also feature community members reading their chosen poems. Initiated in 1999, Seattle's Favorite Poems was inspired by the Favorite Poem Project, Robert Pinsky's initiative as 39th Poet Laureate of the United States. It celebrates poetry's role in the lives of the people of Seattle.

In 1527, Panfilo de Narvaez sailed from Spain with a crew of 500, intending to claim for the Spanish crown what is now the Gulf Coast of the United States. But the expedition met with storms, disease, starvation, hostile natives, and within a year there were only four survivors, including the young explorer Andres Dorantes and his slave, Estebanico. After six years of enslavement by Native Americans, the four men escaped and wandered through what is now Florida, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Lalami captures Estebanico's voice and vision, giving an alternate narrative for the famed expedition. Black men played a significant part in New World exploration, and Native Americans were not merely silent witnesses to it. Laila Lalami was born and raised in Morocco. She is the author of "Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits" and "Secret Son," the 2010 Seattle Reads title. Lalami's writing has appeared in Newsweek, The Nation, The Guardian, The New York Times, and in numerous anthologies. Her work has been translated into 10 languages. She is the recipient of a British Council Fellowship, a Fulbright Fellowship, and a Lannan Foundation Fellowship, and is currently an associate professor of creative writing at the University of California at Riverside.

Robert Cantwell - a writer who ran in the same New York literary circles as Ernest Hemingway and John Dos Passos - wrote "The Land of Plenty," a book many consider to be the first modern novel of the Pacific Northwest. Reed's new book "Robert Cantwell and the Literary Left" attempts to reclaim Cantwell's place in the canon of 20th-century American literature. The book also serves as a biography of Cantwell, who gave up his career as a novelist due, in part, to McCarthy-era politics that branded him as a communist sympathizer. Spokane writer Jess Walter authored the introduction to a recent reissue of Cantwell's "The Land of Plenty."

Caregiving is on the top ten list of most stressful jobs. The emotional aspects of caregiving are often the most difficult to manage. This presentation will explore the emotions of caregiving, as well as those of the care receiver. Topics to be covered include grief, sadness, anger, guilt and fear. Techniques to better manage emotions will be provided. Speaker Karen Kent, sponsored by the Northwest Parkinson's Foundation, is a licensed mental health therapist with a specialty in geriatrics. She has worked with older adults and their families for 35 years. She currently owns her own geriatric services business.

Crowley is the author of ten novels and three collections of short fiction. He has been honored with the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel ("Little, Big") in 1980, the Literature Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1992, and in 2006 received the World Fantasy Convention's Lifetime Achievement Award. His work for film and television has been shown at international film festivals. Since 1993, Crowley has taught creative writing at Yale University. Clarion West Writers Workshop is dedicated to providing high quality educational opportunities for writers of speculative fiction at the start of their careers.

From deserts to ghost towns, from national forests to California bungalows, many of the features of the western American landscape are well known to residents and travelers alike. In "How to Read the American West," William Wyckoff introduces readers anew to these familiar landscapes as a geographer and an accomplished photographer. Wyckoff offers a fresh perspective on the natural and human history of the American West and encourages readers to discover how history has shaped the places where people live, work, and visit. Wyckoff is a professor of geography at Montana State University.

Caring for an older adult or aging parent? Confused about what you should be thinking about or doing for your loved one or yourself? Being a caregiver for a family member requires time, hard work and dedication. Knowing where to turn for support and what’s available are key to taking good care of your loved one and yourself. At this workshop, we'll discuss the resources, tips and tools available to family caregivers to ensure a successful caregiving experience. Speaker Erika Campbell, sponsored by the Northwest Parkinson's Foundation, is a geriatric mental health specialist with over 20 years of experience in the education, healthcare and mental health fields. She specializes in education and training in dementia care, advocacy, end-of-life issues, resource development, and family dynamics in coping, grief, and loss.

The Beacon Hill Branch of The Seattle Public Library is turning 10 years old! During the celebration, author Ken Mochizuki read from his work and there was an Open mic for local writers to share their work.

The Beacon Hill Branch of The Seattle Public Library is turning 10 years old! During the celebration, there was an architecture panel sharing the vision, design, and process of Beacon Hill's new library building.

Have questions about caring for your aging family? Join us for a discussion of end-of-life issues, including: - advanced directives - durable power of attorney for healthcare - hospice care - Death With Dignity law, including qualification requirements - information on ways to prepare for burials/cremations Speaker Nancy Niedzielski, sponsored by the Northwest Parkinson's Foundation, is a volunteer with Compassion and Choices, Death With Dignity National Center, Providence Hospice and started the first ever Brain Tumor Caregiver Support Group in Washington State. She is a contributing author for a book published by the American Academy of Neurology on brain cancer.

Love a good story? Come to the scene of the crime, the edge of adventure and timeless realms of wonder. Sit back, relax and escape from the everyday as we bring you gripping short stories expertly read -- and well-calculated to keep you in suspense