While we’re poking fun at ourselves with the Ode to a Dead Salmon bad writing contest (deadline August 15), we’ve got plenty of good writing to celebrate, too. Once each quarter, we pick a great Northern book to read and discuss in our 49 Writers online book club.
We begin the book selection process by taking nominations, followed by a poll to choose this quarter’s book. Anyone can nominate a book for discussion, and anyone can join in. Readers can stop by any time to leave comments, and if possible, we’ll get the author to join in as well. We’ve scheduled our two-day online discussion for September 20 and 21.
In the past, we’ve discussed John Straley’s The Big Both Ways; Seth Kantner’s Ordinary Wolves; Miranda Weiss’s Tide, Feather, Snow; Cindy Dyson’s And She Was; Nancy Lord’s Rock, Water, Wild; and David Vann’s Legend of a Suicide. Books nominated but not selected in the past can be nominated again. Nominated titles should either be written by Northern authors or set in the North.
To nominate a book for discussion, leave a comment below. You don’t have to justify or explain a nomination unless you want to; just leave the title. You know the drill: click the button that says (number) comments below, write your comment in the box, type the silly-looking capcha letters, choose an identity (anonymous is fine), and wait for confirmation that your comment has been posted. Easy enough. We’ll gather the nominations next Tuesday morning, August 10, and set up a poll so readers can choose their favorite from among the nominated titles.
Walking Home by Lynn Schooler
Going to Extremes by Joe McGinniss, in honor of the Epicenter reissue
A Man of His Village, Tanyo Ravicz
The All Alaska Sweepstakes, by Mark and Helen Hegener, photos by Jan DeNapoli
Just Breathe Normally by Peggy Shumaker. Been out a while but I've always meant to read it and would love to have a deadline!
Walking Home, by Lynn Schooler. Received highly favorable reviews. Read his previous book, The Last Shot, and found it well-researched and riveting.
Since several people have mentioned this book I'm passing on a notice from Hearthside Books in Juneau: Lynn Schooler will be there on August 12, 6 – 8 pm at the Nugget Mall store.
Lynn is an amazing writer.
When I finished his book, Blue Bear, I was quite literally speechless for some time. I didn't want to read anything else, hear any music or talk to anybody for a while; just wanted to sit with whatever it was that book gave me. It had a profound affect on me. I'm not able to be in Juneau but I hope there is a good turnout for a great writer.
—Therese Harvey
The Spanish Bow by Andromeda Ramano Lax.