Seaworthy

Linda Greenlaw is back with another memoir and she will be speaking at Powell's bookstore tomorrow evening, June 8th, at 7:30pm. This one is called Seaworthy, and it is about her return to being a swordboat captain.

Greenlaw first became well known when she was mentioned in the book The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger. She has written several books including, The Hungry Ocean, and All Fishermen are liars.

Aw, come on!

I told myself I wouldn't complain about the rain because I know I live in the Northwest, and every person outside of the Northwest says we're all about the rain, and the rain is why it's so beautiful and our surroundings are something to be envied...but...but...biting my rain-soaked tongue...

Ok, every cloud has a...well, another cloud behind it...no, no, no, a silver lining, and the lining in this case happens to be books.  Rain doesn't stop us Northwesterners from doing things, but it does provide an excellent opportunity for reading.  And there are two books that I think can provide a form of pseudo-sun-therapy.  Humor Me: An Anthology of Funny Contemporary Writing (Plus Some Great Old Stuff Too) is edited by Ian Frazier, a writer for The New Yorker, and a very funny guy himself.  This collection includes funny stuff from Roy Blount, Jr., David Sedaris, Steve Martin, Calvin Trillin, and more, and if these writers can't induce a few yucks, well, then, mercy me.

The other title, I Know I Am, But What Are You? is by Daily Show correspondent, Samantha Bee (she's dressed like a bee on the cover which seems a little obvious to me, but hey, if my last name was Cat, I'd probably wear whiskers).  Her essays can be a little edgy (meaning, if you're expecting clean, Art Linkletter-like humor, don't go here), but she definitely has an interesting take on life.

"They don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us" - Miss Maudie

This summer will be 50 years since To Kill a Mockingbird was published.  A new book, Scout, Atticus, and Boo: A Celebration of Fifty Years of To Kill a Mockingbird, which will be published next month, asks writers and celebrities what influence Harper Lee's "novel of the century" had on their lives.  I'm ordering this title soon, and in the meantime, you may want to check out a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird - we have both the book and the oscar-winning movie.  Ms. Lee's work is a true rarity, in my opinion - both the novel and the film are masterpieces.