Best book lists are always subjective and somewhat suspect. Consider the New York Times’ recent list of the “100 Best Books of the 21st Century,” for example. As Spokane author Sharma Shields points out in her great recent post on the subject of book lists, the NYT’s list has NO Native books on it. It goes without saying, I suppose, that it’s light on Pacific Northwest titles too.
Fortunately, Shields doesn’t stop at critiquing the lists of others. She also offers her own “21st Century Book List for the Northwest.” It’s an excellent list, full of diversity and showing the wild promise of Northwest literature.
Not all of the books on Shields’ list are set in the Northwest, but a fair number are. Which makes sense, of course. Not only do writers write what they know but the Northwest is an intriguing region that is underrepresented in the book world.
Below are a few of the Northwest-oriented books on the Shields list. You’ll find all of her selections, along with her sharp essay on book lists here.
(Click on any title to read more about it and/or order it.)
Ma & Me: A Memoir by Putsata Reang
Perma Red: A Novel by Debra Magpie Earling
The Beadworkers by Beth Piatote
The Cold Millions by Jess Walter
The Laughter by Sonora Jha
The Flood Girls by Richard Fifield
Marrow Island: A Novel by Alexis M. Smith
Red Paint: The Ancestral Autobiography of a Coast Salish Punk by Sasha taqwšeblu LaPointe
The Collector: David Douglas and the Natural History of the Northwest by Jack Nisbet
Rough House: A Memoir by Tina Ontiveros
Idaho: A Novel by Emily Ruskovich
White Magic: Essays by Elissa Washuta
Deep River: A Novel by Karl Marlantes
Homestead: A Novel by Melinda Moustakis
West of Here: A Novel by Jonathan Evison
The Jump-Off Creek: A Novel by Molly Gloss
One Long River of Song: Notes on Wonder by Brian Doyle
Sun House: A Novel by David James Duncan
Bitterroot: A Novel by Suzy Vitello
The Child Finder: A Novel by Rene Denfeld
We Are Not Strangers: A Graphic Novel by Josh Tuininga
I wish I had space (and time) to give a quick summary of each of these 21 books. Suffice it to say that you won’t be disappointed in any of them. All of them explore, investigate, and often celebrate the uniqueness of the Pacific Northwest, past or present (sometimes both).
If you read even a few of them, you’ll come away with a greater appreciation for all of the talent, richness, and profound questions residing in this lush and fascinating land.
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Image of stacked books courtesy of Freepik.