Books About the Region
Non Fiction Regional Resources
Local Trivia, Eccentric History, Games and Travel Texts
Below are some suggestions for historical non-fiction reading. You'll find suggested regional history tests and books about Seattle history. For local history look to our Local History Resources by County.
Scroll down and peruse fiction for youth and adults based on local history. At the bottom of the page you will find a few books approaching state history from a fun perspective: you'll find trivia games, oddball history, travel writing, and other ideas for looking at history from an alternative angle.
For further reading ideas try the Washington State Library at www.secstate.wa.gov/history/publications.aspx.
Non Fiction Regional Resources
Harmon, Alexandra. Indians in the Making: Ethnic Relations and Indian Identities around Puget Sound. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1999.
Discusses the definition of Indian identity through encounters with white settlers in the Pacific Northwest.
Johansen, Bruce E. and Roberto F. Maestas. The Creation of Washington's Latino Community, 1935-1980. El Centro De La Raza, 1981.
Discusses the history leading up to the creation of El Centro De La Raza.
Morgan, Murray. Puget's Sound: A Narrative of Early Tacoma and the Southern Sound. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1979.
History of Tacoma from 1792 to 1916, which describes the development of industry and the panic of 1893.
O'Connell, Nicholas. At the Field's End: Interviews With Twenty-Two Pacific Northwest Writers (Revised). Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1998.
Interviews with Tess Galagher, Gary Snyder, William Stafford, Denise Levertov, Ursula K. LeGuin, Raymond Carver and many others.
Ruby, Robert H. and John A. Brown. A Guide to the Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press New Ed., 1988
An alphabetized guide to tribes in the Northwest.
Strickland, Ron Ed. Whistlepunks & Geoducks : Oral Histories from the Pacific Northwest. New York: Paragon Press, 1990
Interviews with residents of the Pacific Northwest, entertaining and engaging.
Sucher, David Ed. The Asahel Curtis Sampler: Photographs of Puget Sound Past. Seattle: Puget Sound Access, 1973.
Photographs of early Washington development and industry accompanied with short essays.
White, Sid and S.E. Solberg Ed. Peoples of Washington: Perspectives on Cultural Diversity. Pullman: Washington State University Press, 1989.
A vision of Washington’s diverse ethnic heritage, with extensive bibliography for further research.
Wright, Mary C. More Voices, New Stories: King County, Washington's First 150 Years. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2003.
Twelve essays exploring the history of Seattle and King County with a focus on social, cultural, and ethnic history.
Zwinger, Susan. The Hanford Reach: A Land of Contrasts. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2004.
Essays describing the land’s beauty and history.
Corsilles D.V. Ed. Rizal Park, Symbol of Filipino Identity: Glimpses of "Pinoy" Life in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle: Magiting Corporation, 1983.
Historical, social, civic, political and economic stories of Filipino life in Western Washington.
Dubrow, Gail. Sento at Sixth and Main: Preserving Landmarks of Japanese American Heritage. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2002.
Essays about life in Washington for Japanese Americans before WWII, discusses rural and city conditions, women’s experiences, daily activities and important landmarks.
Flewelling, Stan. Shirakawa: Stories from a Pacific Northwest Japanese American Community. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2002.
The story of forty Nisei White River Valley farmers and their life prior to their relocation to internment camps in 1942.
Furtwangler, Albert. Answering Chief Seattle. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1997.
A critique of the documentation of the speech and of the text, followed by consideration of the contexts surrounding the speech.
Pierce, J. Kingston. Eccentric Seattle: Pillars and Pariahs Who Made the City Not Such a Boring Place After All. Pullman: Washington State University, 2003.
An alternative history of Seattle.
Takami, David A. Divided Destiny: A History of Japanese Americans in Seattle. Seattle: University of Washington Press: Wing Luke Asian Museum, 1998.
A history of Japanese Americans before and after their internment at Minidoaka. Wing Luke Museum to accompany the 1992 exhibit: Executive Order 9066, 50 Years Before and 50 Years After.
Taylor, Quintard. The Forging of a Black Community: Seattle's Central District, from 1870 Through the Civil Rights Era. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1994.
Discusses how blacks contributed to the development of current Seattle communities.
Tsutakawa, Mayumi and Alan Chong Lau Ed. Turning Shadows Into Light: Art and Culture of the Northwest's Early Asian/Pacific Community. Seattle: Young Pine Press, 1982.
Photos, poetry and essays by and about Northwest Asian Americans before 1941.
Holm, Jennifer L. Boston Jane Series: An Adventure. Harper Trophy, 2002.
Fiction for young adult and teen readers. A young woman from Boston sails to the Pacific Northwest, her journey is about embracing the pioneer spirit.
Holm, Jennifer L. My Only May Amelia. Harper Trophy, 2001.
Newberry Honor Book, Fiction for young adult and teen readers. A young Finnish girl grows up in the Pacific Northwest in 1899.
Lelooska and Christine Normandin. Echoes of the Elders: The Stories and Paintings of Chief Lelooska. Dk Ink: 1st American Ed, 1997.
Stories and artwork by Ariel Washington’s Chief Lelooska.
Local Trivia, Eccentric History, Games and Travel Texts
Baskas, Harriet. Washington Curiosities / Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff. Guilford: Globe Pequot, 2003.
Travel guide; fun for discussions of tourism and regional economies.
Hedtke, John V. Washington Trivia. Nashville: Rutledge Hill Press. 2002.
Fun trivia for classroom games.
Illing, Joe. Olympia: a Downtown Walk. Olympia: Black Hills Ltd. Sesquicentennial edition, 1999.
A walk through downtown Olympia written in verse, each section references Olympia past and present. Good fun.
