SAL/ON

A Blog of Seattle Arts & Lectures

Category: 2016/17 Season

Timothy Egan

Introductions: Timothy Egan

On October 26 at Benaroya Hall, National Book Award-winning author and journalist Timothy Egan joined us for a night of time travel, discussing the research process and emotional journey he takes when bringing his American portraits to life. SAL Associate Director Rebecca Hoogs introduced Tim for this event, the second evening in SAL’s 2016/17 Literary Arts Series. By Rebecca Hoogs, SAL Associate Director It […]

Read More

Timothy Egan

How Timothy Egan Time Travels

“I’m sort of an accidental historian. . . I’m a storyteller first and foremost,” said Timothy Egan of how he creates his vivid portraits of little-known historical figures. “There’s no such thing as boring history—only boringly told history.” On October 26, for his 2016 Literary Arts lecture, Egan walked us through the go-to sources that have lent texture to his accounts and, to himself […]

Read More

“Lantern” by Myhanh Wong

Lantern You’re sitting in class. The teacher drones on and on. On her desk sits a lantern. Decorative yet functional. You think of the different scenarios of why you would use that lantern. In your mind you travel forward in time with that lantern. You’re sitting in a bunker, waiting for nothing to happen. The […]

Read More

Roxane Gay

CYOS: A Choose-Your-Own Literary Adventure

If you could curate your own series of authors and thinkers to come to Seattle, who would you choose and why? Besides starting up your own local reading series, the closest you can get to a literary-style Choose Your Own Adventure is probably SAL’s Create Your Own Series, in which you can pick any four of our events […]

Read More

Poet Ada Limón

Introductions: Ada Limón

On October 5th at McCaw Hall, Ada Limón—the wildly generous and truthful poet whose “heart wants her horses back”—read from her book Bright Dead Things and gave us all excellent writing advice. SAL Associate Director Rebecca Hoogs introduced and interviewed Ada for this event, which opened SAL’s 2016/17 Poetry Series. By Rebecca Hoogs, SAL Associate Director For a […]

Read More

Timothy Egan

Required Reading: Timothy Egan

By Alison Stagner, SAL Events Coordinator and Sonder Editor As part of our Required Reading series, we share a list of three essential works from SAL’s featured writers. Up this time: Seattle-based New York Times columnist and nonfiction author, Timothy Egan. “But is he going to talk about politics?” It must be the unprecedented vitriol of our election season, but I’ve […]

Read More

Book Review: A Life in Parts by Bryan Cranston

By Julia Cook I don’t need to watch Breaking Bad. It’s a blasphemous thought, to which my boyfriend does not respond well. “But we’re seeing him in October,” he cries. “You’re reviewing his book!” With any great actor, you don’t need to meet his character to have a talk with him. And that’s how Bryan […]

Read More

Poetry Series opener Ada Limón visiting Roosevelt High School

Writing Advice from Ada Limón

By Alison Stagner, SAL Events Coordinator & Sonder Editor When SAL’s luminous 2016/17 Poetry Series opener Ada Limón visited Roosevelt High School last Thursday, there was a surprising moment in the classroom. Asked about the writing exercises she uses in her own classes, Ada described a technique she ordinarily practices with much younger children: a group effort poem, composed aloud, […]

Read More

“A Few Blades of Grass” by Zainab Al-Bahadli

  A Few Blades Of Grass I was born to a seaglass house Softened by the rough edges of the sea, Chipped and clouded though it was I was born. Upon my birth I shattered it Gripping a dagger and a forget-me-not. I was born in a well Filled to the brim with gold paint […]

Read More