by Paula Becker and Alan J. Stein
University of Washington Press – 300 pp – $39.95

Marking the 50th anniversary of the 1962 World’s Fair, this image-rich hardcover book tells the story of a pivotal moment in our region’s history – the 1962 World’s Fair and the construction of the Seattle Center. Officially named Century 21 Exposition, the fair drew 10 million visitors and even made a little money — remarkable success for an event staged in a little-known, geographically isolated city. Read the rest of this article »

Washington State Jewish Historical Society - $36

Food constitutes a unifying and identifying force. It simultaneously defines and reflects culture and is a primary factor in the preservation and continuation of our traditions. For the Jews of Washington State, cuisine (and particularly the stories that the recipes tell) communicates ancient traditions, Eastern European and Ottoman history, Pacific Northwest culture, and the evolution of each successive generation’s values and taste buds. This new cookbook illuminates Sephardic and Ashkenazic traditions and combines them with the pioneer spirit of the Pacific Northwest, its bounty of food products, fresh produce and growing foodie culture.

by Kurt E. Armbruster
University of Washington Press – 384 pp, 50 illus – $26.95

Seattle is a music town with rich, deep roots that have influenced the culture and identity of its civic life for decades. Seattle native Kurt Armbruster is an historian, professional bassist, and singer-songwriter. In this book he details a far-reaching and entertaining panorama of Seattle music from the 1890s to the 1960s, “before Seattle rocked.”

Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington – $16

This book contains childhood recollections – omoide – of Japanese Americans from the Pacific Northwest who were incarcerated during World War II. The Volume I-III compilation is available for $16, Volume IV is available for $14, and Volume V for $15. To place your order, send an e-mail to omoide@jcccw.org or visit the JCCCW office, 511 16th Avenue S, Seattle.

by Sandra M. Chait
University of Washington Press – 304 pp – $35

Prolonged violence in the Horn of Africa, the northeastern corner of the continent, has led growing numbers of Ethiopians, Eritreans, and Somalis to flee to the United States. Despite the enmity created by centuries of conflict, they often find themselves living as neighbors in their adopted cities, with their children as classmates in school. In many ways, they are successfully navigating life in their new home; however, they continue to struggle to bridge old divisions and find salaam, or peace, with one another. Read the rest of this article »

by Barbara Johns
University of Washington Press – 272 pp, 80 illus – $50

This eloquent account of Issei artist Kamekichi Tokita, together with his paintings and wartime diary, vividly illustrates an immigrant’s life in Seattle in the 1920s and ’30s and the uncertainties and anxieties of Japanese Americans during the World War II incarceration. Read the rest of this article »