Murder in Vancouver 1886, by Marion Crook

Murder in Vancouver 1886, by Marion Crook Vancouver, 1886, a bustling city with a growing population and tantalizing opportunities. Some of those opportunities are illegal. When Amy MacDonald, the school teacher at Hastings Mill, discovers new Win­chester ’86 rifles are being smuggled through the city, she tries to enlist the aid of the earnest but…

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Mercy Pilot, by Dirk Tordoff

Mercy Pilot, by Dirk Tordoff Joe Crosson, a brave and skilled pilot, became a national hero between the world wars flying mercy missions in the North. He pioneered air routes throughout Alaska and foresaw the future of commercial aviation. Above all else, he loved to fly. In 1929, Crosson generated newspaper headlines worldwide flying a…

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Patsy Ann of Alaska, by Tricia Brown

Patsy Ann of Alaska, by Tricia Brown In 1929, Patsy Ann arrived in Juneau, Alaska, with an independent streak as big as the territory. The English bull terrier cycled through a couple of households, running away each time, making it clear that she was nobody’s dog. She was everybody’s dog. Meet the canine free spirit…

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The Oceanside History of Alaska, by Mike Coppock

The Oceanside History of Alaska, by Mike Coppock A history of Alaska’s seaports settled by fishermen, gold seekers, Scandinavians, Native peoples, and Russian trappers. It is a time of a violent history as these diverse people carved their own isolated world from forests, cliff faces, and raging seas. This is a tale of wild men…

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Caught in the Rush, by W. Mace Brady

Caught in the Rush, by W. Mace Brady As the depression of 1893 worsened, many began seeking a new life. By 1895, hundreds of banks and thousands of businesses had gone under. As the stock market collapsed, jobs became scarce, and the value of the dollar declined. In 1894, Bill Schooley, with two childhood friends,…

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Answering Alaska’s Call, by Linda Fritz

Answering Alaska’s Call, by Linda Fritz Milo Fritz always dreamed big, ever eager to push the boundaries of what was considered possible. In 1940, the young Columbia- and Duke-educated eye, ear, nose, and throat specialist and his wife Betsy, an RN, leave the familiar comforts of Milo’s hometown of Pelham, New York to begin a…

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Young Men Go North, by Joe Upton

Young Men Go North, by Joe Upton “I went up on the Star of Alaska in 1918.” It was 1965 and an old timer was spinning a tale for 18-year-old Joe Upton. Of sailing up from San Francisco to Alaska’s remote and austere Bristol Bay aboard a square-rigged ship loaded with Chinese cannery workers, Norwegian…

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It’s Always Uphill from the Dock, by Ann B. Irish

It’s Always Uphill from the Dock, by Ann B. Irish Here is a look at the Puget Sound islands throughout history—the San Juan Islands, Whidbey Island, Bainbridge and Vashon Islands, and many others. Featured are the people who have come to the islands: Native Americans, explorers, entrepreneurs, settlers and visitors. We learn of the Native…

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University Ghost Story, by Nick DiMartino

University Ghost Story, by Nick DiMartino Dr. Veronica Glass, professor of English literature at the University of Washington, does not believe in ghosts. She’s trying to teach a course on the Victorian ghost story and having trouble with a couple of her students because of it. Matt Braddon, her new tenant, has returned to Seattle,…

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Ho’kwat, by David Hooper

Ho’kwat, by David Hooper John Williams, an aging Englishman, recounts his adventures from the early 1800s, which include his service as a young Royal Navy officer at the Battle of Trafalgar and a traumatic shipwreck at sea. He becomes a British spy and embarks on a voyage to the Columbia River, which ends with the…

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