Our County has a wonderful tradition called “Whatcom Reads.” Each year a book is chosen and presented to the county as a book to read during the year. The books are chosen by a volunteer committee that receives nominations from people in the county. During the year there are book groups and opportunities for discussion of the book. At the conclusion of each year’s program there are a series of events, often featuring the author of the book. At one of those events the next year’s read is announced. The program has successfully presented fifteen years of books to read and receives widespread support in the community. Official sponsors include the Whatcom County Library, the library at Western Washington University, Northwest Indian College, Bellingham Technical College, Whatcom Community College as well as a local independent bookstore, Village Books, and the City of Bellingham.

The program does not follow the calendar year. Events surrounding the end of the year of reading and the announcement of next year’s book occur in the spring. Last night we were able to attend the author’s event at the historic Mount Baker Theater. Jess Walter, author of a dozen books including the 2023 Whatcom Reads title, The Cold Millions, spoke to over 500 enthusiastic readers. It was a delightful evening’s entertainment for us. Walter is witty, funny, and entertaining as a speaker. The questions from the audience were thoughtful and challenging and he answered them well, including several amusing stories.

I haven’t been particularly engaged in the Whatcom Reads program, but I am a big fan of Jess Walter and have read several of his books. I enjoyed his historical novel about his home town, Spokane, Washington, sometime during the year and so was prepared for its discussion last night. The novel contains the stories of several characters involved in the rise of the Industrial Workers of the World, the wealthy mine and timber industrialists who fought - often violently - to suppress the union, the law enforcement officers, and several other characters who were part of the history of Spokane. Many of the stories are told from a first person perspective and the reader is allowed to see things from several different perspectives as the book proceeds.

The book is the recipient of multiple awards and has been named best book of the year by dozens of reviews, newspapers, and magazines. The history that it presents is not often taught in schools. Early twentieth century labor activism often is left out of history classes. The struggle was one of income inequality. A few rich owners became more wealthy off of the work of laborers who were not only unfairly compensated, but who also bore unnecessary health risks from unsafe working conditions. When the laborers spoke up they were often jailed, beaten, and otherwise abused for their activism. While the book is an historical novel, it is also a contemporary story as we witness the technological revolution of our time benefitting few at the expense of many.

In addition to my interest in the author and the book that was chosen, I was interested in learning more about the Whatcom Reads program. A brochure available at the event gives a bit of history of the program and contains the list of the fifteen books chosen over the years. I am an avid reader, so I was a bit surprised that I have read only three of the titles on the list. I’m keeping the brochure as a reading list and hope to add several more of the books on the list, as well as next year’s title to my reading in the year to come.

One of my responsibilities in my position as Interim Minister of Faith Formation at Bellingham Congregational Church is to administer the congregation’s program of selecting an annual book for the whole church to read. Without knowing the rich history of the Whatcom Reads program, we had a very successful program in 2022 with the book, Climate Church, Climate World by Jim Antal. We were able to have several groups within the church read and discuss the book. Our adult forum had a session with the author at the conclusion of its discussion of the book and the author keynoted a major event at the church in November. We received 18 suggestions from the congregation for possible books to read together in 2023 and the committee took its time selecting the title. We have been fortunate to already be in contact with this year’s author and have scheduled a time for him to join our Adult Forum in mid-April. The processes of selecting a book, facilitating discussion groups, and planning author events has been joyful work for me and I now understand how much our congregation’s program has been influenced by the Whatcom Reads program.

Since my childhood summers when I would check out as many books as the library would allow and took the books to my treehouse to read one after another, reading has been a major part of my life. More than television or movies, reading has been something for which I have always made time, even when our lives were at their busiest. I have collected books and continue to surround myself with books. In the middle of my academic studies, which required a lot of reading, I was able to pursue reading as a hobby, often having a novel I was reading at the same time as I was responsible for multiple books as part of my formal studies.

I am delighted to add to my reading the titles of Whatcom Reads. I enjoy knowing that there are others in my community who enjoy reading and with whom I have shared the experience of reading the same book. I plan to obtain a copy of the 2024 Whatcom Reads book, Red Paint: The Ancestral Autobiography of a Coast Salish Punk, by Sasha Lapointe and read it so that I will be able to discuss it with my friends and participate with my community in an exciting and rewarding program.