Some Titles From The Northwest Bookshelf

A biweekly selection of new titles from Washington writers or publishers, or of local interest:

Fiction

"Quaker Witness," by Irene Allen (Villard, $18). A Quaker widow with a knack for solving murders investigates the untimely demise of a Harvard professor accused of sexual harassment.

"Mudlark," by Sheila Simonson (St. Martin's, $18.95). This mystery by a Vancouver, Wash., writer is set in a Washington beach community beset by tensions over a resort development.

"The White Tide," by Ruth Dunbar (Nosado Press, $8.95). This long-lost novel about an independent young woman succeeding in a man's world was written by an Olympia native in the 1930s and is getting its first publication now.

Nonfiction

"Everything She Ever Wanted: A True Story of Obsessive Love, Murder and Betrayal," by Ann Rule (Pocket, $5.99). The local true-crime writer delves into the messy lives of Atlanta socialites whose "perfect world erupted into gunfire, terror, bloodshed, and murder."

"150 Years of Builders' Hardware: Forms, Use and Lore," compiled by Maud L. Eastwood (The Antique Doorknob, P.O. Box 2609, Woodinville, WA 98072, $18.50 paperback). A Woodinville author's look at antique hardware, based on 35 years of research.

"Tales and Traditions: Storytelling in Twentieth-Century American Craft" by Lloyd E. Herman and Matthew Kangas (University of Washington Press, $19.95). A survey of narrative and figurative traditions in contemporary craft.

"Crazy Gibberish and Other Story Hour Stretches" by Naomi Baltuck (Linnet Books/Shoe String Press, 925 Sherman Ave., Hamden, CT 06514, $25 cloth, $15 paper). Sourcebook of chants, song, riddles and jokes for children, by an Edmonds author.

"Ruth Rosetta's Memories" by Ruth Brown (Pan Press, 3430 Pacific Ave. S.E., Suite A-6, Box 154, Olympia, WA 98501, $15). A 95-year-old Lacey author's memoir of growing up in the West.

"Washington State Place Names from Alki to Yelm" by Doug Brokenshire (Caxton Printers, 312 Main St., Caldwell, ID 83605-3299, $14.95). An Edmonds author investigates the history behind the naming of Squak, Pysht and other Washington locales.

"The Death of Rock 'n' Roll: Untimely Demises, Morbid Preoccupations and Premature Forecasts of Doom in Pop Music" by Jeff Pike (Faber & Faber, $14.95). In chapters with titles like "Da Doo Ron Death" and "Necro-Orleans," Seattleite Jeff Pike investigates the lethal side of rock music.

"Indian Inspired: A New Cuisine for the International Table" by Bharti Kirchner (Lowell House/Global Gourmet, $24.95). A Seattle food writer's recipes from across the globe - Southeast Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe - filtered through an Indian sensibility.

"Arch Rivals: 90 Years of Welcome Arches in Small-Town America" by Bernard C. Winn (Incline Press, P.O. Box 913, Enumclaw, WA 98022, $13.95). A Seattle-area author looks at municipal gateways, including several in the Northwest.

"K2: The 1939 Tragedy," by Andrew J. Kauffman and William L. Putnam (The Mountaineers, $19.95). A look at the ill-fated Wiessner expedition up the world's second-highest summit.

"Bitter Almonds: The True Story of Mothers, Daughters, and the Seattle Cyanide Murders," by Gregg Olsen (Warner, $5.50). A true-crime book about an Auburn grandmother whose murder conviction was based on testimony from a daughter who subsequently vanished.

"Crackpot or Genius? A Complete Guide to the Uncommon Art of Inventing," by Francis D. Reynolds (Chicago Review Press, $14.95). A Boeing retiree's look at the philosophy and practicalities of invention.

"Hiking the Mountains to Sound Greenway," by Harvey Manning (The Mountaineers, $12.95). A new guide to local hiking trails.

"Isaac I. Stevens: Young Man in a Hurry," by Kent D. Richards (Washington State University Press, $18.95). A biography of Washington Territory's first governor.

"Country Roads of Washington," by Archie Satterfield (Country Roads Press, $9.95). How to get off the interstate and see the state's scenery.

"Barney's Book on the Olympic Peninsula," by Barney Arender (Nosado Press, $19.95). New edition of a guide for motorists and hikers.

"Lou Who? The Odyssey of a French Poodle in England and America," by Shirley Robertson (Red Apple, P.O. Box 101, Gig Harbor, WA 98335, $13.95). A dog's-eye view of travel.

Children's Books

"Abalone Summer," by John Dowd (Alaska Northwest Books, $9.95). A young-adult novel about an 11-year-old who spends a summer on the Queen Charlotte Islands.

"A Present for Rose," by Cooper Edens, illustrations by Molly Hashimoto (Sasquatch, $15.95). A poem based on a Japanese folk tale.

Poetry

"Selected Poems," by Leonard Gasparini (Hounslow Press, $13.25). Work by a Canadian-born poet living in Bellingham.

"Learning from Eagle, Living with Coyote," by Tsimmu (Library of the American West/Orion Books, $15). A Vashon Islander's poems inspired by Native American mythology.

"Shadows on Still Water," by James C. Reed (Deep Water Publishing, P.O. Box 2071, Kirkland, WA 98083, $9.95). Poems and short-short stories.

Anthologies

"Land of Exile: Contemporary Korean Fiction," translated and edited by Marshall R. Pihl and Ju-Chan Fulton (M.E. Sharpe/UNESCO Publishing, 80 Business Park Drive, Armonk, NY 10504, $35 cloth, $14.95 paper). Two Seattleites' translations of a dozen stories written between 1948 and 1984.

"The Next Parish Over: A Collection of Irish-American Writing," edited by Patricia Monaghan (New Rivers Press/Talman Company, $15.95). Contributors include Washington residents Jody Aliesan, Tess Gallagher, John McFarland and Knute Skinner.

- Compiled by Michael Upchurch

To be considered for this listing, finished books (no manuscripts or galleys) should be sent to: Book Editor, Seattle Times, P.O. 70, Seattle, WA 98111. Clearly indicate book's price, publishing date and local connection.