Welcome to Sasquatch Picks: Five Books for Right Now, a curated list of our top five monthly reading recommendations. Our list for June aims to provide you with resources to help you take action as a citizen, as a parent, as a consumer—and as a supporter of social justice and community engagement.
Five Books For Taking Action in June
The Gardens of Democracy
by Eric Liu and Nick Hanauer
The Gardens of Democracy: A New American Story of Citizenship, the Economy, and the Role of Government challenges citizens to embrace their roles in democratic society and outlines a simple but revolutionary argument: our assumptions about democracy need updating for the 21st century. Authors Eric Liu and Nick Hanauer invite readers to discuss and engage with the deep wellspring of collective civic actions emerging on issues such as racial and social justice, the widening income gap, climate change, and more.
Plum
by Makini Howell
Plum: Gratifying Dishes from Seattle’s Plum Bistro features delicious vegan comfort food from beloved Seattle Chef Makini Howell, who was named one of 16 Black chefs changing food in America by the New York Times. Howell’s recipes are innovative, flavorful, and enjoyed by vegans and meat-eaters alike! Want to support Black-owned businesses and authors this month? Worried about climate change and food sustainability? Looking for a healthier diet? Plum is the perfect cookbook to get you started.
Becoming a Citizen Activist
by Nick Licata
Becoming a Citizen Activist: Stories, Strategies & Advice for Changing the World is a timely playbook for those looking to organize for the first time or for seasoned activists looking to up their repertoire. Former Seattle city councilmember and author Nick Licata outlines how to get organized and master tactics to create change by leveraging effective communication strategies. Balancing an idealistic vision of a better world with clear-eyed pragmatism, Licata demonstrates by example that we can fight city hall and effect change.
The Lost Art of Reading
by David L. Ulin
The Lost Art of Reading: Books and Resistance in a Troubled Time is an insightful rumination on the act of reading—as a path to critical thinking, individual and political identity, civic engagement, and resistance. Author David Ulin argues the case for reading as a political act in both public and private gestures and for the ways that reading enlarges the world and our frames of reference, all while keeping us engaged.
Better With Books
by Melissa Hart
Better with Books: 500 Diverse Books to Ignite Empathy and Encourage Self-Acceptance in Tweens and Teens includes diverse memoir and fiction reading lists for preteens and teens with the goal of inspiring greater empathy for themselves, their peers, and the world around them. The curated lists of recommended reads are organized by topic including body image, immigration, learning challenges, LGBTQIA+, mental health, nature and environmentalism, race and diversity, and more.
Sasquatch Picks: Five Books for Right Now will be back in July with more reading recommendations!
