Folio at Pike Place Market hosted a series talks about this year's NEA's Big Read: The Cold Millions.
2/21, I went to Folio, received a paperback of "The Cold Millions". I didn't know that the author Jess Walter was present. He's one of my favorite local authors. Not too local. He's based in Spokane. I read 4 books of his, but not yet this one. I lined up for him to sign my newly acquired copy. I told him that his books are often too "sad".
3/10, Labor Connections Between Seattle and Spokane in the Early 20th Century" by Dr. Betsy Pingree. She talked about temp labor, the so-called hobo, bum, tramp. Fun to know about songs like Hallelujah, I'm a Bum, and The Big Rock Candy Mountains.
3/17, Radicals in the Community: Wobblies in the Pacific Northwest by Dr. Aaron Goings. He talked about the labor movement in the early days, the IWW, especially in Grays Harbor
The helpful and mostly the swindling job agents between the labor and the employers.
The lady in the photo is Jannie Sipo, a union organizer.
3/24, Jess Walter talked about this book. He mentioned that a class of the community college near his home decided to use his book as a teaching material. Later the same class would do a mock court trying. I brought my old copy of Beautiful Ruins to have him sign it. He recognized me. Maybe because I complained that his books are too sad!
