[Quark]

Remember I got on the wrong bus and I got dropped off in front of a used bookstore in Fremont instead of in front the third world burned out Safeway where I usually get off? Well. Lemmetellyawhatigot. A book researched and written over a period of about 3-4 years by Cleveland HS students, supervised by their teachers, and published in 1941. It's called, Duwamish. It's written in 1st person, the River being the narrator, telling it's history, telling stories of the founders, entrepreneurs, etc, of Seattle. The book highlights South Park, Georgetown, and Beacon Hill. The schoolkids interviewed locals, wracked public and UW libraries, haunted the county buildings, etc - lots of information, tons of pictures, and it's very well written. Can you imagine - in 1940 or so, interviewing someone who's 70 years old - man, these stories are almost from the horses' mouth! I also got a first ed. WPA book on Washington. They did them for all the states (well, they intended to - not sure if all the states actually were completed). Very, very cool stuff.

[Allison]

You're boring.

[Quark]

My mistake - the book was published in 1949, not 1941, and it's called "Duwamish Diary." I had 1941 on the brain, as that's when the WPA project was printed. You think that's boring, wait'll you find out what else I bought. I dont have it in hand yet; but when I do, I'll blab about it. Everyone will be jealous. Anyone with some sense, that is...I mean I'm jealous of me, and it's my book!

[Hiker Boy]

[Quark]

[Snowbrushy]

That's a great find, especially if it's written in an interesting way. So many history book's aren't. I'd be curious to know what the book has to say about the old Dumamish Indian winter village at the head of the river in Tukwila, and the once proposed tribal reservation there which all of the enterprising 'founding fathers' forever nixed. (something about fish weir's on the river being in the way of progress, blah, blah).

[Stones]

[Quark]

Snowbrushy, the indian people were depicted as kind and of helping the whites live amongst them, and the whites living in harmony amongst the indians for the most part. The indian battles were mentioned in a way that the River (telling the tale in first person) understood the indian's plight in losing the battle to progress, which could not be stopped, and the narration was sympathetic of them. When this book was written, white mans' progress was still an amazing and great thing. It's only recently that whites began to realize that damage done to the indians then. Were the book written today, it might be a little different. Even researched history is told through a mediated lense - depending upon society norms, local and personal sentiment, new discoveries. Stones: I can imagine you excelling in English. I understand the terrible beauty of tragedy as in the death of Gabilan and the re-writing of The Red Pony; my class re-wrote the ending of The Lord of the Flies[i]. It was dumb, so I won't go into it. I personally think one of the best descriptive novels of Californias' nature Steinbeck wrote was [i]The Wayward Bus. Of course, within seconds I just changed my mind and now choose Cannery Row. All Steinbecks novels are amazing. He treats human nature as matter-of-fact; no judgments - he gives his characters their flaws, and makes them colorful, beautiful and warm.

[MCaver]

Nerd alert.

[Quark]

[MCaver]

[Tom]

[MCaver]

I try every way I can to get rid of her!

[Snowbrushy]

The complete history of Seattle and King County has it's tragic side. I'd like to know all that I can find out. It IS important. The Dark Side of history in America is a story of screwing our Native American brother's and sister's, etc, etc ..

[ActionBetty]