Seattle is proud to be recognized as a UNESCO Creative City of Literature.
With a thriving literary community and a highly educated and book-loving populace, Seattle offers an abundance of riches for lovers of the written and spoken word.
Richard Hugo House is a community of readers and writers, offering readings and classes for youth and adults. Dive in to the always-popular lecture or poetry series at Seattle Arts and Lectures, or visit the Seattle Public Library for an author reading and discussion. Town Hall Seattle presents lectures on science, culture, and civics as part of its active program schedule. Long time local landmark University Book Store hosts and presents hundreds of author events each year. The Elliott Bay Book Company not only offers more than 150,000 titles in their beloved store but hosts almost daily author readings in their intimate reading room. And the Jack Straw Writer’s Program connects writers to audio resources, producing lectures, podcasts and more.
We love words and ideas in Seattle. Learn more about our UNESCO World City of Literature designation at seattlecityoflit.org.
Seattle Bookmarked Series
Experience the city that has inspired readers and authors alike in #SeattleBookmarked. Each episode honors an excerpt from one of the many stories that have been set in Seattle.
Seattle Bookmarked: The Boys in the Boat
Fall into the meditative flow state inspired by Seattle’s waterways and the rituals of rowing celebrated in Daniel James Brown’s bestseller, The Boys in the Boat, as read by Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner. #SeattleBookmarked
Seattle Bookmarked: I Can Make This Promise
Feel the electric energy of Seattle’s Pike Place Market as described by Christine Day in her young adult novel I Can Make This Promise, as read by chef and restaurateur Kristi Brown. #SeattleBookmarked
Seattle Bookmarked: The Art of Racing in the Rain
Experience the beauty of Seattle in all its drizzly glory in this excerpt from The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein as read by actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan. #SeattleBookmarked
Cozy in Seattle
Come Experience the Misty Wonder
Kissing. Dancing. Singing. Splashing. It’s all just more fun in the rain. Come find out why Seattle’s cozy season is pure magic.
Upcoming Literary & Lecture Events
Untold Stories: Wire, Life, and Art with Kristin Tollefson
1/18/2024
Artist and educator Kristin Tollefson traveled to Slovakia as a Fulbright Scholar, immersing herself in the rich tradition …
Details Event WebsiteDisability Justice
1/17/2024
Patty Berne, co-founder and Executive Artistic Director of Sins Invalid, will discuss the importance of intersectionality in disability …
Details Event WebsiteReplay Matinee: Angela Garbes
1/11/2024 through 1/12/2024
This Replay Matinee features Angela Garbes, who spoke with Lindy West on Town Hall’s stage in 2018 about …
Details Event WebsiteLife on Thin Ice | National Geographic Live
1/22/2024 through 1/23/2024
Through beautiful images and awe-inspiring moments, National Geographic Live takes you on a journey with their first Indigenous …
Details Event WebsiteSUBSCRIBE TO THE SEATTLE LOCALIST
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