The Washington State Book Awards are presented annually in recognition of notable book

Book

A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...

s written by Washington author

Author

An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...

s in the previous year.

This literary awards program was established in 1967 as the Governor's Writers Awards. The program was based at the Washington State Library in Olympia

Olympia, Washington

Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...

. Each year up to ten outstanding books of any kind written by Washington authors in the previous year were recognized with awards based on literary merit, lasting importance, and overall quality of the publication.

In 2001 the Washington Center for the Book based at the Seattle Public Library

Seattle Public Library

The Seattle Public Library is the public library system serving Seattle, Washington, USA. It was officially established by the city in 1890, though there had been efforts to start a Seattle library as early as 1868. There are 26 branches in the system, most of them named after the neighborhoods in...

 took over the administration of the program and it was re-named the Washington State Book Awards.

In 2005 a separate category for children's books was established; since 2005 two children's books each year have received Scandiuzzi Children's Book Awards, one for picture books and the other for middle grades and young adults.

In 2006 the Center for the Book divided the entire awards program into categories and severely reduced the number of awards. From 2006 through 2010, History and Biography formed one category. In 2011, Biography and Memoir formed one category and History was grouped with General Nonfiction. The current categories are: History

History

History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...

/General Nonfiction, Biography

Biography

A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...

/Memoir

Memoir

A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...

, Fiction

Fiction

Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...

, Poetry

Poetry

Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...

, and two Scandiuzzi Children's Books Awards.

Since 2006 the program has been much more restrictive since there is only a single award-winner in each category.

Recent Washington State Book Award Winners and Finalists

2011	Fiction Winner: Karl Marlantes Karl Marlantes Karl Marlantes is the author of Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War, a New York Times Top 10 Bestseller published in 2010. The New York Times declared Matterhorn "one of the most profound and devastating novels ever to come out of Vietnam"... , Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War (Grove/Atlantic) Finalists: Carol Wiley Cassella, Healer; Susan Froderberg, Old Border Road: A Novel; Valerie Trueblood, Marry or Burn: Stories; Jess Walter Jess Walter Jess Walter is an American author of five novels. His work has been published in fifteen countries and translated into thirteen languages.... , The Financial Lives of the Poets Poetry Winner: Frances McCue Frances McCue -Life:She got her Bachelor of Arts at the University of New Hampshire. She graduated from Columbia University PhD, where she was a Klingenstein Fellow, and the University of Washington with an MFA. She is an adjunct professor of Education at Seattle University and the University of Washington.She... , The Bled: Poems (Factory Hollow Press) Finalists: Kelli Russell Agodon Kelli Russell Agodon -Life:She was raised in Seattle, and graduated from the University of Washington, and Pacific Lutheran University with an MFA. She lives in the Kingston, Washington. She is the co-editor of the Crab Creek Review... , Letters from the Emily Dickinson Room; Don Mee Choi, The Morning News Is Exciting; Susan Rich, The Alchemist's Kitchen; Oliver de la Paz's website Biography/Memoir Winner: Doug Merlino Doug Merlino - Personal History :Merlino grew up in Seattle, Washington and attended the Lakeside School. He studied government at Claremont McKenna College in Los Angeles, and received graduate degrees in journalism and international affairs from the University of California, Berkeley. He lived inBudapest,... , The Hustle: One Team and Ten Lives in Black and White (Bloomsbury) Finalists: Claire Dederer, Poser: My Life in Twenty-three Yoga Poses; Kurt Hoelting, The Circumference of Home: One Man's Yearlong Quest for A Radically Local Life; Robert Michael Pyle Robert Michael Pyle Robert Michael Pyle is a lepidopterist and author who has published twelve books and hundreds of papers, essays, stories and poems. He has a Ph.D. from the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University. He founded the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation in 1974... , The Mariposa Road: The First Butterfly Big Year; Ana Maria Spagna, Test Ride on the Sunnyland Bus: A Daughter's Civil Rights Journey History/General Nonfiction Winner: David Laskin David Laskin David Laskin is an American writer of books about history, travel, weather, gardens and literary biography.-Biography:... , The Long Way Home: An American Journey from Ellis Island to the Great War (Harper) Finalists: Thea Cooper, Breakthrough: Elizabeth Hughes, the Discovery of Insulin, and the Making of A Medical Miracle; Frances McCue Frances McCue -Life:She got her Bachelor of Arts at the University of New Hampshire. She graduated from Columbia University PhD, where she was a Klingenstein Fellow, and the University of Washington with an MFA. She is an adjunct professor of Education at Seattle University and the University of Washington.She... , The Car That Brought You Here Still Runs: Revisiting the Northwest Towns of Richard Hugo; David Shields David Shields David Shields is an American author of non-fiction, fiction, and works that resist generic classification. His latest book is Reality Hunger: A Manifesto... , Reality Hunger: A Manifesto; Craig Welch, Shell Games: Rogues, Smugglers, and the Hunt for Nature's Bounty Scandiuzzi Children's Book Award Winner, Picture Book: Erik Brooks (author and illustrator, Polar Opposites (Marshall Cavendish) Winner, Early Readers: Patrick Jennings (writer), Guinea Dog (Egmont USA) Winner, Middle Grades and Young Adults: Lish McBride, Hold Me Closer, Necromancer (Henry Holt)
2010	Fiction Winner: Jim Lynch Jim Lynch (writer) Jim Lynch is an American novelist and journalist. He was the recipient of a George Polk Award for environmental reporting with Karen Dorn Steele in 1995 and also received the Livingston Award for young journalists in 1996... , Border Songs (Knopf) Finalists: Ryan Boudinot, Misconception; Pete Dexter Pete Dexter Pete Dexter is an American novelist. He was the recipient of the 1988 National Book Award for Fiction for his novel Paris Trout.-Biography:Dexter was born in Pontiac, Michigan... , Spooner; Jamie Ford, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet Poetry Winner: Lucia Perillo Lucia Perillo -Life:Lucia Perillo grew up in the suburbs of New York City in the 1960s. She graduated from McGill University in Montreal in 1979 with a major in wildlife management, and subsequently worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She completed her M.A... , Inseminating the Elephant (Copper Canyon Press) Finalists: Sherman Alexie Sherman Alexie Sherman Joseph Alexie, Jr. is a writer, poet, filmmaker, and occasional comedian. Much of his writing draws on his experiences as a Native American. Two of Alexie's best known works are The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven , a book of short stories and Smoke Signals, a film... , Face; Shirley Kaufman Shirley Kaufman -Life:Her parents immigrated from Poland. She grew up in Seattle and graduated from James A. Garfield High School in 1940. She graduated from University of California, Los Angeles in 1944, and in 1946 she married Dr. Bernard Kaufman, Jr. They had three daughters: Sharon , Joan and Deborah... , Ezekiel's Wheels; Tod Marshall, The Tangled Line; Heather McHugh Heather McHugh -Life:Heather McHugh, a poet, translator, and educator, was born in San Diego, California, to Canadian parents, John Laurence, a marine biologist, and Eileen Francesca . They raised McHugh in Gloucester Point, Virginia. There, her father directed the marine biological laboratory on the York River... , Upgraded to Serious; Judith Skillman Judith Skillman Judith Skillman is an award-winning contemporary northwest American poet and the author of ten books of verse. She is the winner of many poetry awards, including the Eric Mathieu King Fund from the Academy of American Poets, and has received grants from the Centrum Foundation, King County Arts... , Prisoner of the Swifts General Nonfiction Winner: Carol Kaesuk Yoon, Naming Nature: The Clash Between Instinct and Science (Norton) Finalists: Tony Angell Tony Angell Tony Angell is a figure in both the Seattle art scene and the Puget Sound environmental scene. His life’s work encourages aesthetic beauty and unflinching natural integrity, be it through artwork, publications, advocacy, or illustration... , Puget Sound Through an Artist's Eye; Lyanda Lynn Haupt, Crow Planet: Essential Wisdom from the Urban Wilderness; Brenda Miller, Blessing of the Animals; David Williams, Stories in Stone: Travels Through Urban Geology History/Biography Winner: Timothy Egan Timothy Egan Timothy Egan is a Pulitzer Prize winning author who resides in Seattle. He currently contributes opinion columns to The New York Times as the paper's Pacific Northwest correspondent... , The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire That Saved America (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) Finalists: Daniel James Brown, The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride; Lynda Mapes, Breaking Ground: The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and Unearthing of Tse-whit-zen Village; Jack Nisbet Jack Nisbet Jack Nisbet is a teacher, naturalist, and writer who lives in Spokane, Washington with his wife and two children. He grew up in North Carolina, graduated from Stanford University, and moved to Stevens County, Washington, in 1971 where he wrote a column for The Chewelah Independent.- Works :*... , The Collector: David Douglas and the Natural History of the Northwest; Mishna Wolff Mishna Wolff Mishna Wolff is an American writer and humorist.- Biography :Wolff grew up in Seattle, Washington. When her parents divorced she found herself a white girl in a black neighborhood with a white father who expected her to integrate into the black community the way he had... , I'm Down: A Memoir Scandiuzzi Children's Book Award Winner, Picture Book: Samantha Vamos, Before You Were Here, Mi Amor (illustrated by Santiago Cohen) (Viking Children's Books) Winner, Early Readers: Bonny Becker, The Magical Ms. Plum (Knopf) Winner, Middle Grades and Young Adults: Michael Harmon Michael Harmon Michael Harmon was born in 1969 and is the author of three books: Skate, The Last Exit to Normal, and Brutal.-External links:*... , Brutal (Knopf)
2009	Fiction Winner: Jonathan Evison Jonathan Evison Jonathan Evison , is an American writer best known for his novel All About Lulu. His work, often distinguished by its emotional resonance and offbeat humor, has been compared to a variety of authors, most notably J.D. Salinger, Charles Dickens, and John Irving... , All About Lulu All About Lulu All About Lulu is a coming-of-age novel by American author Jonathan Evison. The novel revolves around a family of bodybuilders in Santa Monica from the Summer of Love to the Dot-com bubble.-Plot summary:... (Soft Skull Press) Finalists: Dave Boling, Guernica; Carol Cassella, Oxygen; David Guterson David Guterson David Guterson is an American novelist, short story writer, poet, journalist, and essayist.-Early life:David Guterson was born May 4, 1956, in Seattle, Washington. During his childhood, he attended Seattle public schools and later attended the University of Washington where he earned Bachelor of... , The Other; Alex Kuo, White Jade and Other Stories Poetry Winner: David Wagoner David Wagoner David Russell Wagoner is an American poet who has written many poetry collections and ten novels. Two of his books have been nominated for National Book Awards.... , A Map of the Night (University of Illinois Press) Finalists: Thomas Aslin, A Moon Over Wings; Linda Bierds Linda Bierds Linda Louise Bierds is an American poet and professor of English and creative writing at the University of Washington, where she also received her B.A... , Flight: New and Selected Poems; Katrina Roberts, Friendly Fire; D. S. Butterworth, The Radium Watchdial Painters General Nonfiction Winner: Barbara Brotherton, editor, S'abadeb: The Gifts: Pacific Coast Salish Arts and Artists (Seattle Art Museum Seattle Art Museum The Seattle Art Museum is an art museum located in Seattle, Washington, USA. It maintains three major facilities: its main museum in downtown Seattle; the Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill, and the Olympic Sculpture Park on the central Seattle waterfront, which opened on... /University of Washington Press) Finalists: Paul Bannick, The Owl and the Woodpecker: Encounters with North America’s Most Iconic Birds; Bruce Barcott Bruce Barcott Bruce Barcott is an American editor, environmental journalist and author. He is a contributing editor of Outside and has written articles for The New York Times Magazine, National Geographic, Mother Jones, Sports Illustrated, Harper's Magazine, Legal Affairs, Utne Reader and others... , The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw: One Woman’s Fight to Save the World’s Most Beautiful Bird; Cliff Mass, The Weather of the Pacific Northwest; David Shields, The Thing About Life is That One Day You’ll Be Dead History/Biography Winner: Robert Clark Robert Clark (author) Robert Clark is a novelist and writer of nonfiction. He received the Edgar Award for his novel Mr. White's Confession in 1999. A native of St... , Dark Water: Flood and Redemption in the City of Masterpieces (Doubleday) Finalists: Kate Jackson, Mean and Lowly Things: Snakes, Science, and Survival in the Congo; Debra Jarvis, It’s Not About the Hair: And Other Uncertainties of Life & Cancer; Jim Kershner, Carl Maxey: A Fighting Life; Richard Scheuermann, Finding Chief Kamiakin: The Life and Legacy of a Northwest Patriot Scandiuzzi Children's Book Award Winner, Picture Book: Barbara Kerley, What To Do About Alice? How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World, and Drove Her Father Teddy Crazy! (illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham) (Scholastic Press) Honorable Mention, Picture Book: Bonny Becker, A Visitor for Bear (illustrated by Kady M. Denton) Winner, Middle Grades and Young Adults: Richard Farr, Emperors of the Ice: A True Story of Disaster in the Antarctic, 1910-13 (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
2008	Fiction Winner: Matt Ruff Matt Ruff Matthew Theron Ruff is an American author of thriller, science-fiction and comic novels.-Background and education:... , Bad Monkeys (HarperCollins) Finalists: Nancy Horan Nancy Horan Nancy Horan is the American author of Loving Frank, a novel about Mamah Borthwick and her relationship with American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Horan was awarded the James Fenimore Cooper Prize for Best Historical Fiction by the Society of American Historians on April 17, 2009, for works... , Loving Frank; Alex Mindt, Male of the Species; Ann Pancake Ann Pancake Ann Pancake is an American fiction writer and essayist. She has published short stories and essays describing the people and atmosphere of Appalachia, often from the first-person perspective of those living there... , Strange as This Weather Has Been; Joseph Powell, Fish Grooming and Other Stories Poetry Winner: Samuel Green Samuel Green (poet) Samuel Green is the current Poet Laureate of the State of Washington. Green is the author of ten poetry collections, including The Grace of Necessity, which won the 2008 Washington State Book Award for Poetry.... , The Grace of Necessity (Carnegie Mellon University Press) Finalists: Marvin Bell Marvin Bell Marvin Bell is an American poet and teacher who was the first Poet Laureate of the State of Iowa.Bell was born in New York City and raised in Center Moriches, Long Island... , Mars Being Red; Mary Cornish, Red Studio; Peter Periera, What's Written on the Body General Nonfiction Winner: David R. Montgomery David R. Montgomery David R. Montgomery is a Professor of Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he leads the Geomorphological Research Group and is a member of the Quaternary Research Center.... , Dirt: the Erosion of Civilizations (University of California Press) Finalists: Kathleen Flinn Kathleen Flinn Kathleen Flinn is an American writer and journalist best known for the 2007 best-selling work, The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry . The book was the first to provide an in-depth look at her experience attending and graduating from the famed Paris culinary school Le Cordon Bleu... .The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry: Love, Laughter and Tears at the World's Most Famous Cooking School The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry: Love, Laughter and Tears at the World's Most Famous Cooking School is a best-selling memoir with recipes by American writer Kathleen Flinn... ; Lesley Hazelton, Jezebel: The Untold Story of the Bible's Harlot Queen; Robert D. Morris, The Blue Death: Disease, Disaster and the Water We Drink; Robert Michael Pyle Robert Michael Pyle Robert Michael Pyle is a lepidopterist and author who has published twelve books and hundreds of papers, essays, stories and poems. He has a Ph.D. from the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University. He founded the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation in 1974... , Sky Time in Grays River: Living for Keeps in a Forgotten Place History/Biography Winner: Coll Thrush, Native Seattle: Histories from the Crossing-Over Place (University of Washington Press) Finalists: Michael Honey Michael Honey Michael K. Honey is an American historian, Guggenheim Fellow and Haley Professor of Humanities at the University of Washington Tacoma in the United States, where he teaches African-American, civil rights and labor history... , Going Down Jericho Road: The Memphis Strike, Martin Luther King's Last Campaign; Jeffrey Karl Ochsner Jeffrey Karl Ochsner Jeffrey Karl Ochsner is an architect, architectural historian, and professor at the University of Washington in Seattle. He is known for his research and writing on American architects Henry Hobson Richardson and Lionel H. Pries, and on Seattle architecture.Ochsner graduated from Rice University... , Lionel H. Pries, Architect, Artist, Educator: from Arts and Crafts to Modern Architecture Scandiuzzi Children's Book Award Winner, Picture Book: George Shannon, Rabbit's Gift (illustrated by Laura Dronzek) (Harcourt) Winner, Middle Grades and Young Adults: Sherman Alexie Sherman Alexie Sherman Joseph Alexie, Jr. is a writer, poet, filmmaker, and occasional comedian. Much of his writing draws on his experiences as a Native American. Two of Alexie's best known works are The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven , a book of short stories and Smoke Signals, a film... , The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (illustrated by Ellen Forney) (Little, Brown)
2007	Fiction Winner: Charles D'Ambrosio Charles D'Ambrosio -Life:D'Ambrosio grew up in Seattle, Washington, and now lives in Portland, Oregon. He attended Oberlin College and graduated from the Iowa Writers Workshop, where he has been a visiting faculty member... , The Dead Fish Museum (Alfred A. Knopf) Finalists: Ryan Boudinot, The Littlest Hitler: Stories; David Long, The Inhabited World; Jess Walter Jess Walter Jess Walter is an American author of five novels. His work has been published in fifteen countries and translated into thirteen languages.... , The Zero Poetry Winner: Madeline DeFrees Madeline DeFrees Madeline DeFrees is an American poet born in Ontario, Oregon, and currently living in Seattle, Washington. She joined the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary in 1936 and was known by the name, Sister Mary Gilbert until she was dispensed of her religious vows in 1973. She received her B.A... , Spectral Waves (Copper Canyon Press) Finalists: Kathleen Flenniken, Famous; Tess Gallagher Tess Gallagher Tess Gallagher is an American poet, essayist, author and playwright. She attended the University of Washington, where she studied creative writing with Theodore Roethke and later Nelson Bentley as well as David Wagoner and Mark Strand... , Dear Ghosts; Jennifer Maier, Dark Alphabet; Eric McHenry Eric McHenry -Life:He graduated from Topeka High School. He graduated from Beloit College and from Boston University.His work has appeared in The New Republic, Harvard Review, Northwest Review, Orion and AGNI.He lives in Topeka with his family.... , Potscrubber Lullabies General Nonfiction William D. Layman, River of Memory: The Everlasting Columbia (University of Washington Press) History/Biography Winner: Julie Phillips Julie Phillips Julie Phillips is a writer who writes about books, film, and culture. In early adulthood she became interested in feminism. Her articles have appeared in Newsday, Mademoiselle, The Village Voice, and elsewhere. Her biography of James Tiptree, Jr., titled James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of... , James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon (St. Martins Press) Finalists: Daniel James Brown, Under a Flaming Sky: The Great Hinckley Firestorm of 1894; Charles R. Cross Charles R. Cross Charles R. Cross is a journalist and author of seven books based in Seattle. He was the Editor of The Rocket Magazine in Seattle for fifteen years during the height of the Seattle music mania. He is also the founder of Backstreets Magazine, a periodical for fans of Bruce Springsteen, and editor of... , Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix; Lyanda Lynn Haupt, Pilgrim on the Bird Continent: The Importance of Everything and Other Lessons from Darwin's Lost Notebooks; Joshua Wolf Shenk, Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness Scandiuzzi Children's Book Award Winner, Picture Book: Jack Prelutsky Jack Prelutsky Jack Prelutsky is an American writer of children's poetry. He lives in Seattle, Washington with his wife, Carolynn.-Early life:... , Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant and Other Poems (illustrated by Carin Berger) (Greenwillow) Finalist, Picture Book: Finalist: Karma Wilson, Moose Tracks (illustrated by Jack E. Davis) Winner, Middle Grades and Young Adults: Brent Hartinger Brent Hartinger Brent Hartinger is an American author and playwright, best known for his novels about gay teenagers.-Early life:Hartinger was born in Washington State. His family moved to Fircrest, Washington when he was an infant. He attended a Catholic grade school and middle school, and a Catholic high... , Grand & Humble (Harper Tempest) Finalists: Kirby Larson Kirby Larson Kirby Lane Larson is an award-winning author of a number of books for children, including Oppenheim Platinum Award-winner The Magic Kerchief, illustrated by Rosanne Litzinger. Her book, Hattie Big Sky, was a Finalist for the 2007 Scandiuzzi Book Award of the Washington State Book Awards, and won a... , Hattie Big Sky; Michele Torrey, Voyage of Plunder
2006	Fiction Winner: Karen Fisher, A Sudden Country (Random House) Finalists: MacKenzie Bezos Mackenzie Bezos -Life:She was raised in the Bay Area.She graduated from Princeton University, where she studied with Toni Morrison.She married Jeff Bezos in 1993, and moved to the Seattle, Washington in 1994.They have three children.-External links:*... , The Testing of Luther Albright; Matt Briggs Matt Briggs Matt Briggs is an American novelist, and short story writer.-Biography:Matt Briggs was born in Seattle, Washington, which he still calls home. He grew up in the Snoqualmie Valley raised by working-class, counter-culture parents who cultivated and sold cannabis . Briggs has written two books set in... , Shoot the Buffalo; Stacey Levine Stacey Levine Stacey Levine is an American novelist, short story author, and journalist. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she attended The University of Missouri's journalism school and the University of Washington... , Frances Johnson; Nancy Rawles Nancy Rawles Nancy Rawles is an African American playwright, novelist, and teacher.-Life:Nancy grew up in Los Angeles. She graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Journalism.... , My Jim; Jess Walter Jess Walter Jess Walter is an American author of five novels. His work has been published in fifteen countries and translated into thirteen languages.... , Citizen Vince Poetry Winner: Lucia Perillo Lucia Perillo -Life:Lucia Perillo grew up in the suburbs of New York City in the 1960s. She graduated from McGill University in Montreal in 1979 with a major in wildlife management, and subsequently worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She completed her M.A... , Luck Is Luck (Random House) Finalists: Lillias Bever, Bellini in Istanbul; Linda Bierds Linda Bierds Linda Louise Bierds is an American poet and professor of English and creative writing at the University of Washington, where she also received her B.A... , First Hand; J.W. Marshall, Taken With; Katrina Roberts, The Quick; David Wagoner David Wagoner David Russell Wagoner is an American poet who has written many poetry collections and ten novels. Two of his books have been nominated for National Book Awards.... , Good Morning and Good Night General Nonfiction Winner: John M. Marzluff and Tony Angell Tony Angell Tony Angell is a figure in both the Seattle art scene and the Puget Sound environmental scene. His life’s work encourages aesthetic beauty and unflinching natural integrity, be it through artwork, publications, advocacy, or illustration... , In the Company of Crows and Ravens (Yale University Press) Finalists: Hugo Kugiya, 58 Degrees North; James McKean, Home Stand; David E. Miller David Miller (architect) David E. Miller is a notable Seattle architect. He is a co-founder, with Robert Hull of the Miller/Hull Partnership--a leading Pacific Northwest firm, an architecture professor at the University of Washington, and, since January 2007, has been Chair of the UW Department of Architecture.Miller was... , Toward a New Regionalism; Jonathan Raban Jonathan Raban Jonathan Raban is a British travel writer and novelist. He has received several awards, such as the National Book Critics Circle Award, The Royal Society of Literature's Heinemann Award, the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award, the PEN West Creative Nonfiction Award, the Pacific Northwest Booksellers... , My Holy War History/Biography Winner: Timothy Egan Timothy Egan Timothy Egan is a Pulitzer Prize winning author who resides in Seattle. He currently contributes opinion columns to The New York Times as the paper's Pacific Northwest correspondent... , The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl (Houghton Mifflin) Finalists: Jack Hamann, On American Soil; David Neiwert David Neiwert David Neiwert is a Seattle-based freelance journalist and blogger. He received the National Press Club Award for Distinguished Online Journalism in 2000 for a domestic terrorism series he produced for MSNBC.com.... , Strawberry Days; Eric Scigliano, Michelangelo's Mountain Scandiuzzi Children's Book Award Winner, Picture Book: Karla Kuskin Karla Kuskin Karla Kuskin was a prolific author, illustrator and reviewer of children's literature. Kuskin was known for her poetic, alliterative style.-Personal life and education:... , So, What's It Like to Be a Cat? (illustrated by Betsy Lewin) Finalist, Picture Book: Carole Lexa Schaefer, The Bora-Bora Dress (illustrated by Catherine Stock) Winner, Middle Grades and Young Adults: Michael Gruber Michael Gruber (author) Michael Gruber is an author living in Seattle, Washington. He attended Columbia University and received his Ph.D. in biology from the University of Miami... , The Witch's Boy Finalist, Middle Grades and Young Adults: Deb Caletti Deb Caletti Deb Caletti is an American writer born in San Rafael, California. She was a National Book Award finalist, as well as the recipient of other numerous awards including PEN USA finalist award, the Washington State Book Award, and SLJ Best Book award.... , Wild Roses
2005	General Books Charles D'Ambrosio Charles D'Ambrosio -Life:D'Ambrosio grew up in Seattle, Washington, and now lives in Portland, Oregon. He attended Oberlin College and graduated from the Iowa Writers Workshop, where he has been a visiting faculty member... , Orphans Lesley Hazleton Lesley Hazleton Lesley Hazleton is an award-winning British-American writer whose work focuses on the intersection of politics, religion, and history, especially in the Middle East... , Mary: A Flesh-and-Blood Biography of the Virgin Mother Christopher Howell Christopher Howell Christopher Howell is an American poet, editor, and educator. He has published eight books of poetry.Born in Portland, Oregon, Howell served as a journalist for the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He earned a B.S. from Oregon State University in 1968, an M.A... , Light's Ladder: Poems Paul Hunter, Breaking Ground Stephanie Kallos, Broken for You David Laskin David Laskin David Laskin is an American writer of books about history, travel, weather, gardens and literary biography.-Biography:... , The Children's Blizzard Nikhil Pal Singh, Black Is a Country: Race and the Unfinished Struggle for Democracy Peter Ward Peter Ward Peter Ward may refer to:*Peter Ward , retired English footballer, played for Brighton & Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest... , Gorgon: The Monsters That Ruled the Planet Before Dinosaurs and How They Died in the Greatest Catastrophe in Earth's History Scandiuzzi Children's Book Award Winner, Middle Grades and Young Adults: Deb Caletti Deb Caletti Deb Caletti is an American writer born in San Rafael, California. She was a National Book Award finalist, as well as the recipient of other numerous awards including PEN USA finalist award, the Washington State Book Award, and SLJ Best Book award.... , Honey, Baby, Sweetheart Winner, Picture Book: Carmela D'Amico, Ella the Elegant Elephant (illustrated by Steven D'Amico)
2004	2004 was the last year in which there were no categories. Gary Atkins, Gay Seattle: Stories of Exile and Belonging Fred Beckey Fred Beckey Fred Beckey is an American mountaineer and author, who has made hundreds of first ascents, more than any other North American climber.-Early years:... , Range of Glaciers: The Exploration and Survey of the Northern Cascade Range Karen Cushman Karen Cushman Karen Cushman is an American writer of historical fiction. Her 1995 novel The Midwife's Apprentice won the Newbery Medal for children's literature, and her 1994 novel Catherine, Called Birdy won a Newbery Honor... , Rodzina Chris Forhan, The Actual Moon, the Actual Stars Alan Gallay Alan Gallay -Life:He graduated from University of Florida, and with an M.A. and Ph.D. from Georgetown University.He taught at the University of Notre Dame, University of Mississippi, Western Washington University, Harvard University and University of Auckland, as a Fulbright Lecturer.Twice he taught for the... , The Indian Slave Trade: The Rise of the English Empire in the American South, 1670-1717 Linda Lawrence Hunt, Bold Spirit: Helga Estby's Forgotten Walk Across Victorian America Erik Larson Erik Larson Erik Larson is an American author. He has written Isaac's Storm , about the experiences of Isaac Cline during the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair That Changed America , about the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago and a series of... , The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair David R. Montgomery David R. Montgomery David R. Montgomery is a Professor of Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he leads the Geomorphological Research Group and is a member of the Quaternary Research Center.... , King of Fish: The Thousand-Year Run of Salmon Jack Nisbet Jack Nisbet Jack Nisbet is a teacher, naturalist, and writer who lives in Spokane, Washington with his wife and two children. He grew up in North Carolina, graduated from Stanford University, and moved to Stevens County, Washington, in 1971 where he wrote a column for The Chewelah Independent.- Works :*... , Visible Bones: Journey Across Time in the Columbia River Country Matt Ruff Matt Ruff Matthew Theron Ruff is an American author of thriller, science-fiction and comic novels.-Background and education:... , Set This House in Order: A Romance of Souls
2003	Deloris Tarzan Ament, Iridescent Light: The Emergence of Northwest Art Charles Bergman, Red Delta: Fighting for Life at the End of the Colorado River Rebecca Brown Rebecca Brown Rebecca Brown may refer to:* Rebecca Brown , aka Ruth Bailey, Christian author* Rebecca Brown , former Australian breaststroke swimmer* Rebecca Brown , fictional character from the Australian drama, Sea Patrol... , Excerpts from a Family Medical Dictionary Debra Magpie Earling Debra Magpie Earling Debra Cecille Magpie Earling is an Native American novelist, and short story writer.-Life:She is of the Bitterroot Salish .... , Perma Red Deborah Hopkinson Deborah Hopkinson Deborah Hopkinson was born in Lowell, Massachusetts. She is the author of approximately 30 children's books, including Hear My Sorrow, the final book in the Dear America series... , Under the Quilt of Night Tina Kelley, The Gospel of Galore Pamela McClusky, Art from Africa: Long Steps Never Broke a Back Gregory Spatz, Wonderful Tricks: Stories Indu Sundaresan Indu Sundaresan Indu Sundaresan is an American author of Indian origins. She was born and raised in India as a daughter of an Indian Air Force pilot who died in a crash while on duty. The family then moved to Bangalore where she collected books eagerly... , The Twentieth Wife Hill Williams, The Restless Northwest
2002	Michael Collins Michael Collins - Politics :* Michael Collins , Irish Labour party politician, Lord Mayor Of Dublin 1977–1978* Michael Collins , Irish revolutionary leader, soldier, and politician... , The Keepers of Truth Chris Crutcher Chris Crutcher -Biography:Crutcher was born to a World War II bomber pilot and a homemaker on July 17, 1946, in Dayton, Ohio. They later moved to Cascade, Idaho, where Crutcher grew up.... , Whale Talk Madeline DeFrees Madeline DeFrees Madeline DeFrees is an American poet born in Ontario, Oregon, and currently living in Seattle, Washington. She joined the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary in 1936 and was known by the name, Sister Mary Gilbert until she was dispensed of her religious vows in 1973. She received her B.A... , Blue Dusk: New and Selected Poems: 1951-2001 Carole Glickfeld, Swimming Toward the Ocean Lyanda Lynn Haupt, Rare Encounters with Ordinary Birds: Notes from a Northwest Year Mira Kamdar, Motiba's Tattoos: A Granddaughter's Journey from America Into Her Indian Family's Past Carolyn Kizer Carolyn Kizer Carolyn Ashley Kizer is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American poet of the Pacific Northwest whose works reflect her feminism.-Life and work:... , Cool, Calm and Collected: Poems, 1960-2000 Sharon Bertsch McGrayne, Prometheans in the Lab: Chemistry and the Making of the Modern World Duff Wilson Duff Wilson -Life:He graduated from Western Washington University in 1976, and from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 1982.He worked for the Seattle TimesHe was on the board of Investigative Reporters and Editors.-Awards:... , Fateful Harvest: The True Story of a Small Town, a Global Industry, and a Toxic Secret Robin K. Wright, Northern Haida Master Carvers

External links

• Washington Center for the Book List of Award Winners
• Seattle Times article on 2008 Awards