Catalog of British Columbiana and Pacific Northwest Americana

"The many attempts by navigators to find a Northwest Passage via its Pacific portal all ended in failure; however, their discoveries spurred expansionist developments that would forever alter the landscape of North America. In Discovering Nothing, David L. Nicandri maps a cast of geographic visionaries and practical explorers as they promoted or sought a workable commercial route linking the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic. The discovery of the legendary northern passage proved elusive, but the equivalent land bridges that were built in the form of two transcontinental railroads changed the futures of Canada and the United States. Drawing from close readings of explorers’ personal journals, Nicandri provides readers a detailed, engaging, and multifaceted investigation into the many players and failed enterprises at the core of this search, beginning in the eighteenth century through to today--and to the unexpected impact of climate change on this fabled passage."-- Provided by publisher

328 pages

Becoming Walla Walla covers Walla Walla Valley history from the time of the Sahaptian Peoples’ first encounters with Euro-Americans to the initial expiration of the U.S. government’s treaty with the Cayuse, Walla Walla, and Umatilla. It sheds light on the city’s and reservation’s simultaneous development, re-animates the Walla Walla of the 1860s and 70s, reconsiders its status in early Washington Territory and Oregon State histories, and documents transformations of the region’s built and natural environments.

320 pages : illustrations

As part of workshops held on the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation, fifty-four poets—most from the Muckleshoot Tribal School—created the works in this collection. Their pieces are about searching and belonging. Loss and finding. All share a common theme—a reaching back and a reaching forward—sometimes in the same poem. They highlight Muckleshoot history and culture, but also spotlight individual histories, lessons, and beliefs.

xvii, 91 pages : color illustrations, color map ; 23 cm

With calm elegance and precise language, Rivers in My Veins is a work of lyric courage celebrating the connection we all share to the earth. Kara Briggs' poems sing her people, Sauk-Suiattle and Yakama, onto the pages. "Land we live on land," she writes, calling us to embrace our kinship with the earth. As a career journalist, Briggs uses documentary poetry to expose the false settler-colonial narratives while innovating rhythms from the social dances of her tribes in poems that take the reader to the dance circle. She received the 2024 James Welch Prize for Indigenous Poetry for "Acknowledgement Two," a poem in this collection about her uncle who fought for fishing rights. Her fierce love of lands, waters, and stories of her peoples are carried in familiar poetic forms-sonnet, pantoum, and haiku-as vehicles to carry the readers on a journey through our shared world of literary - and deeply alive - landscapes. In groundbreaking forms of her ancestors and for future generations, Briggs introduces profiles of a Yakama treaty fisherman, a great-great-grandmother basket maker, and a Sauk-Suiattle leader calling for accountability, sharing the humanity and modernity of Native peoples. She uses sonnets, pantoums, and haiku as familiar vehicles for readers as she carries them into unfamiliar history and perspectives. She questions our relationship with words about Indigenous peoples by exploring their etymologies. She engages literary ancestors, poets Carolyn Kizer and Janice Gould, re-examining their poetics in her own. Kara Briggs works on environmental issues with tribes on the West Coast and has a background in journalism and higher education. She is a former president of the Native American Journalists Association. She graduated in 2024 with a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the Institute of American Indian Arts. This is her first poetry collection and her first publication with St. Julian Press.

59 pages ; 26 cm

"When Judy LeBlanc’s mother died in 2015, she embarked on a personal journey of discovery and reconciliation with her known but unacknowledged Coast Salish ancestry on her mother’s side. She was to discover that both maternal great-grandparents had Scottish fathers and Coast Salish mothers. Her great-grandmother was from the W̱SÁNEĆ people in what is now known as Saanich on Vancouver Island, and her great-grandfather was the son of a woman from either the Suquamish in Washington state or the Tsleil-Waututh in Burrard Inlet, North Vancouver. Finally, LeBlanc discovers that her great aunt attended Chemawa, an American Indian boarding school where, at the age of fourteen, she contracted tuberculosis and was sent home to die. In this intimate and moving memoir-in-essays, LeBlanc reflects on the impact of erasure in her family, particularly on the women through four generations. Marked by grief for the loss of her mother and the discovery of buried family secrets, LeBlanc sets out on a journey, both literary and cultural, in the form of a voyage by canoe to the home of her ancestors. Permission to Land is a powerful and vulnerable exploration of the complexities of family, heritage and identity, courageously questioning whether it is possible to seek renewal after irrevocable loss."-- Provided by publisher

158 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

"From the watersheds of the Squamish and Mamquam Rivers and Howe Sound in the north to English Bay, False Creek, and Burrard Inlet in the south, Sḵwx̱wú7meshulh Aysáy̓ch (Squamish Territory) encompasses saltwater and rushing rivers, old-growth forests at valley bottoms, and alpine meadows high above the ocean. Tiná7 Cht Ti Temíxw---We Come From This Land is a powerful introduction to the vast history of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh people. Drawing on stories from our Elders and in-depth research, we trace our history and culture from ancient times to the present day, offering a launching point for discovering more about the places, people, and stories found here."--Page 4 of cover

xi, 401 pages : illustrations (some color), maps ; 24 cm

Being in Being contains three masterpieces by legendary Haida mythteller Skaay of the Qquuna Qiighawaay. The shortest recounts the high points of the legend of his family. The second, Raven Travelling, is the longest and most complex version of the story of the Raven ever recorded on the Northwest Coast. The third is The Qquuna Cycle, a narrative poem of nearly 5,500 lines, one of the true masterpieces of North American literature.

1 online resource

"A collection of fascinating stories of the extraordinary and astonishing in BC's history. Daniel Marshall uncovers the stories of BC you've never heard. The award-winning Marshall captivates readers with intriguing and unknown stories, everything from Indigenous rights to Native gold; political intrigue to daring feats; the remarkable, mysterious traveller Harry (Harriet) Collins; the forgotten origin of Canada's oldest Chinatown; mysterious artifacts and confounding tales of the obscure and mysterious. Rigorously researched with interpretations that offer inclusive narratives while exploring surprising tales of great adventure."-- Provided by publisher

330 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm

"In the long-awaited sequel to Always Pack a Candle, intrepid public health nurse Marion Crook juggles marriage, children, and a vast array of patients and cases in rural British Columbia in the 1970s. It has been over a decade since Marion Crook arrived in the Cariboo for her first job out of nursing school. The vast rural territory that once left her awestruck now feels like home, as she embraces life on the ranch with her husband, Carl, three young children, and numerous farm animals. But things are far from idyllic. Overseeing a small staff of irrepressible nurses serving a public health district the size of a small country brings new challenges every day. From runaway patients and needle-phobic hockey players to cultural misunderstandings and heartbreaking cases of abuse and neglect, Marion never knows what is coming next. The 1970s bring signs of social progress as women gain more autonomy and the region grows more culturally diverse. Yet, old prejudices persist, and Marion must fight for her patients, as well as for her adopted son. Recounted with warmth, compassion, and riveting detail, Always On Call is a fascinating portrait of the hectic life of a rural nurse and highlights the importance of the helping professions."-- Provided by publisher

259 pages ; 23 cm

"An award-winning historian and mariner takes readers on an engrossing international journey of self-discovery that explores timely themes of human conflict, ethics, and reconciliation. A member of the so-called Silent Generation, Michael Hadley has a great deal to say in his twilight years. Opening with his Depression-era childhood on a lonely lighthouse on the west coast of Vancouver Island, this remarkably nuanced memoir spans decades, countries, and oceans. Hadley's reflections move through his years growing up in wartime Vancouver in the 1940s, his concert tours on the British vaudeville stage in the 1950s, and his early teaching career in Manitoba in the 1960s. He shares his naval service on both coasts and on the Great Lakes, and his professional experience in Germany, where unexpected friendships with former submariners trigger an interest in how countries deal with difficult wartime pasts. Human conflict, ethics, and multi-faith engagement in criminal justice reform and Restorative Justice shape Hadley's understandings of reconciliation, taking him on prison visits across Canada, the UK, and Uganda. Whether examining ancient historical sites and battlegrounds, navigating at sea, or riding camels in the desert, he seeks universal patterns of human experience. At once a deeply personal chronicle of a fascinating life and a measured, mature reflection on some of the most cataclysmic events of the past century, Boxing the Compass is an unforgettable journey that will leave readers reflecting on the experiences that affect us all."-- Provided by publisher

306 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 22 cm

"A vivid and comprehensive history of the City of Prince Rupert, from its ancient roots as a rich, multicultural trading hub between different Indigenous Nations to its current state as an ethnically diverse community set against the stunning natural backdrop of the Great Bear Rainforest. Since time immemorial, rain has defined life on Kaien Island, now known as the townsite of Prince Rupert. As the rainiest and cloudiest city in Canada, Prince Rupert is the perfect environment for rainbows--and the rainbow is an apt metaphor for the city: a symbol of diversity and inclusion, a supernatural gateway between worlds, and a universal sign of hope and calm after a storm. From its original Ts'mysen inhabitants to the first European explorers and fur traders, the building of dozens of salmon canneries to the construction of the transcontinental railway, the global upheaval of two World Wars to decades of industrial boom and bust, Kaien Island, and Prince Rupert, has always been a rich, multicultural trading hub that has weathered countless storms. By weaving together historical events illustrated by compelling archival photographs, The City of Rainbows strives to tell the story of Prince Rupert from a modern perspective, one that confronts the impact of colonization head-on and moves away from a romanticized account of the development of a "pioneer" town. Balancing the histories of Indigenous Peoples, European and Asian settlers, and recent immigrants, this book reveals powerful, intriguing, uncomfortable, and beautiful truths about an undoubtedly colourful city."-- Provided by publisher

vi, 251 pages, 14 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, map ; 22 cm

Twenty years ago, two empty-nesters with a love of the outdoors stumbled upon a vacant beach house on a small island in Clayoquot Sound, part of an off-grid, ten-acre stretch nestled within a provincial park reserve. Our Stolen Years in Clayoquot Sound is an extended love letter to this place, chronicling the decade John and Bea Dowd spent as year-round caretakers of the property. Told with humour and heart in alternating voices, and lavishly illustrated throughout with stunning natural photography, this book a story of joyful solitude, of living in harmony with wildlife and respecting the forces of nature. It is about the fleeting definition of home and family, and about creating community in the wilderness. Above all, it is a tribute to an achingly beautiful, fragile place.

309 pages : color illustrations ; 26 cm

"For locals and visitors alike, these sketches and stories highlight both the historic monuments and everyday moments that make Victoria shine. You never know quite what you'll come across in British Columbia's capital city. With its unmissable landmarks that attract people from around the world, Victoria is also rich in forested beauty, charming houses, and curious people, and is steeped in local history. Following the charm of her previous book, Hand Drawn Vancouver, in this memorable book, Emma FitzGerald captures the coastal city of Victoria and its surrounding communities in over 100 sketches of: iconic landmarks: It wouldn't be a visit to Victoria without stopping by the Empress, Munro's, or Butchart Gardens ; local favourites: the longstanding Beacon Drive In and James Bay's Birdcage Confectionary are some beloved spots honoured within these pages ; beautiful architecture: journey back in time by admiring historic buildings, like Queen Anne-style homes and the spiraling Belfry Theatre ; stunning west coast landscape: explore natural wonders, from culturally significant fields of camas flowers to Mystic Beach's stunning shoreline ; overheard conversations: what really makes a city are the people who live there--Emma documents snippets of passersby's conversations as she sketches. Structured by neighbourhood, Hand Drawn Victoria is a beautiful keepsake for both locals and visitors, and a lovely way to celebrate the city--its buildings, its people, and its essence"--Amazon.com

151 pages : color illustrations ; 21 cm

A third-generation Pacific Northwest logger returns to the forests of Haida Gwaii, to witness a way of life in the grip of change. By the time Aaron Williams began learning how to fall a tree, his family had been making clear cuts on BC hillsides for nearly a century. During his father’s generation, the industry started to crumble, and by the time Williams arrived, he knew his future lay elsewhere. But his father continued in the trade, his work taking him into the forests of Haida Gwaii. There, Williams follows him into a season at Collison Point, where the loggers are increasingly unwelcome visitors to the ancient forests. The Last Logging Show captures the spectacular setting of Haida Gwaii and the people who call it home. It unravels the lives and dreams of those who log the forests for a living, who have coexisted with the Haida for generations—but while one way of life is in the twilight of existence, the other is being reborn. Thoughtful and compelling, this is a story of connection, community, and the force of fundamental change.

1 online resource (xv, 207 pages) : illustrations, map

"Past the End of the Road recounts a free-range adolescence in mid-century Port Hardy on northern Vancouver Island, at a time when, with no roads south, the town was only connected to the rest of the island by air and sea and the Union steamship was the main mode of travel to and from the sleepy logging village. Michel Drouin's frank and humorous memoir recounts the freedom of his childhood in midcentury Port Hardy. When he was twelve, Drouin and his friend rowed a small boat from town ten kilometres across the Goletas Channel for a day trip to the Gordon Group of islands, without even bringing water to drink, as neither he or his friend owned a canteen and "plastic water bottles hadn't been invented yet." Drouin's adolescence encompassed hunting, fishing, firewood cutting, and more activities that although common at the time are probably foreign to most Canadian children. Although he ultimately prospered, the wildness of Drouin's youth led to some close calls, such as when the young man accidentally lit himself on fire and he was only able to extinguish himself by running to the beach--"fortunately, the tide was in"--and flinging himself into the ocean."-- Provided by publisher

x, 230 pages : illustrations, map ; 22 cm

Take a trip across British Columbia with this enchanting collection of essays from thirty local writers. What makes wandering the vibrant land called British Columbia really special? Encounters with locals who are ready to share, over a coffee or a beer, quirky tales and powerful truths rooted in place and time. Consider this book a meet-up with 30 such storytellers, the perfect road companion for your journey real or imagined. The Tyee is the province’s oldest and most-read independent source of online news and ideas, renowned for its range of voices on politics, culture and nature. This anthology marking The Tyee’s 20th anniversary includes pieces published over the last two decades and includes the distinct perspectives of some of the region’s most celebrated writers, including J.B. MacKinnon, Alisa Smith, Cúagilákv (Jess H̓áust̓i), Arno Kopecky, Harrison Mooney, Michelle Cyca, Christopher Cheung, Andrew Nikiforuk, and many more, as well as illustrations by Nora Kelly. Pull up a chair and get their inside scoops on the places they call home.

288 p.

"This book is about "surviving" and is divided into three sections: an introduction that looks back to my 1996 book and reproduces some of the images and thoughts from that tranquil time nearly 30 years ago; a second section about "surviving" as an adjective--what has survived of its fine buildings and beautiful neighbourhoods; and a third one of "surviving" as a verb--how people are surviving in Vancouver. I have used "Vancouver" both as a term for the city itself and sometimes for Metro Vancouver--the region which includes Burnaby, New Westminster, the North and West Vancouvers, Surrey, Richmond, Delta, Port Moody, White Rock, the Coquitlams and the Langleys. The final section of the book considers that geography, and the "great escapes" further afield."-- Provided by publisher

126 pages : illustrations ; 28 cm

"Peter "Pete" Maloff was born in Saskatchewan in 1900, the year after the first Doukhobors, including his parents, immigrated to Canada. Living through the eras of WWI and WWII in a Doukhobor community strengthened his deep-rooted belief in pacifism and, at a young age, he dedicated himself completely to the idea that there must be another way to solve conflicts. This quest, as well as Maloff's status as an 'outsider,' was not always welcomed--judges and wardens considered him a radical and his influence a threat, and his outspokenness and peaceful protests resulted in house arrest and years in Canadian jails. Maloff was not deterred, and his perseverance garnered him many followers, including some who had formerly worked against him or had helped to incarcerate him. Today, his granddaughter Vera Maloff remembers Pete as a tall, strong, charismatic man. Growing up, she worked beside him in the family's gardens, and at the local markets where they sold produce, she recalls that he would be regularly surrounded by people wanting to hear him speak. He was a kind, caring man, and the time spent incarcerated, forced away from his family, did not seem to have dulled his spirit. He was an avid reader, who taught his family to consider all aspects and perspectives, instilling an awareness of other people and cultures and an eagerness to learn. In They Called Him a Radical: The Memoirs of Pete Maloff and The Making of a Doukhobor Pacifist, Vera revisits her grandfather's memoirs, written while under house arrest and covering the formative years from his birth to his late twenties, during which Pete's resolve to live as a pacifist was cemented. Here, Pete writes of growing up in the new Canadian Doukhobor community at the turn of the century, meeting influential figures in the pacifist movement in California, his time in a cooperative freedom colony in Oregon, and his turning to writing, as he truly believed that the pen could be mightier than the sword."-- Provided by publisher

226 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Because of state actions and policies, Washington Tribes had long been denied their fair share of the salmon harvest granted by treaties adopted by the US government and the Tribes in 1854. Tribal members staged "fish-ins" and other demonstrations, and ultimately pursued a federal lawsuit against the state. Decided in 1974 by US district court judge George H. Boldt, the landmark ruling gave Tribes an equal share of fish, meaning yields for non-Native fishermen plummeted. As a result, many non-Native commercial fishing businesses closed, and chaos and legal disputes continued into the 1980s. All the while, the number of salmon available for harvest steadily declined. During this post-Boldt period, a group of Tribal and government leaders collectively decided change was sorely needed. Through collaboration, they forged major, seemingly unattainable agreements to cooperatively manage fisheries, all while protecting and enhancing salmon runs. Author Bill Wilkerson, then fisheries director for the state of Washington, and legendary Tribal leader Billy Frank Jr. were among a select group of courageous visionaries who worked to bring peace to state waters and reverse the steady decline of salmon runs. Without Frank's dedicated participation in these talks, legitimizing the process in the view of local Tribes, it's unlikely these agreements would have ever been made. In Common With is an insider's look at a number of successful negotiations between historic adversaries. They included an international salmon treaty between the US and Canada, a long-term cooperative management agreement between the state and Tribes, and a major accord between the state, Tribes, and forestland managers to protect salmon habitat on privately owned forestlands. This groundbreaking feat of diplomacy and partnership revealed the power of honoring one another?s opinions, needs, and wants. This spirit of cooperation and dedication to common ground serves as a shining example for contemporary leaders in today's polarized political landscape

xv, 381 pages ; 23 cm

"A fascinating compendium of stories chronicling the history of local conservation movements that evolved on seventeen islands in the Salish Sea from the 1980s to the present day. Saving the Islands chronicles the history and evolution of the conservation movement across eighteen islands in the Salish Sea. Narratively linked by author Sheila Harrington's two-year sailing journey to the islands to gather over fifty interviews with veteran conservationists, the book provides an in-depth view of conservation land trusts, from their emergence forty years ago through multiple legal battles, organizational challenges, hard lessons, case studies, and human-interest stories. Beginning in the 1980s, when logging and development threatened the fragile ecosystems and natural spaces of this region, and culminating in the creation of the Gulf Island National Park Reserve, this book will inspire readers to turn apathy to action and support the cause of conservation in an era of species extinction and climate change. Full of colour photos, maps, and fascinating first-hand stories by conservationists--many of whom are now elders--it reveals how grassroots movements have the power to transform the future of a natural environment."-- Provided by publisher

xi, 273 pages : color illustrations, maps ; 26 cm

"Longtime fisherman and Sointula resident Jon Taylor dishes up hilarious yarns from his life off northern Vancouver Island. Capturing the "rough but reasonable" freedom of Malcolm Island, situated off the northeast shore of Vancouver Island, Jon Taylor recounts the bizarre but enticing lifestyle of a fisherman and his remote community--"haywire tightwads" for skippers, rotten fish in the hold that become "three thousand humpies in a warm, pink soup," and the kind of integrity you don't often see. Jon Taylor's family history on Malcolm Island extends back to 1917, when Taylor's Finnish grandparents planned to move to the community of Sointula, to live among fellow expats who shared a language and a dream. However, Taylor recounts, upon seeing the island they promptly changed their minds and moved to Cuba. Taylor himself moved to Malcolm Island in 1976 and became a steadfast resident, embracing the fishboat life, for better or worse, aboard seiners, gillnetters and his own troller. Taylor captures a classic but now-disappearing way of life in its heyday with his vibrant and amusing vignettes."-- Provided by publisher

224 pages ; 22 cm

"William "Bill" Sumio Naito (1925-1996) was a remarkable and visionary individual--the Portland-born son of Japanese immigrants who became one of the city's most significant business and civic leaders. Every day thousands of people drive on Naito Parkway alongside Portland's Waterfront Park, yet little has been written about the man for whom it was named. In this first biography, Erica Naito-Campbell, Bill's granddaughter, shows how his story is also the story of Portland, the city he loved. Naito's life, from the Great Depression and World War II through Portland's rebirth in the 1970s and its profound growth, tracked most of the major events in the city and was the catalyst for many of them. Through hard-earned success in importing and real estate with his brother Sam, Naito came to wield considerable power in the city, and his leadership led to much of what we consider iconic Portland today: the "Portland Oregon" sign near the Burnside Bridge, the annual Christmas tree in Pioneer Courthouse Square, and Harbor Drive's conversion to Waterfront Park. Naito's name became synonymous with civic leadership, whether it was growing Portland's urban tree canopy, revitalizing its downtown, or preserving historic buildings. But less is known about his difficult childhood--with a father who worked twelve-hour days and a mother whose treatment of him was harsh at best--and the racism he endured during World War II. After the expulsion of Japanese Americans following Pearl Harbor and his military service in Occupied Japan, Naito overcame great emotional turmoil to return to Portland and become one of its greatest change-makers."-- Provided by publisher

x, 278 pages : illustrations, map, portraits ; 23 cm

"Most agricultural production is of commodity or undifferentiated products. Producers suffer from a roller-coaster ride of price swings, over- or under-production, weather and pest threats, and the inability of family famers to capture anything beyond a small percentage of the final price. Cooperatives Across Clusters provides lessons from the cranberry industry, a commodity product organized mostly into family farms in seven different clusters around North America. The industry is remarkable in that it's substantially organized around one large cooperative, Ocean Spray. The authors examine how the cooperative came to be, the challenges of coordination and industry leadership across the diverging clusters, and the lessons for cooperation for other agricultural industries. The book provides a multi-layered contribution to agricultural economics. First, it examines location decisions and what factors supersede growing conditions to allow industries to arise around production. Second, it explores pathways available for farmers to try to overcome, through cooperative organization, the natural boom-bust cycles of commodity price swings. Third, it looks at how cooperative decisions are made, and the challenges of providing industry leadership, including research and development and collective marketing, through a cooperative that faces continual defections and new problems. Finally, through in-depth historical, statistical, and field research, it provides a comprehensive study of the cranberry industry and suggests ways farmers can grow the industry. Agricultural policymakers, farmers, industry specialists, and researchers of agriculture and clusters more generally will find this to be an important and informative new resource."-- Provided by publisher

xvi, 216 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm

"How do we plan for a better Oregon in 2050? What will the state be like in that year for five million Oregonians, particularly for the least privileged and powerful residents? These are the questions that drive Oregon 2050, an interdisciplinary project at Portland State University that aims to help the state become more environmentally sustainable, socially equitable, and fiscally resilient. In this compelling volume, leading experts in land use and urban planning, in cooperation with other scholars and community partners, envision various possible futures and begin the work of developing statewide plans to guide Oregon through the decades ahead. Building on the state's policy innovation and planning legacy, contributors to Toward Oregon 2050 address current challenges such as housing scarcity, income inequality, the rural-urban divide, and climate change. They offer recommendations on a range of issues, from culture to incarceration, transportation to voting rights, all with the goal of imagining what a fair and equitable Oregon might look like. Some of the imagined futures-with worsening effects of climate change, environmental harms, and social inequities-are not bright for many Oregonians. Other futures include enhanced resiliency to forest fires and flooding, more Oregonians in high-paying jobs and in secure housing, and more children walking and biking to school. But those positive futures are not guaranteed, and getting there won't be easy. They'll require all stakeholders-state and local government, members of all political parties, private businesses, non-profit organizations, and individual residents-to play a role in ensuring a better future for the next generation of Oregonians. Intended for all Oregonians who care about their state's future, Toward Oregon 2050 will also appeal to scholars and planners who have long looked to Oregon for inspiration and lessons learned. The book invites readers to envision the future of Oregon and to contribute their part toward a better future for the state"-- Provided by publisher

ix, 452 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm

Transforms our understanding of being unhoused in the United States. Tent City 3 provides Seattle’s unhoused people with a place to create and sustain not just shelter but a home. In 2000 it became one of the first organized, peer-operated tent encampments in the city, a type of community that has become more common throughout the West Coast and the United States in the intervening years. Based on groundbreaking participatory research and interviews, this book explores the lives of Tent City 3’s residents and their efforts to reclaim dignity, freedom, and the deep human connection to one’s own space. Tent City 3 upends stereotypes of homelessness by being a self-managed, self-governing, and largely self-supporting community of informal housing. Residents enact ongoing and relational homemaking practices that challenge widely accepted notions of private and public, self and other, and home and homeless. Tony Sparks reveals how small tasks undertaken in Tent City 3 contribute to a larger process of homemaking through practices of care, collectivity, and the creation of a commons. He also shows how the encampment’s residents refuse the normative boundaries of private property to create and sustain a sense of home and resist the ongoing settler colonialism that justifies their exclusion. Brimming with insightful analysis and rich storytelling, Tent City, Seattle dispels myths about homelessness while placing the issue within the arc of American history.

viii, 181 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm