Nancy Rawles

Nancy at a meeting of The Book Club in Seattle

Sadie's Quilt from My Jim by T. Hoggatt, N. Gibson, A. Milliam, C. Milliam, and B. Branch; Photo credit: Mark Sullo

My Jim theatrical reading at A Contemporary Theatre (ACT) in Seattle. Sponsored by the Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs, The Hansberry Project, Jack Straw Productions. Photo credit: Mark Sullo

Events


Library News Release

2009 'Seattle Reads' to feature Seattle author Nancy Rawles' book, 'My Jim'

In 1998, The Seattle Public Library launched a program to get Seattleites reading and discussing the same book. "If All of Seattle Read the Same Book" is now an annual event and has been widely emulated in cities, states and countries around the world.

In the 11th year of the series - now called "Seattle Reads" - The Seattle Public Library has selected "My Jim" by Nancy Rawles. Rawles will visit locations of The Seattle Public Library from Wednesday, May 20 through Saturday, May 23 to talk with readers about her novel. Details and a schedule of events will be announced in January.

"My Jim" is based on the character of Jim in Mark Twain's book, "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Jim was a slave who escaped down the Mississippi River with Huck Finn. The story is told in the voice of Sadie, Jim's wife, and follows Jim's family as it struggles to cope with his loss after his escape. The book won the 2006 Legacy Award for Fiction from the Hurston/Wright Foundation and a 2006 Alex Award from the American Library Association.

"Seattle Reads" is designed to foster reading and discussion of works by authors of diverse cultures and ethnicities. It is made possible by The Wallace Foundation, with additional support from The Seattle Public Library Foundation, KUOW 94.9 Public Radio and Three Rivers Press.




Selected Works

Novels
My Jim
"As heart-wrenching a personal history as any recorded in American literature."
--New York Times
Crawfish Dreams
"[A] thoughtful, lovingly written tale of one woman's quiet determination to survive."
--Kirkus Review
Love Like Gumbo
"Rawles tells a solid, candidly funny and touching story that marks the emergence of a talented new novelist."
--Publishers Weekly

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