Book: Seattle Walk Report:
An Illustrated Walking Guide Through
23 Seattle Neighborhoods
Basic Information : Synopsis : Thoughts : Evaluation : Book Group : Table of Contents : References
Basic Information:
Author: Susanna Ryan
Edition: epub on Libby from the Los Angeles Public Library
Publisher: Sasquatch Books
ISBN: 9781632172617 (ISBN10: 1632172615)
Start Date: March 1, 2024
Read Date: March 3, 2024
166 pages
Genre: Seattle, Illustrated, Walking
Language Warning: None
Rated Overall: 4 out of 5
Synopsis :
This is a book about walking neighborhoods in Seattle. Note, the sub-title, this is an illustrated book. Each section has:
- A list of things found
- A map of what was walked
- Counts of something which caught the author’s eye
- Maybe a sign
- And then drawings of various items-treehouses, buildings, gum walls, even traffic signals
There are three tenets Ryan has:
- Be open to possibility
- Be safe
- Let go of your preconceived notions of expectations
Her suggestions for your walks include:
- Vary your normal walks. Maybe shift them over aa block
- Be the “official” reporter for your block. Look for things unusual. Count the countable things
- Do a random walk.
Thoughts:
As the subtitle notes, this is an illustrated book with explanations. In the introduction, she notes this is a call to explore and to celebrate the overlooked everyday marvels that surround us. So in that sense, we can use what Ryan does anyplace.
Ryan started sharing her discoveries on Instagram under Seattle Walk Report.
The dynamics of her walks would make it that if you followed in her steps the next month, week or even day, your experience would be different. That is her purpose-to have you see your neighborhood through the lens of how things are and how things change. Her purpose is to open our eyes to that which is around us.
Each chapter is about 8 or 9 pages. There is an introductory drawing with a brief description of the neighborhood. Also a checklist of stuff she has found. In Ballard she has: interesting side streets, views of the water, a mix of old and new houses, and Scandinavian flags. This gets followed by a map complete with the route she followed-the map looks followable, but my guess is that you may want to take a more recent street map. Each neighborhood has a tally of things of interest, at least to Ryan. In Ballard it is the number of houses for sale and the number of jaywalkers. Then there are things which catch her eye: The Ballard Bell, a manhole cover, a series of knocked down newspaper boxes, some boats, a beaver, and the various locks she saw. Also so odds and ends-things for free on the street and the parks in the area. Her drawings show these things, I hesitate to say accompanying rather than the writings accompanying the drawings. You get the idea.
As a hint: find your favorite tree and that can extend to almost anything, such as street light, lock, or front door.
See the Synopsis for what she says you should do.
Evaluation:
My wife and I were thinking about going to Seattle. We have been there once before and loved walking in this city, actually almost any city we have visited. So this book seemed like a perfect fit. Disappointingly, it was not what I was looking for. It was better.
To start with, if you are an out-of-towner looking for a tour guide for Seattle, this is not it. But despite the title, that is not the purpose of this book. It is written more for a person who lives in the area with the need to open their eyes to the hidden charms of their city. The author’s idea is to observe where you are and consequently enjoy the city more.
You will not find much in the ways of the major attractions of Seattle. What you will find is a random dive through the neighborhoods of Seattle. She walks each area of Seattle and reports on what is seen. Some things are expected such as parks, major buildings and museums but then there are things like counting the sneakers on telephone lines in a neighborhood, or _.
What Ryan is trying to teach us is to look and appreciate where we are, that no place is uninteresting, if you see it right, even where you live. And that is where this book is better. You can do the same thing in the place where you live. Look for the common stuff and see the wonder, witness the uncommon which has been there all the time but which you have gotten used to. And then record it for your own amusement, or possibly others.
Since this is an illustrated book, the 166 pages go by pretty fast with not much written. So even if you only have an hour to flip through it, you will get something out of it.
Notes from my book group:
How does being an illustrated book affect how you received Ryan’s message?
What does Ryan want her readers to do?
If you were Ryan and walking your neighborhood, what illustrations would you make? What would you count? What would catch your eye?
How can you explore and celebrate your neighborhood? Your city?
How has your neighborhood changed in the last month? Year? Decade?
How do you want your life to change because you read this book?
Many of these questions are either from or adapted from LitLovers.
Why the title of Seattle Walk Report?
Does this story work as a guide?
Every story has a world view. Were you able to identify this story’s world view? What was it? How did it affect the story?
Why do you think the author wrote this book?
What would you ask the author if you had a chance?
What “takeaways” did you have from this book?
How did this book affect your view of the world? What questions did you ask yourself after reading this book?
- Introduction
- Welcome to the Neighborhoods
- Ballard
- Capitol Hill
- Central District & Leschi
- Chinatown-International District
- Downtown
- Fremont
- Green Lake, Wallingford & Phinney Ridge
- Lake City & Wedgewood
- Madrona, Madison Park & Montlake
- Pioneer Square
- Lower Queen Anne
- Upper Queen Anne
- Rainier Beach
- SoDo & Georgetown
- West Seattle]
- The Eastside
- Conclusion
- Search&Find
- Walking Supplies
References:
- Publisher's Web Site for Book (Penguin Books)
- Author's Web SiteInstagram
- Amazon-Book
- Amazon-Author
- Barnes and Noble
- Seattle Times Review
- Seattle Department of Transportation interview
- Seattle Public Library
