Are you wanting to know more about the state of Washington? Or are you looking for a book set in the state of Washington? If so, are we have a list of books for you.
Our goal is to share a list of books for every state in the U.S. These lists were inspired by my nonfiction books for every state challenge.
The book lists for each individual state though contain both fiction and nonfiction. They are also all books that we have read, which means they are not random books about the state they are set in. They are books that we have read and can recommend.
So far we have shared a list of books set in Texas, books set in Oregon, books set in Oklahoma, and books set in California. Today, we are continuing our list with books set in the state of Washington.
Books Set In Washington State
The Boys In the Boat
The Boys In the Boat made my list of favorite books of 2018. It is an inspirational story of how the University of Washington’s rowing team made it to the 1936 Olympics.
This book is perfect for a Washington State book because it covers so much of the history of that area during the depression. It talks about the history of the school, logging, shipyard work, the wide variety of men, who made up the team, the weather in the Pacific Northwest, and so much more.
House Lessons
House Lessons is a memoir about a family renovating a house in Port Townsend, Washington. But it is about so much more than just a house. In sharing the story of renovating the house, the author also shares about the culture and landscape of the Port Townsend, Washington.
House Lessons is an essay style memoir. So it is a popular form of memoir, but if you don’t like that style, this might not be the book for you.
Pour Your Heart Into It
Pour Your Heart Into It is the story of Starbucks. You can’t have a book list about Washington without books about Starbucks. This book is a business type of book about how a company was built, but it is also so much more than that.
Starbucks and coffee in general is a huge part of life in Washington. Really it is a huge part of life on the West Coast. They know their coffee.
Starbucks was founded in the Seattle area, and the original location is in that area. This story talks about building a company but also covers much of Seattle and Washington life.
Onward
Onward: How Starbucks Fought For Its Life Without Losing Its Soul is another nonfiction book about Starbucks. It is the continuing story of Starbucks and how it overcame tough times to be what it is today. This is another case where sharing the story of Starbucks shares a lot about Seattle and Washington state.
Where’d You Go Bernadette
Where’d You Go Bernadette is the perfect choice for a fiction book based in Washington State. This is a fun, quirky story that incorporates so much about Seattle, the Pacific Northwest, and the people that live there. I grew up in northwest Oregon, and I could relate to so much about this book.
The story of the blackberry vines in the book is a classic Pacific Northwest story, and I think anyone that has lived there can visualize it actually happening. If you love fiction and haven’t read Where’d You Go Bernadette, it might be a great time to pick it up.
The Mushroom Hunters
The Mushroom Hunters is a nonfiction book about mushrooms and mushroom picking. This book makes the history of mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest fascinating. The book covers both Washington and Oregon.
I grew up in a small logging town, in the middle of nowhere, near the NW coast range of Oregon, just south of Washington. I grew up picking mushrooms back in the 1980’s when mushroom picking was just becoming popular.
Mushroom picking has changed drastically since my family picked and sold them back in the 1980’s. In fact, I had no idea how much it has changed until I read this book. This book is not for everyone, but if you love books about food, how food gets to your table, or want to know more about the Pacific Northwest, this is a great book.
The Road to Paradise
The Road to Paradise is a fun fiction read set in Mt. Rainer National Park in 1920. The author was a park ranger, and she does a great describing the scenery and setting in this book. This is a clean romance book that was easy to read.
What you read any books set in the state of Washington?
I lived in WA state most of my life and I have never read any of these books! I just recently moved to Virginia, but WA is my home. I think I did start reading The Boys in the Boat, but never got too far.
I loved Boys in the Boat. My husband did the audio version of The Boys in the Boat and said that it was really good, so if you like audio books you might prefer it that way. WA to Virginia is a long move! I grew up in OR, but now live in Oklahoma. I miss the PNW. Do you have any Washington books that we need to add?