Each year the Library hosts readings, lectures, and discussions by authors and other public figures. You may watch video recordings of recent programs on our YouTube channel. Our archive of audio recordings goes back more than 10 years and includes thousands of memorable Library events.
Jodi Picoult reads from 'Leaving Time'
Best-selling author Jodi Picoult will read from her latest novel, "Leaving Time," and talk about the research that went into her work.
Listen to Audio (mp3) [file size: 26.62MB] [Play time: 0 hr 58 min]
Eric Liu discusses his latest book 'A Chinaman’s Chance'
'A Chinaman's Chance: One Family's Journey and the Chinese American Dream' combines personal essay, searching history, and provocative commentary on contemporary, politics, and culture, asking "What does it mean to be Chinese American in this moment of China and America?"
Listen to Audio (mp3) [file size: 32.41MB] [Play time: 1 hr 10 min]
Joshua Howe reads from 'Behind the Curve: Science and the Politics of Global Warming'
Joshua Howe talks about his book "Behind the Curve: Science and the Politics of Global Warming," exploring the history of global warming from its roots as a scientific curiosity to its place at the center of international environmental politics.
Listen to Audio (mp3) [file size: 31.00MB] [Play time: 1 hr 07 min]
Joseph W. Scott Reads from ‘Little Ethiopia of the Pacific Northwest’
Dr. Joseph W. Scott reads from and discusses "Little Ethiopia of the Pacific Northwest," a fascinating modern day ethnographic analysis which tells the untold story of the Ethiopian community here in Seattle.
Listen to Audio (mp3) [file size: 32.74MB] [Play time: 1 hr 11 min]
Join us for Voyage to 'The Origin of Species'
In this entertaining talk, Darwin himself (with some assistance from evolutionary biologist and lecturer Pepper Trail) will recount how his country childhood, his voyage on The Beagle, and his vibrant circle of friends and colleagues led him, sometimes reluctantly, to the insights that revolutionized our understanding of the world.
Listen to Audio (mp3) [file size: 27.07MB] [Play time: 0 hr 59 min]
Washington State Book Awards: Come Find Out the Winners!
Join writers, readers, booksellers, publishers, and friends to learn who wins the 2014 Washington State Book Awards. For the first time, winners are announced the night of the event.
Listen to Audio (mp3) [file size: 18.71MB] [Play time: 0 hr 40 min]
Join us for “Practicing Journalism: The Power and Purpose of the Fourth Estate”
Join The Seattle Public Library and Seattle Times for an illustrated talk by Paul Steinle and Sara Brown about their recent book "Practicing Journalism."
Listen to Audio (mp3) [file size: 28.08MB] [Play time: 1 hr 01 min]
Seattle Writes: Writing Teen Fiction
Are you working on a young adult (YA) novel? Don't miss this panel discussion for insight from three published YA authors on the writing and publishing process. Recorded on Oct. 4, 2014.
Listen to Audio (mp3) [file size: 29.99MB] [Play time: 1 hr 05 min]
Irish-American novelist Joseph O’Neill reads from his new book 'The Dog'
Following a bad break-up with his longtime girlfriend, an unnamed American lawyer leaves New York for Dubai to manage the wealth of a rich Lebanese family.
Listen to Audio (mp3) [file size: 17.75MB] [Play time: 0 hr 38 min]
Celebrate Seattle’s Favorite Poems with former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky
Celebrate beloved poems with other local poetry lovers. Seattle's Favorite Poems will bring together local luminaries, poets, and community members for an evening of everyone's favorite poems.
Listen to Audio (mp3) [file size: 36.13MB] [Play time: 1 hr 18 min]