Writing the Northwest: A Reporter Looks Back

Hill Williams reported Northwest news for decades. Now, in his memoir, he transforms his favorite and most memorable stories into inviting, candid narratives that bestow a remarkable gift--a window into the heart of an affable and seasoned journalist. Employing a genuine, homespun style, he reminisces about unforgettable people, places, and events he covered, natural and human history, and a vanished time in his profession. He writes about Hanford, a Coast Guard officer's heroism, whale-hunting in canoes, and a famous dog-sled run. He captures what it was like to grow up on the dry side of Washington during the 1930s and 1940s and to work before computers became ubiquitous. He shares eyewitness accounts of the flooding of Celilo Falls, the first water flowing from the Columbia Irrigation Project, a 1952 nuclear test in Nevada, the aftereffects of Mount St. Helens' 1980 eruption, and a mysterious, massive chunk of earth in north-central Washington. Hill Williams received degrees from the University of Washington, and began his journalism career in 1948. From 1967 to 1991 he was the science writer for the "Seattle Times." His book, "The Restless Northwest: A Geological Story," won the Washington State Book Award in 2003. "Writing the Northwest" is his third--and most personal--title with Washington State University Press. "Hill Williams has traveled so broadly for so many years that he can report captivating aspects of two worlds--the wonders of our globe and the intriguing details of the fascinating Northwest that he so plainly loves."--Bill Hall, former columnist and editor for the "Lewiston Morning Tribune." "[Hill Williams' stories] evoke the tenor and mood of the era better than facts and figures could]] The breadth of subject matter--from basalt to linotype machines [and] atomic bombs]]--is one of the things I loved most."--Jim Kershner, award-winning journalist and senior correspondent for "The Spokesman Review." His recent book is "Carl Maxey: A Fighting Life.