Finalist, 2019 Washington State Book Awards
"The key words in this excellent collection of vignettes are 'hivelike microcosm of humanity.' They describe precisely the atmosphere of the most famous, feared, loved, diverse bus route in the city: South Seattle's no. 7. Nathan Vass, a Metro driver on this route, details the cultural experiments that occur daily in this social laboratory on wheels. He describes the riders– often poor, often not white, often going to bad news, often just being in the world– with a prose at once elegant, rhythmical, and clear."
Charles Tonderai Mudede
–Writer, editor, filmmaker, cultural critic
–Writer, editor, filmmaker, cultural critic
"Nathan Vass is more than a bus driver. He's also an artist, therapist, anthropologist, and lion tamer. Only Nathan would see a young couple in the back of the bus and note with wonder that they remind him of Michelangelo's Pieta. And only on Nathan's bus will you see a potential fight subside into a discussion on the merits of wasabi. Read this beautiful book about junkies and hookers and bankers and lawyers coexisting in the last place in America where they can't avoid each other."
-Paul Currington
Fresh Ground Stories
Fresh Ground Stories
"Vass witnesses surprising generosity and bitter conflicts on his daily trips, and he records it all. He's written about race, gender roles, and the changing face of Seattle, and art, and feces, and pretty much everything else you'll find on public transportation."
-Paul Constant
Seattle Review of Books
Seattle Review of Books
It's here.
After selling out our first, second, third and fourth runs almost immediately (!!), our fifth print run has arrived! We've been a Seattle bestseller for more than a year now!
The book is available for purchase online through Elliott Bay Books, here. For now, the current Elliott Bay stock is autographed by yours truly.
It's also available in person at Phinney Books, Madison Books, and Third Place Books (all locations). You can order online from Third Place as well, here. They're selling quickly, but are in stock for now. We're currently finalizing agreements with more area bookstores and library systems. Stand by for updates; it's all happening!
Bookstores curious to carry the book: refer to the PDF info sheet below for specs and background!
The book is available for purchase online through Elliott Bay Books, here. For now, the current Elliott Bay stock is autographed by yours truly.
It's also available in person at Phinney Books, Madison Books, and Third Place Books (all locations). You can order online from Third Place as well, here. They're selling quickly, but are in stock for now. We're currently finalizing agreements with more area bookstores and library systems. Stand by for updates; it's all happening!
Bookstores curious to carry the book: refer to the PDF info sheet below for specs and background!
| linesmakeus_infosheet_v1.pdf |
What is it?
The Lines That Make Us is a personal curation of the best stories of this blog. The Stranger writes a piece on the book here. Learn more here and here (essays from the time of publication), and here (thoughts after launching our third run) and here (thoughts on getting the WA State nomination, plus why we're not on Amazon!).
Or just watch the TV interview! KING 5's Michael King quizzes me below. Explore the Press Page for more interviews with Nathan.
Or just watch the TV interview! KING 5's Michael King quizzes me below. Explore the Press Page for more interviews with Nathan.
