Non-Fiction Books by William Dietrich

Napoleon’s Rules: Life and Career Lessons from Bonaparte

March 2015

“What a novel my life has been!” Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the greatest successes, and tragic failures, in history. Rising from obscurity to rule most of Europe, he was defeated at Waterloo at age 45 and confined to a lonely South Atlantic island. This book gleans from his voluminous maxims and comments on this parabolic arc to provide both an inspiring and cautionary tale. It provides life and career lessons for leaders, entrepreneurs, military officers, students, and anyone who is ambitious and wondering what to make of life. Read more>>

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The North Cascades
Finding Beauty and Renewal in the Wild Nearby
by William Dietrich (contributor)

This coffee table photo and essay book, published in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act, both celebrates the “American Alps” in north-central Washington State, and urges new commitment to preserving and sustaining a 2.7 million acre ecosystem that includes some of the most dramatic terrain in the contiguous 48 states. | read more>

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The Final Forest - Updated Version

In 2010, I updated my very first non-fiction book, 1992′s The Final Forest, with a new introduction discussing the changes that have affected Forks, Washington (which became the setting for the Twilight vampire series!) and a new epilogue summarizing changes in the forest and timber industry and the fate of many of the key characters in the book. Read more

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On Puget Sound
by Art Wolfe (Author), William Dietrich (Author), Philip Kramer (Contributor)

For his new book of images, Art Wolfe, a Seattle-born photographer who has traveled the world to capture landscapes and animals on film, turns to the place he knows best: Puget Sound, the beautiful waterway that defines the western Washington coast. From Olympia in the south to the San Juan Islands, from the foothills of the Cascade Range to the face of the Olympic Mountains, this is an exceptionally picturesque region. Despite the grandiosity of the landscape, Wolfe brings a sense of intimacy to his views of this place. He explores hidden estuaries and beaches, lush river deltas, undulating pastures, and, of course, the animated shapes and patterns of water. Wolfe also finds much beauty in the unique buildings and vessels that lend character to Puget Sound.

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Natural Grace
The Charm, Wonder & Lessons of Pacific Northwest Animals and Plants
This collection of twenty-one natural history essays, first published in Pacific Northwest magazine of the Seattle Times, is a celebration of the animal and plant life in the region. Written with an eye for humor, quirky fact, and the everyday connections between we humans and nature, its intent is to “inspire determined optimism, not nostalgic regret.” The result, readers have reported, is fun. Read more>>

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Northwest Passage
The Great Columbia River
When Lewis and Clark reached the Columbia River in 1805, they found a roaring and unruly river with a treacherous mouth and confusing course, boasting salmon runs without equal in the world. This book reveals the heroic stories, triumphant engineering, and disturbing degradation of this powerful, beautiful river. Northwest Passage is an ambitious work of history, geography, and science, a sweeping overview of the transformation of the Columbia from its geologic origins and aboriginal inhabitants to its pioneers, settlers, dam builders, farmers, and contemporary native Americans. Read more>>

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