Bloglander

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By now, many Northwest readers have enjoyed Jess Walter's Statistical Abstract for My Home of Spokane, Washington, from a few years ago. The essay presents 51 "facts" about the Lilac City based on population demographics, socioeconomic trends and gross domestic grown men on tiny BMXs per capita.

The essay rounded out his 2013 short story collection, We Live in Water, which found its way on to several prominent must-read lists and recently won a Pacific Northwest Bookseller Association award.

In anticipation of receiving the PNBA award, Walter has updated his Statistical Abstract with a new Addendum to Statistical Abstract for my Hometown, Spokane, Washington, which starts at No. 51a and carries on A through Z.

The updated essay takes on a few of the yuppie-hipster cliches behind some of the city's rejuvenated arts and cultural activity in recent years, such as:

p. There are so many cool things going on in Spokane now I can barely keep track of them all. There are so many cool things going on in Spokane now, it's become, frankly, a little irritating. There are so many cool things going on in Spokane now that I have this overwhelming urge to attend a tractor pull.

...

s. Roughly 80 percent of the people in this restaurant are graphic artists, web designers or facial hair models."

Walter writes he put together the new addendum at the request of the PNBA and will read it during his upcoming award ceremony at 7 pm Feb. 13 at Auntie's Bookstore in downtown. His website lists additional events scheduled in Walla Walla and Missoula this month.