DM AViD Reader

Patience Pays Off with Pampered Pets

2011-10-31T12:56:00.001-06:00

Meeting authors is always a privilege, but hosting an author like Sparkle Abbey is just plain FUN! Don't miss tomorrow evening's special event featuring a writing team from Des Moines. Come to the Central Library Tuesday, November 1 at 6:30 for the launch of their first book, Desperate Housedogs! Sparkle Abbey is the the psuedonym of two mystery writers (Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter). Mary Lee and Anita both have written for years. They have traveled to various writing conferences together and have attended dozens of book signings and author events. The pen name is a combination of the names of their rescue pets--Sparkle (Mary Lee's cat) and Abbey (Anita's dog). I first got to know Mary Lee years ago when she was the president of the Iowa Romance Writers Association. She came to all of our AViD author programs, and she worked in the City of Des Moines Action Center! Mary Lee was always really good about suggesting writers and I know that she "talked up" our author series whenever she travelled to writing conventions. When we brought in authors like Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Janet Evanovich, and Diane Mott Davidson, Mary Lee was always in the audience! And here is where the patience pays off! Desperate Housedogs is the first in a series of four books that they are calling their Pampered Pets series--fun, cozy mysteries with a pet therapist main character who solves murders. I spent a good part of the weekend fully immersed in the advance copy. If you love animals and are looking for a light-hearted read, plan to stop by the Central Library tomorrow night. Mary Lee and Anita have invited folks from the Animal Rescue League to stop by, just in case you might be in the market for another pet....and rumor has it that there may even be some dog bone cookies and coffee to share, too!

Michael Buble's "Feelin' Good" As Never Done Before

2011-08-16T17:01:00.000-06:00

If you are a baby boomer like me, senior living is quickly taking on a new meaning. But just because we're getting older doesn't mean we can't still have fun. Watch this video to see how a group of seniors at the Clark Retirement Center in Michigan prove they still know how to have FUN!

Consider This

2011-08-09T11:20:00.000-06:00

It's easy to take life for granted. Here's a profound five-minute talk from someone who survived the Hudson River plane crash and no longer takes life for granted.

A New Fresh Franklin

2011-07-22T11:30:00.001-06:00

Wow! Just had a sneak peek inside the soon-to-be completed remodel of the Franklin Avenue Library and it is quite impressive. There’s an expansive new walkway on the southeast corner of the building. Upon entering the building, my first impression was of how warm and inviting the colors are. Much of the shelving is in place already and some of the furniture has been delivered.

Almost double the size of the old building, it’s challenging to remember where things were before. The Circ Desk is roughly in the same place and there’s an expanded area for additional checkout stations. There’s a small conference room and study rooms! The meeting room is on the southwest corner and it’s beautiful, equipped with new AV and a colorful carpet.

There’s a whole new Teen area with spaces for homework and lots of plug-ins for laptops and Wi-Fi users. Adults are going to love the extra lounge seating and the fireplace near the north wall. The librarians are creating neighborhood collections of popular subjects like politics, green living, cooking for those patrons that love to browse the collection. The cherry wood furniture is sure to complement all the books. And the colorful lighting fixtures sprinkled throughout the building are just delightful. It’s like they have blended retro with futuristic.

But wait till you see the Kids area! Colors have blossomed across the walls, the floors, and along the counters. The circular story room, with its two-story windows, sky light, and bench seating is the perfect spot for parents to sit with youngsters just learning to read. There’s even a “chair and a half” designed for lap-reading. Toddlers can play peek-a-boo through the interior windows of the story room and there are kid-sized counters for craft activities.

The move begins next week. Staff members are excited to re-claim the building and fill it with more than 108,000 books and materials. The wait is almost over. (And I haven’t even mentioned all the green features. More on that in another blog.)

See you at the ribbon-cutting on Sunday, August 21 at 3:00 PM!

The Skype's the Limit

2011-07-19T12:40:00.000-06:00

The DMPL is offering a free program about how to use Skype™ next Tuesday, July 26 at 6:30 PM at the Central Library. So this past weekend, I decided to get a little head start by downloading a Skype app onto my Galaxy Tablet™. And it was simple to do! I signed up for an account. And that was simple too!

Then I decided to test it out with my Oregonian daughter. I called her Skype number and she immediately answered, which was very cool! We could hear each other, but she couldn’t see me and I couldn’t see her. So I tried pushing buttons, and looking at the settings, and my daughter kept insisting that I should just click on the change settings button next to her picture.

She is a pretty typical twenty-something, sarcastically offering the suggestion to get her little sister to fix it for me! I felt like a Luddite—but after several attempts with increasingly exasperated comments from my daughter, I did a little research via Google and discovered—lo and behold--visual communication doesn’t work on the tablet__yet! (Wouldn’t it have been nice if they had mentioned that when I downloaded the app?)

So then I fired up our laptop computer and I wasn’t a Luddite after all! It worked like a charm and we had a delightful face-to-face conversation. It takes a little while to get used to keeping your face aligned with the computer’s camera but it is well worth the effort. I wish I would have tried it sooner. The best line of Sunday’s conversation was when I moved the laptop and my daughter remarked, “Gee Dad, you’ve lost a lot of weight—oh sorry, I guess I am looking at the lamp!”

We also discovered that it can drive your pets crazy to talk to them via Skype, especially when you have dogs on both ends barking and running around looking for the other pet at the other end of the line!

If you have family or friends across the country that you’d enjoy “seeing” while you talk with them, I’d like to encourage you to sign up for a free Skype account. If you’d like to learn more about Skyping, join us at a free workshop called The Skype’s the Limit on Tuesday, July 26 at 6:30 PM in the Central Library Meeting Room. Hope to see you there!

A Brave New World of Mobile Apps

2011-07-10T08:40:00.000-06:00

If someone had told me ten years ago, that I would spend much of my day "chatting, skyping, posting, tweeting, and eBooking," I probably would have wondered what language they were speaking! But sure enough, here it is 2011 and indeed, I am spending a good portion of every day doing just that.

With each app that I add to my cell phone or tablet, I take another baby step forward in this brave new world of technology. We recently started adding QR codes to our posters! But then I learn about something called "augmented reality" and am told that "QR codes" may be short lived. I read about web sites that you can create with information to be used after you die! I still haven't quite figured out how to "skype" with my long-distance" kids but it's definitely on my to do list. And although I am not a "gamer," I can see where Fruit Ninja, could be addictive.

I think that one of the best uses of recent technology has to be free eBooks from the DMPL. They are relatively easy to download, don't cost a thing, and are a wonderfully handy way to always have a book at hand whenever you have a spare moment to read! (BTW, I discovered that my tablet equipped with an eBook offers a great way to survive a "middle of the night hot flash!" You don't have to turn on a light. Just open up your tablet, set on nighttime mode, toss off the blanket to cool off, read for a bit, and then close your tablet to snuggle back down once you've returned to a normal temp!)

Wondering what I'm reading? Enjoying tremendously Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys audio book read by an amazing actor named Lenny Henry. Also, 3/4 of the way through an interesting ARC called, The Submission, by Amy Waldman. It's a fascinating fictional account about a propsed 9/11 memorial at Ground Zero that supporters discover was designed by a Muslim. Interesting social dilemna.

However, my real reason for writing this blog was to highlight an upcoming program we will be offering at the Central Library on Tuesday evening at 6:30 PM, called Mobile Apps 4 Anyone. Hopefully, Shayne Huston, the presenter, will inspire me to take a few more "baby-steps" into the ever-expanding world of technology! Hope to see you there!

Don't Let the Rain Keep You Away from Rainbow!

2011-04-15T14:06:00.000-06:00

It's raining and there's even a bit of snow in the forecast. How appropriate because we have a Rainbow coming on Monday! I know it's a corny opening for our next AViD author but hey, you have to admit, it fits.

Rainbow Rowell is headed our way next Monday, April 18 and she will be here at the Central Library for a little reception (at 5:00 PM) prior to her free program which begins at 7:00 PM. So far, I haven't been able to discover the story behind her name but hopefully she will share that and many other fun facts about herself and her writing. I do know, from her blogs, that she is a great writer, loves all things related to Glee, and has a quirky sense of humor.

Her book, Attachments, has been described as a "romantic comedy" and is a quick but delightful read with a fresh way of considering the consequences of social media within the work environment. Suffice to say, that this first novel, promises a great start for Rainbow in the world of fiction. I keep thinking that it would be a great movie, sort of a Harry Met Sally type of light-hearted comedy.

I like how Alice Meyer from Beaverdale Books described it in this week's issue of Cityview: "The characters are likeable, and we wish them well. Then there's the subtext of how we tend to email the person in the next cubicle rather than speak with them, and the fact that we give up all privacy when we login at the workplace." She continues, "Attachments will put a spring in your step!"

If you'd like a chance to spend some time with Rainbow at a reception prior to her talk, give a call to the DMPL Foundation at 248-6402. The $35 reception includes food, drink, a copy of Attachments, and a lovely AViD tote bag. I hope to see you there!

AViDly Enjoying April—my favorite time of year!

2011-04-08T14:51:00.002-06:00

The sun is shining, the daffodils are in bloom, and AViD starts next week—with two delightful author events! Patrick Carr on April 11 (Central Library) and Anne Lamott on April 13 (Hoyt Sherman Place Theater).

Patrick Carr teaches sociology at Rutgers University and is an Associate Member of the MacArthur Foundation’s Research Network on Transitions to Adulthood. He and Maria Kefalas came to Iowa a while back to study the exodus of youth from rural communities. Their research led to their book titled, Hollowing Out the Middle: The Rural Brain Drain and What it Means for America. Patrick is also the author of Clean Streets: Controlling Crime, Maintaining Order and Building Community Activism. He is co-editor along with Mary C. Waters, Jennifer Holdaway and Maria J. Kefalas of the forthcoming book Coming of Age in America, based on a comparative in-depth study of young adults funded by the Network on Transitions to Adulthood. His research has been featured in numerous media outlets, including on NPR.

Patrick will be joined by moderator Dr. Paul Lasley. He is a professor of sociology at Iowa State University whose work focuses on farm and rural issues at the state and national levels. Paul is widely known across Iowa and the author of over 100 professional journal articles. His research focuses on the changing structure of agriculture, rural development, and community, so it promises to be a wonderful evening filled with thoughtful discussion of issues facing local communities.

Wednesday night’s program featuring Anne Lamott promises to be great fun. In preparation for Anne’s visit, I’ve been reading lots of reviews of her work and I must say, she sounds like someone I would love to have as a girlfriend. She tackles really tough subjects, like teen drug abuse and alcoholism, but has this wonderful sense of humor that emanates throughout her writing. I just can’t wait to meet her!

Here’s more information about Anne directly from her publicist: “Ann writes about what most of us don’t like to think about. She wrote her first novel for her father, the writer Kenneth Lamott, when he was diagnosed with brain cancer. She has said that the book was ‘a present to someone I loved who was going to die.’ In all her novels, Anne Lamott writes about loss – loss of loved ones and loss of personal control. She doesn’t try to sugar-coat the sadness, frustration and disappointment, but tells her stories with honesty, compassion and a pureness of voice. She says, ‘I have a lot of hope and a lot of faith and I struggle to communicate that.’ Anne Lamott does communicate her faith; in her books and in person, she lifts, comforts, and inspires, all the while keeping us laughing.”

Anne Lamott is the author of six novels including, Hard Laughter, Rosie, Joe Jones, All New People, and Crooked Little Heart (the sequel to Rosie), as well as four bestselling books of nonfiction, Operating Instructions, an account of life as a single mother during her son’s first year and Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, a guide to writing and the challenges of a writer’s life, Traveling Mercies, a collection of autobiographical essays on faith, and Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith.

We asked Dr. Christopher Rossi from Humanities Iowa to be the moderator for Anne, and I must say he seemed thrilled to be asked. Humanities Iowa has been a fantastic supporter of our AViD Author Series and we are pleased to have Chris be a part of this year’s event. In addition to being the executive director of Humanities Iowa, Chris teaches courses in public international law at the University of Iowa.

Next week, I will share information about our event on April 18 with writer Rainbow Rowell. Visit our web site for all the details. I hope to see you at several AViD events this year!

Social Media Guru Coming to the Library!

2011-03-18T16:13:00.002-06:00

Meet Jay Baer, Author of The Now Revolution on Monday, March 21

People often tell me that I have one of the best jobs in the world and I have to admit, I think so, too. I love marketing the library and I love authors! So next week, we have a social media guru/author stopping by the Central Library. Is that perfect, or what?

Strategic America is bringing Jay Baer, globally recognized social media strategist and co-author of the newly released book, The Now Revolution, to Des Moines. They are partnering with the DMPL and The Book Store, along with five professional marketing organizations: the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA), American Advertising Federation of Des Moines (AAF of Des Moines), American Marketing Association (AMA) and the Social Media Club of Des Moines (SMCDSM).

There will be two events. The first is a lunch seminar from 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM, where you can receive a copy of The Now Revolution, a catered lunch and an opportunity to have Baer sign their copy of the book. The cost for that is $35; which includes the lunch and the book. Register at: lplathe@strategicamerica.com.

The second event is a free evening program at 6:30 PM. You can meet Jay and he plans to “discuss the book’s principles on how every employee in an organization must contribute to capitalize on today’s real-time business.” Both events will be at the Central Library.

Just in case you don’t know, Jay Baer is a world-renowned social media strategist and the founder of five companies including, Convince & Convert, a “hype-free” social media consulting firm that works with companies to harness the power of the web. According to his bio, Jay has “worked with numerous corporations including Nike, Sony, and Head
& Shoulders, to harness the power of the web and to productively utilize social media.“

I’m planning to be there, ready to take all the notes that I can. Perhaps you’d care to join me?

What Do Tomatoes, Vampires, Pixies, and Princesses Have in Common?

2011-02-23T10:50:00.000-06:00

If you are a fan of urban fantasy writer Kim Harrison, you surely know the answer. If you haven’t yet discovered Harrison’s writing, you might want to head to the East Side Library on Tuesday, March 1 at 6:30 PM to find out.

Author of The New York Times bestseller Black Magic Sanction, Harrison will stop by on tour for her newest book, Pale Demon. It’s the story of what happens when an elf, a pixie, a living vampire and a witch who dabbles in black magic are forced to travel 2300 miles cross-country (in three days or less), jammed into an ‘89 blue Buick. Harrison is one of the leading voices in urban fantasy with more than 2.5 million copies currently in print.

Fantasy readers may be more familiar with Harrison’s writings under the pen name of Dawn Cook, where she is known for her Decoy Princess and Truth series, published in the first few years of the 21st century. As Kim Harrison, she is best known for her Rachel Morgan urban fantasy series set in an alternate history where a worldwide pandemic caused by genetically modified tomatoes led to the death of a large portion of the world's human population. In 2008, Harrison was described by HarperCollins Voyager Publishing Director Jane Johnson as the best example of the urban fantasy sub-genre which she described as, "the supernatural erupting into the everyday—sexy, tongue-in-cheek, postmodern.”

The bio on her web site says, “Kim Harrison was born and raised in the upper Midwest. After gaining a Bachelor degree in the sciences, she moved to South Carolina, where she remained until recently moving back to Michigan because she missed the snow. She's currently developing a young adult series between working on the Hollows books and a Hollows-based graphic novel. Harrison and is a member of both the Romance Writers of America and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. When not at her desk, she's most likely to be found landscaping her new/old Victorian home, or scouring antique shops to fill it.”

According to Kim's blog, she was “the only girl in a large family of boys and invented the first Brigadier General Barbie in self-defense.” She notes that she “shoots a very bad game of pool and rolls a very good game of dice. When not at her keyboard, she enjoys lounging on the couch with a bowl of popcorn watching action movies with The-Guy-In-The-Leather-Jacket. She plays her Ashiko drum when no one is listening, and is hard to find when the moon is new.”

I can’t wait to meet her!

Over the Top -- Reading a Book!

2011-02-21T14:28:00.000-06:00

Julian Smith may not be the ideal library customer, but you do have to love his passion for reading! Saw this on another "reader's" blog and just had to share it with readers here in Des Moines, in celebration of Love Your Library Month. Enjoy this musical video!

P.S. There's still time to enter our Pen, Post, or Tweet contest. Ask for a cool "i love dmpl!" sticker to display on your car window, too!

Conquering Poverty by Climbing Mountains -- Program Tomorrow

2011-02-21T14:17:00.000-06:00

Head to the Central Library tomorrow evening at 6:30 PM for a fascinating program called Peak 4 Poverty. The project was featured recently in the Drake University Alumni Magazine.

"As Nabeel Meghji watched the sunrise from the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, he felt the pride of conquering one of the top seven summits in the world and what had been a constant, looming presence during his childhood in Tanzania. He was also remembering the AIDS orphans in his home country; kids who now would have a better chance at life thanks to his efforts.

Nabeel Meghji, a strategist at CDS Global in Des Moines, had always hoped to scale a major summit. Then, when he was struggling to find a way to help bring healing to his home country, he and Iowa native Shayne Huston formed an idea that would allow him to do both simultaneously.

“Growing up in Tanzania, the fourth poorest country in the world, I’ve seen a lot of poverty,” says Meghji. “After seeing all of the children orphaned by AIDS and living in poverty, I always felt obliged to give back in some way or another. After much soul searching I decided to climb Kilimanjaro and use the event as an opportunity to raise funds for orphans in Tanzania.”

According to the World Health Organization, more than 15.6 million children under the age of 10 in sub-Sahara Africa have lost at least one parent to AIDS. These orphans are more prone to sickness, malnutrition, illiteracy, unemployment, homelessness and crime, and are also more likely to repeat the cycle and become infected with AIDS themselves.

Meghji and Huston created a Web site and blog, christened this initiative Peaks 4 Poverty and harnessed the power of social media to draw awareness — and solicit donations — to benefit orphans in Tanzania."

Their presentation is free and open to the public. Read the entire article.

Here Comes AViD 2011!

2011-02-14T13:14:00.000-06:00

It’s finally time, patient fans of AViD, to announce our lineup of authors--and once again, it’s a stellar group! Their books are also a diverse mix, with fascinating subjects ranging from local issues such as Iowa’s brain drain, to the global challenges of human trafficking in the mountainous regions of Nepal and how a family deals with the aftermath of the tsunami in Thailand.

I'm convinced that there is a sort of serendipity that happens around AViD every year and this year is no exception. We strive to make every year as unique as possible, including the logo design. This year, we considered several designs before deciding to use Iowa’s wild rose for inspiration. Lo and behold, upon reading Anne Lamott’s definitive book on writing, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, I discovered that Anne compared her writing to a poem by Wendell Berry, titled, The Wild Rose. A fitting tribute to our state flower, to writing, and maybe even to AViD, don’t you agree?

Sometimes hidden from me
in daily custom and in trust,
so that I live by you unaware
as by the beating of my heart.
Suddenly you flare in my sight,
a wild rose blooming at the edge
of thicket, grace and light
where yesterday was only shade,
and once again I am blessed, choosing again what I chose before.

Now, here’s our list of the AViD writers that will be "blooming" in Des Moines this year:

Patrick J. Carr, Monday, April 11
7:00 PM, Central Library
Hollowing Out the Middle: the Rural Brain Drain and What It Means for America

In 2001, with funding from the MacArthur Foundation, sociologists Patrick J. Carr and Maria J. Kefalas moved to Iowa to understand the rural brain drain and the exodus of young people from America’s countryside. They met and followed working-class “stayers”; ambitious and college-bound “achievers”; “seekers,” who head off to war to see what the world beyond offers; and “returners,” who eventually circle back to their hometowns. What surprised them most was that adults in the community were playing a pivotal part in a town’s decline by pushing the best and brightest young people to leave.

Anne Lamott, Wednesday, April 13
7:00 PM, Hoyt Sherman Place Theater
Imperfect Birds

Anne Lamott is the author of six novels including, Hard Laughter, Rosie, Joe Jones, All New People, and Crooked Little Heart (the sequel to Rosie), as well as four bestselling books of nonfiction, Operating Instructions, an account of life as a single mother during her son’s first year, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, Traveling Mercies, a collection of autobiographical essays on faith, and Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith. Anne Lamott has been honored with a Guggenheim Fellowship, and has taught at UC Davis, as well as at writing conferences across the country.

Rainbow Rowell, Monday, April 18
7:00 PM, Central Library
Attachments

Rainbow Rowell is a columnist for the Omaha World-Herald and a feature writer for the Living section and Omaha.com. Her columns and stories focus on all types of popular culture, including movies, books, music, television, and trends, as well as family and lifestyle issues, all filtered through Rainbow’s unique way of looking at the world. Her first novel, Attachments is a romantic comedy set at a Midwest newspaper.

Robert V. Morris, Monday, April 25
7:00 PM, Central Library
Black Faces of War: A Legacy of Honor from the American Revolution to Today.

Robert V. Morris is an Iowa native, the grandson and son of two decorated army officers. He founded the Fort Des Moines Memorial Park and the WWII Iowa Tuskegee Airmen Memorial at the Des Moines International Airport. His documentary Tradition and Valor was broadcast on Iowa Public Television. He is a graduate of the University of Iowa, has taught journalism at Iowa State University and is a past-president of the NAACP Iowa-Nebraska Conference. His new book, Black Faces of War, honors the men and women of color who have served in the American army

Debbie Macomber, Tuesday, May 10
7:00 PM, Hoyt Sherman Place Theater
A Turn in the Road

With more than 130 million copies of her books in print, Debbie Macomber is one of the world’s most popular authors. A number 1 New York Times bestselling author, she is best known for her ability to create compelling characters and bring their stories to life in her books. Drawing on her own experiences and observations, Debbie writes heartwarming tales about small-town life, home and family, enduring friendships and women who knit and every book features her delightful sense of humor.

Conor Grennan, Tuesday, June 7
7:00 PM, Hoyt Sherman Place Theater
Little Princes

Conor Grennan, author of the memoir Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal, founded Next Generation Nepal, an organization dedicated to reconnecting trafficked children with their families and combating the root causes of child trafficking in rural villages in Nepal. He was based in the capital of Kathmandu, where he was the Executive Director of Next Generation Nepal, until September 2007. Conor now serves on the Board of Next Generation Nepal, together with his wife, Liz.

Dr. Benjamin Beck, Dr. Robert Shumaker, & Dr. Kristina R. Walkup, Wednesday, June 14
7:00 PM, Central Library
Animal Tool Behavior: The Use and Manufacture of Tools by Animals

When published in 1980, Dr. Benjamin B. Beck's, Animal Tool Behavior, was the first volume to capture and analyze the use of tools by animals. Beck showed that animals - from insects to primates - employed different types of tools to solve numerous problems. In a revised and updated edition of the landmark publication, Robert Shumaker and Kristina Walkup join Beck to reveal the current state of knowledge regarding animal tool behavior.

Dr. Beck is the director of conservation at Great Ape Trust. Dr. Shumaker is the vice president of life sciences at the Indianapolis Zoo, the author of Orangutans, and coauthor, with Dr. Beck, of Primates in Question. Dr. Walkup is an adjunct assistant professor at Drake University.

John Shors, Monday, September 12
7:00 PM, Hoyt Sherman Place Theater
Cross Currents (coming in September)

Native Iowan John Shors returns with his fifth novel about a trio of Americans and a local family on an island in Thailand whose personal dramas play out against the tsunami of 2004. John’s first four novels, Beneath a Marble Sky, Beside a Burning Sea, Dragon House, and The Wishing Trees, have won multiple awards, and have been translated into twenty-five languages. He has spent much of his life abroad, traveling in Asia, the South Pacific, Europe, Africa, and North America.

The AViD Author Series is made possible with funding from the Des Moines Public Library Foundation with generous support from Humanities Iowa, Douglas and Deborah West, Iowa History Center at Simpson College, Iowa Council for International Understanding, Jim and Roxanne Conlin, Drake University, John and Patsy Shors, Hoyt Sherman Place Theater, Forest Avenue Library Brick Fund, Meredith Corporation, and the Friends of the East Side Library.

For updates and information about all of the AViD 2011 events, visit the library’s web site.

Where Would You Like to Be Stationed as a U.S. Ambassador?

2011-01-18T17:56:00.000-06:00

If you have wondered what it's like to be a United States Ambassador, you might want to head to the Central Library this Wednesday (January 19) evening at 6:30 PM for a program by Ambassador Mary E. Kramer (Ret.) as she discusses her newly launched book, More Than a Walk on the Beach: Confessions of an Unlikely Diplomat.

Ambassador Kramer is a familiar face here in Des Moines and, in fact, throughout the state of Iowa. She served in the Iowa Senate and was elected the President of the Senate in 1997. But I first knew her as the head of the Human Relations Department, when we both worked at Younkers, oh so many years ago! Before that, Mary had worked as a pianist, teacher, and school administrator. From Younkers, Mary went on to work at Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, serving as Vice President of Human Resources and Vice President of Community Investments.

She has always stayed busy, serving on numerous boards. She's a lifetime member of the Society for Human Resource Management and in 2009 she was inducted into the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame.

During her talk at the library, she will share how, in 2003, she was nominated by President George W. Bush to serve as U. S. Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Carribbean. Come and hear all about her experiences there. We will have books available for sale and signing, too.

Congratulations to AViD Author Peter Bognanni

2011-01-11T13:49:00.000-06:00

We already know that we feature some very special writers in our AViD (Authors Visiting in Des Moines) series. It's such fun to see our AViD audiences make a real connection with the writers we feature, so it's especially fun to follow the authors' careers after meeting them at our events.

Today we learned that Peter Bognanni's book, House of Tomorrow, is among ten titles selected this year for an American Library Association Alex Award. Peter Bognanni, son of our Franklin Avenue Library Manager Kathy Bognanni, was also honored at this year's Iowa Author Awards sponsored by the Des Moines Public Library Foundation. Needless to say, we are all proud of Peter! Congratulations from everyone at the DMPL!

Alex Award titles are chosen by the YALSA Adult Books for Young Adults Task Force. The task force selects ten titles annually, believing that selecting more than one book provides a greater variety of titles and a more balanced list, including fiction and nonfiction, as well as various genres. The task force also makes diversity a priority in its lists.

The Alex Awards are part of the ALA's Adult Books for Young Adults Project, which explored the role of adult books in the reading lives of teenagers and was funded by the Margaret Alexander Edwards Trust. Edwards was a young adult specialist for many years at the Enoch Pratt Library in Baltimore. Her work is described in her book, Fair Garden and the Swarm of Beasts, and over the years she has served as an inspiration to librarians who serve young adults. With the approval of the Trust, the task force appointed to develop and implement the project named the awards the Alex Awards after Edwards, who was called “Alex” by her friends.

The major sponsor of the Alex Awards continues to be the Margaret Alexander Edwards Trust. Booklist is also a sponsor.

Our New Boss Starts Work Next Week

2011-01-07T17:11:00.000-06:00

The New Year is always a great time to set new goals and this year we will have a new boss! He starts next week and we are all looking forward to his arrival. Don't get me wrong--our acting director has done a fantastic job.

Our new director, Greg Heid, is leaving the sunny state of Georgia to return to the slushy, sleety, and snowy Midwest--in January, no less! At least he is a Minnesota native, so he surely knows about winter--and coffee!

In typical Scandinavian fashion, we are planning a little coffee, cookies, and conversation to welcome Greg on Friday, January 14 from 3:00 to 5:00 PM at the Central Library. We are hoping that folks will enjoy stopping in to meet Greg and to wish him well as we all begin 2011 at the DMPL!

We have already begun a list of goals to share with him! If you are in the downtown area next Friday, plan to stop by and share a cup of coffee with us! Everyone is VELKOMMEN!

AViD Author Marion Blumenthal Lazan Continues to Inspire

2011-01-03T09:44:00.000-06:00

For the first time ever, a school in Germany has been named for a living Jewish woman Holocaust survivor. If you regularly attend the library's AViD Author Series, you may remember Marion's inspirational presentation at Hoyt Sherman Place Theater in April 2009.

Last week, Marion sent me a note saying that she would "love the world to know how one small German town, together with its citizens, has not look away from its past wrongs, but on the contrary, has worked to make the world a better place in which to live, through courage, love, tolerance and respect towards one another." Here is the You Tube link to a video about the naming of the Marion Blumenthal Hauptschule in Hoya.

If you are not familiar with Marion’s story, she has provided a brief synopsis, so that you will understand the importance of this honor.

Following Hitler`s rise to power, the Blumenthal family -- father, mother, Marion, and her brother, Albert -- were trapped in Nazi Germany. They managed eventually to get to Holland, but soon thereafter it was occupied by the Nazis. For the next six and a half years the Blumenthals were forced to live in refugee, transit, and prison camps that included Westerbork in Holland and the notorious Bergen-Belsen in Germany. All survived the camps, but Marion’s father succumbed to typhus just after liberation. It took three more years of struggle and waiting before Marion, Albert, and their mother at last obtained the necessary papers and boarded ship for the United States. Their story is one of horror and hardship, but it is also a story of courage, hope, and the will to survive Marion Blumenthal Lazan has for the past 20 years made it her mission to share the story of her family’s travail during the Holocaust. Upwards of one million students from over 1,000 school, and adults, have heard Marion share her story, and her important messages of love, respect, and tolerance towards one another, regardless of religious belief, color of the skin, or national origin. Now, 65 years after her incarceration in the Nazi Concentration Camp Bergen-Belsen, in recognition of the positive impact in teaching respect and tolerance to young adults, the new high school in her former “home” town of Hoya in Germany, the Marion Blumenthal Hauptschule, has been named in her honor.

Four Perfect Pebbles, Marion’s memoir, co-authored by Lila Perl and published by Greenwillow, tells the full story of Marion’s life during the Holocaust and can be found in our collection.

New Books for the New Year

2010-12-29T14:31:00.000-06:00

Buried within the 250 messages awaiting my return from the holidays, were two offers for author programs! I haven't read their books yet, but I did want to send out the publicity right away as they both sound like great reads and promise interesting programs!

Ambassador Mary E. Kramer, native Iowan and former Iowa Senate president, will discuss her new book, More Than a Walk on the Beach: Confessions of an Unlikely Diplomat, in the Central Library Meeting Room on Wednesday, January 19 at 6:30 PM, highlighting her unlikely journey from Iowa to the U.S. Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.

Her publicist tells me that the book is a "plainspoken and frank account of life as a U.S. Ambassador living abroad and gives insight to
the process a U.S. diplomat must go through, as well as Mary’s opinions on that lengthy—and sometimes frustrating—road to ambassadorship. Along the way, Mary relates her often humorous and entertaining experiences in dealing with dignitaries, foreign cultures, and the U.S. Government. More importantly, through her firsthand accounts of personal distress after witnessing the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan, to the delicate balancing act needed in order to maintain foreign relations, Mary shares her guiding wisdom, common sense and inspiration to a sometimes chaotic profession."

On February 7, local author Kimberly Stuart is coming to the Central Library to LAUNCH her newst book, Operation Bonnet.
Kimberly reports that her book, about a private investigator want-to-be who dons an Amish bonnet to go undercover, has already received a good review from Publisher's Weekly. She has even had an inquiry about possible movie rights. Kimberly will be the featured guest for the library's Writer's Workshop on February 7 which is open to the public. I'm sure she will have lots of advice to share--both with readers and with writers--as this is her fifth book to be published.

We will have books available for sale and signing at both events, so mark your calendars!

Need a Good Book?

2010-12-28T10:32:00.000-06:00

Whether you are looking for suggestions on the next book to read, a good title for your book club, or perhaps a story that will appeal to a reluctant reader, our new Readers Advisory Wiki is just the ticket.

You will find all kinds of lists and links to helpful web sites. Looking for the next title in a series? Click on What's Next. Need a downloadable book? Click on Adult/Free Downloadable Audio and E-Books. How about a book with Iowa connections? Click on Iowa Interests/Contemporary Iowa Works.

Bestsellers, award-winners, thrillers - whatever you like to read! Visit the wiki often as our librarians will be updating the lists often and adding new recommendations. Please give this new wiki a try and let us know how you like it! We would love to hear from you if there's another list that you would like us to add.

How Many Rainbows Do You Know?

2010-12-05T09:04:00.000-06:00

Whenever a publicist calls, I must admit that I feel a twinge of excitement, We have had some wonderful authors visit our library following such calls--Bill Geist, Lisa Scottoline, Jamie Ford, Joe Hill to name just a few.

Last week, I had a call from Rainbow Rowell's publicist. Have you ever known anyone named Rainbow? That was enough to pique my interest and then when I heard the premise of her debut novel, Attachments, I was really intrigued. It's about an I.T. guy who has been hired to monitor the internal emails at a small newspaper.

My reading time is somewhat limited right now because of all the holiday happenings, but I'm almost halfway through the book. It's full of delightful e-mail banter between two work friends that makes me wonder just how many employees spend their work time discussing their mundane daily lives via office email. (Is this the new watercooler chatter?) And how many employers actually hire folks to monitor those very emails.........

Rainbow Rowell, in real life, writes for the Omaha World Herald--so she's well suited to know the inside story of news rooms. And she's funny! And she wants to come visit us. She has a blog. (Note: She is a HUGE fan of Glee.)

Her book comes out in February. Take a look and let me know what you think.
And for the record, I actually do know another person named Rainbow, but I think she spells it without the w.

Plenty of Turkey (with a few books thrown in)

2010-11-26T09:31:00.000-06:00

My family and I have been "well-turkeyed" this week. Enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal at my father-in-law's nursing home earlier in the week. Then had a full meal with all the trimmings with extended family at noon yesterday and delicious turkey sandwiches with my sister's family last night!

It's always fun to catch up with what's going on in the family--sometimes it's more drama than we prefer, but still, it's good to hear what's happening with everyone. One of my cousins has a friend named Deb who works at a book store and this year we re-connected. It starts out so innocently with a simple question like, "what's the best book you've read this year?" and before we know it, we are at a full gallop traveling across the range of fiction, nonfiction, and beyond!

Within minutes, she had grabbed a pen and a piece of paper to write down her favorites and we were googling via my mobile phone to look up a couple of titles we were having trouble remembering, immersed in our own little world of "book lust." Now before I lose the slip of paper she wrote on, I am going to enter her best reads list. After all, she works in a book store and she ought to know!

The Marriage Artist by Andrew Winer

Atlantic : Great Sea Battles, Heroic Discoveries, Titanic Storms, and a Vast Ocean of a Million Stories by Simon Winchester

Love Begins in Winter by Simon Van Booy

Parrot and Olivier in America by Peter Carey

All is Forgotten, Nothing is Lost by Lan Samantha Chang

Jarrettsville by Cornelia Nixon

Cleopatra : A Life by Stacy Schiff

And just in case you are wondering....my favorite book this past year, would have to be The Help, by Kathryn Stockett (which Deb hasn't read......but will!)

What Is a Book?

2010-11-22T17:16:00.001-06:00

If you live in Iowa and you love to read, you really should check out this group of dedicated "bookies" who contribute their time and energy to something called the Iowa Center for the Book(ICB). The ICB is a program of the State Library of Iowa and an affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress whose mission is "to stimulate public interest in books, reading, literacy and libraries."

I have the pleasure of representing the DMPL on the ICB's advisory board and recently attended a meeting. In addition to offering a wonderful web site devoted to reading and books, the ICB also collects the names of Iowa Authors--a task that is not as easy as one might assume at first glance. The ICB's list of Iowa Authors is a great resource for readers, librarians, teachers, and anyone else who might have an interest in finding an author. (The DMPL also has an Iowa Author list with slightly different criteria.)

The list currently includes the names and contact information for more than 230 authors--not bad for our small state when one considers that the criteria for being included on the list is:
Author is presently living and writing in Iowa.
Author is writing for the non-specialist reader.
Author writes books for adult, young adult, or juveniles.
Author's book is in physical format, printed and bound.
Author's book is owned by at least one library in Iowa that is open to the public.

That's where the discussion about "what is a book" gets interesting. Nowadays, with e-books and all the self-publishing opportunities, it's becoming harder and harder to define exactly what constitutes a book, hence an author. The committee is going to leave the current criteria in place for the time being, but we will continue, I'm sure, to re-examine it at future meetings.

No matter. The important thing is to continue our mission of encouraging the love of reading! So, check out the list and if you know of any authors that should be on there, tell them to submit their names.

Another cool thing that the ICB web site contains is a wonderful literary calendar of all kinds of book-related programs and events, including information about the annual All Iowa Reads selection and related events. Enjoy!

Connecting Through Books

2010-10-29T10:36:00.001-06:00

One of the best things about working at a library is that people love to tell you what they are reading. I might run into a friend at the grocery store or a lecture and invariably, we start talking about books. Of course, talking about books is a big part of my job, so maybe I do tip the conversation in that direction!

This week I had the pleasure of attending the Bucksbaum Lecture and hearing Azar Nafisi, author of Reading Lolita in Tehran. Dr. Nafisi’s book is about the women’s book discussion group she began, comprised of seven of her best female students who secretly attended regular meetings at her house weekly. They would study such books as Lolita and Madame Bovary, literary works considered controversial and even dangerous to read in Iranian society. Often, Nafisi would encourage her readers to bring westernized clothing underneath their veils, and they would put on make-up during the meetings.

Much of Nafisi’s talk addressed the importance of taking personal responsibility and the need for greater civility throughout the world. But the portion of her talk that really struck a chord with me was her focus on the absolute joy of reading—the intimacy of strangers, she called it. She described how reading a book can close the gap between cultures, between countries, between strangers. Two people reading the same book, immediately have a sense of sameness—no matter their backgrounds. There is a sense of sharing the experience along with a sense of escape-- the sense, as described by Atticus Finch, of walking in someone else’s shoes.

I guess that might explain why wherever I go, I love to ask people what they are reading. It’s amazing how quickly and easily you can connect with someone by just listening to them describe the book that might be stashed on their night stand, or in their Kindle, or on a CD in their car’s stereo. If you’ve read the book that they mention, you instantly want to share your favorite parts with them. If you haven’t read it, you want to know what they like about it. If you are familiar with the author, you may gain a bit of insight as to how the reader thinks. It’s all about connecting, and isn’t that a wonderful thing? In this fast paced, often impersonal world of technology and cubicles, it's wonderful to actually connect with a person. Here at the library, we are seeing an increase in teens wanting to connect via our craft programs, gaming events, and book discussions. It's a nice role for the library--and another great reason to support it financially!

And in case you're interested....This week I am listening (in my car) to The End of Overeating by David Kessler. On my nightstand is, an advanced reader copy by Julia Glass, called The Widower’s Tale. And next to my reading chair downstairs is a book by Benjamin Percy, a young Iowa State University teacher I just heard about called, The Wilding. Three very different books, but I am enjoying each one!
What are you reading?

Socks for a Squadron!

2010-10-10T11:30:00.001-06:00

When Sarah Early, one of the youth specialists at the Central Library heard that we had scheduled a program with Major Chuck Larson, in recognition of Veterans Day, she suggested that we might want to add in a service project for our staff association to sponsor for the holidays. You see, Sarah knows firsthand about service men because she has a couple of sons that are Marines.

On November 9, at 6:30 PM Major Larson will be speaking about his book Heroes Among Us: Firsthand Accounts of Combat from America’s Most Decorated Warriors in Iraq and Afghanistan. These stories tell of the training and the commitment our men and women have made to freedom around the world.

And that's why you will soon be hearing more about putting socks on a squadron of soldiers called the Flying Tigers because we have teamed with the folks at Fox River, a manufacturer in Osage, IA who has a wonderful initiative to provide wool socks to soldiers overseas.

In honor of the men and women who are currently serving our country, the Des Moines Public Library Staff Association in conjunction with Fox River Mills is sponsoring this holiday project. On the night of Chuck Larson’s talk you will be able to order a pair of warm Fox River Mills socks for just $10.00. You will also get two cards, one card will be attached to the socks and have space for your greeting and appreciation. The second card is for you to give to someone else acknowledging this purchase was made in their name. Our goal is send 300 pairs of socks to Afghanistan for the holidays.

According to Sarah and her sons, receiving any kind of item from back home is greatly appreciated. Warm, dry socks would be a wonderful gift. Watch our web site for details on this project or write to Sarah directly at sdearly@dmpl.org for more information.

A Couple of Books about Birds

2010-10-06T17:11:00.000-06:00

Every so often we seem to experience a bit of serendipity here at the library. This month it seems to revolve around birds! Larry Stone, a great nature photographer sent us some information recently with an offer to do a program about his newest book (cowritten by Jon W. Stavers) titled, Gladys Black: The Legacy of Iowa’s Bird Lady. You may recognize Larry’s name from his twenty-five years as the outdoor writer for The Des Moines Register. He’s written several other nature books featuring wonderful stories about local characters and beautiful photos of some of Iowa’s most picturesque scenery. His book about Gladys, who also wrote many newspaper articles, is a wonderful look at the countless lives (birds and humans) she touched and how she became a conservation legend. Larry will present his program at the East Side Library on Wednesday, October 20 at 6:30 PM.

Once we had the program about Iowa’s bird lady planned, we called up our friend Pat Schlarbaum at the Department of Natural Resources. So during the entire month of October, you can stop by the East Side Library and see a life-sized replica of a bald eagle’s nest. Then it was only natural that we would also have to offer a showing of that great Alfred Hitchcock thriller, The Birds, right? It’s free, it’s at 1:00 PM this Saturday, October 9 and it’s at the East Side Library. Bring the family!

Think that's enough about birds! Oh no, here's where the serendipity happens!

After we booked all the bird events, right out of the blue sky, (pun is definitely intended) came a phone call from another local writer, Wendy Delsol, who has written this thrilling debut novel called, STORK. It’s being sold as a young adult book, but I took it along on my recent vacation and can honestly say that it was a fun read. I just learned that the ALA, American Library Association, included it in its nominations for Best Fiction for Young Adults. I don’t want to give too much away, but just know that it has plenty of fantasy for teens, a lot of suspense, and some delightful Scandinavian references that will appeal to adult Iowans and Minnesotans!
Wendy will be here at the Central Library on Monday, October 18, at 6:30 PM. Get set to hear more about this local writer because she has already signed for the sequel, Frost, to be released next year! Hope you land at the library some time this month!

Bonobos, Elephants, and Wicked Plants

2010-09-06T08:08:00.000-06:00

Some people await that newest Janet Evanovich mystery, others limit their reading to strictly non-fiction. As for me, my reading selections seem to change like the wind. Since I work with people who "book" for a living, it's probably not surprising that I hear about a wide range of titles, subjects, and authors.

Thanks to a long weekend due to the Labor Day holiday and an extra furlough day thanks to the city's budget, I had the pleasure of several extra hours of reading. In preparation for Sara Gruen's upcoming visit, I devoured the memoir, Bonobo Handshake, by Vanessa Woods--a lovely telling of her romance with a chimp researcher as they traveled to the Congo to study bonobos. Bonobos, like chimps, share most of our human DNA but are quite different socially from chimps. It's fascinating (and inspiring) to read of the peaceful interactions in the bonobo colony. We humans could certainly learn lessons--and we should!

Sara Gruen's book, Water for Elephants, is another amazing story with great insight to the animal world. Be sure to read the afterword about all the research she did on circus animals. I especially loved the story about the elephant who had learned how to remove her stake from the ground, drink the large vat of circus lemonade, and then replace the stake leaving the circus workers to wonder who was stealing all the lemonade!

My daughter recently recommended a rather eccentric book, Wicked Plants: The Weed that Killed Lincoln's Mother & Other Botanical Atrocities. It's bright green cover and intriguing etchings is your first hint that this not your typical botanical read! I have always been intrigued by medicinal plants and this book takes it a step further than that. It could be an invaluable source for anyone writing a murder mystery!

This morning I finished reading a memoir by Michelle Norris, a name you may recognize from her reporting on NPR. It's called The Grace of Silence . I had the pleasure of meeting Michelle in NYC last May at Book Expo where she shared that she really didn't set out to write a memoir, but rather a report on race relations since Obama's election. However, as she worked on the story, she discovered that there were several things in her own family's history that deserved further investigation. Always the excellent journalist, the book is a fascinating story of how she uses her skills to learn more about the people who raised her.

Planning a Promising Panel Discussion Around Mockingbird Anniversary

2010-07-19T17:02:00.001-06:00

Every once in a while, an event just drops into place and such was the case with the plans for our celebration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of To Kill a Mockingbird, the immortal book by Harper Lee. As part of the celebration, HarperCollins has published a new book entitled, Scout, Atticus, and Boo: A Celebration of Fifty Years of To Kill a Mockingbird, by journalist and filmmaker Mary McDonagh Murphy, featuring a collection of interviews with famous Americans as they reflect on how Harper Lee’s masterpiece influenced them in all aspects of their lives.

So as part of that celebration, we have scheduled a free showing of the Academy Award-winning movie, staring Gregory Peck--set for Tuesday, September 14 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Central Library. This program is being offered as part of the popular "Literacy in a Different Way series" hosted by librarian Laura Walth.

Next, the folks at Franklin Avenue Library are including the book in two of their monthly book discussions:
Thursday, August 5, 1:00 PM
Tuesday, September 14, 6:30 PM

Our friends at HarperCollins Publishers are donating six free copies of To Kill A Mockingbird to use as prizes for a contest during the month of September. One winner will be drawn at each of our six library locations.

And we are all set to host a MEMORABLE PANEL DISCUSSION at the Central Library on Wednesday, September 15 at 6:30 PM! Carol Spaulding-Kruse, assocate professor of English at Drake University has agreed to act as moderator for our most distinquished panel, which includes:
Retired Meredith executive, author, and poet James Autry
Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines CEO J. Barry Griswell
Polk County Judge Odell McGhee
Retired DMPS Principal Kittie Westin-Knauer
and National Teacher of the Year Sarah Brown Wessling.

So, you have plenty of time to read the book, for the first time or perhaps the second or third. Enter our contest during the month of September! Encourage your kids to read the book, or better yet, read it with them, then watch the movie together.

It's an American classic! The perfect thing to read in Des Moines- just named as an All American City for 2010.

Oh Jackie! - Writer Jacquelyn Mitchard Tackles TV

2010-06-27T08:07:00.000-06:00

Years ago, before there was an AViD Author Series, I remember reading columns by Jacquelyn Mitchard in the Des Moines Register and thinking to myself that she seemed like a woman I would love to have as a friend. Reading her column was sort of like reading a letter from a good friend, always interesting, usually from a view-point to which I could relate. I almost always agreed with her politics, and always admired her ethics and her positive outlook on life.

When Oprah selected Mitchard's book, The Deep End of the Ocean, for the Oprah Book Club, I knew Mitchard was destined for more (well-deserved) fame. So when we started targeting authors to bring to Des Moines for our AViD series, Jacquelyn Mitchard was on my short-list. But in the early days, it wasn't so easy to just call up a publisher and ask for a certain author. In fact, I remember calling up a few publishers and after learning that I was calling from Des Moines, they would reply, "And why would we want to send an author to Des Moines?"

But after a few years of successful events with large, enthusiastic audiences and happy authors who reported back to their publicists how much they enjoyed coming to Des Moines, it got easier to request authors. And eventually we brought Jackie Mitchard to Des Moines! Just as I imagined, it was instantly like meeting an old friend. As you might expect if you read her books, she is bright, kind, and just as warm as her writing.

I got an email from her this week about a new project she is proposing for her own talk show! It's going to be all about re-inventing yourself and believe me, Jackie knows a little something about that. Remember, she wrote her first book right after her husband died of cancer. This past year has been a challenge for her too.

Here's a paragraph from her email:
I've always said, when the going gets tough, take more risks. And this year has been the kind of year I've needed to listen to my own advice. The week after we were approved to adopt two beautiful daughters from Ethiopia, we learned we'd lost everything in a crippling theft by a hometown boy posing as an investment counselor. The guy promised to help some of his thousand victims recover their hard-earned life savings, but he lied to the federal judges. Still, not long after we found that out, our first college graduate put on his cap and gown.
Lots of pearls among the pebbles.

If you are a fan of Jackie's writing, you are sure to enjoy Jacquelyn's Audition: Oh, Jackie! (Reinvent Yourself. Reinvent Your World) - OWN TV .

Fifty Years Later--Mockingbird Message Still Sings

2010-06-19T07:11:00.000-06:00

Our rainy weather provides a great excuse to sit back and enjoy an old movie, so that's exactly what I did last weekend. I had been assigned to read To Kill a Mockingbird way back in high school and found it charming and haunting and memorable. When the movie came out in 1962, I was still a child. I'm sure my mother would not have taken me to see such an "adult" movie. By the time I was old enough to watch it, I leaned toward less literary movies and was more likely to watch The Graduate or Blazing Saddles.

But since this year is the fiftieth anniversary of the book, I decided to watch the movie and realized that I HAD NEVER SEEN it. What a magnificent movie it is! Gregory Peck at his finest. Black and white film at its best. The most remarkable child actors! And of course, the genius of Harper Lee's story.

There's a new book out called, Scout, Atticus, and Boo: A Celebration of Fifty Years of To Kill a Mockingbird that is a collection of essays by celebrites who describe the impact that To Kill A Mockingbird had on them. The folks at HarperCollins are helping us plan a celebration for the book's anniversary with several events at the library this fall. I really hope we can show the movie and introduce a whole new generation to the story. We're considering a To Kill A Mockingbird contest too, asking people to tell us what the book has meant to them. We're also planning book discussions and perhaps a panel discussion about the book's relevance fifty years later.

If you love To Kill A Mockingbird, we'd love to hear ideas on other ways that we could celebrate this monumental book. Whether the stormy weekend forecast holds true or not, do yourself a favor and check out the book or movie to re-discover Harper Lee's amazing, timeless tale.

Rainy Day Readin'

2010-06-12T08:05:00.000-06:00

It's a rainy Saturday morning--the perfect excuse for crawling back in bed for an extra hour of reading time! The past week, I read an advance copy of Sara Gruen's Ape House--a good story that has propelled me to continue in the "primate genre" that seems to be evident in the current publishing environment. Next up, The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore by a recent U. of I. Writer's Workshop grad named Benjamin Hale. It's an interesting premise of a love affair between a primate and his caretaker! And another book just showed up in my inbox this week, called Lucy by Laurence Gonzales. It's about a girl sho is part ape. The author describes it as a coming-of-age novel about a wonderful young girl discovering herself and the world in which she finds herself. Lucy says it herself: All teenagers have feelings like hers. The message is: Lucy is a novel. It’s a story, and as such, it’s meant to make people turn the pages and laugh and cry. If they happen to have deep thoughts along the way, that’s good, too. But if all Lucy does is to make you stay up late reading, then that’s enough for me.

Fortunately the forecast is for a lot more rain, so I have a good excuse for why my garden is NOT going to get weeded this weekend!

Librarians Go Ga Ga

2010-06-09T16:44:00.000-06:00

If you still think all librarians wear buns and spend their days shushing people, check out this cool You Tube video produced by library science students at Washington State.

Authors You Would Like to Meet?

2010-06-08T10:08:00.000-06:00

It won't be long before we begin planning for AViD 2011, so I'd like to send a shout out to all AViD fans--what authors are you just dying to meet? And yes, I know that you would love to have John Grisham or Stephen King--but please remember, we do have a limited budget.

With that in mind, I would encourage you to make suggestions and begin an exchange of ideas. We have a wonderful selection committee who considers authors all year long. We also collect suggestions at each of our events, and encourage members of the audience to list their favorite authors.

So, if there is a certain author that you'd like to suggest, feel free to let us know. You can find a complete list of our past AViD authors on our web site.

More Info from Book Expo

2010-06-08T09:47:00.000-06:00

Okay avid readers, here's a link to some great inside scoops from the Book Expo that I just attended. Enjoy! BS060310BEA10BookPanels

The Passage--Promises to be Hottest Book of the Summer

2010-05-31T10:44:00.001-06:00

Promoted as a cross between The Andromeda Strain and The Stand, the book grabs you in its first thirty pages, with questions that you can't wait to turn the page to answer--and a reference to Iowa in the first paragraph, no less! The author, Justin Cronin, is a U. of I. Writers Workshop graduate who teaches at Rice University. He was one of the last authors to sign books at the Random House booth on Thursday, but the line waiting for him was one of the longest lines of the show. I think they put him last so that people (who typically ship their books homes) would be forced to carry his book onto the plane--great marketing strategy!

For a bookie like me, Book Expo is the closest thing to taking a vacation
while working. Jon Stewart tickled the audience with his silent
reading of his new book EARTH, which he hopes will become a science textbook for high schools this fall. John Grisham shared his inspiration for his upcoming book, The Confession --a followup to his nonfiction book called,The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town, -- from an obit he read of a man who had been incarcerated for a crime he did not commit, then freed due to new DNA analysis techniques. Michelle Norris, from NPR's All Things Considered, shared a glimpse of her "extraordinarily ordinary" parents, in a memoir called, The Grace of Silence, as did Condeleeza Rice in a book also dedicated to her parents. Barbra Streisand,the perfectionist, shared with Oprah's friend Gayle King, her woes of remodeling her various homes.

Sara Gruen, of Water for Elephants fame, drew a huge crowd for Ape House--which I had planned to read on the plane, until I got sucked into the vortex of The Passage! There's another primate book in my very near future, by Benjamin Hale. Entitled, The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore, it is a first person account (by a talking chimp) of a love affair with his human.

I met Nelson DeMille, a long-time personal favorite and was intrigued by a presentation by mystery writers, Karin Slaughter, Lee Childs, and Justin Cronin, (who wrote The Passage--and yes, there is already a movie deal in the works).

For all you romance readers, I connected with Debbie Macomber who is considering a trip to Des Moines next year. And so is Adriana Trigiani--who is as funny as any stand up comic. So many great writers--so many great books!

In the next few weeks, I will be sharing my thoughts on some of the advanced reader copies that I picked up. For starters, here's the short stack currently on my bedside table:
--Ape House, by Sara Gruen
--Room, by Emma Donoghue
--God's Guest List, by Debbie Macomber
--Naked in Eden, by Robin Easton
--The Promise, by Jonathan Alter

NYC Book EXPO! An AViD Reader's Delight!

2010-05-23T10:45:00.002-06:00

Books, authors, and publishers--all gathered in one city--and I get to go! Book Expo brings together hundreds of authors and "bookish folks" like me and hundreds of other librarians, book sellers, publishers, etc.

Last year, within two minutes of entering the Javits Center, I met R. L. Stine coming up the stairs--and that was just the beginning! Nicholas Sparks, Capt. Sully (the pilot of the plane that went down in the river), Dr. Ruth, Julie Andrews, Pete Dexter, Richard Russo, Greg Mortenson, Peter Yarrow, Mary Karr, Holly Black--that's just a few of the wonderful writers on hand. I met Claire Cook there and that's how we were able to get her to come to Des Moines for AViD on June 15!

This year the event has been expanded to include several author events around the city and -- even a key note with Barbra Streisand Tuesday evening! I have several appointments with publishers so, trust me, I will be WORKING HARD ALL WEEK LONG to convince the authors I meet to add a trip to Des Moines on to their next book tour. It's grueling work, but somebody has to do it!

p.s. Mark your calendars for September 7--Sara Gruen has agreed to launch her newest book, Ape House, right here in good old Des Moines. She did a lot of research at The Great Ape Trust, so we are lucky enought to be the first city on her book tour! Her talk will be held at Hoyt Sherman Place Theater and will begin at 7:00 PM. More details soon!

Polygamy, Faith, and A Mother’s Love –Topic of Tonight’s AViD Author Event

2010-05-12T14:20:00.000-06:00

Carolyn Jessop visited us last year on a cold day in February, but I still remember distinctly how much her warm spirit impressed me. Now back in Des Moines for an AViD Author Visit, it’s obvious that Carolyn continues to exude a quiet confidence and a strong faith. She will speak tonight (May 12) at 7:00 PM at Hoyt Sherman Place Theater, about her second book, Triumph, a moving and inspirational tale of her life since she fled, with her eight young children, from the extremist Mormon sect the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints where she was raised.

Since then, Carolyn has been recognized for her bestselling memoir, Escape, and has become a spokesperson for women’s rights, sharing with readers the sources of the strength that has allowed her to not only survive but flourish in her new life.

Don’t miss her program tonight. (Books will be available for sale and signing after the program.)

I promise that you will be touched deeply by her quiet grace, saddened by her painful story, and inspired by how she has met the challenges in her life. Here’s a link to a more complete description of her two books.

We All Become Care Givers at Some Point: Passages of Caregiving by Gail Sheehy

2010-05-06T13:47:00.001-06:00

If only Gail Sheehy would have written her book about ten years earlier! As she outlines in her new book, Passages of Caregiving: Turning Chaos into Confidence, almost every person faces the task of caregiving at some point in their life. For me it was about ten years ago when we realized that my dad was showing signs of dementia. All at once, I found myself pulled in all directions, trying to figure out how to manage his care, researching the disease, the various options available in nursing care, dealing with doctors, Medicare, etc. It’s an overwhelming feeling and Gail Sheehy has done a great job of pulling it all together in one easy to read, extremely helpful book. She knows, first-hand, what it means to be a caregiver because she has spent the last seventeen years caring for her husband.
This morning, I watched an interview between Gail and Meredith Veira (another lady who also deals with her husband’s health issues) on The Today Show and I just read a story by Gail Sheehy in this month’s issue of AARP Magazine. (Gail was named Caregiving Ambassador for AARP last year.)
You can listen to an interview with Gail next Friday, May 14 on Iowa Public Radio’s The Exchange at 12:30 PM. Then plan to attend the free program with Gail at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, May 19 at Sheslow Auditorium on the Drake Campus as part of the library’s AViD Author Series. http://www.dmpl.org/events_news/AViD/2010/sheehy.html
Visit Gail’s web site for more details at: www.gailsheehy.com/lectures.html

Avidly Awaiting Ivan

2010-04-18T11:02:00.000-06:00

One of the things that makes the AViD Author Series so much fun is that it gives us a chance to show off Des Moines during (mostly) beautiful weather and today is just the perfect day to welcome a remarkable writer like Ivan Doig to our fair city. He is set to arrive this afternoon and it should be fun showing him our city dressed in its springtime finery. From the several story daffodil depicted on the west end of Meredith's headquarters to the yellow and red tulips outside the Central Library and the gorgeous planter boxes along Locust and Grand, downtown Des Moines is as lovely as an Easter bonnet!

I just finshed Ivan's book, Winter Brothers:A Season at the Edge of America, an amazing account he wrote thirty years ago during a winter spent researching the travels of an explorer, drawn to the Pacific Northwest from Boston in the 1850's. If you are inquisitive and want to experience the wild coastline of Puget Sound, you will find Doig's research (and personal insights) of James Gilchrist Swan's journals fascinating.

Fans of Doig's book, The Whistling Season, have a treat in store because his next book, Work Song, (due out this summer) continues the story of schoolteacher Morrie, who travels to a copper mining town and settles in to a new role in the town's library. I had the pleasure of receiving an advanced reader copy and read it this past month right at the time of the two mining disasters. Doig's descriptions of the mines, and the men who worked in them, added a haunting awareness to what I was reading in the paper about the trapped miners.

Ivan Doig will be speaking at Sheslow Auditorium tomorrow night (April 19) at 7:00 PM. The event is open to the public and seating is first come, first served. If you love great writing, don't miss this chance to meet a legendary writer. I hope to see you there!

I Love Big Books!

2010-03-20T08:19:00.001-06:00

If you love to read as much as I do, you already know how it feels to get that email notice from the library saying that the best-selling title you requested MONTHS AGO is finally on the hold shelf for you, right? You see, I love big books--the kind that just beckon you to spend a week-end immersed in their story, the kind that you wake up in the middle of the night just so you can read another chapter, the kind that takes both hands to hold! And such is the case with Stephen King's Under the Dome.

How DOES the guy come up with these ideas and then go on to develop such amazing explanations? And how does he think up all those characters--the kind that everyone recognizes, the wackos, the heros? So, while everyone was complaining about the three inches of March snow we got yesterday, I confess that I was secretly thinking, oh good--I have a great excuse for cuddling under the covers and reading!

I'm about a fourth of the way through it already and find that I am feeling a wee bit guilty for reading it rather than some of the books by our upcoming visiting authors. But, King is my pure entertainment reading, my guilty pleasure, in other words! Gotta go--the dome awaits me.

Hear the Stories of Thirteen Immigrant Families By Award Winning Journalist Steven Roberts

2010-03-07T18:38:00.000-06:00

Monday, March 8, 6:30 PM
Central Library

New York Times bestselling author, award-winning journalist and well-respected commentator Steven V. Roberts has always been fascinated by his grandparents’ migration to America from the Old World nearly one hundred years ago, and he traced their story in his stirring memoir My Fathers’ Houses. In his latest book, From Every End of this Earth: 13 Families and the New Lives They Made in America, he explores the contemporary immigrant experience and shares the accounts and voices of thirteen families who are following in the footsteps of his ancestors.

Roberts has been a journalist for more than forty years, working at the New York Times and U.S. News & World Report. He and his wife, television journalist and author Cokie Roberts, coauthored the New York Times bestseller, From This Day Forward.

The Journey Series is sponsored by the Des Moines Public Library Foundation with financial support from Wells Fargo, coordinated with assistance from HarperCollins Publishing, the Duncan Entertainment Group, and the Iowa Council for International Understanding.

Peter Hedges' New Book, The Heights, Now Available

2010-03-07T18:13:00.000-06:00

Peter Hedges, another hometown boy, returns to Des Moines to kick off the 2010 season of AViD. I was lucky enough to receive an advance reader copy of his newest work, The Heights, and it sounds like it is already attracting some attention since it went on sale March 4. Listen to what Peter has to say about it.

AViD Author Peter Bognanni Creating Quite a Buzz

2010-03-04T09:21:00.000-06:00

It's great fun to watch as a young author's work takes off and such is the case for our home-grown AViD author Peter Bognanni. In addition to an early starred review in Publishers Weekly, his book has also been noticed by Indie Bound, Borders, and Barnes & Noble. Local bookseller Beaverdale Books is in love with Peter's book and now we are hearing that even Oprah has discovered the story and will mention it in her April issue. And best of all, he will be here to speak about his experiences on Monday, May 10 as one of our AViD authors.

Here's Peter on Minnesota Public Radio

Here's Peter on a Twin Cities morning TV show

Minivan Magic - MORE Magazine

2010-02-28T11:21:00.000-06:00

Minivan Magic - MORE Magazine For all you want-to-be writers, check out this article by Claire Cook, who published her first bestseller at age 44.

2010-02-24T14:41:00.000-06:00

2010 AViD Features Amazing Array of Authors

The Des Moines Public Library will kick off its tenth annual AViD Author Series on Tuesday, April 13 at Hoyt Sherman Place Theater, as writer and filmmaker Peter Hedges returns on book tour for his newest work, The Heights. Hedges grew up in West Des Moines, Iowa, and attended Valley High School. He is best known for his popular book and subsequent movie, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, as well as recent movies, Pieces of April and Dan in Real Life.

Poet Camille T. Dungy will stop by the Central Library on Wednesday, April 14 to share her recently published collection, Suck on the Marrow. She is also the author of What to Eat, What to Drink, What to Leave for Poison, was a finalist for the PEN Center USA 2007 Literary Award and the Library of Virginia 2007 Literary Award, and currently serves as editor of Black Nature: Four Centuries of African American Nature Poetry, which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for literature.

Legendary writer Ivan Doig will appear at Sheslow Auditorium on Monday, April 19. Doig was born in Montana in 1939, the grandson of homesteaders and the son of a ranch hand and a ranch cook. He grew up along the Rocky Mountain Front that has inspired much of his writing. His first book, the highly acclaimed memoir This House of Sky , was a finalist for the National Book Award, and his many books have received numerous prizes. Additional titles include: Dancing at Rascal Fair, Heart Song, Whistling Season, The Eleventh Man, and many more.

Music fans won’t want to miss a program by writer David Lipsky who will discuss his new biography, Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip with David Foster Wallace on Monday, April 26 at the Central Library. Lipsky is a contributing editor at Rolling Stone magazine and his fiction and nonfiction have appeared in The New Yorker, Harper's Magazine, The Best American Short Stories, The Best American Magazine Writing, the New York Times, The New York Times Book Review, and many other publications. He's the author of the novel, The Art Fair, a collection of stories, Three Thousand Dollars, and the bestselling nonfiction book Absolutely American.

Peter Bognanni, a recent graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, returns to Des Moines on Monday, May 10 at the Central Libary to discuss his newly published book, House of Tomorrow. His mother, Kathy Bognanni, is the manager of the Franklin Avenue Library. The book, a debut novel, has already received considerable critical acclaim. Peter is currently Visiting Instructor of Creative Writing at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Last year, Carolyn Jessop, packed the house when she stopped by the library to discuss her book, Escape, the harrowing story of a woman who not only broke out of the confines of a fundamentalist religious sect but also wrested her children away from it. Her newest book, Triumph: Life After the Cult, details how Jessop overcame the challenges and tragedies that life has presented her and how she continues to fight for the women and children of the FLDS. Her program will be held at Hoyt Sherman Place Theater on Wednesday, May 12.

Investment banking is the timely subject of mystery writer James Grippando’s latest thriller, Money to Burn. Grippando, whom the Wall Street Journal calls "a writer to watch," will visit the Central Library on Monday, May 17. His newest novel explores a world where the destruction of financial institutions and the people who run them can occur in a matter of hours—perhaps even minutes. Grippando is the national bestselling author of sixteen novels that are enjoyed worldwide in twenty-six languages. His latest releases include Last Call, Born to Run, and Intent to Kill.

Best-selling author Gail Sheehy will visit Drake University’s Sheslow Auditorium on Wednesday, May 19 on book tour for her new book, Passages for Caregivers, about the crisis in care-giving. Author of fifteen books, Sheehy is world-renowned for the revolutionary Passages, which remained on The New York Times bestseller list for more than three years and has been reprinted in 28 languages. A Library of Congress survey named Passages one of the 10 most-influential books of our time. In The Silent Passage, she broke the taboo surrounding menopause and opened a dialogue vital to maturing women's health.

Journalist and native Midwesterner Nick Reding spent four years in Iowa prior to writing his New York Times bestseller. Methland: The Death and Life of an American Small Town tells the heroic story of the small town of Oelwein, Iowa and the epidemic of drug abuse in rural America. Methland was picked as a best book of the year by the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Saint Louis Post-Dispatch, the Chicago Tribune, and the Seattle Times. Reding’s presentation will be held on June 3 at 7:00 PM at Hoyt Sherman Place Theater.

Anyone looking for a great summer read will want to mark their calendar for Claire Cook’s upcoming visit to the Central Library on Tuesday, June 15. Cook, the bestselling author of Must Love Dogs and Life’s a Beach, promises to you on a rollicking getaway without leaving the comfort of your own home. Cook is on book tour for her new book, Seven Year Switch. the story of a woman content living a man-free existence, whose ex-husband returns. Then “it takes a Costa Rican getaway to help her make a choice—between the woman she is and the woman she wants to be.”

All programs will begin at 7:00 PM and seating is first come, first serve. Books will be available for sale and signing following each program. For more information about the great authors featured in the 2010 AViD Author Series, watch the library’s web site at: www.dmpl.org. Funding for the AViD Author Series is provided by the Des Moines Public Library Foundation with support from Humanities Iowa, Nationwide, Wells Fargo, Douglas and Deborah West, Drake University, Iowa History Center at Simpson College.

Celebrate the History of Jazz

2010-02-22T16:46:00.001-06:00

It has strengthened us with its sweet rhythms... It has calmed us with its rich harmonies. The musician returns to the roots to affirm that which is stirring within the soul...and creates an order and meaning from the sounds of the earth which flow through his instrument. Jazz is exported to the world from America...This is triumphant music.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Join us at the Central Library on Wednesday, February 24 at 6:30 PM as the African American Museum of Iowa presents jazz musician Ray Blue. Blue has been described as a natural connector - a conduit, a channel, a bridge and as an intuitive communicator who speaks eloquently, in and through his music. With a brilliant balance between passion and precision, Ray Blue swoops and soars through a melody then launches into a spirited solo, engaging a soulful communication that leaps off the bandstand and speaks deeply to the audience. Blue has shared the stage with a host of world-renowned musicians, including Steve Turre, Eddie Henderson, Gary Bartz, T.K. Blue, Blues Legend Bob Gaddy, Wycliff Gordon, Benny Powell, Sun Ra Arkestra and The Cotton Club All-Stars. He currently holds a chair with the Spirit of Life Ensemble, and tours annually with The Ray Charles Show.

Early on, Ray Blue's Junior High School music teacher introduced his class to Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, proclaiming, "This is your music". That simple statement set his whole program into motion, ensuring that "passing it on" would always play a large part of Ray's program.

As passionate about passing on the legacy of jazz to young musicians as he is about letting loose on stage, he is one of the art form's most inspiring mentors. An educator/clinician, Mr. Blue consults at colleges, universities, schools and communities around the world. Since 2002, Mr. Blue's Pro-Am Ensemble, which grants student musicians the opportunity to prepare, rehearse and perform with professional musicians has been conducted in a workshop setting, and presented in the U.S., Germany, Finland, South Africa, Gabon and China.

Ray Blue is a graduate of the University of Iowa and Wm. Penn University, which annually presents The Ray Blue Jazz Award to a graduating senior. In addition, Wm. Penn University hosts the annual Ray Blue Jazz Education Festival for High School and College musicians.

Blue's roaming spirit led him to forge a European alliance in 2000. His frequent tours through Europe led him to establish dual residences in Berlin and NYC, with his wife Riitta, who hails from Finland. With a long-held desire to establish a connection in Africa, in 2003 Mr. Blue made his first trek to South Africa. While performing with South African musicians, conducting jazz and educational workshops, a unique synthesis of musical language began to unfold, resulting in a fantastic fusion of American and African cultures, rhythms and melodies. People listened, danced, and profoundly resonated. For Ray this was like coming back home. Ray returns to Africa each year to perform, study and conduct workshops. This experience has led to Cross-Continental Spirit (Afro-Jazz Project).

Blue regularly performs on numerous world stages with musicians from many different cultures, throughout Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy. As a leader, he has conducted U.S. State Department tours to Zambia, Tanzania, Zanzibar and Gabon. His festival performances as leader and featured artist include: Zanzibar International Film Festival, Zanzibar, Tanzania; North Sea Jazz Festival-Cape Town, South Africa; Macufe Festival-Bloemfontain, South Africa; European Union Annex Festival-Dublin, Ireland; Audi Jazz Festival-Brussels, Belgium; Macao Jazz Festival, China; The Newport in New York Festival, New York, NY; New York State Black Arts Festival-Albany, New York; Koepenick Jazz Festival-Berlin, Germany; Midi Music Festival-Beijing, China; Pori Jazz Festival, Finland; Foix Jazz Festival, France; Bayonne Jazz Festival, France and many others.

Jouney Series Begins on Wednesday, February 17

2010-02-12T16:03:00.000-06:00

In planning programs to offer at the library, it's always a special privilege to hear about a native Iowan who has gone forth into the world and made a difference. Such was the case with next week's program featuring film-maker and writer Chip Duncan. Chip, who grew up in Shenandoah, Iowa, had planned to come back to Des Moines to speak at Rotary so he agreed to come a day earlier and do a program for us on Wednesday, February 18 at 6:30 PM at the Central Library.

Finding hope in the face of international crisis isn't easy to do, but according to one review, Chip's book is "an engaging new account of humanitarian efforts in the world's most challenging and deadly trouble spots"..... that "chronicles his travels to some of the most heartbreaking and desperate places on the planet. He introduces us to displaced inhabitants of refugee camps in Darfur, homeless children and widowers following a devastating earthquake in Pakistan, and the strong survivors of a generation of warfare in Afghanistan. What Duncan finds are compelling and hopeful stories of people who defy the word victim while embracing the future."

In a recent email, Chip shared that he had just returned from working with Haiti Relief so he will, most likely, have new stories to share beyond the ones in his book. I hope to see you Wednesday!

Journeys Series Begins February 17 at Central Library

2010-01-30T11:04:00.000-06:00

I know, I promised an announcement of the 2010 AViD Series--but first, I want to be sure you know about several authors who will be visiting in February and March. Since all four writers have written stories about global travels, we decided to call it JOURNEYS.

Chip Duncan will be coming to Des Moines to speak at the Downtown Rotary and has been kind enough to agree to a program on February 17 at 6:30 PM at the Central Library. Chip has travelled all over the world since growing up in Shenandoah, Iowa and has many film credits from his work at The Duncan Entertainment Group. I haven't had a chance to read the actual book, but the cover is gorgeous and the topic is certainly timely. Enough To Go Around: Searching For Hope in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Darfur.

Then mark your calendar for:
March 2, Kevin Michael Connolly
March 8, Steven Roberts
March 23, Tori Murden McClure

Check out all the events on our web site at: www.dmpl.org, Then click on the box at the bottom of the home page, marked JOURNEYS.

AViD Announcement Soon!

2010-01-29T12:42:00.000-06:00

Hard to believe but 2010 will be our tenth anniversary of the AViD Author Series at the Des Moines Public Library! So we are hoping to offer another stellar lineup. My goal was to feature ten authors in '10. Would you believe, I am having trouble trimming it to just ten?

We plan to kick off the series on April 13 with a return visit by Peter Hedges! And we have already confirmed Ivan Doig, James Grippando, Claire Cook, and several others. My goal is to have the rest of the lineup finalized next week but we are still awaiting word from a couple of publishers.

Stay tuned.....

GregAlan Williams Coming Back to Des Moines

2010-01-16T08:44:00.000-06:00

Sometimes author programs just drop out of the sky! Des Moines native GregAlan Williams is coming home for the annual I'll Make Me A World in Iowa events and has agreed to stay over to do a program at the Central Library on Monday,February 1. GregAlan is a familiar face to many TV and movie watchers--recently has played a judge on three episodes of Drop Dead Diva. He was the assistant coach in Remember the Titans and is still fondly remembered by lots of folks from his work on Baywatch! But GregAlan is much more than a pretty face.

He does a lot of work with troubled youth and I saw him give a talk a few years ago to about 100 young men at a boot camp facility in my town. Within the first ten minutes of his talk, I watched those kids settle down, lean forward in their chairs, and give their full attention to what he had to say. He has a commanding voice--he sang as a kid growing up in the inner part of Des Moines. His mother raised him as a single mom, and I would have to say, she did a great job.

GregAlan has written a new book called, Heart of a Woman, and he will stop by the library to talk about it at 6:30 PM on February 1. I just got a copy of it and plan to read it this weekend. Hope to see you there!

2010-01-07T15:34:00.000-06:00

The tenth season of the AViD Author Series is quickly approaching and so we are hard at work finalizing this year's lineup.

Peter Hedges will kick it off on April 13, followed by distinquished northwestern writer Ivan Doig on April 19. Mystery writer James Grippando will be here on May 17 and it looks like Nick Reding, author of Methland, will be coming on June 3 to kick off his paperback tour. We are still awaiting further word on several outstanding authors and 2010 promises to be another great year for writers and readers in Des Moines! Once we have everything confirmed, we will be publicizing the whole lineup on the library's web site at: www.dmpl.org

I am more than halfway through Greg Mortenson's second book, Stones into Schools and am enjoying it just as much as Three Cups of Tea. Greg is a wonderful storyteller and so humble about all the dangerous and difficult work that he has done. His book is now required reading for senior officers serving in the military. His committment to the communities and his dedication to education is so commendable and I hope that someday it will be recognized offically--perhaps by the Nobel committee. Pakistan awarded him one of their highest honors in 2009--much deserved.

I am personally enjoying the book because I had the pleasure of spending almost two days driving him around Des Moines when he visited here in 2007. I saw Greg in NYC last summer and in spite of a huge line of folks waiting for his signature, he took the time to give me a big hug. As I read the book, I am just amazed at how much devastation he had experienced in the Pakistan earthquake prior to his visit to Des Moines.

Greg recently donated many copies of his books to our library, making it possible for us to offer book discussion sets--for kids and teens, as well as the adult books. So if you are in a book group, check out our book discussion sets.

Perhaps it's time to ask Greg to make a return visit to Des Moines?

House of Tomorrow by Peter Bognanni

2009-12-30T15:17:00.000-06:00

We always enjoy hosting home-grown Iowa writers, but it's going to be especially fun to include this bright, young writer in our 2010 AViD Author Series! His name is Peter Bognanni and for anyone familiar with our library system, that name may ring a bell. Peter is the son of Kathy and Sal Bognanni and Kathy is the branch manager of our Franklin Avenue Library. She told us last year that her son's book was slated to be published and it comes out next March!

House of Tomorrow is a delightful story, set in Iowa, about Sebastian Prendergast who lives in a geodesic dome with his eccentric grandmother.

Goodreads.com adds:
Jared Whitcomb is a chain-smoking sixteen-year-old heart-transplant recipient who befriends Sebastian, and begins to teach him about all the things he has been missing, including grape soda, girls, and Sid Vicious. They form a punk band called The Rash, and it's clear that the upcoming Methodist Church talent show has never seen the likes of them. Wholly original, The House of Tomorrow is the story of a young man's self-discovery, a dying woman's last wish, and a band of misfits trying desperately to be heard.

The book just received a starred review in Publishers Weekly--a indicator that it's a book worth reading and Peter was recently asked by the New York Times to write a blog about some of the music that has influenced him.

We are pleased as punch to include Peter in our lineup, so mark your calendars to attend his talk at the Central Library on Monday, May 10 at 7:00 PM (timed so that Peter can spend Mothers Day with his mom!) Books will be available for sale and signing.

Half Broke Horses

2009-12-19T08:19:00.000-06:00

I just finished reading Jeannette Walls delightful new book called Half Broke Horses and give it the highest of recommendations. If you liked her first book, The Glass Castle, you must read this one because it is all about her mother's mother who grew up during the depression on a ranch in Arizona and provides wonderful insight to Jeannette's mother's life.

I wish my dad, who was a cowboy himself, could have read this book. There were many descriptions and comments that reminded me of him--roping calves, taming wild horses, wearing Levi's until they develped a fine patina of dirt, manure, and grease. This was one book that I read during the middle of the night and could hardly stop reading. It transported me back to many of the places we have often visited in Arizona and reminded me of the grit of some of our ancestors.

Enjoy the holidays and take some time to read!

Peter Hedges Switched to April 13

2009-12-07T13:16:00.001-06:00

Planning the AViD Author Series is a lot like putting together a jig saw puzzle. Every year, we start out with a blank slate and then we quickly fill a variety of slots with fascinating, nationally recognized authors. This year will be no exception.

We always begin by looking at the authors that our current audiences have suggested. There are always the predictable suggestions for authors--like John Grisham and Jodi Picoult--but our AViD budget is not large and their honorariums are.

So first we review a list of authors submitted by people that attended our series this past year. Then we look through various publications and catalogs to see which authors will be headed out on book tours. Then we talk to our various publishing contacts to see who they might recommend. We also talk to authors--who recommend their own favorites. Finally, our Selection Committee meets to go over a short "wish list." Then we begin booking the authors!

Ten years ago, when we first started the AViD Author Series, I would call the publishers and they would say, Des Moines where? Now, we sometimes get calls from publishers asking US to include their authors in our series--and that's fun!

This year, we had such a call from Peter's publicist. Of course, Peter is from Des Moines originally, so he asked his publicist to include us in his upcoming book tour. In addition to doing a program for us on April 13, Peter has also agreed to do one in Ames and he will be speaking at a Rotary event on Thursday, April 15.

He will be discussing his new book, The Heights. Here's a short blurb from the back jacket cover: Peter is the critically acclaimed author of What's Eating Gilbert Grape, the Oscar(TM)-nominated screenplay About a Boy, and the writer-director of Dan in Real Life. Now he turns his keen eye for the surprising truths of daily life to a story of middle-class parents, rich parents, private school, real esteate, and a good marriage turned upside-down when a new neighbor moves into town.

Watch here for more information about additional AViD writers once we have them confirmed.

2009-11-15T09:17:00.000-06:00

Well, the AViD 2010 series has its first confirmed author--Peter Hedges! Peter has a new book coming out in March 2010 called, The Heights, and asked his publicist to book him during the AViD series in Des Moines! Peter brought in a great crowd when he came a few years ago and I expect he will pull another huge audience this time. So mark your calendars for April 12 as he will probably be the author to kick off the series! Not sure just yet on the venue--maybe Hoyt Sherman, maybe Drake.

I'm also working out details with Nick Reding, author of Methland, who also is interested in attending. So that's two Iowa related authors already.

My good friends at HarperCollins are working on several outstanding writers as well and so I am getting excited to see just who we can bring to celebrate our tenth year!

I received a galley copy of Peter's new book and it is a delightful romp through Brooklyn Heights, filled with zany humor, Peter's quick-witted observations on everyday life and some wonderful characterizations of parents overindulging their children and themselves.

Unfortunately, I am so tired from moving furniture that I can't stay awake to read more of the book. We are in the midst of re-finishing eight rooms of wood floors. Last week we moved out four rooms and this weekend, we moved those four rooms' furniture back as well as four other roomfuls of furniture. By the end of this week we should have all eight rooms and the hallway finished so we can then begin to get back to normal life. Still need to paint two bedrooms and a guy is coming tomorrow to hopefully begin work on a new deck outside. Life in an old house is never dull.

AViD 2010 Lineup Begins!

2009-11-01T08:40:00.001-06:00

The 2010 AViD Selection Committee met on Friday and we already are well on our way to a great lineup. Since this will be our tenth anniversary, we are hoping to make it a memorable series! We are hoping to bring in Nick Reding, the author of Methland and I have already been in touch with his agent.

We hope to offer ten wonderful writers again this year. Watch this space as I will post the authors as soon as we have them confirmed!

Currently, I am reading The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafron--a big thick book with an amazing plot centered around a writer and an antique book store. It's a deep read so I alternated that one with Kay Bucksbaum's memoir, A Place to Grow and now have moved on to Driftless, the 2010 All Iowa Reads selection.

Kay's book is fun to read since it's all about her childhood in Des Moines, centered around Polk Blvd. Kay will visit the Central Library on Tuesday, November 10 at 6:30 PM. I especially love the back jacket cover blurb by her son-in-law Thomas Friedman, who says, "It's the best bio I've ever read."

I have just begun Driftless, set in Wisconsin, and am already engaged with the rural characters it depicts. Looking forward to more time to read soon as I am taking a couple days off work to welcome daughter Makenzie home this week! She has been out in the Northwest Pacific for the last three months picking blueberries, gathering honey, and falling in love with the area. Anxious to hear all about her travels.

The Hatbox Baby

2009-10-17T07:14:00.000-06:00

At a recent author event, I was promoting the upcoming visit by Carrie Brown, who will be our final AViD author this year. She will speak at Sheslow Auditorium on Friday, October 23 at 7:00 PM. We selected her because her book, The Rope Walk, was chosen this year as the All Iowa Reads book. I had read that book many months ago and found it delightful--a wonderful story of childhood friendship and innocence, darkened by the story of a neighbor they befriend who is dying of AIDS.

When I mentioned the book to a woman who comes to many of our programs, she asked, "Oh but have you read, The Hatbox Baby?" She continued, "it's all about premature babies that they exhibited at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair!" So, indeed, I had to read it.

She was right, that is the core of the story, but Brown manages to weave several other amazing characters into this story based on history. The doctor, who is able to keep many of the babies alive using the money he gets from fair-goers. The fan dancer who is the only one to draw more gawkers. Her dwarf-like brother, a preemie, himself. The nurse, who loves the babies that she knows she will never have. And many other fascinating characters including the hatbox baby and his parents.

At first glance, the reader is repulsed to think that we would ever allow tiny, living humans to be put into such a freak show. And the ending leaves more questions than answers. But a very worthwile read.

An Amazing Array of Authors at Iowa Author Dinner

2009-10-04T08:33:00.000-06:00

It was a dark and gloomy night, but it quickly warmed up as hundreds of library supporters came together last Thursday evening for the tenth annual Iowa Author Dinner sponsored by the Des Moines Public Library Foundation. A trio of honorees shared their unique perspectives and delightful personalities: Millie Kalish, as warm and genuine as her readers would expect from her book, Little Heathens. John Stauffer, a Roosevelt grad now at Harvard University, as articulate and brilliant as his recent book Giants. Debra Marquart, a North Dakota native who now teaches creative writing at ISU, capping it off with a touching tribute to Iowa and a hilarious tribute to her lone chin whisker--a listing to which any woman over the age of forty can relate.

Michael and Barbara Gartner, honored for their work in promoting literacy and libraries, made for a most appropriate conclusion--featuring Michael as both moderator and honoree--as only Michael could do. A grand occasion that was equally entertaining, and a wonderful way to spend a cold and rainy night.

Literary Fiction Readers: Check out A Gate at the Stairs

2009-09-27T07:19:00.000-06:00

It seems like I am in a phase of reading disturbing books--and Lorrie Moore's newest novel, A Gate at the Stairs, is a continuation of that trend. The book jacket's claim that "Moore's deft, lyrical writing brings us up against the heart of racisim, the shock of war, and the carelessness perpretrated by others in the name of love" is right on the mark! Just as I thought she was taking me in one direction, she veers into another difficult topic and the stories continue to haunt me. It's a very thoughtful book and Moore has a beautiful command of the language, using words to bring life in the Midwest into sharp focus. A very good read in spite of the disturbing subjects--my kind of book--the kind that makes you just sit and think upon finishing the last chapter. I am inspired to read more of her work, especially the book with the delightful title, Who Will Run the Frog Hospital?

October Treats Des Moines with Great Author Visits!

2009-09-27T07:00:00.000-06:00

The month promises to be hectic and filled with plenty of opportunities to meet authors at the Central Library! Millie Kalish kicks it off on Thursday, October 1 at noon with a return visit prior to her appearance at the Iowa Author Dinner hosted by the Des Moines Public Library Foundation. Millie's book, Little Heathens, is a must read for anyone who grew up in Iowa. She captures both the joys and challenges of farm life and is an inspiration for anyone that is even remotely considering writing a book. She was in her eighties when she wrote it and it went on to become a best-seller, honored as one of The New York Times Top Ten Book in 2007!

We had a great event with Larry Tye, author of Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend, last week at the East Side Library as a kickoff to the wonderful baseball exhibit currently on display called: Pride and Passion: The African American Baseball Experience. Next up, the opportunity to hear first hand stories from two actual players: Art "Superman" Pennington and Ernest "Schoolboy" Johnson. That's on October 5, at 6:30 PM, at the East Side Library.

Then we will gear up for a visit by Jamie Ford, author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, on October 13 at the Central Library. More about that book in my next blog.

And mark your calendars now for the Iowa Author Fair on Wednesday, October 21 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM featuring forty-eight Iowa authors, all at the Central Library.

Difficult Subject Makes for A Depressing Yet Worthwhile Read

2009-09-13T07:48:00.001-06:00

I had read about the book Methland and decided that since it is set in Oelwein, a small town in Iowa, I should probably read it. But it is not a book that you can just sit down and read all at once. Having grown up in a small town and still residing in the same place, I fully appreciate the story of how a town can be significantly affected by the influx of meth.

During the '80's, as my kids were born and started school, I became acquainted with more than a few families where the parents had become addicted and I saw first-hand the devastating results of such addictions. Reading Methland, it is almost like the author, Nick Reding, could be talking about my own town as the characters are familiar and the results similar. It is a very difficult story to read, simply because it hits so close to home. I was particularly surprised by the big businesses that were involved in creating and perpetuating the problems. Reding deserves a lot of credit for tackling the subject--often putting himself in harm's way, in the pursuit of the story!

Pride and Passion: The African American Baseball Experience

2009-09-07T06:25:00.000-06:00

We have a wonderful exhibit coming to the East Side Library this month called, Pride and Passion: The African American Baseball Experience. You can find more info at: www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/ppo/programming/pridepassion/prideandpassion.cfm

We kick it off with an opening night reception on Monday, September 21. The reception begins at 5:30 followed by an author event at 6:30 featuring Larry Tye, who will be discussing his book, Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend.

Fall Is a Great Time to READ!

2009-09-06T08:57:00.000-06:00

Of course is there ever a bad time? I don't think so.

I can't believe it's been a year since I last added to this blog. I had such good intentions but the past year has been blur of author visits, programs, meetings, etc.

But enough about me--let's talk books.......

I just finished two great reads that I would highly recommend to anyone that likes good fiction. The Help, by Kathryn Stockett, is a fascinating story set in the early 60's, about a white socialite in Jackson, MS who decides to capture the stories of various maids. Once she finally persuades more than one woman to tell her story, she meets in secret to interview them and then publishes it anonymously. I heard Stockett speak at Book EXPO this summer and she is a delightful woman. Would love to have her come to DM for a visit!

The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by James Ford is another great read. Ford will be coming to the Central Library on October 13 so mark your calendar. This book is set in the 40's and is a beautifully written, innocent love-story between a young Chinese boy and a Japenese girl. Their friendship causes the boy to be disowned by his stalwart father and gives insight to the country's atmosphere as the Japanese were herded into internment camps.

Autumn is a Great Time for Author Visits

2008-07-17T17:16:00.000-06:00

Fall is always an exciting time for new books being published and it seems like we usually have a flurry of author visit inquiries about this time. So we already have some wonderful programs planned. Stephen Bloom and Peter Feldstein will be visiting on September 22 to talk about their joint project and new book on the Oxford Project.

We are very excited to welcome author Richard Russo to Des Moines on October 6. I absolutely loved Empire Falls and Bridge of Sighs and look forward to hearing what he is working on now. Our good friends from Drake University David and Maddy Maxwell have agreed to act as joint moderators for that program so it promises to be fun!

Then Don Lago, a fellow Scandinavian descendant, will share stories from him book called, On the Viking Trail. He wrote the book to capture stories from his dad who had developed Alzheimers. I wish my dad had lived long enough to read the book. Don's descriptions and research should make anyone who has Scandinavian blood proud of their heritage and it may surprise folks to know that so many Swedes, Danes, and Norwegians brought so many talents and ideas to this country. He will be here on October 23.

Then we just booked Iowa author Douglas Bauer for a visit on November 6 to talk about his book called Prairie City, Iowa: Three Seasons at Home. And we still have a couple more folks that we may be bringing in so watch here for further details.

draft

2008-07-02T13:10:00.000-06:00

Here it is --almost the Fourth of July and we are already set with several author visits for fall. First up, is a program celebrating the launch of a new book on the Oxford Project. Photographer Peter Feldstein and author Stephen Bloom will be visiting Des Moines to talk about their new book on Monday, September 22 at 7:00 PM at the Central Library.

We have been thrilled to add an AViD Extra! event featuring writer Richard Russo, who will be on book tour for the paperback version of Bridge of Sighs, on Monday, October 6. His program will be held at Hoyt Sherman Place Theater and begins at 7:00 PM.

And anyone with a Scandinavian heritage won't want to miss the upcoming program by author Don Lago who will share his experiences while writing On the Viking Trail. Many of the spots he visits and writes about are located in Iowa and the midwest. It made me proud to know that so many of our fellow "Scandihoovian" ancestors were brave and intelligent folks who brought great ideas and abilities to this country. He wrote the book to capture many of his dad's memories and I kept wishing that my own dad would have had a chance to read it before he, like Don's father, also succumbed to the indignities of Alzheimers.

We are just beginning the process to select AViD authors now so there will be lots more to tell you soon. We already have booked one author, Steven Biel, who will discuss his book, American Gothic. More details soon!

Predictably Irrational!

2008-02-06T20:51:00.000-06:00

One of the fun benefits of working at the library is that Carla, our selection librarian, puts many of the advance reader copies she receives down in our staff room for employees to read and share. I make a pretty regular visit to the book shelves because if it great fun to read books before they are available to the public, they are often the books that the publishers are really pushing, many times the writers are going to be on book tour, and best of all, the books are free. Because they are advance reader copies, they often have typos so we are not allowed to add them to the collection, so, best of all, they are free!

Recently I picked up a book called Predictably Irrational by Dan Arielly. It's a great book for anyone that is into consumer behavior, marketing, or that just likes to read about how people think. The basic premise of the book is that humans are often very irrational but that they often they they are making rational decisions based on past history. Great book, quick read, fascinating.

Mysteries by Laura Lippman

2008-02-06T20:42:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I like to read for an escape. Considering the weather we have had these past few days, escape sounds pretty good. So I have been enjoying a couple of mysteries by Laura Lippman. Laura is one of our AViD authors and I always like to read several books by each of our authors so that I have a better handle on what they've written. It's always fun to talk books with the authors while I am driving them from the airport, to dinner, and such.

Laura's books are all set in Baltimore and although I have been there once a long time ago, I don't know much about the city. Laura writes in great detail and makes the city sound so interesting. The book I am reading right now is based on the tradition of a visitor that leaves a half bottle of Cognac and some roses on the grave of Edgar Allen Poe. It's a fun read. Tess Monaghan is quite a character. Reminds me alot of Stephanie Plum in the Janet Evanovich mysteries.

2008-01-31T21:24:00.000-06:00

Here Comes AViD 2008!
Mark Your Calendar! The following is a list of authors and the dates we expect them to appear. We are still working out some of the details, so check often for complete and updated information on venues, dates, and times.

Laura Lippman – April 1
Meet award-winning mystery author Laura Lippman who will discuss her new book, Another Thing to Fall; A Novel. A former journalist for the Baltimore Sun, Lippman bases her stories around her own personal experience in the city, usually featuring reporter turned private investigator Tess Monaghan. She became a New York Times bestselling author following the release of her novel, What the Dead Know. Lippman has also won numerous awards for her mystery fiction, including the Agatha, Anthony, Edgar, Nero Wolfe, and Shamus.

Mildred Kalish – April 8
Retired professor and author Mildred Kalish will share excerpts from her memoir, Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression. Reflecting upon her experiences growing up in Garrison, Iowa, Kalish shares how her family coped and survived during the Great Depression. From running barefoot across the fields of her family’s farm to learning how to prepare the world’s best head cheese, she beautifully describes life’s simple pleasures and how her grandparents kept a spirit of hope and joy alive in her five-year-old self for years to come. Kalish has served as a professor of English at a host of different colleges, including the University of Iowa, Adelphi University, and Suffolk Community College.

Alexander McCall Smith – April 21
Bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith will stop in Des Moines to discuss his life and literature. Well-known for both his The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency and The Sunday Philosophy Club series, McCall Smith has authored more than sixty books, ranging from the academic to short story collections and popular children’s books. Greatly influenced by his birth and childhood in Zimbabwe, as well as his professorship in Botswana, his literature captures the life and culture found within the two African nations. His bestselling No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series has garnered international acclaim, having been translated into thirty-nine languages and selling more than seven million copies nationwide. In addition to being an internationally known author, he has been a professor of law and medical law at the University of Botswana and the University of Edinburgh, respectively, as well as having been a visiting professor at various universities within Italy and the United States. Currently, he resides in Edinburgh, Scotland, with his wife Elizabeth and their two daughters, Lucy and Emily.

Joanne Harris – May 1
Joanne Harris will be here on book tour for her sequel to Chocolat, entitled The Girl with No Shadow, which will be published on April 8, 2008. She is the author of the Whitbread-shortlisted Chocolat, Blackberry Wine, Five Quarters of the Orange, Coastliners, Holy Fools, Jigs & Reels, Sleep, Pale Sister, Gentlemen and Players and, with Fran Warde, The French Kitchen: A Cookbook, and The French Market: More Recipes from a French Kitchen. She lives in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, with her husband and daughter.

Paul Shirley – June 11
Author and professional basketball player Paul Shirley will share his experiences writing his book, . Listen to his personal and humor-filled insight into the highly competitive world of professional basketball in the United States and abroad. Graduating from Iowa State University in 2002 with three Academic All-Big 12 selections, a place of second-team Academic All-American, a 4.0 GPA, and a degree in mechanical engineering, Shirley set his sights on professional basketball, starting out as a player for the Atlanta Hawks. Since then, he has played for professional teams across the United States and Europe, chronicling his adventure through his book, online journals, and a television pilot, The Twelfth Man. He currently plays for the Menorca Basquet of the Spanish ACB. Off the court, Shirley writes his “My So-Called Career” column for ESPN.com.

Funding for the 2008 AViD Author Series is provided by the Des Moines Public Library Foundation with support from generous corporate and individual donors.

Start an Adventure

2008-01-31T21:00:00.000-06:00

Check out the great author programs featured at the Central Library during the library’s 2008 Adventure Series beginning January 29! Hear the real-life experiences of fascinating adventurers, from climbing the highest mountain peaks to kayaking the frigid waters of Alaska. Share incredible sights and sounds as reported by world-wide travelers and
photojournalists. Fly to exotic countries, scale mountains, sail across an ocean without ever leaving town—simply pick up a book and let your adventure begin. Start with a short trip to any of our six convenient locations and sign up for this year’s globe-trotting reading program, available February 17 through March 29. Every participant receives a free backpack (while supplies last). Then start reading! Every time you complete a brief review form for a book you have read, you will automatically be entered in our Grand Prize Drawing. Six grand prize winners will be drawn to receive a $50 gift certificate. Twelve winners will receive a $25 gift certificate. Winners will be announced on March 31.

Run

2007-11-04T09:51:00.000-06:00

Just finished Ann Patchett's newest book, Run. It begins in sort of a rambling fashion and I was tempted at first not to stay with it. There's some historical context about a statue, stolen from a church, that really doesn't have a lot of bearing on the story. But, stick with it and you will find an insightful story about a Bostonian family that adopts an African American infant whose mother also gives up his 14 month old brother so they can be raised together. Lots of twists and turns throughout the book. I occasionally found the story line hard to follow as Patchett expects her readers to follow carefully the multiple stories that are intermixed and she takes her readers on some jerky (and unneccessary) ups and downs with her writing style. If you don't read carefully, you will miss her only reference to the title.

I also read, The Contractor, by Charles Holdefer this past week. In the wake of the recent controversy over the definition of torture as it does or doesn't apply to waterboarding, this is a read that should be required for every American. It made me think of those men in charge of Nazi camps that went home every night to eat dinner, play with their children, attend the opera and yet returned every morning to the horror of their work.

When I first picked up Life on the Refrigerator Door, I assumed that it would be a "cute little read" with a light-hearted exchange between a mom and her daughter. But it is much more than that. Although the entire book has been written in a minimalist style that one would find on post-it notes, the author, Alice Kuipers, has captured an amazing range of emotions in this little book. At times, I found myself wanting to shout at both the mother and the daughter to stop being so self-absorbed, stop running away, sit down and eat a meal together for Pete's Sake! But, Kuipers manages to capture many of the back and forth exchanges that every mom and daughter can probably match to something from their own relationship.

The Custodian of Paradise

2007-09-30T14:18:00.000-06:00

Deb from Prairie Lights Book Store in Iowa City recommended this book to me and I must say, it is a page turner! Not in the murder mystery, who done it fashion, but rather in a deeply moving story of the life of a woman in Newfoundland at the turn of the last century. I am only about half way through it and my chores are being neglected because all I really want to do is burrow my way through this book!

Next on my list is Eavesdropping by Steven Kuusisto, who is a blind professor at the U of I. We hope to have him come and speak at the library about his story. I also have Bad Monkeys sitting on my shelf and several other mysteries that have been recommended to me by the folks at HarperCollins--but first, I just HAVE to finish the "Custodian"! More later.

Deadline

2007-09-30T14:08:00.000-06:00

I was lucky enough to get an early copy of Chris Crutcher's newest young adult book, DEADLINE. It's the story of a high school senior who finds out that he has a terminal disease and that he will most likely not live to graduate. Wow! What a wonderful storyteller Crutcher is and although the story line is a bit farfetched as to the main character's ability to play a season football, the emotions and reactions of his friends, family, and teachers make for a great read.

Crutcher has a way of inspiring a reader to look inside oneself to examine one's beliefs. I don't want to ruin the story for anyone--just encourage you to read it. Then come to the library on Wednesday, October 10 at 6:30 PM to meet the author himself.

Little Heathens

2007-09-16T08:02:00.000-06:00

I just finished reading Mildred Kalish's book about growing up in Iowa during the depression called Little Heathens. Although I am not of that generation, the book did remind me of so many things from my own childhood. I can certainly relate to Mildred's experiences of butchering chickens! As the youngest kid in the family, my job was cleaning the gravel out of the chickens' gizzards. Actually, it could be sort of a game scattering all those little rocks, if you didn't think about the reality of what you were doing!

Mildred has captured the essence of farm life--from her descriptions to watching kittens play, to the hard work that everyone expected from all members of the family, and the "old folks" reaction to the kids' antics. In my family, rather than little heathens, we kids were often referred to (non-politically correct today) as acting like a bunch of "wild Indidans!'

If you have any connection to Iowa, farm life, or just wish to understand the heroism of the folks that lived through the depression, take time to read Mildred's book. I am thrilled to report that Mildred has agreed to visit Des Moines as part of our 2009 AViD Author Series on April 8!

The Rest of Her Life

2007-07-22T08:45:00.000-06:00

I received a pre-pub copy of a book by a new young writer named Laura Moriarty. The back cover had recommendations by two of my favorite writers--Jodi Picoult and Jacquelyn Mitchard, so that was enough to make me want to read it. About two chapters into the book, I wasn't sure I wanted to continue reading it because the plot is basically about a family whose world is shattered after their 18 year old daughter hits and kills a young girl. The daughter was talking on her cell phone and ran a stop sign.

As the mother of two girls, 22 and 19, this seemed a bit too close to home. I have a dear friend who lost her daughter at age 16 in a car accident that also killed a man and his two little boys.

But the story goes beyond the tragedy and examines the mom--her life, her childhood, her relationship with her children. I have often said jokingly that I think that a mother's guilt must begin at conception. This book is a touching reminder that every mother deals daily with guilt and with trying to be "a good mother." Young author Laura Moriarty, with a three year old daughter, shares the complex dance of emotions with a surprising wisdom far beyond her years. This is a great book for a discussion group.

Fireworks over Des Moines!

2007-07-04T08:36:00.000-06:00

As the Yankee Doodle Pops concert enthralled thousands of people gathered on the lawn of the State Capitol and the fireworks began, we noticed several added bonuses this year-the colorful sparkles were magnifed and reflected in the buildings of the skyline (especially the Ruan building), the American flag was positioned to fly proudly directly in front of where the fireworks were their grandest, and the lines at the Kybo's were short. From the mellow sounds of Jazz in July to the frosty experience of nitro ice cream, Tuesday night's concert was the best place to be on a summer night. The Iowa State Capitol, with its beautifully remodeled front steps and lawn, ranks right up at the top of any tourist "sight" that I have ever seen! Give a rose to everyone involved in a delightful evening that was as American as the sticky caramel apples the vendors carried through the crowd!

More Authors Coming This Fall

2007-06-24T09:55:00.000-06:00

One of the best parts of my job is that I never know what the next phone call is going to bring. This week, I had a call from Kate Blum, a publicist that had sent author Elizabeth Berg to DM a couple of years ago. She was now calling about Lorna Landvik, a Minnesota writer, who is interested in coming to Des Moines. So we have her scheduled for October 24 at 6:30 PM at the Central Library. I called my freind Jean LemMon to tell her and she was thrilled as she had recommended this author to our AViD committee a couple of years ago! All of her books are set in Minnesota. So I have just started reading Tall Pine Polka and it is a fun read. I guess Landvik has been described as Minnesota's answer to Fannie Flagg and I would say that so far, her writing style is similar to Fried Green Tomatoes. Landvik's best known book is Patty Jane's House of Curl.

Last week, a fellow named Jim called me to see about a visit by Jon Gordon who has a new book out called, The Energy Bus. I understand that Gordon has appeared on the Today Show and the forward to his book was written by Ken Blanchard (One Minute Manager), so I read his book and now we have him scheduled to come to Des Moines too! He will be here on July 27 over the lunch hour.

The Energy Bus is a wonderful book on the power of positive thinking--about a poor guy who has a flat tire and is forced to ride a bus to work. His driver is Joy and she, along with the other zany folks riding the bus, helps him learn how to change his life by changing the way that he thinks about it. Simple advice that does seem to work.

Before I read The Energy Bus, I had just finished reading The Secret by Rhonda Byrnes. I had seen an article about it and decided to check it out as it was featured on Oprah and has been having great success. It is also about positive thinking and the energy that it creates! A good read even though it is somewhat simplistic and a tad hard for me to buy into the notion 100%.

A Final Gift

2007-06-23T12:47:00.000-06:00

After a sleepless night of listening to her bark and whine, I knew it was time. Katie, our almost 15 year-old Springer spaniel, was in her final stage of life. She had been declining health for months but when my oldest daughter left for a year studying in Germany, one of the last things she asked was to make sure Katie was still here when she came home. But that’s more than two months away and I knew she couldn’t live that long.

We picked Katie out of a litter one cold, grey day in December 1992 because she was the puppy that immediately rolled over for a belly scratch when we entered her kennel. She was a fluffy, mellow, black and white playmate for my two daughters (ages 8 and 4) who captured our hearts from the minute we loaded her into our car. Of course, that first night was a little rocky but we followed the dog-training directive and put her in a kennel right from the start. And I think I spent most of that first night with my fingers threaded through the wires of the kennel door resting on her head which seemed to be enough to reassure her that she was not alone.

The kennel quickly became her safe haven--the place she retreated to whenever she needed to flop down in exhaustion after running, fetching, and cuddling with her new human family. Soon we took to leaving the door to her kennel open, as she quickly understood the idea of housetraining.

Her Springer spaniel genes manifested themselves whenever water was involved. She loved to jump into the kids’ wading pool in the back yard and Yes, I admit it, I even bought a wading pool for the dog, long after the kids were too big to fit into it. She would jump into the water, scoop up the water, and bark, savoring the cool wetness as we watched and laughed at her performance. She loved water so much that all I had to do was say, it’s time for a bath and she would head up the steps of our two story house and hop in the tub, waiting impatiently for me to come turn on the water.

She was there through all the ups and downs for my two girls—an ever-present best friend. She was there for a game of tug or fetch. She was there to cuddle when they had a bad day. She was there to take to school for “show and tell”. And she was always ready for a belly scratch; her big brown eyes filling with love and appreciation for reaching that exact spot that made her hind leg scratch in unison with your fingers.

So yesterday, after a night of listening to her whine and helping her stand up and carrying her outside because she could no longer make it up and down the back steps, we knew it was time. Time to give her that final gift. Admitting that it was a difficult part of his work, our vet helped me through it, explaining the procedure, sedating her, and making it as painless as possible, respecting my need to grieve, and allowing us all to respect the gift of Katie’s long and loving life as a member of our family.

This morning, I caught myself glancing at her usual resting place and Tillie, our five year old terrier seemed surprised to have the bowl of dog food all to herself. And now I face the task of explaining to my daughter why her dog won’t meet her at the back door the day she returns. I can only hope that she can understand that Katie’s spirit is still with us—resting in the hole under the maple tree where she always liked to snooze, or drinking from the hose whenever I water the flowers, or sleeping on top of the empty tennis shoes at the foot of Makenzie’s empty bed. And that the best way to honor the loyalty of any dog as beloved as our Katie, is to give her the final gift of a good and painless death--my hand resting lightly on her head, reassuring her that she was not alone.

Des Moines AViD Reader

2007-06-23T12:16:00.000-06:00

Okay--I have finally taken the plunge and begun a blog. This has been something I have wanted to do for quite some time so that I could share good books, author recommendations, and other favorite subjects online. So......here goes.......