Capitol Reads

July's Capitol Read is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

"January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she'd never met, a native of Guernsey, the British island once occupied by the Nazis. He'd come across her name on the flyleaf of a secondhand volume by Charles Lamb. Perhaps she could tell him where he might find more books by this author." "As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, she is drawn into the world of this man and his friends, all members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, a unique book club formed in a unique, spur-of-the-moment way: as an alibi to protect its members from arrest by the Germans." "Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the Society's charming, deeply human members, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all. Through their letters she learns about their island, their taste in books, and the powerful, transformative impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds there will change her forever." Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Vie Society is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.

Capitol Reads

June's Capitol Read is The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara.

In the four most bloody and courageous days of our nation’s history, two armies fought for two conflicting dreams. One dreamed of freedom, the other of a way of life. Far more than rifles and bullets were carried into battle. There were memories. There were promises. There was love. And far more than men fell on those Pennsylvania fields. Bright futures, untested innocence, and pristine beauty were also the casualties of war. Michael Shaara’s Pulitzer Prize–winning masterpiece is unique, sweeping, unforgettable—the dramatic story of the battleground for America’s destiny.

Movie Night at the Library- TOMORROW

Join us for a "watch and discuss" examination of Vanishing Liberties.  This documentary examines the government's growing use and abuse of surveillance tools to track and spy on immigrant communities and the proposals to adopt these same tools to monitor and track the activities of all Americans.  This event is free and open to the public.

Join the Library Commission for this night of discussion on American liberties in the digital age in the J.D. Waggoner Reading Room, Culture Center, Building 9.

For more information call (304) 558-2045 or email wvlcref@wv.gov
Date: 5/30/2013
Time: 5:30 pm
West Virginia Library Commission
Movie Night

NYT Bestseller Dean King coming to Museum in the Park in Logan this Fri., May 31

Feud expert and national author Dean King coming to Museum in the Park in Logan this Fri., May 31


LOGAN, WV – With the success of last year’s HISTORY channel multiple award-winning mini-series, Hatfields & McCoys, starring Kevin Costner, comes a renewed worldwide interest in the complex story of America’s most noted vendetta—the Hatfields of Logan County vs. the McCoys of neighboring Pike County.

This month, New York Times bestselling author, Dean King, has released a new take on this local story, entitled, The Feud: The Hatfields and McCoys: The True Story. Unlike in previous accounts, King chose to begin in the mid-nineteenth century, when the Hatfields and McCoys lived side-by-side in relative harmony along the Tug River. The nonfiction work by Little, Brown and Company is already gaining rave reviews nationwide.

Just beginning his national book tour, King will be appearing in Logan on Friday evening, May 31st. He’s scheduled to speak at Museum in the Park in Chief Logan State Park from 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Free to the public, the event is being sponsored by the Hatfield-McCoy Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB); Logan County Chamber of Commerce; Museum in the Park of Chief Logan State Park; Woodland Press, LLC; and Randall Reid-Smith, commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History.  Light refreshments will be available starting at 6:00 p.m., and King will begin his talk around 6:30.

“It's only appropriate that he would kick off the first official week of his national book tour right here in Logan County—in feud country,” said Debrina Williams, director of the Hatfield-McCoy CVB, adding that King will be sharing some of the adventures he encountered while researching the subject. “He'll have a fascinating slide show and conduct a lively discussion about the project,” Williams added. “For example, we heard he was even shot at while researching his book along the Tug River.” 

Afterwards, King will field questions from those in attendance and then have a meet-and-greet, allowing ample time to meet all who attend and sign copies of his new book.

Many will recall that King was one of the historians on the 2012 History Channel documentary, "America's Greatest Feud: The Hatfields and McCoys," narrated by Kevin Costner and directed by Mark Cowen. In addition to King's accomplishments as a historian and author, he is now a producer on an upcoming History Channel reality series based on the Hatfields and McCoys, and will likely be talking about this in greater detail during the event at the park. He helped develop the concept for the television program, and also identified characters for the show.

Besides feud enthusiasts, King is also interested in meeting local writers and journalists, teachers and students, historians and genealogists, and looks forward to discussing the writing craft and his exhaustive research with attendees.

“We want to extend our invitation to everyone for this event at Chief Logan State Park. This is a real honor for our county, and I know Mr. King would be delighted to have you all there,” Williams added.

As an award-winning author of nine non-fiction books, Dean King has chased stories across Europe, Asia, Africa and now Appalachia, specifically making countless trips to the southern part of the Mountain State and the eastern section of the Bluegrass State over the last few years as he researched the complex feud story for this latest book project.  Coming full circle, on Friday evening, he will present his findings and his finished project to the people living in the land where it all began.

Hardbound copies of King's book, The Feud: The Hatfields and McCoys: The True Story, are available locally at The Coal House, in Williamson, Aracoma Drug at Chapmanville, Logan Regional Hospital gift shop in Logan, and at www.woodlandpress.com.

For more details on the event, contact Debrina Williams, Hatfield-McCoy CVB, at 304-752-1324; or call Frankie Esposito, Museum in the Park, at 304-792-7229. For more information about Dean King, see http://www.deanhking.com. 

Libraries of the Future [Visualization]

++ Click to Enlarge Image ++

Source:LibraryScienceList.com

Capitol Reads

May's Capitol Read is The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck.

Though more than sixty years have passed since this remarkable novel won the Pulitzer Prize, it has retained its popularity and become one of the great modern classics. "I can only write what I know, and I know nothing but China, have always lived there," wrote Pearl S. Buck. In The Good Earth she presents a graphic view of China when the last emperor reigned and the vast political and social upheavals of the twentieth century were but distant rumblings of ordinary people. This moving, classic story of the honest farmer Wang Lung and his selfless wife O-lan is must reading for those who would fully appreciate the sweeping changes that have occured in the lives of the Chinese people during this century.

Nobel Prize winner Pearl S. Buck traces the whole cycle of life: its terrors, its passions, its ambitions and rewards. Her brilliant novel--beloved by millions of readers--is a universal tale of the destiny of man.

The Literary Image and Impact of Breece D’J Pancake: Native Son

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Milton Branch Library

1140 Smith Street, Milton, WV 25541

(304) 743-6711

Symposium guests:

• Dr. Grace Toney Edwards, 10:00 AM. An Overview of Pancake’s Life and Career
  
• Dr. Rob McDonald, 11:00 AM. Native Ground, the Role of Place in Shaping Literary Imagination
  
• Marie Manilla, 1:30 PM. An analysis of Pancake’s Writing
  
• Panel of Peers, 2:30 PM. Breece as We knew Him
  
• Phyllis Wilson Moore, 3:30 PM. The Impact of Pancake’s Work
  
• Walking Tour, 4:30 PM. 

This project is being presented with financial assistance from the West Virginia Humanities Council, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations do not necessarily represent those of the West Virginia Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities.