Library of Congress Lifetime Achievement Awarded to Novelist Herman Wouk

The Library of Congress is bestowing its first Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Writing of Fiction to Herman Wouk, for his "extraordinary contributions to American letters and his dedication to, as he has said, 'the enduring power of the novel." Librarian of Congress James H. Billington will present the award to Wouk on September 10 in Washington, D.C. Wouk will read from his writings.
Wouk was among the first group of recipients of the Library's Living Legend Award. He is donating his literary diaries, remaining manuscripts and correspondence to the Library. The Library currently holds the manuscripts of five Wouk novels, including The Winds of War and War and Remembrance. Wouk's novels are available at the Fremont Public Library; call 847-918-225 or reserve them online.

NY Times Article: "Online, R U Really Reading?"

Motoko Rich, writing in the New York Times on July 27 asks “Online, R U Really Reading?” In his article, Rich discusses our current "passionate debate about just what it means to read in the digital age. The discussion is playing out among educational policy makers and reading experts around the world, and within groups like the National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association. As teenagers’ scores on standardized reading tests have declined or stagnated, some argue that the hours spent prowling the Internet are the enemy of reading — diminishing literacy, wrecking attention spans and destroying a precious common culture that exists only through the reading of books. But others say the Internet has created a new kind of reading, one that schools and society should not discount. The Web inspires a teenager... who might otherwise spend most of her leisure time watching television, to read and write." What do you think?

Rights to John Steinbeck's work returned to Penguin

A federal appeals court has overturned a 2006 decision that awarded rights to 10 John Steinbeck titles to the author's son and granddaughter. The new decision returns the rights to Steinbeck's publisher, Penguin. Penguin issued the following statement: "As John Steinbeck’s publisher for over 60 years, we are tremendously gratified by the Second Circuit’s decision. We are pleased that Penguin Group (USA) remains John Steinbeck’s publisher for generations to come. We look forward to continuing to work with all the people involved who share Steinbeck’s distinguished legacy and to further expanding the audience for Steinbeck’s seminal works.” Penguin, which in 1994 entered into a publishing contract with Steinbeck's third wife, Elaine Steinbeck (who died in 2003), will now revert to publishing the 10 titles--nine novels and one play--as per that 1994 agreement. The titles are: Cup of Gold; The Pastures of Heaven; The Red Pony; To a God Unknown; Tortilla Flat; In Dubious Battle; Of Mice and Men; Of Mice and Men (the play); The Long Valley; and The Grapes of Wrath.

Two New Books by Chicago Area Authors

Peter Ferry's debut novel Travel Writing features a protagonist named Peter Ferry. Like the author, the character is a textbook writer and teacher of creative writing. The novel is set in the North Shore; Ferry knows the area well. He is a retired teacher of creative writing at Lake Forest High School who lives in Evanston.
Early in the book, Ferry confidently says "We intend to sell a few books." Hope his protagonist's claim comes true for the author.

Chicago mystery writer Marcus Sakey's third novel, Good People, is set in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. When the Reeds attempt to put out a fire in a downstairs apartment, money starts spilling from the walls. They happily keep the money, later discovering that it was stolen. And then their adventures begin. Sakey won the 2007 Strand Magazine Critics Award for best first novel for The Blade Itself.

2008 Hugo Awards

The winners of the 2008 Hugo Awards, chosen by members of the World Science Fiction Society, are:

Novel: The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
Novella: "All Seated on the Ground" by Connie Willis
Novelette: "The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate" by Ted Chiang
Short Story: "Tideline" by Elizabeth Bear
Non-fiction Book: Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction by Jeff Prucher

2008 RITA Awards Sponsored by Romance Writers of America

The following are the award winners:
First Book: Dead Girls Are Easy by Terri Garey
Contemporary Series Romance: Snowbound by Janice Johnson
Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure: Treasure by Helen Brenna Contemporary Single Title Romance: Catch of the Day by Kristan Higgins
Historical Romance: Lessons of Desire by Madeline Hunter
Inspirational Romance: A Touch of Grace by Linda Goodnight Novel with Strong Romantic Elements: Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn
Paranormal Romance: Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward
Regency Historical Romance: The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn
Romance Novella: "Born in My Heart" in Like Mother, Like Daughter by Jennifer Greene
Romantic Suspense: Ice Blue by Anne Stuart
Young Adult Romance: Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Books Into New Movies

The Dying Animal by Philip Roth has been adapted into a film, Elegy, starring Academy Award nominee Penélope Cruz and Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley. Roth is a Pulitizer Prize winner.

Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited is a new film starring Emma Thompson. There also is a TV mini series starring Jeremy Irons which came out in 1981. Waugh's novel is poignant tale of lost innocence. Time Magazine included the novel in its list of "All Time 100".

Nobel Prize Winner Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Dead

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, whose works condemned the suffering caused by the Soviet Communism, died at 89 years of age in his beloved Russia. His works include: A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, The First Circle, The Cancer Ward and the Gulag Archipelago. The latter, a detailed description of the Soviet labor camp system, was the reason for his expulsion from the Soviet Union. Following the collapse of the Soviet government, Solzhenitsyn returned to Russia. He criticized what he described as its spiritual decline. Later, he saw President Vladimir V. Putin as a restorer of Russia’s greatness. More than 30 million of his books have been sold worldwide and translated into some 40 languages. In 1970, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Solzhenitsyn did not travel to Stockholm to accept the prize for fear that the Soviet authorities would prevent him from returning. He lived courageously, believing “it is within the power of writers and artists to do much more: to defeat the lie!”

2008 Edgar Award Winners--Fiction

The Mystery Writers of America give the Edgar Awards to honor the best in mystery fiction and nonfiction. The awards began in 1954 and are named in honor of Edgar Allan Poe.

The fiction winners are: for best novel, Christine Falls by Benjamin Black; for best first novel by an American Author, In the Woods by Tana French; for best paperback original, Queenpin by Megan Abbot. The Fremont Public Library District has copies of these books.

Meet Max Allan Collins at Warren Newport Library, Saturday, August 2, 10 am

Max Allan Collins will be at Warren Newport Library on Sat., Aug. 2, at 10a.m. His latest book is Red Sky in Morning. Collins is most known for his graphic novel Road to Perdition which was made into a movie starring Tom Hanks. Call the library at 847-244-5150 or register online at www.wnpl.info.
From wikipedia: "Max Allan Collins (born March 3, 1948) is a prolific American mystery writer who has been called "mystery's Renaissance man". He has written novels, screenplays, comic books, comic strips, short stories, movie novelizations and historical fiction. He wrote the graphic novel Road to Perdition , created the comic book private eye Ms. Tree, and took over writing the Dick Tracy comic strip from creator Chester Gould."

New Poet Laureate of the United States

Kay Ryan, "known for her sly, compact poems that revel in wordplay and internal rhymes," has been named the 16th poet laureate of the U.S., according to the New York Times. "I so didn't want to be a poet," said Ryan, who has published six poetry collections. "I came from sort of a self-contained people who didn't believe in public exposure, and public investigation of the heart was rather repugnant to me. I couldn't resist. It was in a strange way taking over my mind. My mind was on its own finding things and rhyming things. I was getting diseased. She has no definite plans for her new position, but might like to "celebrate the Library of Congress . . . maybe I'll issue library cards to everyone." Grove Press, which has published three of her collections--Elephant Rocks, Say Uncle and The Niagara River--said that it will publish New and Selected Poems by the new poet laureate.


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Musings on Memoirs and Some Upcoming Fiction

Recently there has been much discussion on the veracity of memoirs. David Sedaris, I think, says it best: "A memoir is the last place you'd expect to find the truth."
His latest book is When You Are Engulfed in Flames. The Fremont Public Library has 5 copies of the book, one of which is a best seller copy. The library also has the book on CD.
Some upcoming fiction for the months of July and August: Lawrence Block's Hit and Run; Edna Buchanan's Legally Dead; Ethan Canin's America, America; Tana French's The Likeness; Nora Roberts' Tribute; Stephen Coonts' Assassin; Stephen Frey's Forced Out; Faye Kellerman's The Mercedes Coffin; Kathy Reichs' Devil Bones. You may place holds on these titles, and some may be available in large print. Contact the library staff at 847-918-3225.

New Titles from Chicago Mystery Writers

Doug M. Cummings, Every Secret Crime, a Reno McCarthy Novel:
"Sometimes....secrets are the real crime...When the son of celebrity attorneys is murdered in the upscale Chicago suburb of Falcon Ridge, police make an arrest within hours. But Chicago TV reporter Reno McCarthy thinks they've closed the case too soon. As the body count begins to rise, Reno discovers a community steeped in corruption and greed, a startling link to secrets of the past, and a psychopath lurking in the shadows...." Cummings is a former award winning WGN radio crime and breaking news reporter. His first book is Deader by the Lake. For more information, see his website www.dougmcummings.com

Libby Fischer Hellman, Easy Innocence:
"Removed from the gritty streets of Chicago, the residents of the North Shore sleep easily in their million dollar homes. Easily, that is, until a local girl is discovered bludgeoned to death in the woods...." Her other books are: A Shot to Die For, An Image of Death, A Picture of Guilt, and An Eye for a Murder. Hellmann has lived in the Chicago area for 30 years. When not writing fiction, she conducts training programs. See her website: www.hellmann.com

J.A. Konrath, Fuzzy Navel, Lt. Jacqueline Jack Daniels Mystery:
"A twisted murderer bent on revenge....Three vigilantes who want to silence a cop....No way to escape, nowhere to run..." Konrath's latest is his fifth mystery featuring Lt. Daniels. Check out his website for writing tips, free stuff, and his blog: www.jakonrath.com

And local writer Linda Mickey's writers' guide will be out in the near future. Set in Lake County, there are 3 books in her Kyle Shannon mystery series: Defective Goods, Greased Wheels, and Horse Power. For her writing and publishing tips and her blog, check out her website: www.lindamickey.com

Remember that Fremont Public Library staff can help you find these authors' works...and much more!

Author Visits About Chicagoland

Stephen J. Cannell will read from his novel, At First Sight, Barnes and Noble, Old Orchard in Skokie on Thursday, July 10th at 7:30 p.m. Call 847-676-2230.
Salman Rushdie will read from his new novel, The Enchantress of Florence, on Thursday, July 10th at 6 p.m. at the Harold Washington Library in Chicago. Call 312-747-4396.
James Rollins talks about his latest SIGMA Force novel, The Last Oracle, on Wednesday, July 16 at 1:00 p.m. at the Warren Newport Public Library in Gurnee. Rollins wrote the novelization of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Call 847-244-5150.
Max Allan Collins will discuss his latest book Red Sky in Morning on Saturday, August 2 at 10 a.m. at the Warren Newport Public Library. Call 847-244-5150

Author Aleksandar Hemon and The Lazarus Project

In the May 2008 issue of North Shore magazine, Northwestern professor Aleksandar Hemon, winner of MacArthur genius grant in 2004, discusses his new book, The Lazarus Project. In the interview, he answers the question of the origin of Lazarus Averbuch's story:
"I came across it in the book by Walter Roth and Joe Kraus called An Accidental Anarchist, which very concisely and grippingly lays out the Averbuch story. The true story, however, is rather different from what you can find in my book. What interested me in the Averbuch story was its sadness, on the one hand, and, on the other, the pictures of the dead Lazarus, which are unbearably cruel and incredibly affecting."
Hemon’s book is partially based on the life of Lazarus Averbuch. On March 2, 1908, nineteen-year-old Lazarus Averbuch, a recent Jewish immigrant from Russia to Chicago, knocked on the front door of the house of George Shippy, the chief of Chicago police. When Shippy came to the door, Averbuch offered him what he said was an important letter. Instead of taking the letter, Shippy shot Averbuch twice, killing him. When Shippy released a statement casting Averbuch as a would-be anarchist assassin and agent of foreign political operatives, he all but set off a city and a country already simmering with ethnic and political tensions. Now, in the twenty-first century, a young writer in Chicago, Brik, becomes obsessed with Lazarusas story — what really happened, and why? In order to understand Averbuch, Brik and his friend Rora retrace Averbuch's path across Eastern Europe
From a Washington Post Review "The Lazarus Project, the masterful new novel from the Bosnian-American writer Aleksandar Hemon, opens with a passage that recalls the invocations of epic poetry: 'The time and place,' Hemon tells us, 'are the only things I am certain of: March 2, 1908, Chicago. Beyond that is the haze of history and pain, and now I plunge.' Which muses Hemon invoked in writing this troubling, funny and redemptive..."
The Fremont Public Library has 2 copies of the book, one a regular circulating copy (3 weeks) and one a bestseller browsing copy (one week, cannot be renewed or reserved.

Summer Reading Program

Our summer reading program starts Monday, June 9. The theme is Get in the Game: Read. Adults can sign up at the Public Services Desk. At sign up, you will receive a Frisbee. For your convenience, parents also can sign up at the Youth Services Desk. Children sign up at the Youth Services Desk. All adult participants are asked to read or listen to 5 books of their choice, complete a reading log, and return the log to the Public Services Desk. We have a book display featuring books related to our theme as well as a suggested list of books. All adult participants who complete a log are eligible for grand prizes. Let the games begin!

Last Blog on Big Read

We hope that everyone who participated in our Big Read enjoyed the book selection, My Antonia by Willa Cather, the Big Read materials, the book discussions, and the programs. Please visit the Big Read website to read more about the Big Read. There also is a survey open to participants.

Fremont Reads Blog will continue...information about the library's fiction collection, book reviews, and other book notes will be featured.

Last Big Read Event at Library

The film Willa Cather: The Road is All will be shown on Monday, May 19 at the Fremont Public Library. It will start at 7:00 p.m. All ages are welcome; there is no need to register. The film is a 2005 PBS program, part of the American Masters series. It runs 90 minutes and it is not rated. It tells the life story of Willa Cather, hightlighting the influences of the Nebraska frontier on her work.

Mark Dvorak in Concert Monday, May 12, 7:00 pm

Mark has been called "one of a vanishing breed", a modern day troubadour who has never stopped performing, writing, and recording. His most recent CD, Every Step of the Way, features 10 well-crafted and poignant originals and was hailed as one of Waterbug's outstanding releases of 2006. Dvorak has been called a folk singer's folk singer who has an encyclopedic knowledge of traditional songs and is a superb guitarist and banjo picker. Dvorak continues to be a member of the faculty of Chicago's Old Town of Folk Music. Dvorak also is a member of WeaverMania! a musical tribute to the Weavers.
No one spins a yarn or sings an old timey song with more skill and respect than Mark Dvorak. He's a builder of the folk world, in Chicago, the region, and the continent.--Bill's Blues
One of a vanishing breed...Although all of us benefit from the tradition, Dvorak is one of the few who keep it alive.--Utah Phillips
A modern day troubadour and Chicago folk treasure...equal parts Big Bill Broonzy, Win Stracke and Art Thieme---Chicago Second Sunday.
From his website www.markdvorak.com

Come here him play here at the library on Monday, May 12, at 7:00 p.m. All ages are welcome. Hear his music at www.markdvorak.com

Lee Murdock Concert on Monday, May 5, 7:00p.m.

Here's some of the reviews given to Lee Murdock and his music:
"The premier interpreter of songs and tales about the Great Lakes … Murdock's regionalist approach does the area proud." Paul-Emile Comeau, Dirty Linen Magazine
“A fine job of recreating history and holding it up to a poet’s light.”
–Sing Out! Magazine
“History, mood, wonderful arranging. Murdock’s intelligence and detail are a joy to listen to.” –George Francis Maida, WCVE Radio, Richmond, VA

And a little about Lee Murdock:
"Noted as a fluent instrumentalist on the six and twelve string guitars, Murdock combines ragtime, Irish, blues and folk styles with his flair for storytelling in songs. His musical influences span fifteen generations. Murdock began his folk career in the Chicago area in the mid 1970’s, expanding his repertoire of blues and popular music as his interest in folk music and the maritime tradition grew.
Murdock's songs create an unforgettable image of commerce and recreation as they coexist on the Great Lakes today, with huge cargo ships traversing vital shipping lanes while pleasure craft of all types and sizes share the waters along America's fourth coast. Probably the most popular Great Lakes ballad was written by Gordon Lightfoot in 1975, following The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, one of the big cargo freighters which are characteristic of the Great Lakes shipping industry. Murdock fans have discovered a treasury in his other songs about the Great Lakes, too, finding drama and inspiration in the lives of sailors and fishermen, lighthouse keepers, ghosts, shipwrecks, outlaws and everyday heroes. His focus on Great Lakes music began as a simple interest in finding the folk songs from his own local history. From the beginning, the songs he discovered have filled a void, as audiences quickly embraced these songs and asked for more. With a deeper understanding of the folk process, Lee's repertoire combines historical research and contemporary insights. Murdock's work is both documentary and also a contemporary anthem to the people who live, work and play along the Great Lakes today." from his website www.leemurdock.com

You may wish to go to Lee's website; you can listen his music. After you listen, you will want to attend Monday night's concert. His concert is for all ages to enjoy.