Books Between Bites!
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May 3rd - Body Language 101: The Ultimate Guide to Knowing When People Are Lying, How They Are Feeling, What They Are Thinking. Presented by Shirley Elkin.
On January 4th, Bev Hackney, Reference Librarian, Decatur Public Library presented The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith.
The engaging novel about the fictional Dutch artist Sara de Vos. The first woman to be so recognized, de Vos was admitted as a master painter to the Guild of St. Luke's in Holland in 1631. Three hundred years later, only one work attributed to de Vos, a haunting landscape, is known to remain. An Australian grad student, Ellie Shipley, struggling to stay afloat in New York, agrees to paint a forgery of the landscape, a decision that will haunt her. Because now, half a century later, she's curating an exhibit of female Dutch painters, and both the original and her forgery are en route to her museum.
December 7th - Pacific Crucible, War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941-1942 by Ian W. Toll. Presented by Judith Kimmons. Pacific Crucible begins with the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. It tells the epic tale of these first searing months of the Pacific war, when the U.S. Navy shook off the worst defeat in American military history. It culminates with the Battle of Midway.
November 2 - Jackie Goeppinger is a retired child and adolescent therapist. She talked about “Ella Minnow Pea and A, B, Cs,” based on the book, Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters, by Mark Dunn. Ella Minnow Pea is a story about letters in letters based on the immortal pangram, “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”
October 5th - Tim Rapson shared about his family of readers. 6 generations of family members who started reading at an early age. They learned from Dick and Jane readers, Mcguffey readers, even a Union reader from as far back as the 1880s. He has the set of the 6 readers used by his family over this 135 year span. 4 of the readers are the very books from which his Daughter, Father, Grandfather, and Great Grandmother learned to read.
October 1 - Uncomfortable Conversations: Death
The Patient in Room 9 Says He's God
Dr. Louis Profeta shared his experiences as an ER physician at a busy Indianapolis hospital, as detailed in his book, The Patient in Room 9 Says He’s God. Dr. Profeta also discussed philosophical and professional concerns surrounding contemporary end-of-life practices.
September 7th - Dr Patrick White, President of Millikin University spoke about the book: The Smartest Places on Earth: Why Rustbelts Are The Emerging Hotspots of Global Innovation. Authors: Antoine W. van Agtmael and Alfred Bakker.
August 3rd, 12:15 - 1:00pm - Jerry Johnson -Isaac Asimov: A Prolific Author and Scientist
Isaac Asimov was an incredibly prolific author and scientist best known for his science fiction. Asimov, along with Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke, he is considered one of the "Big Three" science fiction writers. His most famous work is the Foundation Series (considered the all-time best sci-fi series), along with the Galactic Empire series and the Robot series. His concepts of psychohistory and robotics found in these books have been tremendously influential.
Share your love of the Beatles one letter at a time! Arguably the most influential band in history, the Beatles shaped an era and were the soundtrack of a generation. What better way to celebrate their influence than with a book that can be shared with the youngest generation of all? From my granddaughter’s question that inspired me, to my magical mystery tour in Europe, to the illustration, publication and printing processes you will hear about the challenges I encountered as well as some funny things that happened along the way. My passion for The Beatles and my love of children finally came together in this book. ‘With a little help from my friends’, my dream came true!
June 1st, 12:15 - 1:00pm - Nancy Peterson - When Books Went To War by Molly Guptill Manning
When America entered World War II in 1941, we faced an enemy that had banned and burned over 100 million books and caused fearful citizens to hide or destroy many more. Outraged librarians launched a campaign to send free books to American troops and gathered 20 million hardcover donations. In 1943 the War Department and the publishing industry stepped in with an extraordinary program: 120 million small, lightweight paperbacks for troops to carry in their pockets and their rucksacks in every theater of war. When Books Went to War is an inspiring story for history buffs and book lovers alike.May 4th, 12:15 - 1:00pm - Mary Aylmer - The Habsburgs: The History of a Dynasty by Benjamin Curtis
Synopsis: The Habsburg dynasty ruled much of central Europe for six centuries (1273-1918) and rank among the most celebrated ruling dynasties in history. At one time their territories stretched across Europe spreading into Asia, Africa and the Americas. AEIOU symbolized the dynasty's motto - "Alles Erdreich ist Osterreich untertan" - ("All the world is subject to Austria") and fueled their ambition. In this book Benjamin Curtis explores both the Spanish and Austrian branches of the dynasty, providing a concise, comprehensive picture of the dynasty's development.Dr. Timothy M. Kovalcik is an Associate Professor of History at Millikin University, winner of the 2016 Teaching Excellence award, and current Teaching Pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church.
March 2 - Richard "Dick" Fiala
- Subject: The Divine Comedy by Dante Aligheri, Translation by Clive James, 2013
This book is a history of the Federal Convention in Philadelphia that resulted in the Constitution of the United States. A review of the events and personalities surrounding the Constitutional Convention of 1787 concluding with the debate and the final product.