Read these Nutmeg books in 2008 and vote in January 2009.  Each book is slightly different, so it's like a great big Nutmeg soup with carrots, and peas, oh wait-- I mean fantasy, historical fiction, and mystery, and more!  Vote at the Darien Library or in school.  Go to the Nutmeg website to learn more.

What's your favorite Nutmeg so far?  Totally comment and share!

2009 Intermediate Nominees (Grades 4 to 6)

Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone	Close Encounters of a Third World Kind by Jennifer J. Stewart
Eager by Helen Fox	Free Baseball by Sue Corbett
Golden and Grey by Louise Arnold	Gossamer by Lois Lowry   Also on Audio
The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman   Also on Audio   Also on Playaway	MVP by Douglas Evans
Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach  Also on Audio	Three Good Deeds by Vivian Vande Velde

At 7 p.m. next Wednesday, August 13th, Hillary Jordan, the author of Mudbound will be the special guest speaker at our Adult Summer Reading Grand Finale. We know how wildly popular the book is (there are 42 holds on the book right now!), so we also know that you're as eager as we are to learn more about "Mudbound"...and Hillary. Well, as luck and timing would have it, Janet and I had the chance to talk for a bit with Hillary earlier today, and you can listen to the conversation
right here.

Hillary Jordan

Hillary Jordan
(photo credit: William Coupon)

As if we weren't already excited enough about this summer's Adult Summer Reading Program...now we get to celebrate! (Well, I know we celebrate books and reading here every day...but, this...THIS(!) is different!) On Wednesday, August 13 at 7 p.m. we will host the Grand Finale! and it's going to be good. Really good.

Join us for a wine and cheese party and Grand Prize drawing,

The Grand Prize!

AND... meet Hillary Jordan, the author of Mudbound! We are extremely happy that she's agreed to come to Darien Library. First of all, we love the book. Period. It's an extraordinary story, incredibly well told. My hunch is that it is destined to become an important American book; one which earns a spot in our collective memory. Not a lot of books are able to do that.

Erica and I met Hillary back in January when we attended a conference in Philadelphia, and we each received advance reading copies of Mudbound. Neither of us big fiction readers, Mudbound swallowed us whole and we came out the other side richer for the experience. The word-of-mouth about this book is loud, and clear, and sustained, which is unusual for a first-time author. And it's not just here in town. We're hearing Mudbound-chatter no matter where we go. We're calling this "the little book that could" and we're just watching as it gains momentum. It's a beautiful thing.

Wednesday evening marked the first "Meet the Authors" event of our Adult Summer Reading program, and we were truly delighted that Jane Cleland and Rosemary Harris visited Darien Library for a chat about their respective new mystery novels Antiques to Die For and Pushing Up Daisies.

Barbara, our mini-moderator, interviewed the authors as they dished up the dirt on the inspirations for their novels. Now, talk about real life mysteries translating to the page! For Jane, it was a chance encounter she had with a stolen Rembrandt etching and for Rosemary, it was reading about a body found buried in an unassuming suburban Connecticut home. The audience was served a real treat when both authors candidly shared their experiences as first-time writers, as well, and gave us the insider's view on getting published, working with editors, and marketing their books.

I hope you've decided to add these fun 'n fabulous cozy mysteries to your list of beach reads this summer! Also, check out what our visiting authors have on their nightstands. Rosemary recommends I Shall Not Want by Julia Spencer-Fleming, and Jane recommends The Fiddlers: A Novel of the 87th Precinct by Ed McBain.

Click the arrow below to see photos from the event. Antiques, daisies, fabulous conversation, "dirt" dessert. It was one fabulously dishy night!

(l-r) Barbara Thomas, Rosemary Harris,
Jennifer Dayton, and Erica Bess

A few of us from Darien Library recently gathered with others from other area libraries and attended a Programming

Roundtable discussion at Fairfield Library. We love the comfortable back-and-forth of the Roundtable and the sharing of ideas; it's such a valuable experience. One of the panelists, coincidentally, was Rosemary Harris, who will be one of the speakers here on July 9th at 7 p.m. It'll be the first of our "Meet the Author" special events -- part of our Adult Summer Reading Program.

Rosemary talked about her personal efforts in promoting her well-received book, Pushing Up Daisies (now in its second printing(!)), her advertising background, and her foray into writing. So, since we were already excited about the upcoming program, now after meeting Rosemary and hearing her speak, we really can't wait! (Remember...it's Wednesday, July 9th at 7 p.m.)

The "Meet the Author" event will also feature fellow mystery writer Jane Cleland. This is going to be such fun! It's on my calendar -- you'll want to put it on yours.

If you are one of the many patrons who devour books on politics, the press, deception and the media you may want to check out the following titles which may sate your appetite while you wait for Scott McClellan’s What Happened: Inside the Bush White House.

Truth and Duty: The Press, The President and the Privilege of Power by Mary Mapes
Watchdogs of Democracy? The Waning Washington Press Corps and How it has Failed the Public by Helen Thomas
Taking Heat: The President, the Press, and My Years in the White House by Ari Fleischer
War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death by Norman Solomon
Off the Record: The Press, the Government, and the War over Anonymous Sources by Norman Pearlstine

These titles and popular books on the Bush presidency will be on display in the library.
 

Despite the extreme heat and the threat of severe thunderstorms, there was quite a crowd here on Sunday to hear Bob Patton speak about his new book, Patriot Pirates: The Privateer War for Freedom and Fortune in the American Revolution.

Robert H. (Bob) Patton

Bob gave an interesting and enlightening presentation, answered questions from the audience and later, mingled at the reception and book signing.

On Sunday, June 8th, at 5:30 p.m., we continue our "Meet the Author" series. Robert H. (Bob)Patton will be here to discuss his new book, Patriot Pirates: The Privateer War for Freedom and Fortune in the American Revolution.

The book came out on May 20th and Bob came into the library that morning for a brief interview. He's got a great way of humanizing his historical subjects, and given the topic, the book is quite an adventure.

Please join us for what's certain to be a great presentation. There will also be a reception and book signing.

Refreshments will be served.

(Copies of Patriot Pirates will be available for purchase.)

Lately, we've been getting some great mileage (so to speak) out of our MP3 recorder! Over the course of the last four weeks, Janet and I have done one interview per week and it's been incredibly exciting and gratifying to be able to have those interviews available to you to listen to as podcasts.

This morning, Robert H. (Bob) Patton came in to chat with us about his new book, Patriot Pirates: The Privateer War for Freedom and Fortune in the American Revolution, which hits the shelves today.

Bob Patton

Bob will be our featured speaker on Sunday, June 8th at 5:30 p.m. as part of our Meet the Author Series. The book is great; Bob does a terrific job of humanizing his Revolutionary subjects. The timing couldn't be better -- coming after so many of us have already been swept away by the excellent John Adams series on HBO, it is more than welcome to those of us ready for more. The book is getting great reviews and Bob is such an enthusiastic and engaging speaker...if it's not already on your calendar, be sure to add it now. You won't want to miss it!

In the meantime, click here to listen to the interview.

Bob Spitz (yesterday at the Library)

When Bob Spitz got divorced, had his heart broken, was nearly destitute, and turned 50, what did he do? He fled to Europe and embarked on a culinary adventure. Hmmm. Let's see. I had my heart broken, got divorced, was nearly destitute, and turned 50...what did I do? I bought a practical car and got my ears pierced. Bob's is definitely the better story, and he tells it in his new book The Saucier's Apprentice: One Long Strange Trip through the Great Cooking Schools of Europe. It's a wonderful book and he was here yesterday afternoon to talk about it.

The book really is a great read...fantastic stories, recipes, and laughs. He's got a wonderful way with words and tells a great story -- we'd be happy for him to come speak here anytime, but given that we were the first stop on his book tour, we were thrilled!