...from the Library staff!

Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake is a memoir by Pulitzer Prize winning writer Anna Quindlen, who has enjoyed a long and successful career commenting on women’s lives as a columnist for the NewYork Times, as a best-selling novelist.

In this memoir, Quindlen reflects on her life as she turns 60 years old.  She writes with humor, clarity of mind, deep respect, and good sense on such topics as marriage, children, faith, aging, friendships, possessions, finding pleasure in ordinary things, discovering the wisdom of her own voice, and feeling liberated to act on her own authority.   

This is a short book, but it is chock full of thoughtful insights into life of a woman.  This is highly recommended as a selection for women’s book discussion groups. 

Saturday, October 27, will mark the 98^thbirthday of the great lyric poet Dylan Thomas, and the Monterey Peninsula is celebrating with a reading of the great bard’s poems by the Peninsula’s own celebrated poet, reader, and actor Taelen Thomas.  He will will be accompanied by Celtic harper Amy Krupski performing lovely Welsh music. 

Dylan Thomas (1914-1953) had his own Monterey Peninsula connection, having visited Carmel, Carmel Valley, and Big Sur in 1952.  While here, he met Robinson Jeffers, Henry Miller, and other local literary figures. 

Don’t miss this evening of poetry and music, at Carmel’s Indoor Forest Theatre, at the corner of Santa Rita and Mountain View.  Admission is $10.  For more information, email chroberts@hotmail.comor call 831.372.8820.    

(Photo:  Taelen Thomas)

The Library is putting the "boo" in books on Thursday, October 25, when kids ages 5-up are invited to join us for scary stories at 3:30 p.m.  Then at 4:15 p.m., really, really, REALLY scary stories will be presented for ages 8-up.  (Please note:  age limits enforced.) 

Tales from a Free Range Childhood  is a short collection of stories by storyteller Donald Davis recollect his childhood, growing up in the western Appalachian Mountain town of Waynesville, in a community where his family of Scots-Welsh ancestors had lived since the 1780s – before America had a Constitution.  These stories are rich with childhood mischief and the simple joys of growing up a bit away from the pressures and artificiality of the big, modern city.  These stories are all based on real people, real situations, viewed through the eyes of a child.  The stories are at once innocent and wise, and many of them absolutely hilarious. 

Donald Davis isn’t a writer by profession.  He is a storyteller.  And he is marvelous!  He travels over 300 days a year to festivals, colleges, concert halls, and conferences telling stories.  He tells in venues where the audience might be comprised of hundreds of people – maybe even a thousand.   He is among the best and most successful storytellers in America, and here’s the great thing – for twenty five of the twenty six years that the Library has been presenting an adult storytelling series, he has come to Monterey to tell stories in our Library Community Room!   

For a short and sweet read, I recommend Tales from a Free Range Childhood by Donald Davis, but if you want to hear a master storyteller, be sure to come to hear him next time he’s in town.  Mark your calendars:  Tuesday, July 23, 2013.  Tickets are required, so check our Web site in June 2013 for advance for ticket information.

This weekend, October 13-14 Historic Monterey celebrates History Fest with a full schedulle of tours, tales and treasures.  Visit the Royal Presidio Chapel, Stevenson House, Loser Presidio Historic Park, Colton Hall and the Old Jail, Pacific House, Custom House, and much more.  On Sunday, at 2 p.m. enjoy a re-enactment of California's Constitutional Convention at historic Colton Hall (reservations).  See the full schedule of events, and celebrate Monterey's rich history!  Or visit www.historicmonterey.org

You may now use your mobile devices to access the Monterey public Library wherever it is convenient for you, using “Library Anywhere” a native app for iPhone, iPad, Android, and a mobile website for all small screen browsers.  Using this free app, you can search the Library’s catalog, place holds, check your library card account, find out about upcoming events, check Library hours and location, get contact information, download ebooks and audio books, and use World Book Mobile.  Download the free app from the Library’s website at www.monterey.org/library.  If you need assistance, call 831.646.3933.