In This Issue
	Books In Print Online Support Reading - Give the Gift of Books New Titles On Display Literary Events This Month

Support Reading - Give the Gift of Books

The recent report by the National Endowment for the Arts, "Reading at Risk" indicated that fewer than fifty percent of American adults now read any kind of literature (defined as novels, short stories, poetry or plays), a drop of ten percent, or 20 million readers, since 1982. If you are wondering what you can do to see that this trend doesn't continue, here are a few suggestions: 1) Read to your children and grandchildren. Nothing fosters a love of reading in children so much as an early introduction. 2) Don't underestimate children. Children can appreciate complex thoughts and ideas long before they can express them. Even babies as young as six months can look at pictures and enjoy the sound of words. 3) Liberate your books. The website Bookcrossing.org encourages people to share their love of books by setting them free in random public places. You can even track the progress of your book by registering it and seeing who picks it up. 4) Share your love of literature with those around you. Give the gift of books to your friends and family. Be sensitive to their tastes and interests and choose books that they will enjoy. Encourage them to do the same. Here are a few titles to pass along: For Young Children Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak Evocative illustrations and the perfect adventure story for small children. When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne The poetry of Winnie the Pooh's creator perfectly captures the charm of childhood. Read them aloud! For Older Children The Snarkout Boys and the Avacado of Death by Daniel Pinkwater If you've never read Daniel Pinkwater, you don't know what you're missing. His zany, subversive humor is just what kids need to help them appreciate the curious nature of the adult word. The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit Best known for her classic, The Railway Children, few authors have captured the essence of childhood as well as Nesbit. For Teens Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny Science Fiction with a medieval twist, this is a real grabber for teens. And if they like this one, you can bet they'll read more (there are 10 in the series). The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory Historical fiction with a nice twist. The story of Anne Boleyn's sister, Mary, mistress to Henry VIII before Anne. For Adults The King Must Die by Mary Renault A retelling of the story of Theseus and the Minotaur, using real archeological evidence from Crete. Give it to people who liked "Troy." (Tell them to imagine Theseus looks like Brad Pitt.) Main Street by Sinclair Lewis Lewis has gone out of favor for some reason, but his books are as timely as when they were written. This story of a doctor's wife frustrated with small town life is a gem. Calling All Jane Austen Fans! If you liked last issue's Jane Austen-related books, you'll get a kick out of this online quiz: Which Jane Austen herione are you?

New Titles

FICTION Blackbird House by Alice Hoffman A dozen interconnected stories all set in a house on Cape Cod over the span of 200 years. Lost City by Clive Cussler The latest adventure thriller featuring the Kurt Austin, leader of the National Underwater Marine Agency's (NUMA) Special Assignments Team. R is for Ricochet by Sue Grafton Kinsey Millhone is hired by the wealthy Nord Lafferty to watch over his recently paroled daughter to make sure she stays on the straight and narrow. What starts out as a simple task turns out to be much more complicated. Queen of the Big Time by Adriani Trigiani Old world and new world collide in this story of a woman who sets her hopes on making a life outside of her own small town in Pennsylvania. Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding The author of Bridget Jones' Diary invents a new heroine for her latest novel of love and international intrigue. NON-FICTION Shadow Divers : The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II by Robert Kurson The inside story on what it is like to dive deep sea wreckage.

On Display

Don't miss these displays in the library in July: China Four For July (Books with "four" in the title) Hit the Beach (Beach reads, also have "beach" in title) Below the Beltway (American politics) Authors on display: Emily Bronte Ernest Hemingway Tom Stoppard And coming in August. . . Put Your Best Foot Forward (Books with shoes or feet on the cover) Lives and Letters (Memoirs and Essays) Robots & Cyborgs Androids, Oh My! The Thrill of Victory, The Agony of Defeat (Olympics) Authors : Leon Uris Theodore Dreiser Richard Hofstadter

Literary Events This Month

@ the Library This Month Monday, August 2, 1:00 pm Monday Afternoon Book Discussion GPL Conference Room Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Sijie Dai. Friday, August 6 at 6:30 pm Parent/Child Book Discussion Youth Services Dept. Fudge-a-Mania by Judy Blume.We'll discuss the book, eat some delicious treats and watch a movie based on the book. For students entering grades 4 and up with a parent or special adult. Call the Youth Services Dept. at (847) 729-7500 ext. 121 to register. Friday, August 20 at 2 pm and 7 pm Feature Film: Cold Mountain (R). Maynard Room In the waning days of the American Civil War, a wounded soldier (Jude Law) embarks on a perilous journey back home to Cold Mountain, North Carolina to reunite with his sweetheart (Nicole Kidman). Based on the novel by Charles Frazier. This program is first come, first seated. Glenview and Chicagoland July 29 - August 1 20th Annual Book Fair Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton St., Chicago Browse more than 100,000 books in 50 categories, ranging from antiques to zoology. Many titles cost less than $2. Price: Free. Information: 312-255-3510 Jul. 29: noon - 8 p.m. Jul. 30: noon - 8 p.m. Jul. 31: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Aug. 1: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. August 4, 2004 12:00 pm Lunch and Learn with Leslie Schnur Book Stall, 811 Elm St., Winnetka Former publishing executive Leslie Schnur talks about her novel The Dog Walker, the story of a 35-year-old dog walker in Manhattan who falls not for the man she thinks to be her client - but his twin brother. A light lunch will be served at this Lunch & Learn event ($5). Call (847) 446-8880. Thursday, August 19, 2004 12:00 pm Book Talk and Signing by Tommy Franks Location: Downtown Club Retired General Tommy Franks will be speaking at a luncheon at a downtown club and signing his book American Soldier. Please call The Bookstall at (847) 446- 8880 for reservations ($33). Continuing The Chicagoland Nextbook Writers Series The new 2004-05 season will be announced later this summer, and begins in October 2004. Nextbook Chicagoland is a project of Nextbook, the Chicago Public Library, and the North Suburban Library System. http://www.nextbook.org/localprogra ms/chicago_writersseries.html.