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"I am completely smitten with the Lunch with Books patrons...who welcomed me like a long-lost cousin. It takes two to have a successful reading: an enthusiastic presenter and an engaged audience, and boy did the stars align for us." -Marie Manilla, Still Life with Plums

"Lunch With Books is an outstanding program -- one of the best in the country." -NPR Journalist Matthew Algeo, The President is a Sick Man


"With a new book in hand, I’ve visited a lot of libraries lately, and I think the Ohio County Public Library is my all-time favorite. People are kind and welcoming, and deeply appreciate a visiting writer." -Jaimy Gordon, Lord of Misrule (National Book Award)

“I wanted the book launch to be at Lunch With Books because it is the best library book program in West Virginia and because Wheeling and the Wheeling area was centrally involved in so many of the firsts in West Virginia sports.” –Bob Barnett, Hillside Fields: A History of Sports in West Virginia

This blog is being discontinued.

This blog is being discontinued.
Please visit: www.ohiocountylibrary.org/calendar

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

March 4 A Life in Television News (moved from Jan. 21)

Television news veteran Steve Mazure will be at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library in Wheeling on Tuesday, March 4 at noon share his memories in local TV news and explore how broadcast news has changed over the years. Lunch With Books programs are free and open to the public. Patrons are invited to bring a bag lunch and free beverages are served. Please visit ohiocountylibrary.org, call 304-232-0244, or visit facebook.com/lunchwithbooks for more information.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Fraenkel to Discuss Indian Epic at Lunch With Books

On Tuesday, February 25 at noon, storyteller and author Andy Fraenkel will be at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library in Wheeling to discuss his book, Mahabharata: The Eternal Quest, based on the great Indian epic. Creating the book has been a lifelong journey for Fraenkel.
While attending the City University of New York, Fraenkel spent a lot of time in the college library, where he discovered an old book, The Indian Story Book (1914) by Richard Wilson, about India’s ancient stories, which included some from the epic, Mahabharata. The book jumped out at him–an old collectable that started him on a journey that he continues to this day. Fraenkel, majoring in Theater, turned one of the Mahabharata stories into a one-act play. His theater class decided to use his piece as one of four plays they performed for elementary schools on Staten Island.
After graduating in 1970, Fraenkel left New York and over the years was involved with several regional theater groups, including the long-lived Broom Street Theater in Madison, WI. In the early 1980s, he formed his own group, the Theater of Understanding, and staged stories from world cultures. Eventually, Fraenkel made several trips to India, which helped shape a full-length, two-man Mahabharata drama that appeared Off Broadway in 1987 at the American Theater of Actors in Manhattan.
After suffering a heart attack, Fraenkel transitioned to dramatic storytelling, became a member of the National Storytelling Network, and began offering multicultural storytelling programs and workshops in schools, colleges, libraries, museums, and special events. He was to receive a West Virginia Artist Fellowship Award for his work. Information about his professional programs is available online.
Now, with the recent publication of his book, Mahabharata: The Eternal Quest, Andy Fraenkel has come full circle since the time he first discovered The Indian Story Book. He had started working on his Mahabharata manuscript in 2000. He explains the intent of his rendition was threefold, “to deliver the story as good literature, to give it a cinematic slant, as potentially the basis for a film, and to keep it at a length that could easily be studied in college classrooms.”
Since he doesn’t read Sanskrit, his primary source was Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s monumental, first-ever, complete English translation, completed in 1896 in 12 volumes. “Writing Mahabharata was like going on a journey,” says Fraenkel. “Sometimes it was exhilarating. Sometimes it was discouraging. I wondered if I could really pull it off successfully. I would stop writing for months at a time and go on to other projects. Ever so gradually, the manuscript came together. I tried to find the unique elements of each part of the story. Over the years, writing Mahabharata has been a wonderful meditation for me. An old Hindu monk in India told me, ‘Once you let the story into your heart, it will never leave you’.”
To learn more about his book, visit the Mahabharata Project Website at mahabharata-project.com. Lunch With Books programs are free and open to the public. Patrons are invited to bring a bag lunch and complimentary beverages are served. Call the library for more information at 304-232-0244 or visit ohiocountylibrary.org.


Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Next: A Program Change


Unfortunately, Greg Kenney, who was scheduled to portray Willie Stargell for us at Lunch With Books on Tuesday February 18, had to cancel due to illness. Dave Parsons of the St. Baldrick's organization graciously offered to do a last minute replacement program, as follows.

"For the past 10 years, Wheeling has hosted a St Baldricks day. The 11th annual event is coming up on March 15. http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/mypage/105/2014

46 children a day in the United States, (1 every 3 minutes worldwide) are diagnosed with childhood cancer. Of the 46 diagnosed today, 7 will not survive. I started the St Baldricks events in Wheeling as a way for the community to rally to combat the number one killer of youth in this country. At the time, there was little social media, and few cases were really highlighted in the community. There are several a year that get a lot of attention, and more that are never given publicity.

Other than the Federal Government, the St Baldricks Foundation gives the most money directly to research for CHILDHOOD Cancer. They do not use the money for other means. For example of the enormity, for every dollar the US Government gives for cancer research, 1 cent goes specifically for childhood cancer.

In the presentation, I will include encouraging, fun and upbeat stories of past events here in Wheeling, I'll have pictures and videos on hand, as well as perform the song we wrote and recorded that will be used in the St Baldricks national campaign in 2014-2015. I look forward to making an informative, entertaining and enjoyable presentation." Dave Parsons

"Lunch With Books” is the library’s flagship program for adult patrons. Bring a bag lunch and enjoy presentations by authors, poets, historians, musicians and a variety of other people. Complimentary beverages are provided. These free programs usually start at noon on Tuesdays in the auditorium on the lower level of the library.

Top Ten Lunch With Books Programs

Program; Presenter; Attendance; Date

1. SAENGERFEST; Eintracht German Singing Society; 200; 07-17-10

2. A Lucky Child; Auschwitz Survivor Judge Thomas Buergenthal; 198; 03-04-11

3. Fashion Show; Civil War 150; 194; 11-20-11

4. Ruanaidh; Art Rooney, Jr. and Jim O'Brien; 168; 06-15-10

5. Follow the River; James Alexander Thom; 160; 06-05-08

6. Warwood Memories; 157; 12-18-12

7. The Quiet Man Pub Reading; 150; 08-30-12

8. Wheeling Then and Now; Sean Duffy; 146; 09-07-10

9. Bloch Brother Tobacco; Stuart Bloch; 131; 04-27-10

10. Reasons to Believe; Dr. Scott Hahn; 126; 08-21-07

Book Discussion Groups

The Ohio County Public Library facilitates book discussion groups for both young adults and adults. Currently, the OCPL offers two adult groups, which meet on the first Monday and third Thursday of each month.

In addition to its own growing collection, the OCPL has access to the book discussion collection of the West Virginia Library Commission.

To join or form a book discussion group, or for more information, please call 304-232-0244.

Meeting of the Minds Philosophy Group

The Meeting of the Minds Philosophic Inquiry Forum is facilitated by David Weimer. The group meets virtually every Tuesday at 6 PM. Call the library for meeting room locations.

For more information, visit www.firstknowthyself.org/m&mphilosophy.htm or contact group organizer, David Weimer, at 740 526-0985 or by email at dwwweimer@comcast.net..