Lunch With Books returns on January 7, 2014 with a book about the West Virginia coal fields.

Author Kerry George will discuss his book, Black Damp Century, a story of strife, loyalty, and fury set against the backdrop of coal mining in West Virginia, beginning with the bloody battle at Blair Mountain. Mr. George is a retired U.S. Mine Inspector.

The "Neighborhood Nostalgia" Series Continues and the final class of People's University Philosophy

The “Neighborhood Nostalgia” series continues at Lunch WIth Books at the Ohio County Public Library on December 17 at noon with DOWNTOWN WHEELING MEMORIES. Patrons are invited to share memories of this great Wheeling neighborhood and bring photos for scanning. Building upon the success of the inaugural Warwood Memories program, the library created the series with the goal of collecting memories of all of Wheeling’s great neighborhoods from the people who know them best. 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 call the library at 304-232-0244 or visit facebook.com/lunchwithbooks for more information.

"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.

****************

And at 7 PM: People's University World Philosophy, Class 6

December 17, 2013

Event starts at 7:00 PM.

Contemporary Philosophy
Language, logic, and existence.

Instructor: Darin McGinnis, Ph. D.
Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Wheeling Jesuit University

A Classic Film Noir & a Real Life Legal Thriller

LUNCH WITH BOOKS, Tuesday, Dec. 10 at noon— Wheeling Film Society Conversation, Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt  

The Wheeling Film Society, a partnership among the Ohio County Public Library, Oglebay Institute’s Towngate Cinema, and Wheeling Jesuit University’s Fine and Performing Arts Department will launch its second annual season of screening-discussions of classic Hollywood films with a screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt (1943-108 minutes) at Towngate Cinema on Friday, December 6 at 7 PM. The Wheeling Film Society’s Conversation about the film will take place at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library on the following Tuesday, December 10 at noon. John Whitehead, professor of film studies at Wheeling Jesuit University and author of Appraising The Graduate: The Mike Nichols Classic and Its Impact in Hollywood, will serve as host for both the screening and conversation. Hitchcock, “The Master of Suspense,” often said Shadow of a Doubt was his own personal favorite film. In the midst of a series of more overt propaganda films about WWII, Hitchcock released this genre-bending noir comedy about peaceful, small-town America invaded by the spirit of evil in the guise of friendly-creepy Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotton).  The script is by Thornton Wilder, in his first foray into Hollywood screenwriting after having established himself in 1938 as an important voice of the American stage with Our Town.  Teresa Wright gives one of the greatest performances of an underrated career as Charlie, the small-town girl yearning for something to “shake up” sleepy little Santa Rosa . . . and Hitchcock reminds us all to be careful what we wish for. All programs – screenings and conversations – are free of admission charge. Attend as many or as few programs as your schedule allows. All are welcome, and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Parental Guidance is recommended for all screenings and conversations. 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.

DINNER WITH BOOKS, Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 7:00 PM—THE PRICE OF JUSTICE

Pittsburgh lawyers Dave Fawcett and Bruce Stanley will be at the Ohio County Public Library on Tuesday evening, Dec. 10 at 7 PM (special edition Evening With Books) to discuss the non-fiction legal thriller, The Price of Justice: A True Story of Greed and Corruption, about their work on the long court battle between mine owner Hugh Caperton and former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship. The book also covers the trial against Massey on behalf of Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel to protect its Follansbee coke plant. You will hear about the effort to bring the most powerful coal baron in American history to justice from the men who led it. The book, by best-selling author Laurence Leamer, will be available for purchase and signing. Evening With Books programs are free and open to the public. Free beverages are served. Please visit ohiocountylibrary.org, call 304-232-0244, or visit facebook.com/lunchwithbooks for more information.

Tuesday, Dec. 3 at noon— Centre Market: A Historic Perspective & the Wheeling Stogie

John and Glinda Bowman will be at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library in Wheeling on Tuesday, December 3 at noon to discuss their book Centre Market: A Historic Perspective. The book chronicles the building history of the Market Houses and names over 300 vendors, like Valley Cheese and Coleman’s Fish Market. It is the first book dedicated entirely to the history of the Market and is available at the Artisan Center, Valley Cheese, Wood N’ Stitches, and John and Glinda’s Antique Parlor. In a Wheeling history 2’fer, Mr. Bowman will also tell us about his new book, The Wheeling Stogie. 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.

& at 7 pm: People's University World Philosophy continues with Dr. Darin McGinnis on Enlightenment & Romantic Philosophy--The conflict and compatibility of science and freedom.

 

CANCELED --Nov 26 at noon at Lunch With Books

NOON PROGRAM CANCELED

Due to weather issues between here and Pittsburgh, our program scheduled for today, Nov 26 at noon, featuring sportswriter Jim O'Brien on the life of Steelers coach Chuck Noll, has been canceled. It has been rescheduled for April 22, 2014 at noon.

Anyone who wants a copy of the book should send Mr. O'Brien a check for

$29.95 for the book, plus $3.50 for postage with signing instructions to: 

James P. O'Brien Publishing, P.O. Box 12580, Pittsburgh

PA 15241.  

For more info on the book, Google Pittsburgh sports author Jim O'Brien or go directly to his website at www.jimobriensportsauthor.com.

Note: as of now, the People's University program scheduled for this evening at 7 pm, Christian Philosophy with Dr. Andy Staron, will occur as planned. But that may change. Be sure to check with us.

Pittsburgh’s sports storyteller, Jim O’Brien, returns to Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library in Wheeling on Tuesday, November 26 at noon to discuss his new book, AWinning Way, the first ever devoted exclusively to the life and career of legendary Steelers coach, Chuck Noll, who was rated the No.5 coach of all time in a poll taken in 2013.  Jim O’Brien has interviewed Noll many times through the years and, most recently, he has interviewed some of the great players from those teams of the ‘70s and ‘80s who shed some interesting light on their coach. The book will allow readers to catch up on what’s become of those great players from the Steelers when they were the “Team of the Decade.”  The book is 640 pages, with over 300 photographs, including 32 pages of full-color photos. 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.

And that evening at 7 PM the People's University, Dr. Andy Staron, Wheeling Jesuit University, will discuss Christian Philosophy.

Nov 19 at noon: Is West Virginia Legally a State?

Dr. Richard Owens will be at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library on Tuesday, November 19 at noon to offer a different perspective on West Virginia’s statehood by discussing his new book Rogue State: The Unconstitutional Process of Establishing West Virginia Statehood. From the book jacket: “Rogue State chronicles how West Virginia entered—and remains—in the Union under unconstitutional circumstances. Its severance from Virginia and reincorporation as a new state in 1863 occurred outside the bounds of constitutional legality. The United States government, while pledged to prevent the secession of eleven states from the Union, nevertheless condoned, abetted, supported, and ultimately affirmed secession of fifty counties without permission from Virginia. This unprecedented and unconstitutional process marks the only time in American history that a state was created and admitted to the Union outside the boundaries of the prescribed constitutional process. Lincoln’s attorney general even declared the process unconstitutional. Though the U.S. Constitution did not permit secession for states or parts of states, the U.S. government produced a façade of legality and constitutionality in 1863 to justify the secession of a part of one state to form another.”  Dr. Owens is professor of history at West Liberty University. An active teacher and historian, he is the author of several books and numerous articles, including three historical novels: Potomac: A Story of America in 1940 [2012] Knightime, [2006] and Conspiracy of Terror published [2001]. Dr. Owens also served as historian and commentator for a 1993 BBC production, “A Nation Divided: The United States Civil War.” Dr. Owens earned his Ph.D. in U.S. history at the University of Maryland. 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.

& at 7 PM: The People's University continues with Ancient Asian Philosophy. Instructors Margarita Delgado and Bhante Pemaratana are both PhD candidates from the University of Pittsburgh.  Mr. Pemaratna is also a monk from Sri Lanka.They will discuss Buddhism, Daoism, and some contemporary practices of both. 

The Moon, Murder, and Self-Publishing

Dr. Chuck Wood will be at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library on Tuesday, November 12 at noon to discuss his new book, The21st Century Atlas of the Moon. Coauthored with amateur astronomer Maurice Collins of New Zealand, the atlas is based on pictures from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), an unmanned mission to map the Moon with resolution good enough to see the rovers that Apollo astronauts used to drive across the lunar surface. "The mosaics created from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter are finally taking the understanding of the Moon significantly beyond Apollo-era data," Wood said. The 108-page atlas features spiral-bound 8.5" x 11" pages. Each page of the atlas features an HDTV image with a map of the entire Moon in an upper corner showing where the image is located. A 100-150 word description accompanies each image. The 21st Century Atlas of the Moon can be ordered through his Lunar Photo of the Day website for $29.95 on a special order page. It is also available at the SMARTcenter at Centre Market in downtown Wheeling. Wood’s Lunch With Book presentation will have three components: 1-why the Moon is interesting, 2-what has and is happening to lunar exploration - for example, China has sent two unmanned orbiters to the Moon in the past few years and plans to land probe on the surface this year (unmanned), and 3-the pains and pleasures of self publishing.  Dr. Wood is director of the Center for Educational Technologies at Wheeling Jesuit University, home to the NASA-sponsored Classroom of the Future and the Challenger Learning Center. Wood also serves as a senior scientist with the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Ariz. and is a renowned expert on the Moon's geology. He writes the daily blog, Lunar Photo of the Day, has written a monthly lunar column for Sky & Telescope magazine since 1998, and has authored three other books dealing with the Moon, volcanoes, and impact craters. He also has a small telescope in his backyard to observe the Moon. 

Dr. Wood will also discuss the self-publishing process and a new murder mystery he is writing that is set in Wheeling in 1850.

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.

World Philosophy Begins November 5

People's University to Explore World Philosophy

The Ohio County Public Library's People’s University program will continue in November with a series on World Philosophy. All classes will meet on Tuesday evenings beginning at 7:00 pm.

The six-part series will cover everything from ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, to ancient Asian, Christian, Enlightenment, Romantic, and Contemporary philosophies. Instructors for the program will include Darin S. McGinnis, Ph. D., Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Wheeling Jesuit University and Andy Staron, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Wheeling Jesuit University. An additional instructor will be announced.

The People's University is a free program for adults who wish to continue their education in the liberal arts. It features courses — taught by experts in each subject — that enable patrons to pursue their goal of lifelong learning in classic subjects. 

The full Schedule for World Philosophy follows (all classes start at 7:00 pm).

Class 1: Nov. 5--What is Philosophy? An introduction to how we make sense of the world.  Instructor: Darin McGinnis.

Class 2: Nov. 12 --Ancient Greek and Roman Philosophy.The enduring origins of Western thinking. Instructor: Darin McGinnis.

Class 3: Nov. 19 --Ancient Asian Philosophy. Confucius, Buddha, Hinduism, and more. Instructor: TBA.

Class 4: Nov. 26--Christian Philosophy. Instructor: Andy Staron.

Class 5: Dec. 3--Enlightenment & Romantic Philosophy.The conflict and compatibility of science and freedom. Instructor: Darin McGinnis.

Dec 10: NO CLASS

Class 6: Dec. 17 --Contemporary Philosophy. Language, logic, and existence. Instructor: Darin McGinnis

All People's University classes are free and open to the public. Please RSVP by calling 304-232-0244 or by sending an email to lunchwithbooks@yahoo.com. For more information, visit ohiocountylibrary.org.

Oct 29: A Look at One of the most Haunted Sites in America

Author Sherri Brake will be at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library on Tuesday, October 29 at noon to discuss her book, The Haunted History of the West Virginia Penitentiary: Afterlife with No Parole. Located in Moundsville, and built in 1866, the WV Pen has a dark and deadly history. The Cincinnati Enquirer dubbed it "Hell on Earth,” while inmates called it "Bloody Alley.” It ranked on the nation's Most Violent Prison list for many years. Paranormal investigator and author Sherri Brake will share the bloody frontier history, the building of the Pen, and reports of early torture. She will discuss the wardens, the electrocutions, the notorious prisoners, and the most active paranormal hotspots. Over 100 Ghost Hunters shared their experiences for Brake’s book on one of America's most haunted locations. Sherrie Brake is an author, lecturer, paranormal investigator, and tour guide. She owns the award-winning "Haunted Heartland Tours" and in the past has instructed classes on the paranormal while finding time to consult on a few paranormal television shows. An aficionado of folklore and dark history, Brake has a monthly column in West Virginia's largest independent publication, Two-Lane Livin'. The column is called “Fireside Folklore” and features Mountain States ghosts, folklore and legends. Brake is a member of many historical & heritage societies and lives on a 100-acre farm in central West Virginia in a house she says is "slightly" haunted. For more information, visit her website at www.HauntedHistory.net. 

AND

That same evening on Tuesday, October 29 at 6:30 pm, the library will host a free screening of the documentary film, Gasland Part 2, directed by Josh Fox. The program will be presented in partnership with Wheeling Water Warriors, FaCTOV, and Ohio Valley Peace. Former Pittsburgh City Councilman Doug Shields will be in attendance.

Like all library programs, the "Fracking Facts" series is free and open to the public. Please call 304-232-0244 or visit ohiocountylibrary.org for more information.


YOUR CHANCE TO WIN

I will send a FREE copy of the new book,Legendary Locals of Wheeling, to LIKE number 500 of the main Lunch With Books page at facebook.com/lunchwithbooks. 

This book,  features more than 40 contributors from the community.Royalties benefit the Ohio County Public Library. Copies are available at the library's circulation desk.

Is he a Hero? Or is he just Bats?

Dr. Travis Langley will be at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library in Wheeling on Tuesday, October 15 at noon to discuss his book, Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight. From the book description: “Batman is one of the most compelling and enduring characters to come from the Golden Age of Comics, and interest in his story has only increased through countless incarnations since his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 in 1939. Why does this superhero without superpowers fascinate us? What does that fascination say about us? Batman and Psychology explores these and other intriguing questions about the masked vigilante, including: Does Batman have PTSD?  Why does he fight crime? Why as a vigilante? Why the mask, the bat, and the underage partner? Why are his most intimate relationships with ‘bad girls’ he ought to lock up? And why won't he kill that homicidal, green-haired clown?” Dr. Langley is a professor of psychology at Henderson State University. He received his Ph.D. in experimental social psychology from Tulane University. His research includes studies of aggressive behavior and mass media, particularly the psychology of media fans. He and his students collect data for their ERIICA Project: Empirical Research on the Interpretation & Influence of the Comic Arts. He regularly makes presentations on the psychology of superheroes at conventions like San Diego Comic-Con International. He was also an undefeated champion on the Wheel of Fortune game show even though none of the puzzles had anything to do with psychology or superheroes. Dr. Langley’s appearance at Lunch With Books is sponsored by the distinguished Hughes Lecture Series at West LibertyUniversity. 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.

Next Week: Mythical Ireland & Northern Ireland

LUNCH WITH BOOKS, Tuesday, Oct. 8 at noon— WV Author Laura Treacy Bentley

On Tuesday: West Virginia author Laura Treacy Bentley will visit Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library on October 8 at noon. She will discuss and read from her first novel, THE SILVER TATTOO, a dark literary thriller set in mythical Ireland. Laura is a poet and the book editor (“Conversations”) for WV LIVING magazine and divides her time between the beautiful mountains of WV and western Maryland. Her first book of poetry, LAKE EFFECT, was published in 2006. She has read from her poetry at the Wheeling Arts and Cultural Festival. 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.

And on Thursday...

Special Lunch With Books--Oct. 10 (Thursday) Northern Ireland in Photos and Song

Singer-songwriter Steafán Hanvey, from Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, will be at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library on Thursday, October 10 at noon to present “Look Behind You: A Father & Son’sImpressions of ‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland Through Photograph &Song.” This multi-media performance-lecture details how a father and son have negotiated the personal and political landscapes of Northern Ireland. A melding of image and voice, anecdote and memory, it showcases Bobbie Hanvey’s prize-winning photojournalism along with radio-edits of his interviews with some of Northern Ireland’s best-known figures. These are complemented and contextualized by Steafán Hanvey’s story-telling, which comes in the form of critically-acclaimed song-writing, and a trained academic’s gift for presenting complex issues in an engaging manner. Hanvey will appear that same evening at 7:00 p.m. at River City Ale Works on 14th and Main to present a solo-acoustic performance of his of his new album and back catalog. 

Both programs are cos-sponsored by the Wheeling National Heritage Area Corporation

and additional funding is being provided by the Bishop Whelan Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians of Wheeling.  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.

Oct 1 at noon: Art of the Civil War

Kate Quinn will be at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library on Tuesday, October 1 at noon to explore the important role that visual art played during the Civil War in her program, Poems Without Words. From painters, to illustrators for magazines and newspapers, to photographers documenting the carnage of the war, visual art of all kinds shaped public opinion and popular culture of the period. Examples of works by Eastman Johnson, Winslow Homer, Thomas Moran and others will be examined. Kate Quinn is a prolific researcher and writer, whose numerous Lunch With Books presentations, usually having to do with local history, have been very popular and well attended. 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.

Step Into Stories Starts Tomorrow!

Enjoy the art of puppetry with the Ohio County Public Library's new family program, Step Into Stories, "Bringing Literature to Life" which starts tomorrow, Saturday September 21 with Stevens Puppets, featuring old world marionettes from Pittsburgh:

11 am-Beauty and the Beast

2 pm-Sleeping Beauty

Triumphantly celebrating their 75th year of producing unforgettable and one of a kind marionette productions for children of all ages. These marionettes were authentically created in the traditional old world style, specializing in classic children's literature, and classic fairy tales. All of the programs are intended for all age levels. All of the stories are educational and have a moral or life skill woven cleverly and discretely throughout. www.ohiocountylibrary.org

Sept. 24 at noon: Legendary Locals of Wheeling

New Book Honors Local Heroes

Legendary Locals of Wheeling pays homage to the remarkable people of the Upper Ohio Valley, celebrating the achievements of some of the region’s famous and unsung heroes, past and present.

Did you know that someone from Wheeling is known as the father of oral surgery? That another Wheelingite helped eliminate child labor from the glassmaking industry? That another is in the International Aerospace Hall of Fame? And that yet another is regarded as one of the greatest international opera sopranos of all time? Readers can find out about these amazing people and many more in a new book due from Arcadia Publishing in early September. Compiled by local authors Seán Duffy and Brent Carney in collaboration with numerous community members,

The authors and contributors will discuss the book at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library on Tuesday, September 24 at noon. Copies will be available for purchase at the event, and several contributors will be present to sign the book.

Legendary Locals of Wheeling includes the big names readers will expect, such as Betty Zane, Lewis Wetzel, and Walter Reuther, but also includes less well-known people, whose contributions have been just as important. Featured locals come from all walks of life including music, art, sports, science, architecture, business, literature, military service, and public service. For every infamous personality like Big Bill Lias, Wheeling produced hundreds of heroic, admirable people like Augustus Pollack, Doc White, Rosemary Front, and Ann and Clyde Thomas.

Brent with Paul McGinnis.

The book includes war heroes like General William S. Rosecrans (who developed one of the most successful battlefield ambulances used in the Civil War while he was headquartered in Wheeling), Louis Bennett Jr. (honored for his WWI service in the British Royal Flying Corps with a stained glass window in London’s Westminster Abbey), and Paul McGinnis (one of the survivors of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis in WWII). Also included are literary legends like Rebecca Harding Davis, Keite Maillard, and current West Virginia Poet Laureate Marc Harshman, music legends such as jazz great Chu Berry and country music stars Doc and Chickie Williams, as well as sports legends such as South Wheeling’s Rosie Gacioch (one of the greatest players in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League), John Glasscock (the first West Virginian to play major league baseball), Jesse Burkett (the first West Virginia native to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame) and football legend Chuck Howley.

Editors Seán Duffy and Brent Carney are both Wheeling natives. Duffy earned an MBA from Wheeling Jesuit University and a JD from the Washington College of Law at the American University. He has authored three books on local history and is the programming and publicity coordinator at the Ohio County Public Library. Professor Brent Carney received an MA in History from Old Dominion University. He has authored five books on local history and has served as Visiting Instructor and Adjunct Professor at Wheeling Jesuit University, Franciscan University and West Liberty State College.  He is currently a Professor of Humanities at Eastern Gateway Community College.

While Duffy and Carney wrote the introductory material and some of the captions, they mostly served as editors, photograph researchers, and organizers for Legendary Locals of Wheeling. The majority of the writing was done by family members of those featured and various members of Wheeling’s heritage community.

“This is meant to be a representative sample of some of our best in many fields,” Duffy said. “But there were many hundreds if not thousands of other good people who also deserve to be remembered as legendary locals. But in the interest of space and time, difficult choices had to be made. Nevertheless, we are honored to have this opportunity to illuminate the lives of some of the well-known and unsung heroes of Wheeling. We hope the book will help people to appreciate the deep pool of accomplished people who have called Wheeling home over the years – not just celebrities, but a diverse, hard-working group of people who have been successful in a variety of professions and callings. All of these ‘legendary locals’ took away something from their Wheeling experience that helped shape their lives and accomplishments. We all have that in us. And that’s an important thing to remember and cherish.”

The authors and contributors will discuss the book at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library on Tuesday, September 24 at noon. The book can be purchased online at arcadiapublishng.com or at amazon.com. It will also be available at most local and regional bookstores.

Legendary Locals of Wheeling is dedicated to Wheeling’s librarians and library workers, and all of the author royalties from sales of the book are being donated to the Ohio County Public Library.

Program Change: People's University

PEOPLE'S UNIVERSITY WILL EXPLORE GRAPHIC NOVELS

The final two classes in the People's University series: "A Cartoon History of the United States" will be offered in the auditorium of the Ohio County Public Library on Tuesday, Sept. 17 and Tuesday Sept. 24. Both classes begin at 7 p.m. For the Sept 17 class, "A History of Graphic Narrative," Dr. Wally Hastings, English Professor and Chair of Humanities at West Liberty University, will guide us through a look at the history and evolution of graphic narrative from comic books and "picture books" to graphic novels. As part of the library’s “Banned Books Week” observance, the class will also explore a few of the graphic novels that have been placed on such lists over the years, including Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home and Craig Thompson’s Blankets.This will follow a brief look at contemporary cartoons on the privacy versus security issues related to social media and government access (eg, the Snowden/NSA case). Dr. Hastings will return on Sept. 24 for Class 5: Graphic Novels, Biographies and Autobiographies. The class will explore the classics like Art Speigelman’s Maus and Maus II,  as well as modern classics like Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis. Attendees will examine graphic novels and biographies as works of art, as a literary genre, and as social and political commentary. Dr. Hastings and his colleagues at West Liberty University have developed the first literature major in Graphic Narrative, a unique 4-year degree for students interested in the study and analysis of comics as literature, which will launch in fall 2013.

Rebels at the Bar

LUNCH WITH BOOKS, Tuesday, Sept. 17 at noon— Rebels at the Bar

On Tuesday, September 17 at noon, in honor of Constitution Day, Dr. Leslie Liedel, History Chair at Wheeling Jesuit University, will present a book review of Rebels at the Bar: The Fascinating, Forgotten Stories of America's First Women Lawyers by Jill Norgren at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library in Wheeling. 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 call the library at 304-232-0244 or visit facebook.com/lunchwithbooks for more information.

Sept 10: Tim Luke Returns and People's University Explores the Constitution Through Cartoons

LUNCH WITH BOOKS at noon— Tim Luke Returns

Tim Luke, of the “Cash in Attic” TV show, will be at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library on Tuesday, September 10 at noon to review two books. The first, An Object of Beauty, is Steve Martin’s novel about the art market of the 1990s. About the book, Bookmarks Magazine said, “[It is] both a smart satire and a serious novel of manners. Martin shares his ample knowledge of…the art world." The second book Tim will review is The Billionaire's Vinegar: The Mystery of the World's Most Expensive Bottle of Wine by Benjamin Wallace. Book description: It was the most expensive bottle of wine ever sold. In 1985, at a heated auction by Christie’s of London, a 1787 bottle of Château Lafite Bordeaux—one of a cache of bottles unearthed in a bricked-up Paris cellar and supposedly owned by Thomas Jefferson—went for $156,000 to a member of the Forbes family. Tim Luke has an extensive background in the antique and collectibles field.  In addition to HGTV’s show “Cash in the Attic” he has participated as an appraiser on public television’s “Antiques Roadshow.”  Before becoming an independent consultant, he worked at Christie’s auction house in New York City as Director of the Collectibles Department. Tim is also the author of two books on the history and background of collecting.  He is president and co-owner of his own auction appraisal business, TreasureQuest Appraisal Group, Inc. Tim has appeared as an expert appraiser on the Today Show, The View, Oprah, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, CNN, and Lifetime Television. His appearance is made possible by the Museums of Oglebay Institute. 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 call the library at 304-232-0244 or visit facebook.com/lunchwithbooks for more information.

Then at 7 PM:

People's University, Cartoons & the Constitution

The third class in the series, A Cartoon History of the United States at the People's University at the Ohio County Public Library in Wheeling will be held on Tuesday, September 10 at 7 PM. The class will feature an analysis of cartoons dealing with Constitutional issues surrounding the Emancipation Proclamation, the secession crisis, woman suffrage and the equal rights amendment, the war powers debate, free speech cases and many others. Instructor Seán Duffy has a JD from the American University, has taught law and history, and was part of the team that developed the Constitutional history DVD-ROM, Foundations of Freedom. People's University programs are free and open to the public, and free beverages are served. Please call the library at 304-232-0244 or visit facebook.com/lunchwithbooks for more information.

The Battle of Lake Erie and the Wheeling Cartoons

LUNCH WITH BOOKS, Tuesday, Sept. 3 at noon— Oliver Hazard Perry

John Kniesner will be at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library on Tuesday, September 3 at noon to present "Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry: the Hero of the Battle of Lake Erie." Th

e program will honor the 200th anniversary of the famous maritime battle of the War of 1812, which took place on September 10th, 1813 and pitted Perry against British warships near Put-in-Bay, South Bass Island on Lake Erie. During the battle Perry commanded a ship called the Lawrence, which suffered many casualties and was badly damaged. After giving command of the Lawrence to Wheeling born John Joliffe Yarnall, Perry rowed to another ship, the Niagara, where he took command and continued the battle. The British surrendered. Perry sent a message to General William Henry Harrison, which read, “We have met the enemy, and they are ours.”

John Kniesner grew up in Cleveland, Ohio near Lake Erie. He has a Master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and was a Librarian at the main library of the Columbus Metropolitan Library for 13 years. Then he became the Director of the Bellaire Public Library where he served for 24 years before retiring. John has had a long time interest in Oliver Hazard Perry. He has visited Put-in-Bay, Ohio and Presque Isle, Pennsylvania, and the Niagara ship in Erie, Pennsylvania. He has done original manuscript research about Perry at the William Clements Library on the campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and has spent time at the Research Library of the Buffalo History Museum in Buffalo, New York.  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 call the library at 304-232-0244 or visit facebook.com/lunchwithbooks for more information.

Tuesday, September 3 at 7 PM: 
People's University: The Wheeling Cartoons

The new People’s University at the Ohio County Public Library, A Cartoon History of the United States, is exploring the power and artistry of political cartoons from the founding period through the present, each Tuesday evening through September 24. Class 2 on Tuesday, September 3 at 7 PM, will feature cartoons from the Wheeling newspapers and an analysis of what they say about local history.  Instructor Hal Gorby, who has encountered many of these cartoons in his doctoral research on the Progressive Era in Wheeling. People's University programs are free and open to the public. Please call the library at 304-232-0244 or visit facebook.com/lunchwithbooks for more information.

Aug. 27 at Noon: 50 Years of Dr. King's Dream and at 7 pm: Class 1 of A Cartoon History of the United States

Pittsburgh actor Gregory Gibson Kenney will be at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library in Wheeling on Tuesday, August 27 at noon to portray Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in honor of the 50th anniversary of the “I Have a Dream” speech delivered August 28, 1963. In this presentation, the narrator has a dream in which he meets Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lincoln Memorial. Dr. King shares four speeches and how he wishes to be remembered. Mr. Kenney portrays both Dr. King and the narrator. Mr. Kenney studied acting at the Pittsburg

h Playhouse in association with Point Park College. He has performed in various feature films, including THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, THE JACKSON'S: AN AMERICAN DREAM, and THE WONDER BOYS, as well as commercials, print ads and numerous theatrical productions.  Mr. Kenney created Educate Us Productions, whose mission is to present historical figures in a theatrical setting for school assemblies, organizations, and public gatherings. Each program portrays an individual's life: trials, goals, triumphs, and achievements. An audience of any age can share the same experience. 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 call the library at 304-232-0244 or visit facebook.com/lunchwithbooks for more information.

And at 7 PM: People’s University: A Cartoon History of the United States

Class 1: Introduction: A History of American Political Cartoons with instructor Warren Bernard, Aug. 27 

Political cartoons have been part of the American story since Benjamin Franklin published a woodcut of a snake divided into segments with the words “Join, or Die.” Today, in the digital age, political cartoons still powerfully shape debates on Facebook, Twitter, and other forms of social media.

The new People’s University at the Ohio County Public Library, A Cartoon History of the United States, will explore the power and artistry of political cartoons from the founding period through the present using interactive analysis. From early August through Constitution Day, September 17, 2013, the library will host a large exhibit called “Democracy” on loan from the Herblock Foundation (named for political cartoonist Herbert Block) on display near the library’s main entrance. The library’s new People’s University programming will be built around this display and concept.

The instructor for the introductory class scheduled for Tuesday August 27 at 7 PM will be cartoon scholar Warren Bernard. Mr. Bernard has cataloged over 800 cartoons in the Art Wood Collection at the Library of Congress. His most recent project consisted of compiling Herblock's works into a publication and DVD. He'll provide some background on Herblock and an introduction to political cartoons throughout American history from Thomas Nast to present. 

The September 3 class will feature cartoons from the Wheeling newspapers and an analysis of what they say about local history. Historian Hal Gorby, who has encountered many of these cartoons in his doctoral research on the Progressive Era, will be the instructor.

The September 10 class will include analysis of cartoons dealing with Constitutional issues surrounding such things as the Emancipation Proclamation, the secession crisis, woman suffrage and the equal rights amendment, the war powers debate, free speech cases and many others. Instructor Seán Duffy has a JD from the American University, has taught law and history, and was part of the team that developed the Constitutional history DVD-ROM, Foundations of Freedom.

The Constitution Day class on September 17 will focus on the privacy versus security issues related to social media and government access illuminated powerfully by current events such as the Snowden/NSA case.

The final class on September 24 will provide a look at graphic novels from classics like Art Speigelman’s Maus and Maus II, to modern classics like Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis. The class will examine graphic novels as works of art, as a literary genre, and as social and political commentary. As part of the library’s “Banned Books Week” observance, the class will also explore a few of the graphic novels that have been placed on such lists over the years, including Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home and Craig Thompson’s Blankets. Instructor Dr. Jeremy Larance is a professor of English at West Liberty University, where he has frequently taught courses on the graphic novel. He recently helped develop the first literature major in GraphicNarrative, a unique 4-year degree for students interested in the study and analysis of comics as literature, which will launch in fall 2013.

The full schedule (all classes meet on Tuesday evenings at 7 PM in the auditorium):

Aug 27 Class 1: A History of American Political Cartoons with Warren Bernard 
    

Sept. 3, Class 2: A Cartoon History of Wheeling, with Hal Gorby  

Sept. 10, Class 3: Cartoons & the Constitution, with Sean Duffy        
        

Sept. 17, Class 4: Privacy vs. Security in Cartoons, instructor TBA    
                    

Sept. 24, Class 5: The Graphic Novel, with Jeremy Larance             

Classes are free and open to the public. Please RSVP by calling the library at 304-232-0244 or by emailing lunchwithbooks@yahoo.com. Please visit facebook.com/lunchwithbooks for more information.

Note: Cartoon below courtesy Herb Block Foundation.