…and librarians make the best authors too, as we were reminded on Sunday morning by the Washington Post‘s rave review of The World’s Strongest Librarian: A Memoir of Tourette’s, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family by John Hanagarne. A librarian at the Salt Lake City Public Library, Hanagarne will appear at this year’s Fall for the Book on Thursday, September 26, at 7 p.m. at the Gum Spring Library in Stone Ridge, VA—just one of many festival events hosted at libraries throughout the region this September.
Fall for the Book’s partnerships with area libraries have proven to be fruitful and supportive for all—especially for those readers and library patrons who’ve enjoyed such a wide range of novelists, children’s and YA writers, historians, educators and more in recent years. The Fairfax County Public Library continues to be one of the Fall for the Book’s major presenting sponsors, the friends groups from various FCPL branches are among our leading partners, and the Fairfax Library Foundation‘s sponsorship of the Fairfax Prize allows us to welcome a major headliner to each year’s program, including Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist Dave Barry on the festival’s opening night this year. Additionally, the Loudoun County Public Library has signed on as a new sponsor this year—allowing us to host a record five events in that county in 2013.
A full calendar of events at local and regional libraries is below—along with a listing of book sales hosted by several of our partnering branches around the time of the festival. Thanks to these sponsors and partners for all their support!
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21: PREVIEW
7 p.m. • Novelist Melanie Benjamin
Rust Library, 380 Old Waterford Rd NW, Leesburg, VA
The bestselling author of The Aviator’s Wife offers perspectives on the triumphs and tragedies of one of the 20th century’s most famous couples: Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Sponsored by the Loudoun County Public Library.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
2 p.m. • Novelist Elizabeth Haynes
Rust Library, 380 Old Waterford Rd NW, Leesburg, VA
Haynes’s work as a police intelligence analyst informs her novels Human Remains, Dark Tide, and Into the Darkest Corner, named Amazon UK’s Best Book of 2011. Sponsored by the Loudoun County Public Library.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
7 p.m. • Three Views of Medusa’s Daughter
Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Road, Ashburn, VA
Award-winning Young Adult author Jonathon Scott Fuqua has written his latest work, Medusa’s Daughter—the story of a fifteen-year-old girl raised in a traveling sideshow—as a graphic novel, graphic novella, and novel. He appears with acclaimed photographer and illustrator Steven Parke, who illustrated both the graphic formats. Sponsored by Loudoun County Public Library.
7 p.m. • Memoirist E. Ethelbert Miller
Sherwood Regional Library, 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria, VA
The author of several collections of poetry talks about his memoir, Fathering Words: The Making of an African American Writer, which was selected by the D.C. Public Library for its DC WE READ, one book, one city program in 2003 and will be released this year as an e-book by Black Classic Press. Sponsored by the Harambee Book Club.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
1 p.m. • Biographer and Spiritual Writer Stephen Mansfield
Richard Byrd Library, 7250 Commerce Street, Springfield, VA
The bestselling author of The Faith of George W. Bush, The Faith of Barack Obama, and Killing Jesus discusses his book, Lincoln’s Battle with God: A President’s Struggle with Faith and What It Meant for America. Sponsored by the Friends of the Richard Byrd Library.
7 p.m. • Mystery Writer Charles Todd
Cascades Library, 21030 Whitfield Place, Potomac Falls, VA
The New York Times bestselling authors—a writing team of Charles and his mother, Caroline—share the latest book in the Inspector Ian Rutledge mystery series, Proof of Guilt, in which an unidentified body appears to have been rundown by a car. Sponsored by the Loudoun County Public Library.
7 p.m. • Executive Coach Ian Cook
Pohick Regional Library, 6450 Sydenstricker Road, Burke, VA
The author of Would They Call You Their Best Boss Ever? Practical Tips and Insights for the Successful Manager, offers tips and techniques to help mid-to-executive level managers lead effectively at the “micro” level, in that interpersonal space between themselves and the individual employee, to produce higher performance for all. Sponsored by the Friends of the Pohick Library.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
4 p.m. • YA Author Alethea Kontis
Burke Centre Library, 5935 Freds Oak Road, Burke, VA
The celebrated children’s and young adult author discusses the YA fairy tale Enchanted, named a Kirkus Best Teen Book of 2012, and previews Hero, the hotly anticipated second book in the Woodcutter Series. Sponsored by the Friends of the Burke Centre Library.
7 p.m. • Memoirist Joshua Hanagarne
Gum Spring Library, 24600 Millstream Drive, Stone Ridge, VA
“Get Stronger, Get Smarter, Live Better… Every Day.” So urges the popular blogger and librarian at the Salt Lake City Public Library, who will discusses his memoir The World’s Strongest Librarian: A Memoir of Tourette’s, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family—praised as “funny and fearless” by The New Yorker. Sponsored by the Loudoun County Public Library.
7:30 p.m. • Sportswriting: Baseball, Basketball, and Historical Perspectives
George Mason Regional Library, 7001 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA
Cultural historian Brett L. Abrams and Mason communications doctoral candidate Raphael Mazzone, co-authors of The Bullets, The Wizards and Washington DC Basketball, join long-time journalist Tom Dunkel, author of Color Blind: The Forgotten Team That Broke Baseball’s Color Line, talk about their books and the art and craft of sportswriting in general. Sponsored by the Friends of the George Mason Regional Library.
BOOK SALES BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE FESTIVAL
Friends of the Pohick Library
Pohick Regional Library, 6450 Sydenstricker Road, Burke, VA
Friends Members Preview Sale: Thursday, September 12, Friends members preview sale, 3-6 p.m.
General Public Sale: Friday, September 13, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, September 14, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; and Sunday, September 15, 1-4 p.m.
Friends of the Oakton Library
10304 Lynnhaven Place, Oakton, VA
Thursday, September 19, 1-8 p.m.; Friday, September 20, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, September 21, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Friends of the City of Fairfax Regional Library
City of Fairfax Regional Library, 10360 North Street, Fairfax, VA
Children’s Book Sale: Sunday, September 21, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Fall Book Sale: Friday, September 27, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, September 28, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; and Sunday, September 29, bag day, 1-3 p.m. ($5 a bag).
Friends of the Burke Centre Library Book Sale
Burke Centre Library, 5935 Freds Oak Road, Burke, VA
Friends Members Preview Sale: Wednesday, September 25, 3-6 p.m. (join Burke Centre Friends for just $5!)
General Public Sale: Thursday, September 26, 1-9 p.m.; Friday, September 27, 10 a.m-6 p.m.; and Saturday, September 28, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Friends of the George Mason Regional Library Book Sale
George Mason Regional Library, 7001 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA
October 3-6: Thursday, October 3, 5-9 p.m.; Friday, October 4, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, October 5, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.; and Sunday, October 6, noon-5 p.m.
Friends of the Pohick Library
Pohick Regional Library, 6450 Sydenstricker Road, Burke, VA
Friends Members Preview Sale: Thursday, December 5, 3-6 p.m.
General Public Sale: Friday, December 6, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, December 7, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; and Sunday, December 8, 1-4 p.m.
Friends of the Richard Byrd Library
Richard Byrd Library, 7250 Commerce Street, Springfield, VA
Friends Members Preview Sale: Thursday, December 5, 1-3 p.m.
General Public Sale: Thursday, December 5, 3-9 p.m.; Friday, December 6, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, December 7, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Sunday, December 8, bag sale, 12-2 p.m.