The Friends of the Hood River Library, in conjunction with the Hood River County Library District, have four wonderful winter and spring programs coming up.
The first, on Sunday, Jan. 27, from 2-4 p.m., will be author Brian Doyle reading and discussing his work in the library’s Jeanne Marie Gaulke Meeting Room.
This Portland writer, a five-time finalist for the Oregon Book Award, has authored 13 books ranging from fiction through essays, short stories and “proems” to nonfiction. He’s most widely known for “Mink River,” a novel that explores the meaning of community in an Oregon coastal town.
Much of his nonfiction work, including “The Wet Engine,” a chronicle of the human heart, and “The Grail,” his year-long quest for the finest Oregon pinot noir, has received wide acclaim as well. His most recent book is “Bin Laden’s Bald Spot & other stories.”
Doyle is also the editor of Portland Magazine at the University of Portland, rated by Newsweek as the best university magazine in America.
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Next up will be Newport author and historian Matt Love on Saturday, Feb. 16, from 2-4 p.m., with a program celebrating the 100th birthday of Tom McCall, Oregon’s unconventional and progressive governor.
Love is the author/editor of seven books about Oregon, including “Gimme Refuge: The Education of a Caretaker” and “Love and the Green Lady.” Tom McCall was Oregon’s governor from 1967-75, during which time he worked toward environmental cleanup, the Oregon Bottle Bill and public ownership of beaches on the Oregon Coast. And, yes, Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland is named in his honor.
This presentation will also be in the downstairs meeting room.
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The third program, on Sunday, March 17, same times and place, is tentatively scheduled to be an Oregon Humanities “Conversation on Friendship” with professors Courtney Campbell and Lani Roberts talking together about the ethics and philosophy of friendship.
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Finally, the fourth and last of the programs will be held April 21, 2-4 p.m., in the library’s main floor computer area. This will be staged readings from the Thornton Wilder classic “Our Town,” performed by the talented local actors from CAST and directed by Lynda Dallman.
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All these programs are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. For more information contact the Hood River Library District at 541-386-2535, info@hoodriverli-brary.org or visit http://hoodriverlibrary.org.
And while we’re talking about the many good works of the Friends of the Library, which include money just granted to the library for 16 new computer monitors, the Friends want to thank last year’s officers, Pat Byrne, Bette Lou Yenne, Jan Behrmann, and especially the late and great Sydney Burkhart, who served as treasurer for more than 25 years and can never be adequately replaced.
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Officers this year are president Ruth Tsu, vice president Marilyn Murray, secretary Jan Behrmann and treasurer Suzanne VanOrman.
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Last but not least, remember to send your membership renewals for the Friends of the Library to P.O. Box 1764, Hood River, OR 97031.
