Kansas Reads Program
The Kansas Center of the Book sponsors a yearly “Kansas Reads Program” to encourage communities to read a book by a Kansas author and discuss it. This year the featured book was In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. It details the 1959 slaying of Herbert Clutter, a wealthy farmer in Holcomb, Kansas, his wife and 2 of his teenage children. Capote, along with his friend Harper Lee (author of To Kill a Mockingbird) interviewed hundreds of individuals and wrote thousands of pages of notes. The killers, Richard “Dick” Hickock and Perry Smith were arrested not long after the murders occurred. Capote chonicles their time in prison and after 6 years of working on the novel, published it shortly after their execution. The work is considered as the originator of the non-fiction novel, which has been transformed into the True Crime genre. Above are participants in the Discussion group held at the Library on March 3, 2008.
Next year the selected book will be The Virgin of Small Plains, a novel of suspense by Nancy Pickard. The book is currently available at the Library for checkout. Plan on reading it this year and hope to see you at next year’s discussion.
Love My Library Adult Reading Program
Since 2001, the Library has sponsored an Adult Reading Program during the dead of winter – January through March. Participants are encouraged to read a minimum of 10 books from different genres. There are a couple of Book Talks scheduled during the event to allow readers to discuss good and bad books that they have discovered. Usually lunch, dessert or dinner is a part of the Book Talk event. The program ends with a “party” complete with dinner, awards and special events.
