In post-civil war Spain, young Daniel is cast into danger when he refuses to sell his rare copy of a Julian Carax novel to a mysterious cloaked man intent on destroying all copies of the author’s books. Over a ten-year period, Daniel uncovers old resentments, past loves, deadly lies, and true love as he learns the secrets of the mysterious man and of the author who has disappeared. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon sets this unforgettable novel in Barcelona, a city teeming with secrets of its own.
Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel, Remarkably Bright Creatures, has become a word-of-mouth bestseller. No surprise, since this warm and generous novel introduces three very different characters all facing their own “stuckness”: a grieving widow, an aquarium-confined octopus, and a struggling young man. Shelby joins us on the front porch to talk about her journey as a first-time author, these remarkable characters, Community Reads programs, and so much more. Yes, we also laugh!
Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus, has lived most of his life in the Sowell Bay Aquarium but yearns for the ocean’s currents while he watches the humans who pass his tank with disdain. That is, until Tova, the night janitor saves him from dying on one of his nighttime expeditions. They form a sort of friendship that will change their lives and the lives of those around them, including Ethan the small town’s grocer and Cameron an aimless newcomer. This warm and generous novel by Shelby Van Pelt is a celebration of the power of connection and of second chances.
We delve into the research-based side of talent development with Dr. Kenneth Kiewra, an educational psychology professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who is an expert in talent development. We learn about talent development in children and adults, along with Ken’s other fascinating research on learning in and teaching of children, young people, scholars, and older adults. We are astounded to learn of the many parallels between Ken’s research-based findings and Adam Gopnik’s experiential themes in our January book, The Real Work.
In his latest book, The Real Work, Adam Gopnik undertakes a George Plimpton-esque journey to master skills as diverse as boxing and drawing, bread baking and driving, dancing and overcoming a mental health illness. Gopnik, along the way, shares three themes of mastery and seven mysteries of mastery. Gopnik has called this book a “self-help book that doesn’t help” because it does not prescribe steps or tasks. Instead, readers are inspired by his comic essays and by the masters he introduces. Linny and Nancy discuss new skills they want to learn or continue to sharpen.
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