Library News: August 24th, 2023
This week we will be highlighting two new nonfiction books.
Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam by Vivek Ramaswamy. Vivek Ramaswamy grew up as a child of immigrants in a small Ohio town. Later, he founded multibillion-dollar enterprises, led a biotech company as CEO, became a hedge fund partner in his 20s, and trained as a scientist at Harvard and a lawyer at Yale. He is now a GOP presidential candidate for 2024. In this book, he takes us behind the scenes into corporate boardrooms and five-star conferences, and into Ivy League classrooms and secretive nonprofits to reveal what he calls the defining scam of our century. “Stakeholder capitalism” makes wonderful promises of a better, more diverse, environmentally friendly world. However, in reality, Ramaswamy purports that this ideology, championed by America’s business and political leaders, divides us as a people. It has mixed morality with consumerism, and allows America’s elites to prey on our innermost insecurities about who we really are. The author argues that this mentality sells us cheap social causes and skin-deep identities to satisfy our hunger for a cause and our search for meaning at a time when Americans often lack both. The book rips open the curtain on the new corporatist agenda; but, it also offers a better way forward. Woke, Inc. begins as a critique of stakeholder capitalism and ends with an exploration of what it means to be an American in 2021 - a journey that begins with cynicism and ends with hope.
The In-Between by Hadley Vlahos. Vlahos is an RN who has focused her practice on palliative care and hospice work, and for her, it has become a calling. In this book, she recounts the most impactful experiences she’s had with the people she’s worked with. She describes a young woman who laments that she spent too much of her short life worrying about what others thought of her and an older man who sees visions of his late daughter. Talking about death and dying is often considered taboo in polite company. Vlahos set out to show the reader that end-of-life care can teach us just as much about how to live as it does about how we die.
Upcoming events:
Biggest Book Sale of the Year, runs through August 26th! Name your price - you choose how much to donate to the library during our biggest book sale of the year!
Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids. Wednesdays at 9:00 AM. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support, coping strategies, and information about community resources.
August Crafternoons, Wednesdays, drop in from 12 NOON-2 PM to make crafty creations! All ages are encouraged to attend. A different project will be featured each Wednesday.
Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays 10:15 AM starting September 13th! Stories, music & movement for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers.
Nutrition and Medical Classes by Dr. Larry Jackson, MD, and Debbie Jackson, MS, RD. Third Wednesday of the Month at 6 PM. Next class will be on September 20th at 6 PM: How to Lower Cholesterol Through Diet.
Game Night AND Movies & Popcorn, the last Wednesday of each month at 6:00 PM. We'll have fresh popcorn and a movie during game night! All ages are welcome!
First Thursday Book Club 2023, September 7, 2023, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others
Growing Edible Flowers & Herbs, Thursday, Sept 14 at 6 PM. Farmer & chef, Austin Kane from Huss Project/CINO will be here every other Thursday through October 26th to present on nature, gardening and cooking.
Nature and Gardening Series for Middle School! Thursday, Sept 21 at 4 PM. Abby David from Huss Project/CINO will bring unique nature and gardening activities for students in 5-8 grades every other Thursday through November 2nd. Snacks will be provided!
Home Arts Club First Friday Bake Off, September 1 from 5-7 PM. This year’s bake-off features the best cookies in town! To enter, bring a minimum of 60 small cookies to the library with a list of ingredients by 2 PM on September 1st. To sample & judge, join us between 5-7 PM during First Friday at the library to purchase tasting tickets & cast your vote!