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From The President

Ralph Waldo Emerson was the first philosopher of the American Spirit. Although America had won its political independence 22 years before he was born. it still took its culture from abroad. What the Statesmen had already accomplished in the sphere of politics, Emerson applied to culture. "Let us demand our own works and laws and worship," he exhorted.

In an address to the scholars at Cambridge, he said, "We have listened too long to the courtly muses of Europe ," and counseled them to live and think like free men. This was so shocking that 30 years passed before Harvard University felt that he was a safe man to have around again. He was a radical, although this was hard to believe, for he was mild, frail, and friendly and came from a long line of ministers.

He lived quietly in Concord. MA , took an active part in town life. and planted a garden and worked in it daily. He also planted an orchard of which he was very proud. He fell in love with the Waldon Woods and bought a piece of land there. Thoreau built his celebrated Hermitage in Emerson's woods.

He was a lovable man although not everyone understood what he was talking about. "Do you understand Mr. Emerson?" a good friend asked a scrub woman, who always attended Emerson's lectures in Concord. "Not a word," the scrub woman replied, "but I like to see him stand up there and look as though he thought everyone was as good as he was."

In one of his essays he writes, "Consider what we have in the smallest chosen library. A company of the wisest and wittiest men that could be picked out of all civil countries, in a thousand years, have set in best order the results of their learning and wisdom. The men themselves were hid and inaccessible, solitary, impatient of interruption, fenced by etiquette; but the thought which they did not uncover to their bosom friend is here written out in transparent words to us, the strangers of another age."

When I woke up on a drab morning last week, I remembered words from a poem by Thomas Hood that I last read when I was in high school:

"... No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member-
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds
November!"

I would like to add my own line to this poem:

"No activities or fun with Friends of Watertown Library."

Gem and I will be moving to Wilmington, DE, to be nearer to family. We feel blessed to have shared your company and mission and will continue to learn of your good works through the Friends Forum.

You will be in good hands with John Treleaven, your next President.

Tony Bleach
President

New From The Book Nook

WE ARE FOUR months into our new fiscal year of 2008 - 2009 and doing really well again in the Nook. The present economy certainly seems to be helping our sales. Customers continually state that they cannot pay the BIG prices for books, both new and old, and are looking to stores such as ours to satisfy their thirst for reading and their pocketbooks. We acquired around 200 or so new customers during the summer Farmer's Market. This is not a one shot deal either. Anyone who loves to read and purchase books on a regular basis, once they have found a neat store such as ours, will be back again and again. Therefore, it was well worth our while to take advantage of the opportunity to join the Watertown Recreation Department in this venture and open our doors on Saturdays in the summer.

AS THEY SAY, we have good news and bad news! Our good news is that we applied for and have received a grant from the Watertown Foundation to purchase brand new Black and White and Color copier for our office. It has been installed and the staff is still in awe of the super copies that we can make. The one we had previously was a hand-me-down (gratefully accepted at the time) and was beginning to show it age with inferior copies. Now we can do two sides at a time - minimize and maximize size get four items on a page - make copies with color - all just by touching the correct place on the screen! Thanks a million. Watertown Foundation. we really appreciate it.

AND THE BAD NEWS, by now most of you are aware that Tony and Gerri Bleach will be leaving by the middle of November. They have sold their Watertown home and have purchased one in Wilmington. Delaware. Now they will be near both of their sons and their families. especially their darling new grandson. Although we are delighted for them, we are sorry to see them go. Gerri has put in a lot of hours in the Book Nook in the three and half years she has been with us. She has been collecting and sorting paperbacks to ready them for the shelves (and taking them home to air on her porch!). She readied the boxes of books for the half-price sales, kept the customer lists up to snuff and organized the mailing of our newsletters and such. Her Poetry Contest was a great success and we surely hope it will endure. Thanks a million to you, too, Gerri. We really did appreciate it!

DECEMBER HALF-PRICE SALE - coming up ... doesn't seem possible .. but here it comes. As usual, we have put holiday books away during the year in anticipation of the sale. We stored boxes piled high with great books, both children's and adults. These will be ready for sale starting the first week in November. So come in and do your holiday shopping early with us. Don't forget we have gift certificates too and they make a terrific present for the book-lover on your list. This way they can come in and pick out just the authors that they like best.

Happy Holidays!

Queenie Mraz
Book Nook Chairmen

Friends Read Together

We had a very exciting evening on Tuesday, October 14th with the arrival of Pete Hamill at the First Congregational Church for the 2nd Annual Friends Read Together. I estimate that we had around 200 attend his lecture and book signing reception.

The reason for this great success is due to the wonderful committee with whom I worked with all summer long. They were John Treleaven, Barbara Vensel, Jan Marino, Elin Carlson, Kathy Porter and Dona Rintelman. We started planning back in April and had many meetings during the months of May and June. The Town Times very kindly gave us space every week, starting on the 4th of July until Mr. Hamill's arrival. We all had fun writing our articles and we hope that you all enjoyed reading them.

We also planned a bus trip to Brooklyn that was sold out. Everyone who went on the trip told us what a wonderful time they had seeing Pete Hamill's Brooklyn. Maybe it is time for a few more trips with the Friends!?!

The Women's Fellowship at the First Congregational Church did a beautiful job on the book signing reception. Everyone had a great time, but I have to tell you that Pete Hamill couldn't get enough of the home baked goodies. He kept signing books until 10:30 that night and I think that was because of all the sugar!

For those of you who missed the evening, it was taped. It will be available on both VHS and DVD at the front desk for anyone to borrow. Even if you were there and would like to see the evening again, please come to the library.

Planning is in the works for next year's 3rd Annual Friends Read Together. I have hinted that I think that it is time for a female author, but we will let you know next Spring.

Thanks you again for making this year's event so much fun.

Linda Merriman
Program Chair

FYI...

First off, let me wish Tony & Geri Bleach God speed. Thanks to both of you for your time and your hard work, all of which was done to promote and benefit the Watertown Library. It has been a pleasure working with you.

Second only to the popularity of the mystery genre is that of historical fiction. One of the its current masters is Philippa Gregory whose 2002 trendsetter, "The Other Boleyn Girl" prompted other novels about 16th century England. This novel which has recently been adapted for film, examines the rivalry between Anne and Mary Boleyn as they vie for the affection of Henry VIII in the claustrophobic and perilous Tudor court. Gregory's latest is "The Other Queen" which focuses on the early years of Mary, Queen of Scots' imprisonment in England.

Moving on to the Victorian Age, "Bookmarks" recommends Michael Cox' "The Meaning of Night" as "a scrupulously researched re-creation of a Victorian "sensation novel". Edward Glyver carefully plans revenge on Phoebus Daunt, the man he blames for stealing his inheritance. Also recommended as an "hilariously entertaining read". Bessy Buckley, a housemaid at Scotland's Castle Haivers discovers the reason for her missus's odd request that she keep a day-to-day journal. Not happy about it, Bessy "concocts a wacky plan for revenge".

Recommended in the mysteries past and present category (these novels usually have modem day researchers finding out surprising facts about past events which affect their current day lives) is Geraldine Brooks', "People of the Book" that traces the history of a rare illuminated Hebrew manuscript from 1480's Seville to Renaissance Venice to World War II.

Joan Rintelman
Director

Membership

This past month information pamphlets and membership forms were sent to people who attended this season's Saturdav Farmer's Market event. Over 200 perspective new members were generated by this list, and we are awaiting the return of their membership applications to become a Friend.

As of this date we have 212 listed members.

Christine Guiditta
Membership Chair

From The Editor

As I was putting this newsletter together, it seems that I am wearing one too many hats. In the fall I stepped down from being Vice President so that we might have an easier time in the future finding someone to be President or Vice President. In stepping down I am now Program Chair. With the departure of the Bleach's to Delaware I am back as Vice. I really enjoy working with this Friends organization and would like to stay on only as Program Chair. So in the near future we will be looking for someone to fill in the Vice President slot and then up to President. It is a great Board and everyone is willing to work. So if you get a call in the future, please consider saying "yes."

Also, if someone would like to take over putting the newsletter together, I would love it. It is not a very hard job to do, but something else off my very busy plate would be wonderful.

Linda Merriman
Editor

THE CHRISTMAS WREATH FLYER IS DONE ON OUR NEW COLOR COPIER!!!!

The Friends' Forum - November 2008