The planning committee for the annual community-wide reading program known as Linn Area Reads has selected Dreamland by Sam Quinones for the 2019 edition of the program. The committee invites everyone in Linn County to come together to share this powerful book through discussion and special programs.

Dreamland explores the world of opioid addiction and the devastating impact it has had on the American people. With a great reporter’s narrative skill and the storytelling ability of a novelist, acclaimed journalist Sam Quinones weaves together two classic tales of capitalism run amok whose unintentional collision has been catastrophic. The unfettered prescribing of pain medications during the 1990s reached its peak in Purdue Pharma’s campaign to market OxyContin, its new, expensive—and extremely addictive—miracle painkiller. Meanwhile a massive influx of black tar heroin—cheap, potent, and originating from one small county on Mexico’s west coast, independent of any drug cartel—assaulted small towns and midsized cities across the country, driven by a brilliant, almost unbeatable marketing and distribution system. Together these phenomena continue to lay waste to communities from Tennessee to Oregon, Indiana to New Mexico.

Linn Area Reads is a program of the Metro Library Network, which is made up of the Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Hiawatha Public Libraries, in partnership with Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Cole Library (Mt. Vernon), Ely Public Library, and Lisbon Public Library.

Check out a copy of this year’s title from your local library and visit each Library’s website or the Linn Area Reads website for more information on Linn Area Reads programs and special events.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – January 28, 2018 – The planning committee for the annual community-wide reading program known as Linn Area Reads has selected Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue for the 2018 edition of the program. The committee invites everyone in Linn County to come together to share this powerful book through discussions and programs.

Behold the Dreamers features the story of Jende Jonga, a Cameroonian immigrant living in Harlem, who has come to the United States to provide a better life for himself, his wife, Neni, and their six-year-old son. In the fall of 2007, Jende can hardly believe his luck when he lands a job as a chauffeur for Clark Edwards, a senior executive at Lehman Brothers. Clark demands punctuality, discretion, and loyalty—and Jende is eager to please. Clark’s wife, Cindy, even offers Neni temporary work at the Edwardses’ summer home in the Hamptons. With these opportunities, Jende and Neni can at last gain a foothold in America and imagine a brighter future.

However, the world of great power and privilege conceals troubling secrets, and soon Jende and Neni notice cracks in their employers’ façades.

When the financial world is rocked by the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the Jongas are desperate to keep Jende’s job—even as their marriage threatens to fall apart. As all four lives are dramatically upended, Jende and Neni are forced to make an impossible choice.

Linn Area Reads is a program of the Metro Library Network, which is made up of the Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Hiawatha Public Libraries, in partnership with Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Center Point Public Library, Central City Public Library, Coggon Public Library, Cole Library (Mt. Vernon), Ely Public Library, Fairfax Public Library, Lisbon Public Library, Next Page Books, and Springville Public Library.

Check out a copy of this year’s title from your local library and visit each Library’s website or the Linn Area Reads website for more information on Linn Area Reads programs and special events.

Book’s message of hard work, grief should appeal to many.
By Laura Farmer, Correspondent

Check out The Gazette’s coverage of our 2017 title announcement in today’s paper!

February 12, 2017
Linn Area Reads 2017 Announces Selection and Programs

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – February 12, 2017 – The planning committee for the annual community-wide reading program known as Linn Area Reads has selected A Wrestling Life: The Inspiring Stories of Dan Gable, by Dan Gable with Scott Schulte for the 2017 edition of the program.

Linn Area Reads is a program of the Metro Library Network, which is made up of the Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Hiawatha Public Libraries. All Linn Area Reads events are free and open to the public. For 14 years the Linn Area Reads program has been encouraging citizens of Linn County to read and discuss one book together each spring.

In A Wrestling Life: The Inspiring Stories of Dan Gable, famed wrestler and wrestling coach Dan Gable tells engaging and inspiring stories of his childhood in Waterloo, Iowa; overcoming the murder of his sister as a teenager; his sports career from swimming as a young boy, to his earliest wrestling matches, through the 1972 Olympics; coaching at the University of Iowa from the Banachs to the Brands; life-changing friendships he made along the way; and tales of his family life off the mat.

“This book is an insider look at one of Iowa’s most recognizable sports figures,” said Amber Mussman, Community Relations Manager with the Cedar Rapids Public Library and member of the selection committee. “His story is one that reaches beyond sports and speaks to the very heart of endurance, perseverance and teamwork.”

Linn Area Reads 2017 programs include:

• Group Book Discussion featuring Mark Ironside: March 8; 7pm at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 333 Collins Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids.
• Memoir Writing Workshop with Jane Nesmith, Tuesday, March 14 7-8:30 p.m, Marion Public Library.
• Movie Screening: “Freestyle: The Victories of Dan Gable,” March 23, 6:30 pm, Whipple Auditorium at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, 450 5th Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids.
• Author Visit: Dan Gable: March 25, 1:00 pm, Whipple Auditorium at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, 450 5th Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids.

Linn Area Reads is supported by Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Friends of the Cedar Rapids Public Library, Friends of the Hiawatha Public Library, Friends of the Marion Public Library, and the Metro Library Network.

For more information on Linn Area Reads, visit www.metrolibrarynetwork.org/linnareareads.

This year’s Linn Area Reads selection is The Book Thief, the 2005 award-winning novel by Markus Zusak.

For thirteen years the Linn Area Reads program has been encouraging citizens of Linn County to read and discuss one book together each spring. The program is staffed by representatives from the Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Hiawatha Public Libraries, as well as members of the literary community.

Set in World War II Germany, The Book Thief is the story of nine-year old Liesel Meminger, who moves in with foster parents after her brother is killed. The family houses a Jewish man in secret, and he teaches Liesel to read, instilling her with a love of language. Liesel starts to see language as power, and begins stealing books the Nazis plan to destroy. The novel is narrated by Death, giving it an unusual and powerful structure.

Author Markus Zusak has added Cedar Rapids to his very limited list of U.S. speaking engagements, and will be on-hand to discuss his work and answer questions.

There will also be an evening event with local author Anneliese Tisdale, who lived in Germany during World War II and wrote a nonfiction book about her experiences. She will give a short reading of her work and answer questions about life under Nazi rule.

Linn Area Reads is supported by Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Friends of the Cedar Rapids Public Library, Friends of the Hiawatha Public Library, Friends of the Marion Public Library, the Metro Library Network, and the Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation.

For more information on Linn Area Reads, visit www.metrolibrarynetwork.org/linnareareads.

Below is the full schedule of Linn Area Reads programming events:

Moderated Book Discussions of The Book Thief at Barnes & Noble, 6:30 p.m. on

•   Thursday, February 25 (discussing Prologue through part 4)
•   Thursday, March 3 (discussing parts 5 – 7)
•   Thursday, March 10 (discussing part 8 – Epilogue)

Reading and Q&A with local author Anneliese Tisdale, author of Christmas Trees Lit the Sky, a nonfiction book depicting Tisdale’s experience growing up in World War II Germany.
Tuesday, March 1. 6:30 pm at Marion Public Library.

 An Evening with author Markus Zusak.
Sunday, March 13. 5 p.m. The Hotel at Kirkwood
(Be sure to register to attend!)

Movie showing of “The Book Thief”
Tuesday, March 15, 6:30 pm at Cedar Rapids Public Library.

The planning committee for the annual community reading program known as Linn Area Reads has selected One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by author Ken Kesey for the 2015 edition of the program.

Linn Area Reads is a program of the Metro Library Network, which is made up of the Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Hiawatha Public Libraries. All Linn Area Reads events are free and open to the public.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a novel based largely on the author’s experience with mental patients. Published in 1962, the novel is set in a mental ward and features its inhabitants, especially the tyrannical Nurse Ratched and Randle Patrick McMurphy, the loud-mouthed and fun-loving inmate who opposes her. The novel is told through the eyes of Chief Bromden, a seemingly mute half-Native American patient.

“This book is more than 50 years old, but the themes are still valid today,” said Amber Mussman, Community Relations Manager with the Cedar Rapids Public Library and member of the selection committee. “We are excited to engage the community in a discussion of the state of mental health and wellness treatment as well as services for our veterans in 2015, and how these compare to the picture painted in this classic novel.”

In addition to the programs listed below, the Linn Area Reads committee is excited to announce a new effort to encourage book clubs to participate in the community-wide reading program. A limited number of free book club kits will be available at each of the Metro libraries for groups that wish to participate.

Book Club Kits will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. Kits do not need to be returned. Each kit includes eight paperback copies of the novel, a discussion guide, and information on programs. Kits will be available starting February 15.

“We are grateful to both the Mercy Medical Center Foundation and the Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation for their support of this new program,” said Mussman. “They are making it possible for us to give these kits away at no cost to book clubs.”

Linn Area Reads 2015 programs include:

• The State We’re In: A Picture of Mental Health in 2015. March 10, 7 p.m., Whipple Auditorium at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, 450 5^th Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids. Hear from a panel of experts, including Carol Meade, Manager of Outpatient  Behavioral Health Services for Children and Adolescents at St. Luke’s; Linn County Supervisor Ben Rogers; and Rosemary Ziskovsky, the Community Based and Mental Health Services Director at Horizons; moderated by Ashley Hinson. Learn what’s changed in 50 years in our mental health system and support services. What challenges are we facing today? What improvements have been made? How far have we come and how far do we have yet to go?

• Moderated Book Discussion. March 24, 6:30 p.m., at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 333 Collins Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids. Refreshments provided thanks to Barnes & Noble Booksellers.

• Movie Screening: “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, March 31, 6:30 p.m., Whipple Auditorium at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, 450 5^th Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids. Directed by Milos Forman, this film version of the book won five major Academy Awards in 1975.

Linn Area Reads is supported by Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Friends of the Cedar Rapids Public Library, Friends of the Hiawatha Public Library, Friends of the Marion Public Library, and the Metro Library Network.

For more information on Linn Area Reads, visit www.metrolibrarynetwork.org/linnareareads.

The planning committee for the annual community reading program known as Linn Area Reads has selected Running Away to Home: Our Family’s Journey to Croatia in Search of Who We Are, Where We Came From, and What Really Matters by author Jennifer Wilson for the 2014 edition of the program.

Linn Area Reads is a program of the Metro Library Network, which is made up of the Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Hiawatha Public Libraries. All Linn Area Reads events are free and open to the public.

Running Away to Home tells the story of the author’s trek to the land of her ancestors. For more information on the author or the book, visit www.jennifer-wilson.com.

“This is a story we thought would appeal to a broad swath of our community and encourage discussions about where we all come from and what matters to us,” said Amber Mussman, Community Relations Manager with the Cedar Rapids Public Library and member of the selection committee.

Linn Area Reads 2014 programs include:

• Weekly Book Discussions: 6:30 pm,  March 6, 13, and 20 at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 333 Collins Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids.

• Family Legacy—Find Meaning in Your Family’s Story, presented by Linda Schmidt: 2:00 pm on March 8 at the Hiawatha Public Library, 150 West Willman Street, Hiawatha.

• Heirloom Recipe Swap: 2:00 pm on March 15 at the Marion Public Library, 1095 6th Avenue, Marion.  Share your family favorites with new generations. Registration is requested for this free event. Register online or contact a metro library.

• Author Visit: Jennifer Wilson: 3:00 pm, March 29, at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, 450 5th Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids. Registration is requested for this free event. Register online or contact a metro library.

For more information on Linn Area Reads, visit www.metrolibrarynetwork.org/linnareareads.

Linn Area Reads is supported by Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Friends of the Cedar Rapids Public Library, Friends of the Hiawatha Public Library, Friends of the Marion Public Library, and the Metro Library Network.

The planning committee for the annual community reading program known as Linn Area Reads has selected Pride and Prejudice by author Jane Austen for the 2013 edition of the program.

Linn Area Reads is a program of the Metro Library Network, which is made up of the Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Hiawatha Public Libraries. All Linn Area Reads events are free and open to the public.

Pride and Prejudice celebrates the 200^th anniversary of its publication on January 27, 2013. The story is set in the turn of the 19^th century and deals with issues of morality, education, marriage and class.

“The themes in this book still persist in our society,” said Amber Mussman, Public Information Officer with the Cedar Rapids Public Library and member of the selection committee. “Despite the fact that 200 years have passed since the book was published, we can relate to the characters in many ways.”

Linn Area Reads programs include:

• Weekly Book Discussions: 6:30 pm,  March 7, 14, and 21 at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 333 Collins Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids
• Pride and Prejudice on the Big Screen: 7:30 pm on March 28 at Theatre Cedar Rapids, 102 3^rd Street SE, Cedar Rapids
• Afternoon Tea and Scones with Jane—A Portrait of Jane Austen by Melissa Sodeman: 2:00 pm on March 9 at the Granger House, 970 10^th Street, Marion.  Registration is required for this event. Visit http://bit.ly/linnareareads to register or contact a metro library.

Linn Area Reads is supported by Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Friends of the Cedar Rapids Public Library, Friends of the Hiawatha Public Library, Friends of the Marion Public Library, the Granger House Museum, the Metro Library Network, and Theatre Cedar Rapids.

An acclaimed investigation into the conditions and effects of factory farms has been selected as the 2012 title for the community reading program known as Linn Area Reads. Righteous Porkchop: Finding a Life and Good Food Beyond Factory Farms by Nicolette Hahn Niman will be the centerpiece of this year’s programming. Linn Area Reads is a program of the Metro Library Network, which is made up of the Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Hiawatha Public Libraries.

Serving as the senior attorney for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s environmental group Waterkeeper, Hahn Niman was quickly immersed in the world of factory farms. Horrified by what she found, she began a passionate fight to reform the industry.  Righteous Porkchop is an account of the troubling practices of industrial animal operations. Hahn Niman also offers alternatives for more sustainable livestock farming and recounts her personal love story along the way.

Hahn Niman will give a presentation on Friday, May 11, at 7 p.m. at the Hotel at Kirkwood as the finale of the Linn Area Reads program. The presentation will also be part of the 2012 edition of Out Loud! The Metro Library Network Author Series. Prior to her visit, a series of events will be held to encourage community participation.

On Thursday, March 1 at 6:30 p.m., each library in the Metro Library Network will host a collaborative book discussion kick-off party. A limited number of free copies of Righteous Porkchop will be available at each site. Book discussions will follow on each of the next four Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. at the Cedar Rapids Barnes & Noble.

On Saturday, April 14 at 2 p.m. at the Marion Public Library, The Gazette will host a panel discussion entitled “Beyond Factory Farms.” On Sunday, April 22 from 1 to 5 p.m., a “Farm to Market” vendor fair will be held at Westdale Mall, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more about local food production.

Seven of the Linn Area Reads organizers will be participating in an ongoing blog conversation about the book and the issues it raises. The blog can be found at http://linnareareads.blogspot.com.

Linn Area Reads is supported by Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Friends of the Cedar Rapids Public Library, Friends of the Hiawatha Public Library, Friends of the Marion Public Library, The Gazette, the Giacoletto Foundation, the University of Iowa’s Hancher, and the Metro Library Network.

More information about the Linn Area Reads program can be found at www.metrolibrarynetwork.org. More information about Nicolette Hahn Niman and Righteous Porkchop can be found at www.righteousporkchop.com.

The annual community reading program known as Linn Area Reads will present The History of Firefighting on Saturday, February 27 at 2:00 pm. This is the first in a series of programs based around Population: 485, the book selected for Linn Area Reads 2010. Local historian Mark Hunter with the Carl and Mary Koehler History Center will give the presentation.

Population: 485 is subtitled Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time. The book features author Michael Perry’s adventures as a member of the volunteer fire and rescue department in New Auburn, Wis. It is filled with colorful characters, real emergencies and the quirkiness of a small Midwestern town.

Additional Linn Area Reads programs will feature conversations with local fire and rescue personnel on their experiences, a panel discussion on the vibrancy of small towns, and a session on fire safety. Perry will read from Population: 485, take questions and sign books on Saturday, May 15 at 2 pm at Theatre Cedar Rapids.

WHAT: Linn Area Reads presents The History of Firefighting

WHEN: Saturday, February 27, 2:00 pm

WHERE: Cedar Rapids Public Library Bridge Facility, Westdale Mall, 2600 Edgewood Rd. SW

For more information on this and other Linn Area Reads events, visit www.metrolibrarynetwork.org/linnareareads.

Linn Area Reads is supported by Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Cole Library, East Central Library Services, Friends of the Cedar Rapids Public Library, Friends of the Hiawatha Public Library, Friends of the Marion Public Library, The Gazette, the Giacoletto Foundation, Hancher Auditorium, Linn County Library Consortium, Lisbon Public Library and the Metro Library Network.