
Wilmette Public Library has been selected to receive Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys, a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the American Library Association (ALA). This grant aims to familiarize public audiences in the United States with the people, places, history, faith and cultures of Muslims in the United States and around the world. This year the Library hosts a series of programs to highlight the Bookshelf grant which includes 25 books, 3 films, and a one year subscription to Oxford Islamic Studies Online. The collection is located in the Recent Arrivals area of the Library.
Celebrate Juneteenth Day
Prince Among Slaves
June 19, 7:00 (documentary; 60 minutes), Auditorium
In 1788, Abdul Rahman arrived as a slave on a ship out of West Africa; he was also a prince. During his enslavement he toiled on the Foster plantation, married, and fathered nine children. His story also eventually made him the most famous African in America at the time, attracting the support of powerful men such as President John Quincy Adams. See this powerful reenactment of his life and times.
Oxford Islamic Studies Online
This resource features reference content and commentary by renowned scholars in areas such as global islamic history, concepts, people, practices, politics, and culture and is regularly updated. It's ideal for student research and the general public.
The Muslim Journeys Collection
Five essays written by renowned project scholars tie selected books together using themes designed to help draw connections among the varied voices represented by these books and to facilitate conversations in libraries and other settings. Please visit the web site for this comprehensive resource. You may check the Library's catalog to determine availability of individual titles in the collection.
For a list of the titles and accompanying materials which may enhance your understanding and discussion of the themes, visit the NEH web site at http://bridgingcultures.neh.gov/muslimjourneys/bookshelf.
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The Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys is a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities, conducted in cooperation with the American Library Association, the Ali Vural Ak Center for Global Islamic Studies at George Mason University, Oxford University Press, and Twin Cities Public Television. Support was provided by a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York. Additional support for the arts and media components was provided by the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art.
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
(2013 selection)
| About the Book | About the Author |
| Reviews | Events |
| Awards and Accolades | Discussion Questions |
| Of Related Interest | Partners |
| Photos | Village Proclamation |
Village of Wilmette Proclamation Supporting the Wilmette Public Library's
2013 "One Book, Everybody Reads" Program

Funding for "One Book, Everybody Reads" is made possible by Friends of the Wilmette Public Library.
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
(2013 selection)
| About the Book | About the Author |
| Reviews | Events |
| Awards and Accolades | Discussion Questions |
| Of Related Interest | Partners |
| Photos | Village Proclamation |
Partners
Many thanks to our community partners for their kind support of the 2013 "One Book, Everybody Reads" program.
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Funding for "One Book, Everybody Reads" is made possible by Friends of the Wilmette Public Library.
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
(2013 selection)
| About the Book | About the Author |
| Reviews | Events |
| Awards and Accolades | Discussion Questions |
| Of Related Interest | Partners |
| Photos | Village Proclamation |
Photos
(captions are below the photos)
Author Jess Walter Discusses "Beautiful Ruins" (May 5, 2013)
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Row 1: (l) Author Jess Walter spoke to a packed auditorium of readers, who delighted in hearing his insighful and keen remarks about "Beautiful Ruins" and his other work. (r) A full house anticipated Mr. Walter's remarks. (Photo courtesy of Wilmette Beacon)
Row 2: (l) Library Director Ellen Clark with author Jess Walter. (r) Library Director Ellen Clark welcomed the audience and offered introductory comments about Mr. Walter and his work.
Row 3: (l) Heather Hehman, President of the Friends of the Library, and Emily Spectre, Vice-President of the Friends, also welcomed the crowd. (r) Mr. Walter shared some of his own story while talking about the importance of storytelling. (Photo courtesy of Wilmette Beacon)
Row 4: (l) An enthusiastic crowd listened intently to Mr. Walter's witty, poetic, and thoughtful remarks. (Photo courtesy of Wilmette Beacon) (r) After his remarks, Mr. Walter fielded questions from the audience.
Row 5: (l) Mr. Walter signed books for his admiring readers. Books were available for sale courtesy of The Book Stall at Chestnut Court. (r) Mr. Walter exchanged words with a patron before signing her book.
Row 6: (l) Mr. Walter signed a copy of "Beautiful Ruins" for Library Director Ellen Clark. (r) Jon Grand of The Book Stall at Chestnut Court with a stack of copies of "Beautiful Ruins" for Mr. Walter to sign.
Row 7: (l) Mr. Walter autographed the poster announcing the Library's 2013 One Book selection alongside Adult Services Librarian Leslie Litoff. (r) Jess Walter with Heather Hehman, President of the Friends of the Library.
Row 8: (l) The Friends of the Library set up a festive display to let event-goers know more about the volunteer organization that supports the Library. (r) Promoting the Friends.
Row 9: (l) Volunteers from the Friends staffed a lovely table of delicious treats. (r) Author Jess Walter with Library Director Ellen Clark and members of the One Book, Everybody Reads committtee. (Left to right: Barbara Goodman, Leslie Litoff, Ms. Clark, Mr. Walter, Betty Giorgi, Amy Barrow)
Row 10: (l) Poster announcing the 2013 One Book selection, autographed by Jess Walter. (r) With thanks to the Friends of the Library and the 15 local organizations that served as partners for the 2013 One Book program.
Barbara Rinella Presents Cleopatra (April 9, 2013)
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Row 1: (l) Literary dramatist Barbara Rinella posed for the camera before she performed as Egyptian Queen Cleopatra. (r) Librarian Amy Barrow introduced Barbara to the audience.
Row 2: (l) Cleopatra came to life. (r) A full house in the auditorium enjoyed Barbara's portrayal of Cleopatra.
Row 3: (l) Librarian Amy Barrow, Barbara Rinella, and librarian Leslie Litoff. (r) Barbara with our One Book, Everybody Reads poster.
Armchair Travels Visits Cinque Terre, presented by Select Italy
(April 4, 2013)
Row 1: (l) Alison Duray and Martina Mullen of Select Italy presented a "you are there" visit to Cinque Terre, on the Italian coast. (r) Select Italy provided a lovely taste of Italy, including Italian cookies, bread and pesto, and Italian wine and water.
Row 2: (l) While sampling pesto, attendees viewed the presentation, which included a video demonstration of pesto-making. (r) Alison and Martina's presentation gave a full overview of Cinque Terre past and present.
Row 3: (l) A full house viewed the presentation. (r) Alison and Martina concluded with a heartfelt "Grazie!"
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Small Tastes of Italy, presented by The Noodle Café in Wilmette
(April 15, 2013)
Row 1: (l) Wilmette's own Noodle Cafe presented the flavors of Italy with tastings and recipes. (2) Chef Molly McGrath and owner Rob Garrison prepared an array of treats.
Row 2: (l) The menu included Sweet Ricotta Tart; Marinated Calamari Salad; Cod and Potato Spread; and Trofie with Pesto, Green Beans, and Potatoes; (r) The full-to-capacity crowd learned about the recipes and enjoyed the tasty treats.
Funding for "One Book, Everybody Reads" is made possible by Friends of the Wilmette Public Library.
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
(2013 selection)
| About the Book | About the Author |
| Reviews | Events |
| Awards and Accolades | Discussion Questions |
| Of Related Interest | Partners |
| Photos | Village Proclamation |
Of Related Interest
The following selected list of library materials may be of interest to readers of "Beautiful Ruins."
Richard Burton
Books - By or About Richard Burton
Cavett, Dick. Talk Show: Confrontations, Pointed Commentary, and Off-Screen Secrets. 2010. 921 C315ca
















