Knoxville Summer Book Reads and Leads

A number of interesting book reads, lectures, and reviews are taking place in Knoxville this summer with opportunities for people of all ages to take part in a book club or a book lecture:

Knox County Public Library Summer Reading Program
Readers of all ages have four weeks left to reach their goals through the library's Summer Reading Program. Once reading goals are met, participants can turn in their reading logs to any Knox County library location to receive a prize pack.
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Brown Bag - Green Book: A Lunch & Learn Series from Knox County Public Library and the City of Knoxville
When a handful of scientists carefully planted seeds of doubt about climate change, the harmful effects of smoking, and a host of other critical issues, the American public was led dangerously astray. Dr. Louis Gross, UT Professor of Mathematics and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, will open our eyes to the truth as he reviews Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M.M. Conway, in this month's Brown Bag, Green Book program, Wednesday, July 18, 12 pm in the East Tennessee History Center, 601 South Gay Street.
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Brown Bag Lunch and "Tennessee Tragedies" at the East Tennessee History Center
"Tennessee Tragedies: Natural, Technological, and Societal Disasters in the Volunteer State," a Brown Bag Lecture by Allen R. Coggins will take place at Noon, Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at the East Tennessee History Center, 601 South Gay Street. Attendees are encouraged to bring a "brown bag" lunch.
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The Bridge at First Baptist Church studies To Transform a City
The Bridge, a weekly experience open to downtown Knoxville workers, is studying To Transform a City by Eric Swanson and Sam Williams on Wednesdays from July 11 to September 26. A buffet lunch is served in Trentham Hall at 11:50 a.m. for $6. Dr. Shiell will lead the book study at 12:15 p.m. The church is located on Main Street next to the City-County Building. The public is invited.

In the year 2007, the number of people living in the cities of the world---finally and irreversibly---exceeded the number of people living in rural areas. The earth's population is now more urban than rural, and Christian leaders are trying to figure out what this means for the church.
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Tennessee First Lady's READ20 Book Club
Tennessee's First Lady, Crissy Haslam, recently launed the First Lady's READ20 Book Club to give Tennessee families a fun goal of reading together with their children for 20 minutes every day. One book will be selected each month as the featured "Book of the Month," but reading additional books is encouraged.

The July book of the month is Judy Moody Declares Independence by Megan McDonald.
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All Over the Page book club by Lawson McGhee Library
The only thing better than reading a good book is having the opportunity to discuss it with other book lovers. Book clubs run the gamut from purely social to seriously academic. Lawson McGhee Library is offering a monthly book club for passionate readers in a comfortable setting called All Over the Page. The Library hopes to appeal to readers willing to explore all genres of literature – from mystery to fantasy. The conversations will be facilitated by an expert who can take readers deeper into the text.

The next 6 months of All Over the Page kick off on July 9, at 6:30 p.m. with a discussion of Straight Man, by Richard Russo. Multiple copies of the book are available for check out at the Library. The conversation will be facilitated Dr. Cindy Welch, professor at UT, School of Information Sciences. Refreshments will be served.
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Good Reading from East Tennessee authors
Essayist and poet Daniel C. Dulik from East Tennessee wrote The Big Book Of Dan: Road Alligators and Incongruous Possibilities , recently published by Outskirts Press. Dulik's compilation of humorous anecdotes, poems and musings offers diverse views of today's world and innovative and entertaining speculation on the origins of some of the foibles of modern man.

Dulik invites readers to take their heads out of the box and sit down and enjoy this collection of witty, satirical essays about everyday life written from his own uniquely fresh and brainy perspective.
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Open Mike Night by Knoxville Writers' Guild
Members of the Knoxville Writers' Guild will have an opportunity to read their work at the Guild's annual open mike night on Thursday, July 5.

The event, which will be open to the public, will begin at 7 p.m. at the Laurel Theater, at the corner of Laurel Avenue and 16th Street in Fort Sanders. A $2 donation is requested at the door. The building is handicapped accessible. Additional parking is available at Redeemer Church of Knoxville, 1642 Highland Ave.
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Published July 2, 2012