In This Issue

The Director’s Chair ...... 1 A Conversation with Bob Taft...... 1 Reviews ...... 3 New Books ...... 3 Coming Soon ...... 5

Connecting Readers and Writers September/October 2014

A Conversation with Bob Taft The Director’s Chair by David Weaver Dear Friends, On October 10, the Ohioana BT: Thanks, David. The Ohioana Library will celebrate its 85th Library has always had a special Eighty-five years—and counting. anniversary and present the 2014 significance for Hope and me-as On October 5, 1929, Ohio First Ohioana Awards in a special event a place that helps create an Ohio Lady Martha Kinney Cooper held at the . We identity by highlighting and convened a meeting of thirteen are honored that former Ohio preserving the works of Ohio leaders from across the state to Governor Bob Taft will join us authors. set up an organization that would as a special guest and to accept solicit the donation of books by the Ohioana Book Award on DW: Governor, Theodore Ohio authors and on Ohio subjects behalf of presidential historian Roosevelt and William Howard for the library at the Governor’s Doris Kearns Goodwin. Her latest Taft made a great team in that Mansion. By the end of that book, The Bully Pulpit: Theodore historic period we know as the meeting, a board of trustees had Roosevelt, , Progressive Era that Doris Kearns been formed, a list of objectives and the Golden Age of Journalism, Goodwin writes about in The Bully adopted, and a director chosen. The is this year’s winner in the About Pulpit. They were very different Ohioana Library Association was Ohio category. I spoke with men in style, temperament, and born, embarking on a remarkable Governor Taft recently about personality. Do you think those journey that continues today. Ohioana, Goodwin’s book, and differences explain why they the remarkable legacy of his great became such great friends and On October 10, we will celebrate grandfather, William Howard Taft. allies and then, later on, such our 85th anniversary with two determined foes? events. First, our annual meeting DW: Governor Taft, let me first of will be held at the State Library of all thank you. You and Hope have BT: Their friendship had been Ohio at 2 p.m. At 6 p.m., we move been great friends and supporters formed in their earlier years to the beautiful Museum Gallery of of the Ohioana Library for many together in Washington. Taft and the Ohio Statehouse for the 2014 years. We’re delighted that you can Roosevelt were both progressives, Ohioana Awards. We are honored join us for the Ohioana Awards and advocates for civil service reform that former Governor Bob Taft to celebrate the 85th anniversary and efforts to break up business will be among our special guests. of Ohioana’s founding by one of monopolies. Their personalities With our award-winning authors, Hope’s predecessors as First Lady- were complementary-Roosevelt wonderful hors d’oeuvres, and Martha Kinney Cooper. an energetic talker and Taft a good Ohio wines, it promises to be a listener. TR was a natural political memorable night.

1 leader, bold and self-assured. But art of the sound bite or the kind Through its collection, publications, he needed someone like Taft, who of concise, direct talk required by awards, and events, Ohioana was steadier and worked well with electronic media. has truly become, in the words others, to help put his policies into of Cleveland playwright Jerome effect and troubleshoot problems DW: In 1921, President Taft Lawrence, “the literary Fort Knox that would arise, whether in realized his greatest ambition when of our state.” But we are not simply Panama, Cuba, or elsewhere. President Harding appointed him resting on our laurels. October as Chief Justice of the Supreme will also see the debut of the newly Of course their friendship ended Court, a role in which he would redesigned Ohioana Quarterly. with the election of 1912. Roosevelt serve until a month before his And next spring, we will move the was unhappy out of office and death in 1930. No man before or Ohioana Book Festival, our largest felt Taft was not carrying on a since has held both our nation’s and most popular event, to the heart number of his policies. Taft felt highest executive and judicial posts. of downtown Columbus. betrayed when his former friend The Bully Pulpit is the fourth book ran against him and, as a former about William Howard Taft to win We’re proud of Ohioana’s past. We’re judge, was shocked by Roosevelt’s an Ohioana Award-no other Ohio excited about its future. And we more radical proposals, such as political leader has been written thank all of you who have helped submitting judicial decisions to about as much. What would you to make this possible. Here’s to the public referendum. say is his greatest legacy? NEXT 85 years!

DW: Stephen Colbert interviewed BT: Taft was miserable as president. David E. Weaver Doris Kearns Goodwin recently, He said, “Politics, when I am Executive Director and she said that while both in it, makes me sick.” He had a Roosevelt and Taft were passion for the law and his only important that we continue to study Republicans, today they would aspiration was to serve as Chief this period of American history? undoubtedly be called RINOs Justice. It was in that role that he by many in their party. I had to made his greatest contribution. He BT: It’s unfortunate that few young chuckle, because I know that’s a streamlined the administration of people today have a deep interest label you found yourself tagged justice and eliminated the court’s in the Progressive Era. It was a time with several times! In this age of backlog. Working collaboratively of excitement and reform in local, cable television, talk radio, and with other members of the court, state, and national governments. social media, how do you think he sought consensus among the It was the beginning of the end for Theodore Roosevelt and William justices wherever possible. One of smoke-filled rooms and corrupt Howard Taft would fare today as his great legacies is the stately and city bosses. The people won the candidates for political office? historic building that is home to right to directly elect U.S. senators the U.S. Supreme Court today. He and initiate laws and amendments BT: I think Goodwin is right, conceived of the need for a separate to their state constitutions. Fresh although the election of 1912 building for a separate branch of breezes were blowing through the pushed Roosevelt to the left and government, won approval from corridors of power, and government Taft to the right. As Goodwin the Congress, and was active in became more responsive to the points out, TR was a master in its design. Unfortunately, he died concerns of average workers and dealing with the media; I think he before the building was completed. families. Finally, that era reminds us would still be able to dominate the that with strong leadership, change debate if he were governing today DW: Finally, Governor, since for the better is possible. because he was such a dynamic, leaving office in 2007 you have fascinating personality. My great taught education and government DW: Thank you again, Governor grandfather would not do so well. at the . Do Taft, for taking time to talk with me. He was thoughtful about issues, but you find that young people are We look forward to seeing you at not politically very astute. I don’t interested in the Progressive the Ohio Statehouse on October 10. think he could have mastered the Era-and why do you think it is

2 Reviews

Long, Loren. Otis and the Scarecrow. Philomel Books (New York, NY) 2014. HC $17.99.

When a scarecrow is added to the farm where Otis the tractor lives, Otis and the farm animals are excited about making a new friend. When they greet him, however, he just stares at the cornfield with a frown on his face. So they leave him alone, and weeks pass. One rainy autumn day, however, when he and the animals are snuggled together under a tree, Otis can’t stop thinking about the solitary figure in the cornfield...

Long’s illustrations, done largely in earth tones with pops of fall color, perfectly evoke rural autumn days and the playful antics of the farm animals. Although the scarecrow’s reaction at the end of the rainy day is unclear, this story does a wonderful job of showing how one small act of kindness can grow. Reviewed by Stephanie Michaels

Univ. of Illinois Press (Urbana, IL) after a decade of job loss. Because NEW BOOKS 2014. PB $25.00. the city was home to the world’s The following books arrived at the This is the first comprehen- largest popcorn exporter at the Ohioana Library in August. Look sive history of ’s King time, the Marion Popcorn Festival for them at your local library or Records, an influential independent was born. Rotuno-Johnson doc- bookstore! record label that released music uments the festival’s growth from by artists ranging from legendary that first year to an annual event Nonfiction banjo player Grandpa Jones to a that attracts more than 200,000 Dehan, Amy Miller. Cincinnati young James Brown. people for a weekend of parades, Silver 1788-1940. Cincinnati pageants, concerts, sports, and-of Art Museum & D Giles Limited Polley, Eva Louise. African course-popcorn. (London, England) 2014. HC American Life in Franklin, Ohio. $100.00. Penmor Lithographers (Lewiston, Smith, Joanne Huist. The 13th The Cincinnati Art Museum holds ME) 2014. PB $15.00. Gift: A True Story of a Christmas more than 400 pieces of silver that A combination of genealogy and Miracle. Harmony Books (New were designed and created in the local history, this book focuses on York, NY) 2014. PB $15.00. Queen City. This comprehensive African American families living in As the holiday season approached, and lavishly illustrated book docu- Franklin, Ohio from the 1860s to Joanne Huist Smith and her three ments the history of the silver trade the present. Poley provides infor- children were still grieving the in Cincinnati, from its birth just mation about family histories, local unexpected death of her husband. one year after the city’s founding businesses, and military service as But thirteen days before Christmas, through the Arts and Crafts and well as numerous anecdotes and daily gifts began to arrive, signed Art Deco periods. More than 250 photographs depicting daily life. “Your true friends.” In this book color plates, 200 hallmarks, numer- Smith shares her family’s experi- ous archival images, and thorough Rotuno-Johnson, Michelle. The ence with the healing power of appendices make this a resource Marion Popcorn Festival: A Fun- kindness. for silver enthusiasts, scholars, and Filled History. American Palate admirers of the decorative arts (Charlotte, NC) 2014. PB $19.99. Zanon, Scott A. Landscaping with alike. In 1980, a group of Marion business Trees in the Midwest: A Guide owners met at a local restau- for Residential and Commercial Fox, Jon Hartley. King of the Queen rant to discuss ideas for bringing Properties. Swallow Press (Athens, City: The Story of King Records. excitement to the community OH) 2014. PB $26.95. 3 Author Zanon provides informa- The Democracy has managed to alphabetical list of monsters from tion about 65 targeted tree species create the perfect spy by cloning the many cultures. Each creature is to help both landscape profession- enemy’s master strategist. Pretorius described with a short verse as well als and homeowners choose the and his team must infiltrate enemy as a few paragraphs about its origin right tree for the right location and territory, replace the real strategist and history. Gerald Kelley’s illustra- conditions. More than 325 color with the clone, and-hopefully- tions range from humorous to truly photographs illustrate the appear- escape with their lives. Resnick creepy. ance of each tree throughout the returns to the “Birthright” universe year. with this first book in a series about Mosham, Lisa. Around the Sun We Pretorius and his team-the Dead Go. Learning Moon Books (Stow, Fiction Enders. OH) 2014. PB $10.00. Davis, Ed. The Psalms of Israel Simple text and colorful photo- Jones. Vandalia Press (Morgantown, Umrigar, Thrity. The Story Hour: A graphs describe the sun’s journey WV) 2014. PB $16.99. Novel. HarperCollins (New York, across the sky. Aging rock star Israel Jones has NY) 2014. HC $25.99. begun to act unstable onstage, As a psychologist, Maggie main- Salamon, Julie. Cat in the City. Dial inciting his fans to violence. When tains a professional distance from Books for Young Readers (New Israel’s son, Reverend Thomas most of her patients. But when York, NY) 2014. HC $16.99. Johnson, hears of the trouble, he she agrees to treat a young Indian Independence can be lonely, joins the concert tour to see for woman who tried to kill herself, she so when a disheveled white cat himself. The journey gives him one quickly realizes that what Lakshmi meets a pack of dogs in New York last chance to reconnect with the needs is a friend. As these two City’s Washington Square Park, father who abandoned him-and very different women grow close, he follows them home. The cat is possibly his wife, his congregation, secrets are revealed that test their renamed Pretty Boy, and as his and God as well. friendship and explore the nature of circle of friends expands, his tale forgiveness. becomes the story of an entire Harper, Karen. Shattered Secrets: A neighborhood. Cold Creek Novel. Harlequin Mira Middle Grade & Children’s (Ontario, Canada) 2014. PB $7.99. Anderson, Tanya. Tillie Pierce: Woodson, Jacqueline. This Is the When Tess Lockwood inherits the Teen Eyewitness to the Battle of Rope: A Story from the Great family home and returns to Cold Gettysburg. Twenty-First Century Migration. Nancy Paulsen Books Creek, Ohio, she has no intention Books (Minneapolis, MN) 2013. (New York, NY) 2013. HC $16.99. of awakening the supressed mem- HC $34.60. This fictional story follows one ories of her childhood abduction. In 1863, fifteen-year-old Tillie family that was part of the Great When another child goes missing, Pierce lived in the small town of Migration, when more than six however, Tess is certain it’s related Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This million African Americans moved to her return. Tess and Sheriff Gabe book does not focus on the story of north in search of a better life McCord will have to work together the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, between the early 1900s and 1970. to unlock Tess’s memories, save the but instead shares Tillie’s expe- The titular rope, initially found missing child, and possibly unlock riences in her own words as she under a tree in South Carolina, their hearts as well. and other townspeople tend to the becomes an integral part of the wounded and deal with the battle family’s story as it secures their Resnick, Mike. The Fortress in and its aftermath. belongings during the move to Orion: Dead Enders Book One. Pyr New York City, initiates a game of Books (Amherst, NY) 2014. PB Lewis, J. Patrick. M Is for Monster: jump rope in a new neighborhood, $18.00. A Fantastic Creatures Alphabet. holds up a family reunion sign, and Colonel Nathan Pretorius, a hero Sleeping Bear Press (Ann Arbor, eventually makes its way back to in the Democracy’s war again the MI) 2014. HC $16.99. the little girl who found it, now a alien Traanskei Coalition, is about This book by former Children’s grandmother. to get the riskiest mission of his life. Poet Laureate Lewis includes an 4 Coming Soon

Ohioana Book Awards October 10, 2014 at the Ohio Statehouse Museum Gallery, Columbus (6-9 p.m.) Celebrate Ohio literature with Ohioana as we recognize the 2014 Book Award winners. The evening will include award presentations, a round-table discussion, and book signings as well as hors d’oeuvres and Ohio wine. Tickets are $40 per person. To order, call the library at 614.466.3831 or visit http://ohioanalibrary.mybigcommerce.com/2014-ohioana-awards-ticket/.

Books by the Banks October 11, 2014 at the Duke Energy Convention Center, Cincinnati (10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) This year’s festival features 130 authors; publishing sessions; and an expanded Kids’ Corner with book characters, story times, and other fun activities. For more information, see below or visit www.booksbythebanks.org.

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