CELEBRATING 14 YEARS

2019 AUTHOR SELECTION www.RoswellReads.com RICK BRAGG: THE COLLECTION

The Best Cook in the World: Tales from My Momma’s Table My Southern Journey: True Stories from the Heart of the South Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story The Prince of Frogtown I Am a Soldier, Too: The Jessica Lynch Story Ava’s Man The Most They Ever Had Somebody Told Me: The Newspaper Stories of Rick Bragg All Over But the Shoutin’

THE AUTHOR RICK BRAGG

Rick Bragg won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing in 1996 for his work at . Born in Piedmont, , in 1959, Mr. Bragg is the author of two bestselling memoirs, All Over But the Shoutin’ and Ava’s Man, as well as The Prince of Frogtown and his newly- released The Best Cook in the World. Bragg became a domestic correspondent in The New York Times’s office in 1994. Before joining The Times he worked at several newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times and the St. Petersburg Times. In his reporting he has covered murders and unrest in Haiti, the Oklahoma City bombing, the Jonesboro, Arkansas, killings (1998), the Susan Smith trial, and more. He became The New York Times’s Miami bureau chief just in time for Elián González’s arrival (late 1999) and the international controversy surrounding the Cuban boy. 14TH ANNUAL ROSWELL READS LITERARY LUNCHEON

“SOUTHERN JOURNEYS,” FEATURING RICK BRAGG Saturday, March 16, 2019, 11 a.m. Roswell Adult Recreation Center 830 Grimes Bridge Road, Roswell

We hate to brag, but Roswell Reads is privileged to present one of America’s most beloved Southern authors: Rick Bragg! For the first time in its 14-year history, the Roswell Reads Steering Committee has chosen the entire collection of work by one author. You won’t want to miss hearing Rick Bragg talk about all things Southern.

RESERVATIONS

Luncheon tickets are $25 each and will be sold online only at Eventbrite.com. To register: http://roswellreads2019.eventbrite.com

Space is limited: Please register in advance. No refunds. We will do our best to seat book club members together but there are no reserved seating guarantees. When registering, please have all members include the name of the book club. The deadline for reservations is midnight, Friday, March 8, 2019. If you cannot make reservations online, or if you miss the deadline, please contact us at [email protected] or call Debbie Weiss at 770-992-6368.

14th Annual Roswell Reads Literary Luncheon — March 16, 2019 Bragg attended Harvard University as a Nieman Fellow from 1992 to 1993, and is the recipient of more than 50 national, regional and state writing awards as well as the Pulitzer Prize. He was recently awarded the 2019 Conroy Legacy Award and the 2018 Joanne Sloan National Award for the Encouragement of Writing, recognizing his lasting impact on the literary community, written work focusing on his home, and support of new and emerging writers. He has also won the American Society of Newspaper Editors Distinguished Writing Award (twice), the Southern Book Prize, the Harper Lee Award, and the Clarence Cason Award for nonfiction writing. Bragg, who lives in Alabama, writes the monthly Southern Journal column in Southern Living and is a regular contributor to Garden & Gun magazine.

WRITING WORKSHOP “HOW TO WRITE THE STORY OF YOUR PEOPLE (AND NOT GET KILLED)” with RICK BRAGG

Friday, March 15, 2019, 1-3 p.m. Roswell City Hall, Room 220 38 Hill Street, Roswell

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to spend an afternoon with Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and teacher Rick Bragg as he shares his insights about writing across a lifetime of literary achievements. A popular journalist and writer known for nonfiction books, especially about his family in Alabama, Bragg populates his books with his “people” — the good, the bad and the ugly — characters that are unashamedly NOT thinly disguised. Bragg has told stories and taught writing at Harvard University, the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, Boston University, the University of South , and other colleges. He has had stories included in Best Newspaper Writing 1991, Best of the Press 1988, and two journalism textbooks on good writing and foreign reporting. He now works as a writing professor at the ’s journalism program in its College of Communications and Information Sciences. COST: $20. Seating is limited, so register online at http://roswellreads2019.eventbrite.com. No refunds.

BOOK CLUBS We invite the community and neighborhood book clubs to join “Roswell Reads Rick Bragg” by choosing, reading and discussing one of his works, from his classic All Over But the Shoutin’ to his most recent The Best Cook in the World: Tales from My Momma’s Table during January, February or March. Book discussion questions and resources will be available at www. roswellreads.com. If you don’t belong to a book club, but would like to discuss the book with a group, you are welcome to join Noonday Nosh.

NOONDAY NOSH BOOK CLUB Tuesday, February 19, 2019, Noon Alpharetta Library 10 Park Plaza Alpharetta, GA 30009 770-740-2425

Read the Rick Bragg book of your choice and join the discussion.

COMMUNITY PROGRAM SOUTHERN COOKING FROM RICK BRAGG’S MOMMA

Thursday, March 14, 2019, 7 p.m. Publix Aprons Cooking School Alpharetta Commons Shopping Center 4305 State Bridge Road, Alpharetta 770-751-8560

Rick Bragg honored his mother as The Best Cook in the World in his most recent book, so Roswell Reads is partnering with the Publix Aprons Cooking School in Alpharetta to give you a taste of Southern cooking. Publix chefs will cook up a delicious three-course dinner — including appetizer, main course, and dessert — paired with a wine selection, along with a demonstration on “how to” make the meal with take-home recipes from the book. Copies of Rick Bragg’s book will be available at the event. Register today at http://www.publix.com/recipes-planning/aprons- cooking-schools/alpharetta by clicking the March 14 event on the calendar. The class and dinner is $45 per person; seating is limited. CHILDREN’S BOOK SELECTION & FAMILY PROGRAM

CHRYSANTHEMUM* By Kevin Henkes

*Recommended for Grades K-5

Chrysanthemum is the classic story of a young mouse who isn’t quite sure if she likes her name. One day her name is perfect and the next day it’s not. Throughout the book, Chrysanthemum learns more about the origin of her name and why her family chose it for her. T Written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes, the nationally bestselling and celebrated creator of Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, Owen, and Kitten’s First Full Moon, Chrysanthemum is a funny and honest school story about teasing, self-esteem, and acceptance to share all year round. This popular picture book was named a Notable Book for Children by the American Library Association. Chrysanthemum is available for checkout through the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System.

FAMILY PROGRAM ME, MY NAME AND I

To encourage children to think, write and talk about their families, much like Rick Bragg does in many of his books, Roswell Reads is bringing a book reading and children’s activity to the community. By helping children explore how they got their name — through reading, art and personal interaction — program leaders will encourage discussion of family life and traditions. at Children, parents, grandparents and other family members are invited to a Community Program: Saturday, March 2, 2019, 1-2:30 p.m. as East Roswell Library 2301 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell (Storytime Room) For information, call 404-613-4050.

There is no charge to attend the event, but for planning purposes, we ask that you register at http://roswellreads2019.eventbrite.com. Roswell Reads is also partnering with the Drake House, emergency residential housing and support for families in transition in North Fulton, to provide this program for resident families. PREVIOUS SELECTIONS

2018 2011 Burial for a King My Name Is Mary Sutter By Rebecca Burns By Robin Oliveira

2017 2010 The Underdogs Outcasts United: By Melissa Fay Greene A Refugee Soccer Team, An American Town 2016 By Warren St. John What Stands In A Storm By Kim Cross 2009 Them 2015 By Nathan McCall The Distance Between Us By Reyna Grande 2008 The Memory Keeper’s Daughter 2014 By Kim Edwards Someone Else’s Love Story By Joshilyn Jackson 2007 The Valley of Light 2013 By Terry Kay Sweeping Up Glass By Carolyn Wall 2006 Rocket Boys 2012 By Homer Hickam Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter By Tom Franklin

Contact Roswell Reads/Join Mailing List For questions about Roswell Reads, email [email protected]. To join the mailing list, email [email protected].

Roswell Reads @RoswellReads BROCHURE DESIGN: GARON HART GRAPHIC DESIGN BROCHURE DESIGN: GARON HART SPONSORS

THE ROSWELL READS STEERING COMMITTEE GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES OUR SPONSORS:

The City of Roswell Friends of the Roswell Library Friends of the East Roswell Library Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System and the Roswell and East Roswell Libraries Roswell Rotary Club Publix

MISSION STATEMENT Roswell Reads promotes the value of reading, literacy, and lifelong learning through the shared community-wide experience of read- ing and discussing a common book. Readers are able to collec- tively examine relevant issues, establish bonds, and forge a better understanding of their community and society.

THE ROSWELL READS STEERING COMMITTEE Deanna Smith, Kathy Cioffi Julia Padgett Chair Lisa Dossey Martha Powell Marilyn Baron, Kelly Frommer Julie Sewell Co-Chair Annell Gerson Judy Stanton Beth Abbott Swalena Griffin Katie Troline Kayron Bearden Simone Hanson Debbie Weiss Deanna Boe Vanya Hristova