rebuilding his life. He appears in conversation with his THURSDAY, FEB. 18 January/February 2021 Vol. XXXII, No. 1 colleague and Chicago Public School teacher, Nora Flanagan. 7 pm, a Wilmette Public Library Webinar Nancy Dreher, Editor Register for this webinar on the library website KATHLEEN GRACE KATZ wilmettelibrary.info. Daughters of Yalta: The. Churchills, Roosevelts and Harrimans TUESDAY, JAN. 19 Hear Ms. Katz tell her story of the three intelligent and glamor- 6:30 pm ous young women who accompanied their famous fathers to RICH COHEN the Yalta Conference with Stalin, and of the fateful reverbera- Pee Wees: Confessions of a Hockey Parent tions in the waning days of World War II. Register for this Good friend of The Book Stall (and former webinar on the library website wilmettelibrary.info. Glencoe native and New Trier grad) RICH COHEN talks about his latest book, his heartfelt account of watching—and agonizing over—his THE FRONT LINE Virtual Events in January and February 11-year-old son’s season playing competitive hockey. Mr. Cohen also recalls his days playing The year 2020 has been uniquely challenging. Here at The Our author events are virtual in January and hockey locally as a kid. Book Stall, we’ve been touched by the outpouring of February, available to you on your computer or support from the community with many kind notes and mobile device. Each requires registration. To sign TUESDAY, JAN. 26 warm words over the phone. And our mountain of holiday up, please go to www.thebookstall.com and on the 6:30 pm orders attests to the fact that a bookstore is an important home page, click “Events” and scroll down to ANDRÉ ACIMAN part of the neighborhood. We’re grateful for your patience “January” or “February” Events. Click on the date Homo Irrealis: Essays as you wait outside our door and for your understanding of your event and follow directions for reserving From meditations on subway when publishers’ printing and shipping problems keep us your spot. poetry and an empty Italian from having the book you’re looking for. street, to considerations of the SUNDAY, JAN. 10 lives and work of great thinkers, For the past 7½ years, I’ve come into the store keenly aware of how lucky I 2 – 3 pm and portraits of cities such as am to work with such an amazing group of people. They are all smart, JEANNE BISHOP Alexandria and St. Petersburg, well-read (of course!), kind, and dedicated to The Book Stall. This year, our Grace from the Rubble: this book is a deep reflection of the imagina- operations have changed weekly, and we’ve had to innovate to keep our Two Fathers' Road to tion’s power to shape our memories. enterprise going—and everyone has been so adaptable, so good-natured and Reconciliation After so creative. This year, I am truly inspired by the commitment and scrappiness the Oklahoma City TUESDAY, FEB. 2 of the remarkable team that is The Book Stall! Bombing 6:30 pm, Book Release Party Although January and February are typically quiet months for events, we do Local public defender MATT CORDELL and have a fairly robust calendar of virtual events. Local author and our great and author Jeanne PHILIP C. STEAD friend Jeanne Bishop will discuss her timely book about forgiveness, Grace Bishop speaks about her book, the story of how the Follow That Frog from Rubble: Two Fathers’ Road to Reconciliation After the Oklahoma City father of a young woman killed in the 1995 Okla- Don’t miss the release of Bombing on Sunday, January 10 at 2 pm. Events coordinator Robert McDon- homa City bombing and the father of her killer, this book by two Caldecott ald picked up Michelle Gallen’s debut novel Big Girl, Small Town and was Timothy McVeigh, forged an unlikely friendship Medal winners. It’s their instantly charmed. (See his review inside.) For anyone who loved the and found forgiveness. Writes Publishers Weekly in story of Aunt Josephine, feel-good vibe of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, our virtual event with a starred review: "Readers should have tissues at hand who launches into a rambling tale about her Ms. Gallen on Tuesday, January 12 at 6:30 pm will be a crowd-pleaser. before beginning Bishop's affecting story. This incredible lifelong pursuit of a rare giant frog as a curiously croaking Acclaimed author André Aciman (Call Me by Your Name) will “be” with us and empathetic story is a testament to the powers of stranger comes knocking at her door. on Tuesday, January 26 to discuss his collection of essays Homo Irrealis about forgiveness, fellowship, and redemption." creativity and memory. The Family Action Network (FAN) continues to WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3 TUESDAY, JAN. 12 6:30 pm provide excellent programming. See inside for some of their upcoming SUSANNA CALKINS speakers and subscribe to our weekly e-blast for more details. 5:30 pm MICHELLE GALLEN The Sign of the Gallows (A Lucy Campion Mystery) Typically, our annual New Year, New You books have focused on health and Big Girl, Small Town in conversation with Lori Rader-Day organization—the traditional New Year’s resolutions. But this year, it seemed This debut novel, set in a small important to think more broadly about how to move forward in 2021—how SATURDAY, FEB. 6 Northern Ireland town just after the to appreciate nature, nurture friends and family, work toward social justice 10:30 am, Des Plaines Public Library event Troubles, is about a character who and professional and personal growth, cook, make a cocktail, learn some- MICHELLE DUSTER comes to realize there may be more thing. See New Year, New You for recommendations on a broad array of Ida B. The Queen: The Extraordinary Life and to life than town gossip, the pub, topics. And know that the wonder of a bookstore is that we have something Legacy of Ida B. Wells and the chip shop. In fact, there just for every interest. TUESDAY, FEB. 16 may be a whole big world outside her small town. There are some excellent books coming out in the next two months. I was See Robert McDonald’s review inside. 7:30 pm, Book Release Party fortunate to be part of a virtual event featuring George Saunders for his new AMI POLONSKY book, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master WEDNESDAY, JAN. 13 Spin with Me Class on Writing, Reading, and Life (out January 12). The inimitable Mr. 7 pm, Webinar sponsored by the Wilmette Public Join us to talk about this Saunders led a discussion of one of the stories included in this collection of Library middle-grade novel about non-bi- Russian short stories, along with his thoughts, in essay form, on each. If CHRISTIAN PICCIOLINI nary identity and first love. In a you’ve not read much Russian literature, this book is a great place to start. I Breaking Hate: Confronting the dual narrative, Essie is a 13-year-old really enjoyed The Smash-Up (out February 23) by Ali Benjamin, an obser- New Culture of Extremism girl feeling glum about starting a vant novel exploring the effect of the current culture wars on a typical family. Christian Picciolini is an award-winning televi- new school after her professor dad I’m currently staying up late reading Two Truths and a Lie by Ellen McGar- sion producer, a public speaker, author, peace takes a temporary teaching position in a different rahan (out February 2), a well-written and very personal look at our justice advocate, and a former violent extremist. After town. She has 110 days here and can't wait for them to end. system by a private investigator who delved into a murder in Florida after leaving the hate movement he helped create during Then she meets Ollie, who is nonbinary. Ollie has beautiful blue witnessing a botched execution. There are many more great books coming, his youth in the 1980s and '90s, he began the eyes and a confident smile. Soon, Essie isn’t counting down the and we’ll be reviewing these in our e-blast. painstaking process of making amends and days until she can leave so much as she’s dreading when her time with Ollie will come to an end. Happy New Year everyone! Here’s to a healthy 2021! Continued ROBERT McDONALD One of the bystanders of the If Winter Comes, Tell It I'm Not Here, written Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson Staff Reviews Big Girl, Small Town by accident, Astrid Strick, is flung and illustrated by Simona Ciraolo ($16.99). A and Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Dawud Michelle Gallen ($16.95 in into the memories of her early little boy's big sister cautions him to make the Anyabwile ($16.99). Before becoming Muhammad paperback). You might fall in days of parenting. Had she most of summer days filled with swimming Ali, young Cassius Clay learned history and card JON GRAND odds with his professional persona: committed, self-assured, love with this rough, bawdy, done it right? Judging by the and ice cream, warning that winter will be the tricks from his grandfather, hid report cards from The Fragile Earth: Writing from and relaxed. Obama is a decent, honest, and idealistic man. funny, and heart-wrenching state of her children that we worst time of his life. They will be stuck inside his parents, and biked around town with his The New Yorker on Climate Like any public figure, he experienced both success and novel because of the skill with soon meet, the answer is “no.” with nothing to do for days and days.