In This Issue

The Director’s Chair...... 1 2019 Ohioana Awards...... 1 Happy Birthday Ohioana!...... 4 90th Annual Meeting...... 4 New Books...... 5 Coming Soon...... 10

Connecting Readers and Ohio Writers November 2019

Celebrating the The Director’s Chair 2019 Ohioana Awards! Dear Friends,

Ohioana’s momentous 90th anniversary year concluded with the perfect Fall is always a busy time at the epilogue for a library dedicated to books, reading, and writing when we Ohioana Library. But this fall has presented the 2019 Ohioana Awards on Thursday, October 17, in the been especially busy, as we wrapped beautiful Atrium of Ohio’s historic Statehouse. It was a wonderful evening up the year-long celebration of of good food, good people, and good times. Ohioana’s 90th anniversary. In September, we held a 90th birthday First presented in 1942, the Ohioana Awards are the second oldest, party in Cincinnati, the hometown and among the most prestigious, state literary prizes in the nation. The of our founder, First Lady Martha inaugural winner was James “Scotty” Reston, who went on to win two Kinney Cooper. Then on October Pulitzer Prizes. Since then, there have been few major Ohio authors who 17, we presented the 2019 Ohioana have not been honored with an Ohioana Award. Many distinguished non- Awards, which, as you can see from Ohio authors have also been recognized for their books on Ohio subjects. our cover story, was a night to remember.

There are many other great events on tap throughout the state in the coming weeks, including our own Ohioana Book Club on November 20. Check them out in our Coming Soon calendar. And if you should happen to be in Columbus sometime this month, stop by and see the special Ohioana 90th anniversary exhibit on display in the lobby of the State Library of Ohio.

Finally, to put a fitting epilogue to this 90th year, we will soon be posting a special blog we’re calling Winners of the 2019 Ohioana Awards: Rachel Wiley, Dr. Amelia Marie Adams (repre- 90 Years, 90 Books. We got the idea senting her cousin, Jacqueline Woodson), David Grandouiller, David Giffels, Ellen Klages, from our popular annual series Moriel Rothman-Zecher, Marcus Jackson, and Wil Haygood. (Photo by Mary Rathke) called 30 Days, 30 Books – where 1 Ohioana President Dan Shuey, Vice-President John Sullivan, and board we featured one of the Ohioana member Katie Brandt served as co-emcees for the night. A special video Book Award finalists every day greeting from Governor Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine during the month of June. opened the program. Avid lovers of books and reading, Ohio’s First Couple sent their congratulations to the 2019 award winners and paid So we thought – how about tribute to Ohioana’s 90th anniversary. selecting what we feel are the 90 most significant books by Ohio The award ceremony began with the presentation of the 30th Walter authors since Ohioana was founded Rumsey Marvin Grant to David Grandouiller of Jamestown. A in 1929? Books and authors that competitive award for Ohio writers age 30 or younger who have not everyone should know. From yet published a book, the Marvin Grant has helped launch many writers like Fannie Hurst, Langston successful authors, including 2015 Pulitzer Prize winner Anthony Doerr. Hughes, and James Thurber in our Grandouiller is a third-year MFA candidate in creative writing at The early years to the great authors of Ohio State University. His prize-winning story, “In the Beginning, Bada today like Wil Haygood, Anthony Bing,” is featured in the fall issue of the Ohioana Quarterly. Doerr, and Celeste Ng. We’ll be announcing this feature on our The presentation of the Ohioana Book Awards followed: social media before Thanksgiving – Readers’ Choice: Rachel Wiley, Nothing Is Okay we hope you will enjoy it. Juvenile Literature: Jacqueline Woodson, The Day You Begin And speaking of Thanksgiving, Middle Grade/Young Adult Literature: Ellen Klages, which will be here before you Out of Left Field know it, may I say how thankful Poetry: Marcus Jackson, Pardon My Heart all of us are for wonderful friends Fiction: Moriel Rothman-Zecher, Sadness Is a White Bird like you. Ohioana would not have Nonfiction: David Giffels, Furnishing Eternity been here for 90 days, let alone 90 About Ohio or an Ohioan: Wil Haygood, Tigerland years, without every one of you who shares our love of books and All the winners were present except for Jacqueline Woodson, who reading. Thank you. appeared on video and whose award was accepted by her cousin, Dr. Amelia Marie Adams. After the ceremony, winners signed copies of their books, which were available at the event, thanks to the Statehouse David E. Weaver Museum Shop. Executive Director

The Ohio Channel streamed the awards ceremony live. The program is now airing statewide via cable on public television stations and can also be viewed online: https://www.ohiochannel.org/video/ohioana- awards-2019.

Our thanks to all who attended, and a special thanks to the sponsors and contributors whose generous support made the event possible. Finally, thanks and congratulations once again to this year’s winners! Calling All Ohio Authors!

Ohioana is now taking applications for Ohio authors interested in participating in the 2020 Ohioana Book Festival. For details and an application, visit www.ohioana.org.

2 The Ohioana Library Association thanks the following sponsors for their generous support of the 2019 Ohioana Awards:

Award Sponsors

Event Sponsors

Event Co-Sponsors

Media Support & In-Kind Contributions

3 Happy Birthday, Ohioana! It was a very special day as the Ohioana Library celebrated its 90th anniversary in the hometown of its founder, Ohio First Lady Martha Kinney Cooper. The University Club of Cincinnati was the setting for the event on September 22, the highlight of which was Ohioana Award–winning author Wil Haygood in a conversation with David Weaver about the art of biography.

The program opened with remarks by Governor Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine, who graciously served as Honorary Chairs for the celebration. Among the nearly 100 guests also attending were former Governor and First Lady Bob and Hope Taft Pictured here singing “Happy Birthday, Ohioana!” and Randy Cooper and Mike Judy, two of the great- before the cutting of the anniversary cake are David grandsons of Ohioana’s founder and her husband, Weaver, Randy Cooper, First Lady Fran DeWine, and Governor Myers Y. Cooper. Their companies, the Wil Haygood. Myers Y. Cooper Company and Hyde Park Lumber and Design Center, sponsored the event, along with Buck and Patty Niehoff.

90th Annual Meeting the forthcoming book, Columbus Noir, due out next March. Weibel, a resident of Chagrin Falls, is a veteran October 17 not only marked the celebration of the journalist and public relations professional. An avid 2019 Ohioana Awards, but also the presentation earlier equestrian, Weibel is the author of The Cleveland in the day of the Ohioana Library Association’s 90th Grand Prix: An American Jumping Show First and the annual meeting of the membership, held at the State recently published Little Victories: A True Story of the Library of Ohio. Healing Power of Horses. Two new trustees were elected at the meeting: Daniel Re-elected as trustees at the annual meeting were M. Best and Betty Weibel. Best is an attorney based in Rudine Sims Bishop, Helen Bolte, Bryan Loar, and Columbus. He’s also a writer, and is a contributor to Cindy Puckett, all of Columbus; and Daniel Shuey of Westerville.

Officers for 2019-20 are Daniel Shuey (President), John Sullivan (Vice-President), Geoff Smith (Secretary), and Jay Yurkiw (Treasurer).

Following the meeting, all trustees who were present posed for a photo in front a special exhibit tracing Ohioana’s 90-year history, which is on display in the State Library of Ohio lobby through the end of November. (Photo by Marsha McDevitt-Stredney)

Congratulations to all these new and returning trustees, and our thanks for their dedicated service.

4 spouses who withhold it. We insist Ever since he was a kid growing NEW BOOKS our children practice it. We’re hurt up in Youngstown, Ohio, Eric The following books arrived at the when our friends don’t divulge it. Hanna knew he was born to play Ohioana Library in September. We’re incensed by politicians who basketball. Despite setbacks and Look for them at your local library invent it. But when it comes to criticism from all angles, he never or bookstore! our own behavior, how often do stopped practicing, always worked we transgress? Out of diplomacy, to improve his game, and learned Nonfiction kindness, sympathy, and privacy about true focus and commitment Hunter, Bob. Players, Teams, and we don’t always tell the truth. Yet along the way. In Fight to the Stadium Ghosts: Bob Hunter on we often barely notice. So, what End, Eric shares his journey Sports. Ohio University Press happens when we do notice? When from an awkward nine-year-old (Athens, OH) 2019. PB $24.95. we focus on the decisions we’re basketball hopeful; to a scrawny but In Players, Teams, and Stadium making around honesty and view promising high school athlete; to a Ghosts, sportswriter Bob Hunter our life through the lens of honesty? 6’7”, award-winning walk-on player has assembled a Hall of Fame Award-winning journalist and New for The Ohio State University. collection of his best writing from York Times contributor Judi Eric’s coming-of-age story is one the Columbus Dispatch. Fans will Ketteler looked at her Facebook of perseverance, dedication, and encounter some of the biggest page and saw a content mother, a redefining glory through the lens of names in sports and relive great generous friend and sister, a good college basketball. moments from games played daughter, and a wife with a happy by amateurs and pros. They’ll marriage. It wasn’t quite the whole Hinds, Conrade C. Lost Circuses encounter forgotten players and story though. In thinking about of Ohio. The History Press teams that struggled. Hunter shows all the truths she wasn’t revealing, (Charleston, SC) 2019. PB $21.99. us LeBron James when he was a Judi realized that the line between The nineteenth century was the 15-year-old high school freshman, truth and deception was beginning golden age of the circus in Ohio. already capturing the world’s to blur. How often had she herself Before the Ringling brothers attention; 20-year-old Derek Jeter’s paltered, exaggerated, concealed, became synonymous with the meteoric rise through the minors, side-stepped, or spun the truth? American circus, Cincinnati’s John including the Columbus Clippers; To answer that question, Judi Robinson and the Sells brothers a strange encounter with Pete started her “Honesty Journal.” of Columbus wowed audiences Rose hustling frozen pizzas; and She set out to get to the bottom with stunning equestrian feats and the excitement of watching future of her complicated relationship aerial exploits. For good measure, WNBA star Katie Smith dominate with honesty and confronted her the Sells brothers threw in a a Columbus Quest championship perennial fear of speaking the sharpshooting show with a young game. The common thread is the truth in social situations, among Ohio woman by the name of Annie personal touch that Hunter uses to friends, in the workplace, with Oakley. The Walter L. Main Circus take readers beyond the final scores her kids—and finally, inside her of Geneva and other smaller shows and the dazzle of lights. These are complicated marriage. Blending presented their own spectacles the people behind the athletes. her personal journey with the latest with exotic animals and daring They’re remembered for how they research into the psychology of acrobats. But for all the fun and played, but Hunter reminds us who deception, Would I Lie to You? is a games, Ohio’s circus industry was they were. timely consideration of the joys and serious business. As competition pains of truth in a world that seems intensified, advertising wars Ketteler, Judi. Would I Lie to You? committed to lying. erupted, and acquisitions began. The Amazing Power of Being Eventually, Ringling Brothers Honest in a World That Lies. About Ohio/An Ohioan swallowed many of these circuses Citadel Press (New York, NY) 2020. Hanna, Eric. Fight to the End: one by one, and they dropped HC. $26.00. A True Story of Determination. out of memory. Hinds brings this We all want the truth, don’t we? Warren Publishing (Charlotte, NC) fascinating piece of Ohio show In fact, we demand it. We divorce 2019. PB $15.95. business back into the spotlight. 5 Jackson, Zac. 100 Things Browns stations and a think tank for the this day, is fraught with systemic Fans Should Know & Do Before future of public service radio— discrimination and racial tension – They Die. Triumph Books pioneering radio audience research Swenson reveals how this outrage (Chicago, IL) 2019. PB $16.95. and serving as an innovative occurred and why. Good Kids, Bad Most Browns fans have taken in school of the air. Sparks Flew is City is an exploration of race in a game at FirstEnergy Stadium, the story of creative, tenacious America, the struggling Midwest, remember the way they when men and women working in a and how lost lives can be recovered. it was announced that Cleveland new medium that commercial was getting back the Browns, and enterprises soon dominated. At Fiction are psyched to see Odell Beckham any moment in time, educational Ellis, Mary. Island of Last Resorts. Jr. and Jarvis Landry lighting up broadcasting could have failed if Severn House (London, UK) 2019. scoreboards together. But only real not for a few land-grant institutions HC $24.99. fans know the exact number of Joe like The Ohio State University and Kate Weller’s boss, Nate Price, has Thomas’ consecutive snaps streak, prominent stations like WOSU some exciting news: Julian Frazier, remember who the Browns were that supported the medium. Sparks a friend of one of the agency’s playing when Jerome Harrison Flew is the untold story, a century wealthy clients, has invited the rushed for 286 yards, or have in the making, of one institution Nate Price Investigations team barked with the Dawg Pound. and one educational station that and their partners on a trip of a Featuring traditions, records, and represent the roots of today’s public lifetime to his home on Elysian lore, this lively, detailed book broadcasting system. Island, an exclusive retreat off explores the personalities, events, the Georgian coast. But there’s a and facts every Cleveland Browns Swenson, Kyle. Good Kids, catch. Frazier has written his own fan should know. Whether you Bad City: A Story of Race and murder mystery script, and the were there for the rise of Bernie Wrongful Conviction in America. PIs must work out whodunnit. As Kosar or are a more recent Picador (New York, NY) 2019. they’re about to discover, though, supporter of Baker Mayfield, these HC $29.00. the murder Frazier wants them to are the 100 things every fan needs In the early 1970s, three African- solve is a real cold case, and there’s to know and do in their lifetime. American men – Wiley Bridgeman, a killer twist that isn’t in the script. Beat reporter Zac Jackson has Kwame Ajamu, and Rickey Jackson Unable to reach Elysian Island and collected every essential piece of – were accused and convicted of her co-workers, Kate is sure that Browns knowledge and trivia, as the brutal robbery and murder of someone wants her to stay away. well as must-do activities, and a man outside of a convenience Can she stop a killer and uncover ranks them all from 1 to 100, store in Cleveland, Ohio. The the truth behind a deadly game? providing an entertaining and easy- prosecution’s case, which resulted to-follow checklist as you progress in a combined 106 years in prison Erickson, Alex. Death by Café on your way to fan superstardom. for the three men, rested on the Mocha. Kensington Books (New more-than-questionable testimony York, NY) 2019. PB $7.99. Rieland, Thomas M. Sparks Flew: of a pre-teen, Ed Vernon. The actual Krissy Hancock and her pals are WOSU’s Century on the Air. murderer was never found. Almost taking a coffee break – leaving Trillium (Columbus, OH) 2019. four decades later, Vernon recanted their bookstore-café in Pine Hills, HC $27.95. his testimony, and Wiley, Kwame, Ohio, and heading to a convention. Wireless Morse code began a new and Rickey were released. But while But this road trip will be more age of communications, magically their exoneration may have ended dangerous than they expected. sending invisible waves through one of American history’s most Coffee lovers are gathering from the ether to be received at some disgraceful miscarriages of justice, far and wide at the hotel, and distant place. Among the first the corruption and decay of the city Krissy, Rita, and Vicki are excited. universities to experiment in this responsible for their imprisonment But some of the attendees may unknown world was The Ohio remain on trial. Interweaving the need to switch to decaf, as a public State University, which became one dramatic details of the case with argument breaks out soon after of the first educational broadcast Cleveland’s history – one that, to they check in and then a flavor 6 competition leads to bitter feelings. green truss structure topped by are bungling their courtships and When the winner of the contest a gold glass sphere that was built marrying the wrong people! A is beaned with a carafe full of café as the symbol of the 1982 World’s quiltmaker by trade, Millie has mocha, suspicions swirl—along Fair (also known as the Knoxville nevertheless stitched together a with accusations of bribery. Was International Energy Exposition). few lives in her time, with truly the dead man offering perks to the Actually, the Sunsphere stands romantic results. Her first mission? judges—or was something sinister 6,520 feet tall and is composed Her own niece, widowed gardener going on in his personal life? This of a black, cylindrical base Edith Hochstetler, recently engaged case is going to keep Krissy up all capped by a miniature neutron to rude, greedy Zeke Miller. night long. star. Well, the Sunsphere Shot Anyone can see he’s not right for Tower, made entirely of brick, such a gentle young woman – Farkas, Andrew. The Big Red manufactures shot for shotguns. except Edith herself. Pleased when Herring. KernPunkt Press But then, the Sunsphere is 1,000 she convinces the bride-to-be to (Hamilton, NY) 2019. PB $16.99. feet tall and composed of a green leave her betrothed before the In this latest work by Andrew tower and a pulsing orb of blue wedding, Millie is later panicked Farkas, the United States and lightning. Really, the Sunsphere to find Zeke in Edith’s greenhouse the Soviet Union were allies, not is dilapidated, covered in tarps, – as dead as a tulip in the middle enemies. The moon landing was and likely to be torn down soon. of winter. To keep her niece out of a hoax filmed by Stanley Kubrick. Or maybe, Sunsphere Ziggurat prison – and to protect her own The Space Race and the Cold is a massive conceptual art reputation – Millie will have to War were diversions enacted to installation constructed by an piece together a patchwork of clues cover up the biggest secret ever underground organization called to find a killer, before she becomes kept. But Wallace Heath Orcuson the KnoxVillains. Certainly, the next name on his list. (Wall to his friends) has more Sunsphere, a collection of nine immediate problems to deal with. formally innovative fictions, Huber, Anna Lee. Penny for Your He’s just woken up in an apartment focuses on characters obsessed with Secrets: A Verity Kent Mystery. he’s never seen before. There’s a ideas of energy and entropy, focuses Kensington Books (New York, NY) dead body under his couch. It’s on characters who are trying to 2019. PB $15.95. his girlfriend’s husband, a man figure out how to continue on in England, 1919. In Anna Lee Huber’s named “Senator” Kipper Maris. a world that is falling apart, who latest mystery, former Secret Meanwhile, at a donut shop, a radio are trying to learn how to act in a Service agent Verity Kent is finding narrator, who’s been forced to adopt world that is constantly changing. that life after wartime offers its own the name Edward R. Murrow, reads In the face of social collapse, some share of danger. The Great War Wall’s story. He hates it. He wants characters find solace in the logic may be over, but for many, there are to change it. The problem: Murrow of puzzles, in the conventions of still obstacles on the home front. is a narrator, not a writer, and the art, in outdated ideas of empire and Reconciling with her estranged penalty for altering a manuscript romance, in the lure of pop culture, husband makes Verity sympathetic is death. Luckily for Murrow, his in academia and politics. But at the to her friend Ada’s marital boss, “Senator” Kipper Maris, was core of this collection is a search difficulties. Bourgeois-bred Ada, recently murdered. So maybe no for humanity, even when the very recently married to the Marquess of one will notice. Or maybe there’s atmosphere appears to demand the Rockham, is overwhelmed trying to a reason for the rule. ​But you can’t inhumane. navigate the ways of the aristocracy. find out what’s in Pandora’s box And when Lord Rockham is until it’s opened, right? Who wants Flower, Amanda. Matchmaking discovered shot through the heart to see what’s inside? Can Be Murder. Kensington Books with a bullet from Ada’s revolver, (New York, NY) 2020. PB $7.99. Verity fears her friend has made Farkas, Andrew. Sunsphere. When widowed Millie Fisher a fatal blunder. While striving to Blazevox Books (Buffalo, NY) 2019. moves back to her childhood home prove Ada’s innocence, Verity is PB $16.00. of Harvest, Ohio, she notices one called upon for another favor. The The Sunsphere is a 266-foot-tall thing right away—the young Amish sister of a former Secret Service 7 colleague has been killed in what life. There are fantasy, spirituality, James Thurber has been called authorities believe was a home and politics here. All are an invita- “one of the world’s greatest invasion gone wrong. The victim’s tion to think more deeply. humorists” by Alistair Cooke war work – censoring letters sent by (The Atlantic), and “one of our great soldiers from the front – exposed Taylor, Ali. The Chronicles of American institutions” (Stanley her to sensitive, disturbing material. WaterWorld After the Hough Riots. Walker) – and few works reveal Verity begins to suspect these Rosedog Books (Pittsburgh, PA) Thurber’s genius as powerfully as two unlikely cases may be linked. 2018. PB $17.00. his fables. Perennially entertaining But as the connections deepen, In Cleveland, Ohio, drugs, rape, and astutely satirical, Thurber the consequences – not just for violence, and mayhem became pinpricks the idiosyncrasies of Verity, but for Britain – grow more a part of a neighborhood called life with verbal frivolity, hilarious menacing than she could have Hough Heights. After the Hough insights, political shrewdness, imagined. riots in 1966 and 1968 and the and, of course, quirky, quotable assassination of Dr. Martin Luther morals. Now, readers can savor 85 Lindsey, Julie Anne. Apple Cider King Jr., the children of Hough fables by the twentieth century’s Slaying. Kensington Books (New were growing up experiencing preeminent humorist collected for York, NY) 2019. PB $7.99. the aftermath from a society the first time in a single anthology. Blossom Valley, West Virginia, is whose forefathers knocked down Here, Fables for Our Time, Further home to Smythe Orchards, Winnie obstacles of those who were Fables for Our Time, and ten and her Granny’s beloved twenty- abused, neglected, discriminated, previously uncollected fables – five-acre farm and family business. and hated due to the color of their illustrated by ten contemporary But any way you slice it, it’s skin. Now the next generation is artists including Seymour Chwast, struggling. That’s why they’re trying experiencing new obstacles which Mark Ulriksen, Laurie Rosenwald, to drum up business with the “First cause them to neglect the ones and R. O. Blechman – are presented Annual Christmas at the Orchard,” our leaders risked their lives to in Collected Fables, a must-have for a good old-fashioned holiday put in place. Crime bosses Frank readers of all ages. festival with enough delicious Burton, King George, and others draw to satisfy apple-picking come up with a plan to get rich Vanek, John A. Miracles. locals and cider-loving tourists from the negative environment CoffeeTown Press (Kenmore, WA) alike – until the whole endeavor of Hough. Consequently, two 2019. PB $16.95. takes a sour turn when the body undercover FBI agents mysteriously Father Jake Austin’s life is hurled of Nadine Cooper, Granny’s long- disappear. King George realizes into the vortex of three storms: a time, grudge-holding nemesis, is the criminal underworld activities dying sister, a bleeding statue, and found lodged in the apple press. will be threatened by the agents’ a comatose infant in the intensive Now, with Granny the number one disappearance and his past will care unit. What will be left standing suspect, Winnie is hard-pressed to catch up with him if he doesn't after these tempests have passed? prove her innocence before the real stop. King George decides to With each challenge, his faith is killer delivers another murder. change his ways and give back to tested. One thing is for certain, Jake the community. However, King is not your conventional priest. Tassone, Don. Sampler: Fifty Short George’s son, Ali, is now caught Stories. Adelaide Books (New York, up in the criminal activities Welsh-Huggins, Andrew, ed. NY) 2019. PB $19.60. surrounding him. King George and Columbus Noir. Akashic Books Conventional wisdom holds that Ali’s girlfriend, Monique, attempt to (New York, NY) 2020. PB $15.95. story collections should have a persuade Ali to leave the criminal Akashic Books continues its theme. In this way, this book is life behind before it is too late. award-winning series of original unconventional. The fifty stories in noir anthologies, launched in 2004 this collection are wide-ranging. Thurber, James. Edited by Michael with Brooklyn Noir. Each book Some are serious, others light. Most J. Rosen. Collected Fables. comprises all new stories, each are gentle, but a few are disquieting. HarperPerennial Modern Classics one set in a distinct neighborhood Many of these stories are slices of (New York, NY) 2019. PB $15.99. or location within the respective 8 city. Brand-new stories by: Lee himself. When he returns home, of Umbra (with Langston Hughes Martin, Robin Yocum, Kristen the world as he knew it explodes and Alice Walker), Calvin Hernton. Lepionka, Craig McDonald, Chris and Jason risks all to protect his The volume richly concludes Bournea, Andrew Welsh-Huggins, mother from his violent father. with an expert’s guide to teaching Tom Barlow, Mercedes King, The dramatic and unforgettable literary translation. Daniel Best, Laura Bickle, Yolonda course of events changes this family Tonette Sanders, Julia Keller, Khalid forever. Heath, William. Night Moves Moalim, and Nancy Zafris. in Ohio. Line Press Poetry (Georgetown, KY) 2019. PB $14.99. Wortman, Jennifer. This. This. This. Biddinger, Mary. Partial Genius: When William Heath began Is. Love. Love. Love. Stories. Split Prose Poems. Black Lawrence Press writing poetry in the 1960s, James Lip Press (Wyncote, PA) 2019. (New York, NY) 2019. PB $16.95. Wright hailed him as “one of the PB $16.00. What happens when you finally most brilliantly accomplished and Thirteen stories, full-length and realize that you are really good, gifted young poets to appear in the flash, that explore love – sexual, but only at unremarkable things? United States in quite some time.” platonic, filial, and beyond – in What value does memory hold Now after an award-winning career its gritty and beguiling forms. A when weighed against heavier as a novelist, historian, and literary small-town teenager pursues an commodities such as money and critic, he has returned to his first eccentric pinball wizard after her time and conventional beauty? love. Night Moves in Ohio vividly grandfather’s move to her home The prose poems of Partial captures his memories of growing shakes up her parents’ marriage; Genius build upon the form in a up in Poland, Ohio, a suburb of a chronic depressive turns to a collective narrative, working in mobbed-up Youngstown, the city at TV animal psychic in hopes of unison to craft a larger story. Post- the heart of the thriving Steel Valley mending her relationship with her youth and mid-epiphany, Partial but notorious as Little Chicago for dog-loving dad; a middle-aged Genius ponders the years spent its numerous gang-land bombings recovering alcoholic goes back to waiting for reconciliation of past (“Youngstown tune-ups”). Heath’s college and becomes fixated on his wrongs, the acknowledgment of poems, by turns raunchy and stern professor. Throughout the former selves, and the desire to poignant, evoke via his unblinking collection, as characters in various truly fit into one landscape or eye, irony asides, and acute ear for stages of life try to navigate love, another. the American idiom, the dangers they court obsession, madness, and and delights of a by-gone era. transcendence. Friebert, Stuart. A Double Life: In Poetry & Translation. Pinyon Weldon, Laura Grace. Blackbird. Young, John. When the Coin is in Publishing (Montrose, CO) 2019. Grayson Books (West Hartford, the Air. Golden Antelope Press PB $18.00. CT) 2019. PB $15.95. (Kirksville, MO) 2019. PB $19.95. As recounted in the memoir-essays This collection casts a bright glow. Like most boys, Jason Blake wants and poignant late poems in A In clear language, these poems to please his father and older Double Life, the distinguished co- explore themes of connection and brother. But this erratic father founding editor of Field and poet- healing through subjects as unusual and hyper-competitive brother translator, Stuart Friebert, has led as cow pastures, dictionaries, to- challenge beyond the norm. To the kind of globe-trotting “double do lists, and astrophysics. Beauty find his way, Jason tries on different life” that makes for the of is revealed in what one reviewer roles: schoolyard bully, football legend. There are fabled meetings calls “sacraments of the ordinary.” player, actor, student. At 20, Jason with the likes of Günter Grass in Perfect for poetry lovers and those escapes his Midwest home and Berlin and Paul Celan in Paris (not who haven’t read a poem in years. seeks independence and adventure: to mention the stray run-in with A portion of all royalties will be first to Cape Cod, later in Europe. secret police in Bucharest before donated to the nonprofit Medina Each adventure takes Jason farther the fall of Ceausescu!). But Friebert Raptor Center, which rescues, from his father and brother. Each also includes a sparkling homage to rehabilitates, and releases injured brings him closer to finding his late colleague, the co-founder and orphaned birds. 9 Children’s Caesar and Thomas Jefferson; to encode and decode messages, Daigneau, Jean. Code Cracking codes used during wars, including and hide a secret message inside a for Kids: Secret Communications the Enigma machine, whose hollow egg. Throughout History, with 21 Codes cracking helped the Allies gather and Ciphers. Chicago Review Press critical information on German Narh, Samuel. Illus. by Jo Loring- (Chicago, IL) 2019. PB $16.99. intelligence in World War II; and Fisher. Maisie’s Scrapbook. Lantana People throughout history have work currently being done by Publishing (London, UK) 2019. written messages in code and the government, such as in the HC $17.99. ciphers to pass along closely National Security Agency. Readers As the seasons turn, Maisie rides held, secret information. Today, also will learn about unsolved her bull in and out of Dada’s tall countries around the world codes and ciphers throughout tales. Her Mama wears and enlist cryptanalysts to intercept history, little-known codes plays the viola. Her Dada wears and crack messages to keep our used today, and devices used over and plays the marimba. world safe. Code Cracking for the years by governments and their They come from different places, Kids explores many aspects of spies to conceal information. Code but they hug her in the same way. cryptology, including famous Cracking for Kids includes hands- And most of all, they love her just people who used and invented on activities that allow kids to the same. A joyful celebration of a codes and ciphers, such as Julius replicate early code devices, learn mixed-race family and the love that several different codes and ciphers binds us all together. Coming Soon

A Mile-and-a-Half of Lines: The Art of James Thurber Now through March 15, 2020, Columbus Museum of Art. A special exhibition curated by Michael J. Rosen that showcases the drawings of the Columbus native and beloved humorist. For more information, visit www.columbusmuseum.org.

Authors! Sen. Sherrod Brown: Desk 88 November 10, 2019, 2:00 p.m., Main Library/McMaster Center, Toledo Lucas County Public Library, Toledo. Senior U.S. Senator from Ohio Sherrod Brown discusses his new book, Desk 88: Eight Progressive Senators Who Changed America. Tickets are $25 each and include a copy of the book. For more information visit https://www.toledolibrary.org/authors.

Brews + Prose November 12, 2019, 7:00 p.m., Market Garden Brewery, Cleveland. Ohioana Award-winning novelist Mary Doria Russell (The Women of the Copper Country) and poet-journalist Marwa Helal (Invasive Species) read from their works for the popular literary series, now in its eighth season. For more information visit http://www.brewsandprose.com/.

A Visit with Author and Illustrator Loren Long November 16, 2019, 11:00 a.m., Bexley Public Library, Columbus. The Ohioana Award-winning creator of the beloved picture book series featuring Otis the tractor shares his latest work for young readers, If I Were the Sunshine (written by Julie Fogliano) in a special program presented by Gramercy Books Bexley. For more information visit https://www.gramercybooksbexley.com/event/visit-author-and-illustrator-loren-long.

Thurber House Evenings with Authors: Scott Woods November 19, 2019, 7:30 – 9 p.m., Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus. Thurber House presents nationally renowned poet Scott Woods, a Columbus Foundation Spirit of Columbus Award recipient and Columbus Alive’s first-ever “Face of Columbus,” in a reading and discussion from his collection, Urban Contemporary History Month: Poems. For information and tickets, visit www.thurberhouse.org.

Ohioana Book Club November 20, 2019, 10:00 a.m. – noon, Ohioana Library, Columbus. The book for November is 2019 Ohioana Award–winner Furnishing Eternity by David Giffels. If you would like to attend, please e-mail us at [email protected]. 10