Denmark Library: A Year in Review

On March 27 we will be celebrating the first anniversary of the opening of Denmark Library. It’s hard to believe a year has already passed! Take a look at some of our favorite moments over the past year.

“When Denmark Library had opened and my picture was in the Forsyth County News.” – Leena, Information Specialist

Adult Nonfiction Staff Picks: The Sea Captain's Wife by Tilar Mazzeo

As a fan of maritime adventure tales, I was eager to read The Sea Captain's Wife by Tilar Mazzeo. It follows the life and famous 1856 voyage of Mary Ann Patten, a nineteen-year-old bride of sea captain, Joshua Patten. 

The story begins with their maritime family history from Maine, one of the country's largest seafaring states at the time. After making a name for himself on his first command of a clipper ship, Joshua was given command of the Neptune's Car which was to sail from Boston around Cape Horn to San Francisco. For those unfamiliar with Cape Horn, it is at the southern tip of South America and remains to this day one of the most treacherous bodies of water to navigate. 

Being newlyweds and not wanting to be alone with her family, Mary Ann accompanied her husband on this voyage. Keeping busy during the long voyage, she learned to read the stars and charts for navigation. This soon became necessary when Joshua, the ship's captain, became seriously ill and unable to perform his role. Despite challenges from the first- and second-mate, Mary Ann won the admiration and trust of the crew. Her stamina and will were tested as they fought through an eighteen day gale in the freezing waters near Antarctica.

Mary Ann Patten wasn't the only female to captain a ship in those days but many of their stories have been left untold.

If you enjoyed: The Wager by David Grann or the movie Widow Clicquot

Perfect for: Readers who enjoy maritime adventures or the grit of courageous women. 

Also written by Tilar Mazzeo: 

• Eliza Hamilton : the Extraordinary Life and Times of the Wife of Alexander Hamilton 
• Sisters in Resistance : How a German Spy, a Banker's Wife, and Mussolini's Daughter Outwitted the Nazis 
• The Hotel on Place Vendôme : Life, Death, and Betrayal at the Hôtel Ritz in Paris

The Sea Captain's Wife is available at the library in regular print, and as an eBook through FCPL’s digital collection.

Joan Dudzinski

Branch Manager

Cumming Library

Unreadable Podcast Transcript - March 2026

This year's Forsyth Reads Together selection is The God of the Woods by Liz Moore. In this episode, Liz Moore joined Ross to talk about the genesis of the book, how her camp experience as a child informed some of the scenes and settings, and what it's like to showrun a tv show. 

Liz Moore will visit the Forsyth Conference Center on March 10 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss The God of the Woods. Please see our website for more information on how to attend. 

Introduction:

♪ bouncy piano and brass music ♪

Hello and welcome to Unreadable, the official Forsyth County Public Library Podcast for news, upcoming programs, and recommendations.

I’m your host, Ross Gericke, the branch manager at Hampton Park.

In this episode I speak with Liz Moore, author of this year’s Forsyth Reads Together selection, God of the Woods.  Liz shares some interesting details about the creation of her novel along with a little information about the upcoming Netflix series. Liz will be visiting Forsyth County in person on Tuesday, March 10th from 7:00–9:00 p.m. at the Forsyth Conference Center, so make sure to visit our website to sign up for a reservation.  Now on with the show.

Interview:

Ross Gericke: Hello, Liz, and welcome to the podcast.

Liz Moore: Thank you so much for having me. Happy to be here.