Wicked Author Gregory Maguire Speaks to Fans at Forsyth Reads Together Event

Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, will visit Forsyth County to speak and sign books for fans at the Forsyth Conference Center, 3410 Ronald Reagan Blvd., at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 8. Admission to An Evening with Gregory Maguire is free, but advance registration is requested.

An Evening with Gregory Maguire is sponsored by Forsyth County Public Library, FCPL Friends & Advocates, The Forsyth County Arts Alliance Fund at the Forsyth County Community Foundation, and BookLogix and is part of Forsyth Reads Together, a county-wide program that encourages the whole community to read, discuss, and participate in programs associated with a selected book.

This year’s book selection is Maguire’s Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, a New York Times bestseller and the inspiration for the hit Broadway musical Wicked. The book is also the first in a four-volume series called The Wicked Years that includes Son of a Witch, A Lion Among Men, and Out of Oz.

“Wicked is a favorite among our patrons. We’re already hearing how excited they are to meet Mr. Maguire and have their well-loved and dog-eared copies of their books signed,” says Tracy Walker, Program and Outreach Manager.

Copies of Wicked may be borrowed from the library. Barnes & Noble will also be on-site during the event to offer copies of Mr. Maguire’s books for sale. Mr. Maguire will sign books following his author talk.

Wicked Discussions

Inspired by the untold backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, this fantasy novel for adults profiles the green-skinned Elphaba as an animal rights activist striving to avenge her sister's death, not simply an evil villain.

In a reimagined Oz where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability, and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence, readers will find much to discuss on themes of religion, politics, societal norms, and economics.

Readers will gather to discuss the book at the Cumming Library on Thursday, March 1 at 2:00 p.m. After Mr. Maguire’s visit, readers can discuss the book and share their thoughts on his author talk at the Sharon Forks Library on Wednesday, March 28 at 10:30 a.m.

Families Celebrate Forsyth Reads Together

Younger readers are invited to participate in this year’s program by attending the Forsyth Reads Together Celebration from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 1 in the Forsyth Central High School cafeteria.

This family-friendly event is a joint effort between Forsyth County Schools, Humane Society of Forsyth County, Makerspace Forsyth, and Forsyth County Public Library.

“Forsyth County Schools are excited to be working with the Forsyth County Public Library to present a family night filled with music, makerspace activities, storytelling and so much more,” says Kristen Deuschle, District Media Specialist.

Forsyth Reads Together Celebration will include presentations of student work, a Toto and Friends Reading Lounge where children can read aloud with furry friends from HSFC Humane Hearts Pet Therapy program, and a Wizard of Oz-themed LED shadow box activity. Other craft activities and a puppet show for younger children will also be part of the event.

At the celebration, families can enter to win an Admit Four All-Inclusive Ticket package to the Center for Puppetry Arts to enjoy one Family Series Performance, the Create-a-Puppet Workshop, and Museum Exhibits.

Admission to the Forsyth Reads Together Celebration is free and advance registration is not required.

Additional Oz-themed programs for children, tweens, and teens are scheduled throughout March, including Saving Oz, a breakout box adventure at the Hampton Park Library and Storybook STEM, a study of rainbows, tornadoes, and hot air balloons at the Post Road Library.

For more information on Forsyth Reads Together, or to register for An Evening with Gregory Maguire, please visit www.forsythpl.org.

Staff Picks - Adult Non-Fiction

The Sleep Revolution, Transforming Your Life One Night at a Time by Arianna Huffington

Arianna Huffington is the co-founder, president, and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group. Arianna Huffington was on the fast track to success. She believed the lie like many other successful individuals did that says, sleep is a waste of time and sleep is over-rated.

Ariana had been running on very little sleep and lots of caffeine for too long when her world came to a screeching halt as she collapsed, hit her desk on the way to the floor and broke her cheek bone. Her body shut down which caused her to reevaluate everything. I was surprised to hear how lack of sleep can be deadly.

The first part of this book talks about the problems caused from lack of sleep and our attitude about sleep itself. I liked how she describes the huge shift our culture has made through the years about sleep. It’s the wake-up call.

The second part of the book talks about solutions. Not everything works for everybody but being aware of the warning signs is the first step. I had no idea that fatigue is a warning sign which tells you trouble is brewing in your body. It’s not time to drink more caffeine or work more. It’s time to stop and evaluate your condition. I appreciated the authors transparency. This is an eye-opening read.  The author gives lots of helpful information to readers so they can find a way to have more restful sleep. This is a must read for everyone.

Nora St. Laurent
Collection Support Aide

Staff Picks: American Radical (Adult Non-Fiction)

American Radical by Tamer Elnoury is a non-fiction book that reads like a fictional spy novel.

Mr. Elnoury is a American Muslim born in Egypt. After graduating from college, he became an undercover police officer. After 9/11, he offered his services to the FBI. He had previously been told that he would be valuable to the FBI because he speaks Arabic.

In September 2012, Mr. Elnoury went undercover to infiltrate an Al Qaeda cell and helped to prevent a train derailment in Canada and a possible Times Square bombing on New Years Eve.

Learning about the life of an undercover FBI agent was fascinating. The Bureau sends their undercover officers to Hollywood for a week of acting classes. Mr. Elnoury credits the acting lessons for doing as much to save his life as any other training that the FBI provided. 

Until I read this book, I never appreciated the effects that working undercover could have on a person. Mr. Elnoury had to spend months calling a man "brother" - a man that he considered to be an evil monster. He had to take another "brother" on a tour of the 9/11 memorial in New York City knowing that the man idolized Osama Bin Laden and wanted to kill thousands of Americans. 

Mr. Elnoury is not the FBI agent's real name since he is still working as an undercover agent. He possibly saved the lives of hundreds of Americans and yet, no one knows  his name. In fact, until I read the book, I really did not have an understanding of just how many potential terrorist attempts are prevented by the hard working men and women of the FBI. I consider Mr. Elnoury, whoever he is, to be a true American hero.


Recommended by:
Amy Weiler
Information Specialist
Sharon Forks Library