Page 10
The INDEPENDENT, October 19, 2011
Between the Bookends
by Nancy Burch, Librarian
Vernonia Public Library
Fans of Bellehaven, Washington’s,
beloved librarian Wilhelmina Zukas, can
bid her good-bye in the latest and con-
cluding Miss Zukas mystery, Farewell,
Miss Zukas. Author and former librarian,
Jo Dereske, has allowed readers to partic-
ipate in the sleuthing, friendships, and
family of this spunky Lithuanian protago-
nist since 1994, with the publication of
The Library Murders and culminating in
this, the twelfth and final episode in the
series. Fans of books about librarians need not despair, as Jen-
nifer McKinlay has recently published the first in a library mystery
series entitled Books Can be Deceiving, introducing single librar-
ian Lindsey Norris of Briar Creek, Connecticut.
It’s been a revelation to find that nearly any interest, hobby, oc-
cupation, etc. one might have has also piqued the imagination of
others and has become the theme in a novel. Readers may read
novels about vampires (Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse
mysteries, Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight novels, etc.), ministers
(Jan Karon’s Mitford series and Katherine Page Hall’s Faith
Fairchild mysteries), caterers (Diana Mott Davidson’s and Josi
Kilpack’s culinary mysteries), dogs (Susan Conant’s, David
Rosenfelt’s and Neil Plakey’s dog lover mysteries), knitting (mys-
teries by Maggie Sefton and Mary Krueger), and quilting (myster-
ies by Arlene Sachitano and Terri Thayer and Jennifer Chiaveri-
ni’s popular Elm Creek Quilts novels). This list just touches on a
few of the topics which have been successfully incorporated into
novels. Try entering a subject near and dear to your heart in the
library’s search on your next visit to the library and you might be
very pleasantly surprised at what you have been missing.
If you are a fan of the Jack Reacher series, you have probably
been eagerly awaiting his newest adventure as he stumbles into
corruption and danger in one small-town after another. However,
this is not what author, Lee Child, has in mind in his newly re-
leased novel, The Affair, which flashes back to Reacher’s army
career where the reader finds the reason he decided to drop out
of the military and become a toothbrush-packing drifter. Set in
Carter Crossing, Mississippi in 1997, elite military cop Reacher
has been ordered undercover—to investigate the death of a
young woman whose death may have been caused by an influ-
ential soldier from the nearby military base. When the investiga-
tion spins out of control, Reacher refuses to bury the truth, shat-
tering his faith in the mission and turning him into a man to be
feared. I have followed Jack Reacher beginning with his introduc-
tion in Die Trying, and highly recommend all of them for the read-
er looking for a complex, innovative, exciting protaganist.
Other new acquisitions include Laughed ‘Til He Died by Car-
olyn Hart, Shock Wave by John Sandford, and Cold Vengeance
by Preston & Child.
Book Discussion will take place Monday, October 24 at 5:30,
with Daniel Pinkwater’s Uncle Boris in the Yukon and Other
Shaggy Dog Stories as the topic. Movie for the month will be an
adaptation of John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row, starring Nick Nolte
and Debra Winger. This will be shown at 6:30 on Thursday, Octo-
ber 27 in the library.
Mariolino’s
Now Serving
Clam Chowder
& Daily Soup Specials
721 Madison Ave.,Vernonia • 503-429-5018
Recent efforts to remove the “N” word in literature—from the
new edition of Mark Twain’s Huck Finn, in which the word is
changed to “slave”, to an attempt to halt a high school production
of August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone because of its
“offensive” language—raise questions about censorship. Is cen-
sorship ever a good thing? Should accommodations be made
considering the difference between a character’s and author’s
point of view?
We have the opportunity to discuss censorship in literature
during the next Conversation Project, one of Oregon Humanities’
free programs that encourage community discussions of chal-
lenging ideas. Led by Professor Pancho Savery, a professor of
English, humanities, and American studies at Reed College, the
topic will be “To Cut or Not to Cut: Censorship in Literature.” It will
be held on Saturday, November 5, at 4:00 p.m. at the Vernon-
ia Public Library.
Savery also teaches in Reed’s freshman humanities program
on the Ancient Mediterranean World (focusing on Greece, Egypt,
Persia and Rome). For the last eleven years, he has worked with
Oregon Humanities on the Humanity in Perspective program.
This program is hosted by the Friends of the Library and the
Vernonia Library Board, and sponsored by Oregon Humanities.
Through the Conversation Project, Oregon Humanities offers free
programs that engage community members in thoughtful, chal-
lenging conversations about ideas critical to our daily lives and
our state’s future. For more information about this free communi-
ty discussion, please contact Vernonia Public Library at 503-429-
1818 or library@vernonia-or.gov.
Vernonia Public Library: 701 Weed Avenue
Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tues., Thu. 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Preschool Story Time: Mondays, 10:30 a.m.
when school is in session.
Phone: 503-429-1818
Internet: library@vernonia-or.gov
Candidates answer questions
From page 5
overseas. Americans need to
take care of Americans and
vote out those who will not pro-
tect your jobs.
Witt – We’ve lost over
60,000 jobs in Oregon alone
since NAFTA was negotiated.
We’ve dealt with free trade, not
fair trade. Unless and until we
negotiate a trade tax that pro-
tects us, I will go to D.C. to ad-
vocate against every single
trade deal.
8. How will you look at
FEMA and solve the problem of
yearly financial crises?
Avakian – FEMA is part of
the critical safety net. I’ll fight
for their help here when need-
ed.
Bonamici – FEMA should
absolutely be funded. I was so
disappointed to see FEMA at
risk because of a dysfunctional
congress. I’ll work for disaster
relief.
Delgado-Morgan – Big gov-
ernment is not working. We
need to keep our money in
Oregon and have a rainy day
account here to help.
Witt – I’ll spent as much time
as needed to be sure FEMA
will be there. I sponsored legis-
lation that made immediate un-
employment benefits available
[for jobs lost due to a natural
disaster] and stopped insurers
from canceling policies after
disasters.
9. a. Do you support Occupy
Wall Street protesters?
b. Will you vote for more
banking regulations?
c. How will you get Republi-
cans to compromise?
Avakian – a. This country
was born in protest – Go pro-
testers.
b. Yes and take cap off.
c. I was named “consensus
builder” my last year in legisla-
ture.
Bonamici – a. Yes, I support
them.
b. Yes.
c. I have a reputation of
being able to work across party
lines without sacrificing my val-
ues.
Delgado-Morgan – a. I sup-
port freedom of speech. I do
not support property damage
or even trash left behind.
b. Don’t put your money
there.
c. Lots of people want to
help me so that will help.
Witt – a. Absolutely, I sup-
port them.
b. Yes.
c. My 30 plus years experi-
ence as a negotiator will help
me find agreements.
ODFW will tell
status of bays in
Tillamook area
Shellfish biologists from the
Oregon Department of Fish
and Wildlife will present the re-
sults of monitoring recreational
and commercial bay clam fish-
eries in Tillamook and Netarts
bays. Everyone is invited hear
about the findings and the sta-
tus of the fisheries from 6:30 to
8 p.m., Wednesday, October
26, in the Oregon Department
of Forestry building, 5005 3rd
Street, Tillamook.
Tillamook and Netarts bays
see a high level of effort by
both recreational and commer-
cial clam diggers who target
cockle, gaper, butter and little-
neck clams. ODFW shellfish bi-
ologists have been surveying
shellfish populations and moni-
toring the fisheries in these
bays. The goal of the research
is to ensure the fisheries are
sustainable.
“Our work in Tillamook and
Netarts yields valuable data
about our bay clam resources,”
said Justin Ainsworth, acting
shellfish program leader. “.At
our last public meeting there
were concerns about manage-
ment of the fishery. We hope to
get more input at this meeting
so we can ultimately address
those concerns.”
After brief presentations on
the recent work by ODFW,
there will be an a discussion on
bay clam issues, including the
management of the recreation-
al and commercial clamming,
regulations (including how to
change them in the rule-mak-
ing process), enforcement is-
sues, clam population levels
and harvest rates.