THE DISNEYLAND STORY:
THE UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO THE EVOLUTION OF WALT DISNEY’S DREAM
PASADENA, Calif. — Pasadena Public Library’s Allendale Branch presents author, historian, urban planner with a not –unhealthy obsession for theme parks, Sam Gennawey who will discuss his book, The Disneyland Story, a scrupulously researched chronology of the creation and operation of Disneyland on Saturday, July 12, 2 p.m. at Allendale Branch Library, 1130 S. Marengo Ave.
Gennawey’s comprehensive and entertaining book recounts how the world’s first theme park was conceived, nurtured, and grew into a source of joy and inspiration for generations of visitors, and it is layered with important context, including key personalities, and contemporary historical and cultural issues. Q & A and a book signing will follow.
For more information, contact Jean Penn, jpenn@cityofpasadena.net or (626) 744-7260
AN AFTERNOON WITH F. SCOTT FITZGERALD
PASADENA, Calif. — Step back into the Roaring Twenties once again and join us for an afternoon with F. Scott Fitzgerald on Saturday, July 12 from 2 to 5 p.m. at Pasadena Public Library’s Central Library, 285 E. Walnut St. Refreshments served at 2 p.m. followed by the performance and Q & A from 3 to 5 p.m.
Dress in period costume; enjoy lemonade and cookies followed by an extraordinary performance by actor/writer Larry Vanderveen as legendary novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald. Vanderveen will explore the life and times of the man who penned such classic American novels as The Great Gatsby and This Side of Paradise. From his troubled relationship with devoted wife Zelda to his later romance with Hollywood gossip writer Sheilah Graham and his complex friendship with acclaimed author Ernest Hemingway, this rich and textured exploration of Fitzgerald’s eventful life allows literature fans the unique opportunity to look into the mind of the man responsible for some of the greatest literature of the 20th Century.
For more information, contact Christine Reeder, creeder@cityofpasadena.net or (626) 744-7076.
COMMEMORATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VIETNAM WAR
PASADENA, Calif. — Saigon native, poet and author Teresa Mei Chuc will speak about the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, her family’s experience immigrating to the U.S. and read from her book, Red Thread on Thursday, July 17, 7 p.m. at Pasadena Public Library’s Central Library, 285 E. Walnut St.
Chuc was born in Saigon, Vietnam, shortly after the war that bombed her people and her homeland. She and her family survived, although her parents were separated for a long time. Chuc, her brother, and their mother escaped Vietnam in a ship crowded with hungry, sick, and frightened immigrants. Under political asylum, they settled in California, where eventually they were reunited with her father, who had spent nine years in a Vietcong “re-education” camp.
Nominated for a Pushcart Prize for “Truth is Black Rubber,” a section of poems from Red Thread, Chuc is a graduate of the Masters in Fine Arts in Creative Writing program at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont, and teaches literature and writing at a public school. Her poems appear in journals including EarthSpeak Magazine, National Poetry Review, Rattle, and Verse Daily.
For more information, contact Christine Reeder, creeder@cityofpasadena.net or (626) 744-7076.
PAWS TO READ THIS SUMMER!
PASADENA, Calif. — Paws to Read, Pasadena Public Library’s 2014 Summer Reading Challenge will “Celebrate 130 Years of Reading” now through August 3 with plenty of books, special events and prizes for children, teens and – new this year – ADULTS! To register visit: http://pasadenasr.evanced.info/ and simply click; Adult Summer Reading Challenge, Teen Summer Reading Challenge or Children Summer Reading Challenge to sign up.
Adults can log their completed activities weekly to be eligible for raffle prizes, even an iPad mini! Join in for programs, book discussions and prize-winning opportunities all summer long.
Teens, entering grades 7 – 12, can earn prizes, have fun, get involved, and challenge themselves. One lucky winner will win an iPad mini!
Children, up to 12 years old, can improve reading skills, earn fun prizes, and enjoy great shows. Sign up and stop by any of the ten Pasadena Public Library sites to pick up a free game board and reading record. Registration is available on-site as well. Track your summer reading, bring in your reading record and collect your prizes.
The Pasadena Public Library Summer Reading Challenge is sponsored by The Friends of the Pasadena Public Library. For more information, call (626) 744-4066.