Yesterday I had tea at the library with friends who love to read.
This is the eleventh year Friends of the Olathe Library has sponsored the Novel Tea and invited a guest author to speak while the audience enjoys cucumber sandwiches and eclairs while sipping tea during the presentation.
The event space was transformed by sixteen local businesses and organizations who sponsored and decorated tables. The theme this year was “Through the Years…Our Favorite Decades.” Half the fun is strolling the room to view the tables which displayed Beatrix Potter memorabilia, Roaring Twenties Flappers, Elvis and the 50’s, Barbie and the 60’s and that’s just a small sampling. Proceeds from the event are for scholarships given each year to youth who have completed an essay and volunteered at least 100 hours at the library.
Now about The Book of Charlie. When Washington journalist David von Drehle moved to Kansas and met his one-hundred year old neighbor, he had no idea it was the beginning of special friendship. Charlie’s life (1905-2014) saw seismic changes: the invention of the radio, the discovery of penicillin, travel to outer space to mention a few. Written conversationally, the book is a time capsule of the twentieth century made all the more fascinating because Charlie lived all of it. Drehle wanted this man’s wisdom as a guidebook for his own four children with its profound lessons in the meaning of life. How does one survive through a maelstrom of change as Charlie had, as we all will? Can we not only survive, but thrive?
Perhaps I found this book especially charming because it was also a love letter to Kansas City from the author, pictured above. David writes about the good and bad not only in Charlie’s life but in Kansas City–the beautiful fountains in Country Club Plaza and the gangsters who were prominent in the twenties and thirties.
In his later years Charlie condensed his philosophy. “Work hard. Smile often. Practice patience. Enjoy wonder.” There’s more of his wisdom for you to discover in these pages.
Before I leave, I can announce I’m completing the final read through of my manuscript, my publisher has begun work on a book cover, and Lila’s Journey will be coming out in early summer 2024. Hooray!
Until next time . . .
Looks like a book I want to read! Thanks for posting the info about Charlie, and also Lila’s Song which I’m anxious to read!
Hi Karen, It’s fun to think of all the changes our parents and grandparents lived through during their lives. The changes Charlie saw, especially the advances in medicine were quite amazing. Doctors couldn’t cure anything until penicillin was discovered. I just learned doing research for Lila that measles vaccine wasn’t available until 1960! Even though it had been in America since the 1700’s. Our own kids got to have that vaccine rather early on when you think about it 🙂
Hope all is well with you and Jerry.
Hugs
jane
Fabulous, sorry I missed it.
I used to sit with my grandmother (1880-1974) and listen to her describing her life at the turn of the last century and her response to change. She said that after awhile, you just had to learn to accept the new, even if you didn’t understand. (I think that was when we were discussing airplanes.)
Aren’t you glad you had the good sense to sit with your grandmother and listen to her stories? She lived a long time and experienced a lot of changes! You were lucky.
j
I am So Excited for Lila’s Journey to be published. You had me hooked with your short story, And your library is huge! Looks like fun was had by all!
Hi Maggie! How are you guys? Yes Olathe built a new satellite library that opened about 2020 and it is big. And modern–nothing like Carnegie’s libraries. Glad you are eager to read about Lila sometime this summer. Hugs to all of you!