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Living Section of the San Bernardino SUN January 26, 2003 Issue 
An invitation for a Library Literary Salon A contagious epidemic is sweeping across America and neither bin Laden nor Saddam Hussein is responsible for it. The cure is to actually let it take hold of you and let it permeate your entire being because this maybe the only epidemic that is beneficial to everyone's health. I am talking about the reading epidemic that began gathering force with Oprah's book club and now has infested every aspect of American life. A number of TV book clubs so to speak have sprung up after Oprah closed hers vying to be considered literary sages. But neither The Today Show, Good Morning America or Live with ('feuding') Regis and Kelly can fill Oprah's shoes or take the place of the reading clubs sprouting all over the U.S. like weeds impervious to any type of weed killer. Next to my relic photo of Doisneau's famous "The Kiss", framed exquisitely in a frame much more expensive than the actual cost of the piece of paper in it, hangs my most prized New Yorker cover of December 16, 2002 named, "Seasonal Festivities". It depicts an elegant Christmas gathering. Amidst tony furniture, champagne, wine and Christmas ambience, fashionable people in holiday attire of tuxedos, bowties and delicate gowns sit around or even recline reading or just holding books deep in thought. The New Yorker covers are famous for focusing in on the latest trends and reading is definitely the latest addiction to grip America. Reading clubs and salons now rival the garden clubs of southern belles. It is only natural that reading, once discovered, would resonate with everyone. It is a spiritual journey, a vicarious adventure, a discovery and illumination of a thousand and one new things, a jog of the mind. You have heard it said: "great minds discuss ideas, mediocre minds talk about politics, and small minds simply gossip." Reading provides everyone with an opportunity to flee to those higher realms of loftier minds. You read one, two books or articles and you find yourself thinking differently, wanting to share what you've read with others, never mind gossip or the daily grind. And all of a sudden you find yourself turning into a conversationalist using more diverse vocabulary. Those who don't read as much will say that you've increased your "conversation skills", but the real readers would know that what you've done is to actually make a personal contribution to keeping alive the vanishing art of conversation. And the knowledge you gain is invaluable, knowledge that would definitely add to your continual success in life. Take for example my acquaintance Rumen, a highly educated physician fluent in several western languages who came to the U.S. after the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. His terrific education notwithstanding, he knew only about those things of American culture and history that were forbidden in communism. The first thing he did was to ask me to get him history books that would help him understand the U.S. Then there are my young relatives with degrees in some esoteric computer engineering specialty who were hired by an American computer company based on their extraordinary knowledge and expertise. They too asked me for books that would give them an understanding of American culture and life. No matter how bright their present is, undoubtedly, their future would be even brighter with this extra nuance added to their knowledge. Then too, think of what your involvement in reading would do for our youth. We all know that young people emulate the adults around them and studies document the fact that children growing up with reading adults tend to become readers themselves. And think of the great and stimulating conversations you would have at the dinner table! I may have gone a little over the top waxing over the merits of reading, but then what else would a reading addict do? Never mind that this is Super Bowl Sunday. "No one would read your article that day", friends and colleagues warned. I decided to take a chance anyway. It is not that I am against sports or any other diversion. Philosophically I believe as the Greeks of antiquity believed - equal spiritual, intellectual and physical development and growth. So perhaps there are a few of you out there that would find the time to read the paper in between having fun eating, partying and cheering the Super Bowl. Because what I want to do is to invite all of you readers to become the founding members of a Library Literary Salon, or more simply put - of a Library Book Club. How does a book club or a literary salon work? First, a group of people interested in literature get together on a day and at a time previously agreed upon. I would like to suggest that the Library Literary Salon start with once a month meetings one March week either on a Tuesday at 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. or Wednesday 4:00 p.m. to 6:30p.m or 6:30p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please let us know your preference by calling the library at (909) 381-8215. The first meeting, no - gathering actually - would be an organizational one. We would decide on the form our discussions would take and what type of books we would like to read. The library would provide refreshments and the books selected for future reading would be available for purchase through the library at a discount. Later on as we settle into our literary salon we may choose to do themes or model them on the famed 19th century European salons. But most of the decisions would be driven by you, the readers. So if you have been stifling a burning desire to discuss books you've recently read, or if you are just dying to share your ideas, or if you want to travel new undiscovered terrain, call the library at (909) 381-8215 and let us know if you are interested. Statistics also point out that in times of economic difficulties such as now, the use of public libraries increases dramatically because they are free. Joining a Library Literary Salon would be of minimal cost to the members - only the discounted price of the books chosen for reading and the group could always choose paperbacks which would cost even less. Come and be in the vanguard of San Bernardino of this momentous national obsession. Be in the hub of things! Be a role model for our youth! Join now and read! Ophelia Georgiev Roop Library Director San Bernardino Public Library |
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