The first U.S. retrospective of acclaimed ceramic artist Ruth Duckworth, one of the world’s foremost ceramic sculptors will open at Cranbrook Art Museum November 18th.

This exhibition of approximately eighty vessels and sculptural artworks spanning six decades of Duckworth’s career will travel to the Museum of Arts & Design in New York City in January.

Ruth Duckworth: Modernist sculptor is part of a continuous gift of art books by the Ladies Library Association to the community since 1931.

"The School is not White it's brown brick" is a statement spoken by Mae Bertha Carter to her children after their first day at an all white school. The eight Carter children suffered humiliation, prejudice and intimidation for five years in their attempt to integrate a Mississipi school. A good choice for teaching young children about civil rights and the courage of those who fought for equality.

How many of you can name 5 westerns written for teens in the past five years? 3 westerns?? 1 western??? Finally, there is someone brave enough to tackle this genre for a teenage audience, and do a pretty darn good job at the same time. David Ives writes about Scrib, a 16-year-old boy who ran away from home to the Wild West in order to write letters for people who can’t do it themselves. Sound a little far-fetched? Just wait, as Scrib’s chosen occupation leads to him nearly getting killed, being jailed as a criminal, joining up with the notorious Crazy James Kincaid, and delivering a letter from President Abraham Lincoln to a Paiute Indian.

Jonathan Rowe, Ann Arbor native, two-time Hopwood award winner, lawyer (with a recent appearance before the Michigan Supreme Court), and city tennis tournament champion, has written a comic thriller involving a long-time SDS Weather Underground fugitive, sought for her part in an attempted fire bombing of the University law school and the attendant murder of an Ann Arbor policeman. Set in Ann Arbor with local buildings, alleys and parking structures featured in a chase scene, with local street people, and local restaurants. The main character is a tabloid journalist (and disbarred attorney), who breaks and enters, plants bugs and video cameras, misrepresents himself, and, reader please be forewarned, mutilates and steals Ann Arbor District Library materials.

November 11 is Veterans Day, a day set aside for remembering and honoring the sacrifices and contributions of our soldiers, sailors and airmen. November 11 is particularly memorable because it commemorates the Armistice which ended World War I, one of the bloodiest conflicts in hisory. To get an appreciation of the background to Veterans Day read the excellent book by Joseph E. Persico, Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour which provides a comprehensive overview of the major campaigns of ‘The Great War’, as well as a poignant portrait of the last bloody hours which preceded the official end of the war at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918.

Its been about a month since the latest Robert Jordan novel Knife of Dreams came out, and over a decade since Rand al'Thor arrived on the scene of fantasy literature. The Wheel of Time series spawned not only a cult following, but also a news network and a neverending plotline. I'm a fantasy reader myself and I loved them.. until about book 7, when I came to the realization that Jordan, like Chris Carter of the X-files, was not in control of his story. Spoilers(not explicit) after the break.

Communications consultant and motivational speaker Carol Dunitz's most recent book, Louder Than Thunder: A Business Parable, focuses on the importance of listening for managers and leaders, but is also relevant to all kinds of interpersonal communication. The author will present her ideas on communication at the Library's next "Sunday Edition" program on Sunday, November 13 at the Downtown Library at 2:00 p.m. Dunitz, who has degrees in English, Speech and Theater, has been active in advertising, public relations and speech writing. Her presentations are lively entertainments complete with costumes and music. More information about the author and the book can be found at the following web site.

The Giller Prize is dedicated to celebrating the best in Canadian fiction each year.

Cirtics called The Time In Between - ”Luminous, haunting, profound,... A beautifully composed, unflinching and harrowing story. Perhaps the best fiction yet to confront and comprehend the legacy of Vietnam.” (Kirkus starred review)

David Bergen is the author of three highly acclaimed novels: A Year of Lesser, a New York Times Notable Book; See the Child; and, most recently, The Case of Lena S., winner of the Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award, and a finalist for the Governor General’s Award for Fiction. He lives in Winnipeg.

The winners of the 2005 National Book Award will be announced on November 16, 2005.
There are five finalists in the "Young People's Literature" category.

Penderwicks by Jean Birdsall
Where I Want to Be by Adele Griffin
Inexcusable by Chris Lynch
Autobiography of My Dead Brother by Walter Dean Myers
Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles

John Fowles, celebrated British author, died Saturday, November 5, 2005, in Lyme Regis, England. Fowles had been in poor health for several years.

A prolific writer of fiction, non-fiction, and essays, Fowles is best known for several provocative novels that left his readers guessing at the end. The Collector (1963), The Magus (1966), and the The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1969) were all made into movies that captured the attention of both critics and moviegoers.

A self-proclaimed curmudgeon, Fowles was displeased with his parents, his leadership role at his prep school, all world leaders, and the Royal Marines, not to mention intrusive fans wanting to discuss his work with him.

Fowles, whose last book was Wormholes, was 79.