Meet Ronit Matalon, a bestselling writer in Tel Aviv, Israel. She is the author of the novels Bliss and The One Facing Us, and is an influential Israeli journalist. She will read from her work and answer audience questions on Thursday, Oct. 6, 7:00 pm. Ms. Matalon's appearance is in partnership with the UM Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies.

Check out a poetry slam at the Neutral Zone this year or read Listen Up!:Spoken Word Poetry. Even rockers are getting in on the act. Henry Rollins from Black Flag and The Rollins Band has become a popular spoken word performer who will present his sarcastic socio-political work at the Michigan Theater on October 26th at 7:30 pm.

Siblings Martha and Rufus Wainwright and their parents Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle all contributed to the McGarrigle Hour, a folk album that guest-stars Emmylou Harris. While the other McGarrigle and Wainwrights tend towards the traditional and folk side of things, Rufus Wainwright is known for his ”baroque pop” songs rich with harmonies and intimate lyrics. He’ll be appearing at the Michigan Theater on October 9th.

49 years ago today the earth stood still when this alien command was spoken in theaters across the country on the opening day of the Cold War, sci-fi classic The Day the Earth Stood Still, directed by recently deceased director Robert Wise. But America was also mesmerized by the new sound of the theremin, which earned its place in the pantheon of good (and bad, see: Ed Wood) movie soundtracks, reaching its quivering peak in 1966 with the Beach Boys' unrivaled "Good Vibrations". For more on this unusual instrument, the Library owns the compelling documentary Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey.

M. Scott Peck, author of the bestselling The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values, and Spiritual Growth (1978), died September 25, 2005.

A Harvard graduate with a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Dr. Peck launched his literary career after ten years as a practicing psychiatrist. His very first sentence in The Road Less Traveled, “Life is difficult,” is at the heart of his belief that once people accept that fact, they can experience a life of deep rewards and valuable lessons.

Dr. Peck, who was 69, was the author of more than 15 books, including A Bed by the Window: A Novel of Mystery and Redemption (1990), Further Along the Road Less Traveled: The Unending Journey toward Spiritual Growth (1993), and The Road Less Traveled and Beyond: Spiritual Growth in an Age of Anxiety (1997)

Gregory Maguire, whose Wicked (1995), is enjoying a second life as a big-budget Broadway Musical will release its much-anticipated sequel Son of a Witch on Sept. 29th.
The story picks up where Dorothy did in Elphaba Thropp, the Wicked Witch of the West and brought about spectacular changes in the Land of Oz – not all of them pleasant. A caravan leader stumbled upon a badly hurt young man, Liir, who might be the dead witch’s rumored secreted son. The ensuing tale is one of great drama, eccentric characters and object lessons.

The Play Ground can barely catch its breath because of the exciting news that “America’s Beautiful Voice,” premier soprano Renee Fleming is coming to Hill Auditorium on October 13. Renée Fleming will be performing in Richard Strauss’s Daphne with the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne and Men of the WDR Radio Chorus Cologne. This will be a concert opera — operas performed in a concert setting with limited theatrical stage effects. In addition, Music Specialist Richard LeSueur will discuss the plot and the background of the Strauss' late masterpiece Daphne on Sunday, October 9 at 3pm Downtown at the Ann Arbor District Library.

Fantasy and romance enter the list this week.

At #5 is High Druid of Shannara: Straken by Terry Brooks. In the final volume of this trilogy the hero Pen Ohmsford is on a quest for save his aunt from exile.

At #6 is Lipstick Jungle by Candace Bushnell. For fans wishing there were new episodes of "Sex and the City", the show's creator treats us to this story of three women trying to juggle their personal and professional lives.

Are you a fan of the hot new show on TLC (aka "The Learning Channel") Miami Ink? The November, 2005 issue of International Tattoo has a great "behind the scenes" article about this new tattoo-shop reality show. With lots of great photos and anecdotes learn more about Ami, Chris Garver and Yoji, the shop apprentice. International Tattoo Art is always loaded with close up photos of great tattoos, edgy articles and more. AADL also owns the tattoo magazine Skin and Ink - be sure to check 'em out on the 2nd floor of the DOWNTOWN location....

Whether or not you're a fan, Bob Dylan, the brilliant songwriter/musician who pioneered multiple schools of songwriting and almost single-handedly redefined what it meant to be a singer, musician and performer in the 1960s, is certainly a worthy subject for a documentary...even if it is over 3 hours long. Martin Scorsese's long-awaited film about the erstwhile Robert Zimmerman airs this week on PBS, but if you miss it, don't get tangled up in blue: The Library will be getting the DVD in October. In the meantime, check out D. A. Pennebaker's fascinating 1967 documentary Don't Look Back, or the energetic first volume of Dylan's autobiography which covers much of the same period as the Scorsese documentary.

So what's your favorite Dylan song?