Salisbury’s First Novelist

by    Jennifer Hubbard Rowan Public Library

I’m alerting the media:  John Hart’s next novel, Hush, will appear in bookstores on February 27, 2018.  Hart may be the most famous author born and reared in Salisbury, but can you name our first published novelist?  The next time you’re walking past the Rowan Public Library on W. Fisher Street, locate the granite memorial that resembles a tombstone, and you’ll be able to answer that question.
Born in 1846, Frances Fisher was a product of her time.  Like many other female writers who wished to be taken as seriously as their male contemporaries, she wrote under a pseudonym, Christian Reid— Christian for its cross-gender appeal and Reid for “its beauty and plainness.”  Christian Reid’s successful first novel, Valerie Aylmer (1870), about “a coquette’s struggle against strong manhood,” achieved critical acclaim and spurred her to create a series of five novels with the Southern plantation as the backdrop. 

    But it was The Land of the Sky, published in 1876, that brought attention and acclaim to Christian Reid and  her native state.  A daily “travel sketch” that follows a group of friends from the Piedmont as they set out for mountains in the summer of 1875, the book inspired readers across the nation to make their own journeys to Western North Carolina to revel in the beautiful scenery and healthy mountain air.  Were it not for Christian Reid, the Asheville Times wrote upon the occasion of her death in 1920, Asheville would still be a village.

In a big way, tourism in the mountains of North Carolina, the land of the sky, owes a debt not only to Frances, but also to her father, Charles Frederick Fisher, a graduate of Yale who, after a career in politics, landed a position as president of the Western North Carolina railroad.  When the Civil War broke out, he armed a regiment using his money and his own men. 
(Side notes:  Fort Fisher was named in his memory.  The day that Colonel Fisher reported his men ready for duty, his good friend, Governor John Ellis, died.)

Colonel Fisher led his regiment, the North Carolina Sixth, full speed ahead in the Battle of Manassas, where, on July 21, 1861, a bullet to the forehead ended his life.  His remains were returned to his family and buried in the Lutheran cemetery. After that, Charles’s sister Christine took charge of Frances and her brother and sister.  Christine, a bit of a recluse and a great reader, educated Frances at the family home (that no longer exists) at 102 N. Fulton Street.  The monument that rises from the ivy in front of the library originally stood facing that home, the place where Salisbury’s first novelist penned almost all of her books.

Frances Fisher, who preferred the horse and carriage over the new-fangled automobile and was fascinated with all things Mexico, was not a woman one could easily pigeon-hole.  No doubt the town gossiped over her marriage to a “foreigner,” James Marquis Tiernan, a mineralogist with the Northern Pacific Railroad who first laid eyes on Frances at Sacred Heart Catholic Church (just down the block from Fisher house).  By all accounts, Salisbury’s railroad-loving novelist never tooted her own horn, not even to her close friends; she chose to do her loudest talking in writing.  You can find out more about her work and life by reading Biography of Christian Reid, by Kate Harbes Becker (my source for the information and quotations contained in this article).

Summer Programs for Adults at the Library

by Abby Hardison  Rowan Public Library

It is the purpose of public libraries to support their communities and assist patrons in the pursuit of better, more enriched lives. Our Summer Reading Program not only provides, for all ages, the opportunity to win prizes for logging hours read, but it also provides educational and interesting speakers. Our guest speakers this summer will educate on topics such as air quality, weather, water conservation, honeybee support, and health and wellness. Check the library’s website (www.rowanpubliclibrary.org) or stop by any branch for a full list and description of events. The theme this year is “Building A Better World”, and we have invited local nonprofits to our kickoff celebration June 3rd at Dan Nicholas Park, giving them the forum to share what they do and what opportunities they have for volunteers in our community. The Pedal Factory, Rowan Animal Services, Chickweed, Rowan Literacy Council, Arc of Rowan and Habitat for Humanity are just a few of the groups who will be attending.

For months now RPL has been hosting career specialists from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College’s Employability Lab at our locations, and now we are providing a series of workshops on Wednesdays from May through July at our Headquarters in Salisbury. Topics range from interview techniques to workplace politics to online and social media, and methods range from lectures and discussions to hands-on computer lab instruction; the series is designed to address the needs of those who are unemployed, under-employed, and those interested in changing careers. There is even a workshop for parents with adult children seeking work, and how to be helpful and supportive.

          The library has a plethora of materials and resources for job seekers, but the expertise of the RCCC’s Employability Lab includes a deep understanding of the labor markets of the county and region, and what skills local employers require in prospective employees. Knowing who is hiring is great, but knowing what applicants need to get those jobs is just as important. Unqualified applicants and unfilled positions will not support the local economy, and RPL’s partnership with RCCC’s Employability Lab is an important step in bringing together community resources with citizens who can benefit. The June 7th workshop is titled “New Opportunities in Manufacturing” and runs from 10AM to noon in the Hurley Room of the Headquarters location.

          More information about dates, times and topics are available at https://www.rccc.edu/r3/courses-workshops/ and the RPL website and at all branches. We welcome all job seekers for these free events, and while you’re here you are welcome to utilize our resources in your search! And if you are not currently a job seeker, pass the word on to friends and family who might be. See you this summer at the library!

Pet Power

by Marissa Creamer Rowan Public Library


                It’s been a long day; deadlines are piling up at work, you forgot to pick up the dry cleaning, and you have no idea what’s for dinner. What a relief to finally be home, where you are greeted by your faithful pet, who is so excited to see you and hear about your day.

Most pet owners would agree that the love and companionship a pet offers creates a valuable emotional bond, and view their pets as members of the family. There is growing evidence that pet owners enjoy specific health benefits as well, including lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride values. “The Healing Power of Pets: Harnessing the Amazing Ability of Pets to Make and Keep People Happy and Healthy” by Dr. Marty Becker explores this phenomenon. According to the author, those with pets have fewer doctor visits, shorter hospital stays, and even an easier time adapting to a new routine of recuperation after an illness. In addition, pets help combat depression and isolation through their role as a social ice-breaker.  This book combines scientific discoveries with personal stories of the special bond between pets and their owners.  

If you have ever wondered “Why does my cat always want attention when I’m on the telephone?” or “What’s the best way to give my cat a pill?” you should check out “Catwise” by Pam Johnson-Bennett. A certified cat behavior consultant, Johnson-Bennett answers the cat behavior questions most asked by puzzled pet owners.  She addresses correcting unwanted behavior by helping you see the situation from the cat’s perspective; behavior that you may view as spiteful is actually a cat behaving naturally and trying to solve a problem. By understanding your cat’s motivation, you can begin to change the unwanted behavior.   She touches on everything from litter box issues to environmental enrichment in a practical manner and offers guidance in dealing with issues such as introducing a new cat to the home and traveling with or without your cat.

If you are part of the almost 50 percent of American households that include a dog, you will enjoy “Being a Dog: The World From Your Dog’s Point of View” by Karen Wild. Written from the dog’s perspective, this book is based on the latest research to give you insight into your dog’s world. If you’ve ever wondered how your dog views humans or himself, or what makes him sad, you will find the answers here.  You probably aren’t surprised to hear that dogs are physically wired to pick up on humans' subtle mood changes, but did you know that dogs are more nearsighted than humans? “Being a Dog” offers perspective into the life of your dog from puppyhood through the autumn years.

There is a growing number of pet owners in the United States, where about 68 percent of all households report owning a pet, and there is no shortage of books on the subject. Whether your loyalties lie with dogs, cats, birds, fish, rodents, or reptiles, Rowan Public Library has a wide selection of books about pets for your information and enjoyment.

Story Corps

by Pam Everhardt Bloom

Juvenile and Young Adult author Phillip Pullman once said, “After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” Many of our most loved stories originated from the oral tradition, later to be written down for future generations. StoryCorps, an independent nonprofit dedicated to preserving stories through recorded question and answer interviews of everyday folk, actively collects stories you may have heard first on your favorite National Public Radio station. Originally recorded in a booth at Grand Central Station in New York, StoryCorps now has permanent booths in cities throughout the country as well as mobile recording studios that travel the United States. Stories from everyday folks are collected and eventually archived at the Library of Congress and accessed through the American Folklife Center. Founder Dave Isay has also edited many of these interview transcripts into book form.  Visit Rowan Public Library and enjoy a collection of these interviews that provide and preserve society’s love and need of stories.

Listening Is an Act of Love, a Celebration of American Life from the StoryCorps Project (2007), is the first compilation of collected stories from this national project. Isay arranges the collected stories in chapters titled Home and Family, Work and Dedication, Journeys, History and Struggle and Fire and Water.  The introduction gives you a brief overview of StoryCorp and includes photos of a recording booth and many of the participants. Interviews can begin with the simplest question between two people who love each other. Craig Curry, 34, asks his mom why she always cries when a combine or tractor drives by their home. Virginia Hill Fairbrother, 81, relates a miracle story about her dad during the Great Depression to her daughter.  Thankfully, these tales of family lore and other stories of everyday life are preserved for future generations and available to us all.

Mom, A Celebration of Mothers from Storycorps (2010) might be just the read for Mother’s Day. In addition to enjoying the interviews filed under headings of Wisdom, Devotion, and Enduring Love, consider using the information in the afterword to help record your own loved one.  Favorite StoryCorps questions are listed or you can also visit www.storycorps.org  for additional interview techniques.

In All There Is, Love Stories from Storycorps (2012) and Ties that Bind, Stories of Love & Gratitude from the First Ten Years of StoryCorps (2013) find stories as well as fascinating introductions and notes from the founder. Isay describes the interviews as intense and follows with “I am always hearing from participants who say that the time they spent recording at Story Corps was among the most important forty minutes of their lives.”  These StoryCorps collections may spurn you to collect treasured stories in your life for generations to come.

Many of the interviews in Callings, the Purpose and Passion of Work (2016) have only recently been broadcast. This book contains stories from people doing what they love. This book might be the perfect gift for a new graduate with the dedication, “ Dedicated to everyone working to find and follow their callings. May you live with courage always.” Isay shares 53 amazing stories under the headings of Dreamers, Generations, Healers, Philosophers and Groundmakers.  From salmon slicer to veteran crisis hotline workers to tool and die maker and ink removal specialist, these are stories of  our America.