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.

Cameras and Trains

by Paul Birkhead  Rowan Public Library

      On April 8th of this year, Rowan Public Library held its annual Spring Photowalk.  What is a photowalk?  It is an opportunity for a group of people to go for a walk and take photos together.  All skill levels and ages are welcome and while some bring fancy cameras, others just use their smart phones.  The best part of the walk is when participants share their best photos and the library puts them together in an exhibit.

      This year, the photowalk was held at the North Carolina Transportation Museum (NCTM) in Spencer.  If you weren’t aware, the NCTM is celebrating its 40th anniversary and they have a lot of history on display.  While there are always great subjects to take photos of at the NCTM, this time we also had antique tractors on display and even the Easter Bunny Express was operating full-steam.

      If photography interests you, Rowan Public Library stocks plenty of books on the subject.  One of the new titles you can check out is, Mastering Street Photography by Brian Lloyd Duckett.  Street photography, also known as candid photography, is the art of taking pictures of random objects and chance encounters.  Street photography has been around for over one hundred years, but recently has seen a surge in popularity.  Duckett’s book can serve as a fantastic guide for anyone who wanted to try their hand at street photography.  Techniques for being an unseen observer and how to frame and shoot from distant perspectives will help you with your photo skills.  There is even information on keeping safe and staying within the law as you capture these interesting, unplanned moments in time.  

      Have you heard of the amateur photographer named Vivian Maier?  I hadn’t until just a couple of years ago when a movie was released about her.  Vivian was never famous in real life, but after she died and her belongings were auctioned off, this Chicago area nanny’s negatives and photographs were discovered.  When Vivian’s photos were displayed online, they generated a lot of buzz and a documentary and a book were made to tell her story.  Rowan Public Library has both the book and the DVD about her.  If you enjoy photography, be sure to check them out.

      If trains are more your speed, the library has several books on that subject.  One new title is Smoke over Steamtown by Dennis A. Livesey.  This book has page upon page of gorgeous photographs of steam powered trains.  It also tells about the interesting history of Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, Pennsylvania.  Of course, you can’t beat the history that’s even closer to home.  Check out one of the library’s copies of Southern Railway's Spencer Shops, 1896-1996 by Duane Galloway.  It will give you a new appreciation for the NCTM in Spencer.

      Don’t forget to stop by Rowan Public Library sometime in May to view the display of our photos from the Spring Photowalk.  You can also browse the Library’s online photo gallery (https://www.flickr.com/photos/rowancountypubliclibrary/sets) for a peek at photos from this and other photowalks.  If what you see inspires you, make plans to join us on our next adventure in the fall.  We’ve got our sights set on another Rowan County gem.

Cooking at Home

by Gretchen Beilfuss Witt  Rowan Public Library

            I am a baker and enjoy trying new recipes and combinations of flavours.   Like many of us, I am addicted to the television show  "The Great British Bake Off."   The trouble with watching this show is it kindles the desire to bake, to try new techniques and different sweets.  Fortunately, for the budding bakers or for the re-inspired, the library has recently acquired "The Great British Bake Off Big Book of Baking."  This richly and beautifully illustrated book gives step-by-step instructions of some favorites from the show and even some additional recipes not part of the program.  The photographs are drool-worthy and the accompanying stories about contestants are short and entertaining.  The recipe book provides clear instructions as well as assigning difficulty levels to each entry; there are a few recipes rated with the three spoon "tricky" but nearly all are certainly possible for most folks. 

            Once the inclination strikes to explore new recipes or twists on old favorites, take a look "Our Sweet Basil Kitchen" by Cade and Carrian Cheney.  This couple, one from the Pacific Coast and one from the Southeast coast combine their love of food in "unique mashups" and family favorites.  Beginning with breakfasts full of pumpkins pancakes, berry crepes, ham frittatas and fruit pizza, they present foods that are family friendly and generally use fresh and healthier ingredients.  The Cheney's recipes include well-known side dishes - like green bean casserole with matchstick potatoes instead of fried onions on top - to internationally inspired dishes like coconut curry or Greek citrus chicken.  They offer meatless meals as well as decadent desserts like the brownie cookie or southern inspired deep-fried strawberry shortcake.  Mouth-watering pictures and understandable instructions make this an excellent book for a family to use to cook together.

            For the more adventurous cooks "My Two Souths" by Asha Gomez blends the spices of the southern India state of Kerala and the home-cooking of the Southern United States in an interesting collection.  Gomez spends some time explaining the more unusual (to the US cook) ingredients often used in Indian cuisine and where one might find some of these items.  Carrot cake with ground pepper icing, pickled catfish, and goat biryani are some of the offerings included in her attractively presented cookbook.

            For the food devotee who wants to go all out and investigate field-to-table living -  raising, preserving and processing all their own food - Andrea Chesman's "The Backyard Homestead kitchen Know-How" is the book to check-out.  Chesman explains how to organize a root cellar, dry food with solar or electric dehydration, create pickled and fermented foods like kraut and kimchi.  She discusses how to full out a "cut sheet" when having an animal butchered whether it is lamb, rabbit or beef.  Her book describes how to begin and use a sourdough starter, how to can or freeze produce, how to process raw milk and make cheese.  For anyone who is interested in making more of what is locally available or how to live from their own land this is a terrific resource.  

            From Britain to your own backyard, the library has the cookbook for you. 

Cook books

  by Amanda Bosch Rowan Public Library

Do you ever watch Food Network or cooking shows on PBS and drool at the beautifully appetizing dishes that are prepared?  When you go to your favorite Chinese restaurant, are you inspired to try to break down the recipe so you can recreate it at home for friends and family? Perhaps you would enjoy perusing some of the wonderfully enticing new cookbooks available at the Rowan Public Library for your next Asian themed dinner night or Supper Club.

                The smell of exotic spices, the sizzle of meats and veggies being tossed in a hot wok as you enter your favorite Asian restaurant may assail your senses and make your mouth water, but have you ever considered making your own Asian dinner?  Manyee Elaine Mar, who grew up in her family’s Chinese restaurant in Denver in the 1970’s and 1980’s, has delivered recipes that reflect the menu which “was a true reflection of the Chinese-American experience, a blending of our ethnic heritage with the tastes of the region to which we had immigrated” in the second edition of the Everything Chinese Cookbook. While there are favorites like fried rice, Kung Pao chicken, or crab rangoons, there are also recipes that are unique to her family’s restaurant such as “Chicken Cantonese or Pork Riblets in Black Bean Sauce.”  Forget takeout or even delivery, you can peruse the flavors of China without leaving home or worrying over what to pack, just choose any one of the mouth watering recipes,  stop by the market, pick up a few groceries, and you are ready to start cooking your own Chinese dinner!

                Ah, the broth, the meat, the noodles – perfection in a bowl! If you prefer Pho a Vietnamese soup and noodle dish that is “elemental to Vietnamese culture”,  then you may want to try Andrea Quynhgiao Nguyen’s The Pho Cookbook. Recipes range from easy to adventurous and include a brief history of pho and how to pronounce it like a native as well as its value to the Vietnamese culture. There is a breakdown of the different types of noodles, spices, seasonings and herbs. There are tricks, techniques, tips, and then come the recipes for the classic soups,  fried rice, noodle salads, and even a beef pho banh mi which may be viewed as a Vietnamese American twist to the French dip sandwich that is so popular in many American restaurants.  Don’t forget to try one of the Pho sidekicks like the Pho Pot Stickers or the Coconut Coffee; your guests will be impressed.

                A fun party idea for the more adventurous among us might be to set up an Asian street food themed dinner.  In Street Food Asia by Luke Nguyen, one can discover delectable recipes and gorgeous photos of a wide variety of street food samplings from across Asia. If you decide to host an Asian street food dinner, your guests can sample dishes from Vietnam such as Crab & Tapioca Noodle Soup, sizzling savory central style pancakes or a spicy pork sandwich on a baguette before “traveling” to Indonesia where samples of more traditional dishes like chicken satay skewers with spicy peanut sauce can be served alongside more exotic offerings like spicy fishcakes grilled in banana leaves. Moving onto Malaysia, one can prepare dishes such as Malay Curry Puffs or hand-made pan mee noodles with pork & shitake mushrooms. Your guests could try a final stop in Bangkok where you can find recipes for unique and delectable dishes such as Chilli & Basil Chicken with steamed rice or chargrilled scallops with butter & spring onion oil.

                These are a sampling of the many cookbooks available at Rowan Public Library. Whether you prefer Italian cuisine, baking on weekends or cooking 30 minute meals, there is sure to be a cookbook that’s right for you so check one out and challenge yourself to try something new by creating a new dish for your friends and family!

Memoirs

 by Laurie Robb  Rowan Public Library

You never really understand a person until you …climb into his skin and walk around in it."

Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird

Perhaps you’ve tried to put yourself in the place of someone going through tremendous heartbreak or joy. Or maybe you've wanted to know how a survivor of tragedy faces each day. You’ve wondered how a person forgives the most unforgivable transgression, from someone else or from herself. 

Memoirs are wonderful tools to help readers understand how other people experience both ordinary and extraordinary life. Like biographies, memoirs chronicle a person’s experiences and can be as intense as Elie Wiesel's Night, or as light-hearted as Jeannette Walls' The Glass Castles. Classic memoirs include Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl, Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes, Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Girl Sings, and Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie.

The past few years have given us bumper crops of exciting and diverse memoirs. Award winning book Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, is about a female scientist who, through determination and love, excels in her field. J.D. Vance's Hillbilly Elegy, which got lots of air time during the election, is about his white working class family in Appalachia. Paul Kalanithi's When Breath Becomes Air is the moving account of Kalanithi's diagnosis of cancer and how he approaches death. You Will Not Have My Hate is the story of a widower who must confront his grief after the murder of his wife in the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is the story of a family’s quest to find out more about the woman whose cancer cells would generate countless new medical discoveries.

Another gift that memoirs can deliver is the opportunity to experience the point –of-view of someone living with a disability, mental illness, or other condition. In honor of Autism Awareness Month, a wonderful way to connect or understand autism is to read memoirs written by authors on the autistic spectrum. Temple Grandin, a well-known autism advocate and animal scientist, has several books available at the library. Her memoirs include The Way I See It and Thinking in Pictures. John Elder Robison, brother to Augusten Burroughs and pyrotech guru, is another of my favorite authors on the spectrum. He wrote Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s as well as Raising Cubby: A Father and Son’s Adventures with Asperger’s, Tractors and High Explosives. The Reason I Jump: the Inner Voice of a13-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida is a wonderful memoir that young adults find intriguing. Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant  by Daniel Tammet is another perspective of living with autism and Letters to Sam: A Grandfather’s Lessons on Love, Loss, and the Gifts of Life  by Daniel Gottlieb is the touching memoir of a grandfather relating to his autistic grandson. Rowan County author Susan King wrote a moving account of her experiences with her son in the inspiring book Optimism for Autism.

If you can’t wait to pick up one of the newest memoirs, here is a list of suggestions. There is certainly something here for everyone.

·         How to Murder Your Life by Cat Marnell

·         Rest in Power: Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin by Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin

·         My Life, My Love, My Legacy by Coretta Scott King

·         Instrumental: a Memoir of Madness, Medication and Music by James Rhodes

·         Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick

·         No One Cares About Crazy People by Ron Powers

·         A Life Extraordinary: the Extraordinary Story of One Boy's Gift to Medical Science by Sarah Gray

·         Patient H.M. by Luke Dittrich

·         Storyteller's Nashville: a Gritty and Glorious Life in Country Music by Tom T. Hall

·         Girl Who Escaped ISIS by Farida Khalaf

·         Based on a True Story by Norm MacDonald

So, if you want to connect with someone extraordinary or even someone ordinary in extraordinary situations, pick up a memoir. Through the author, you will have a front row seat to learn, explore, and grow. To me, memoirs are the best of both worlds: true events and great stories (and storytellers). Find your next favorite memoir at the Rowan Public Library.