The Big Read 2009

Thursday, May 7 at 7 p.m. at Ashton Place, 341 75th Street in Willowbrook

This year’s The Big Read ends with an organic eating fair, featuring Melissa Graham, Jim Slama and Laura Bruzas. They will share simple and practical ideas to make nutritious eating part of your life. Also, enjoy the music of February Sky. Pick up complimentary tickets at any of the following libraries starting April 27.

o Clarendon Hills Public Library
o Downers Grove Public Library
o Hinsdale Public Library
o Indian Prairie Public Library
o La Grange Park Public Library
o La Grange Public Library
o Lisle Library District
o Thomas Ford Memorial Library
o Westmont Public Library
o Woodridge Public Library

Here is more about the speakers:

Melissa Graham
Melissa’s cooking education began at four when her parents charged her with preparing dinner one night each week. Although some of the earlier dinners were quite minimalist, such as PB&J on Ritz Crackers, her expertise grew. Over the years, cooking moved from chore to passion and then obsession, driving her finally to leave behind her first career as a partner at McDermott Will & Emery to co-found Monogramme Events & Catering.
Melissa is also the President and founder of Purple Asparagus, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to bringing families back to the table by promoting and enjoying all the things associated with good eating. She previously was a member of the Advisory Board of Slow Food Chicago and was a contributing editor of the Slow Food Guide to Chicago’s Bars, Restaurants and Markets.
Melissa is currently the membership chair of Chicago’s Green City Market and a member of the www.LTHforum.com round table. She authors Having-Company, an online resource on sustainability (www.blogspot.having-company.com) and frequently speaks and gives classes on sustainability.

Jim Slama
Jim Slama is the founder of FamilyFarmed.org and was the founding publisher and editor of Conscious Choice magazine. FamilyFarmed.org played a key role in developing and helping to pass the Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act, which has been hailed as model legislation to build a local food system. The Act creates the Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force, which is charged with developing a plan and funding recommendations to be presented to the Governor and State Legislature. Jim is a member of this task force. Jim created the FamilyFarmed.org program to build markets for Midwestern organic farmers. Each year the FamilyFarmed.org EXPO draws thousands of consumers and trade buyers to a show at the historic Chicago Cultural Center. In 2007 FamilyFarmed.org received the Yahoo! for Good Green Award. Jim was also the founder of Sustain which contributed to numerous national and regional environmental victories including partnering with the Organic Trade Association in the Keep “Organic” Organic Campaign, which helped generate 275,000 comments to the USDA encouraging the creation of strong organic standards. Sustain was created after Slama played a key role in shutting down an incinerator in Chicago that was emitting 150,000 pounds of lead per year. Under Jim’s direction, Conscious Choice was recognized nine times by Utne magazine as a member of the Best of the Alternative Press. Jim’s skill as a social entrepreneur led to his designation as a Crain’s Chicago Business “Forty Under Forty” leading business and civic leaders. In 2005 Jim received the Chicago Tribune Good Eating Award for his contributions to the Chicago food and beverage world.

Laura Bruzas
Laura Bruzas is the founding editor and publisher of HealthyDining.org, a newsletter launched in 2003 dedicated to health-minded, eco-friendly consumers and author of 50 Simple Ways to Eat Well for Less. Bruzas’ is a newsletter aficionado whose background includes serving as the editor and/or publisher of seven newsletters over a 20-year period, a degree in Marketing, 15 years of experience in HR/Recruiting and a five-year stint with Whole Foods Market serving on their Midwest region’s marketing team. Bruzas extends her reach by teaching classes at the Moraine Valley Environmental Institute and delivering corporate and community presentations on the topic of Conscious Dining on a Dime.

The Big Read registration starts Monday, February 2 for programs in ten libraries in the Chicago western suburbs. This year’s book is Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. Brochures listing all the events as well as identifying books and websites with additional information are in the libraries now. A list of the libraries may be found in the right column of this web page. You may also find a link to a list of the events in the masthead above.

Displays with copies of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and related books are now up in the libraries. Reference and readers’ advisory staff are now ready to take your questions. Please join us.

The finale for this year’s big read was an evening with Elizabeth Berg, who read from and discussed her book Dream When You’re Feeling Blue. The event held at Ashton Place in Darien on Thursday, May 8 drew fans from all ten of the Big Read libraries.

After the presentation, the author stayed to sign books for many fans.

On Sunday, May 4, Tres Bella sang songs of the Andrews Sisters at a reception for World War II Veterans at the Indian Prairie Public Library.

A member of the Tres Bella cast in costume as an Andrews Sister

Author Elizabeth Berg will discuss her book Dream When You’re Feeling Blue as part of The Big Read on Thursday, May 8 at 7 p.m. at Ashton Place, 341 75th Street, Willowbrook. Berg talks about her inspiration for the book, the research she did for it, and the response to it. The evening will also include a brief reading, time for questions, and a book signing. Books will be available for sale by Anderson’s Bookshop.

Registration is required and will be conducted by phone only. Patrons can call the Downers Grove Public Library at (630) 960-1200 starting at 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 16. Patrons must have a library card from one of The Big Read libraries to register and attend the program (libraries are listed on the right-hand side of this page). Only four tickets per patron are allowed. Those who register for the program can pick up tickets at their home library the week of April 27. There is a limit of 1,000 registrants and no walk-ins.