Three One Book One Community programs leading up to the author’s visit are on the calendar.
The selected title for 2023 is The Children’s Blizzard, a piece of historical fiction by Melanie Benjamin that follows two sisters – both teachers on the Great Plains – that are faced with making a life or death decision as a blizzard strikes on a day when many of their students had not come to school dressed for such weather. One makes a decision that will lead her to be ostracized. The other is viewed as a hero in the aftermath. It also is a tale of survival and redemption for two other main characters – one a servant girl who miraculously comes through the tragedy and the other a journalist who lured immigrants to the unhospitable land with his newspaper stories.
Full of human drama and a bit of history with an actual blizzard that struck on January 12, 1888 as the novel’s backdrop, the book is one that will strike up lots of discussion.
Getting it started at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 21, will be local Scouts who will talk about winter survival as they prepare for their annual Klondike Derby.
Robb Hyde, president of the Alliance Area Preservation Society, will give a history lesson on one-room schoolhouses when he delivers Local Schoolhouses and the Three R's in 19th Century Alliance at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday, March 6.
[REGISTER HERE For 11 A.M. PROGRAM]
[REGISTER HERE FOR 7 P.M. PROGRAM]
On Saturday, March 11 at 2 p.m., Eric Wilhelm, the chief meteorologist of Youngstown’s WFMJ (Channel 21) will talk about his job as a forecaster, the science of forecasting and how it has changed since The Children’s Blizzard struck, and the challenges of forecasting in Northeast Ohio.
All of those programs will be held in Rodman Public Library’s Main Auditorium and registration is required at rodmanlibrary.evanced.info/signup for all programs.
On Thursday, March 23, Benjamin will visit Alliance to discuss her book, answer audience questions and sign books. Her appearance will be held at 7 p.m. at the Union Avenue United Methodist Church, located at 1843 S. Union Avenue. Registration is not required to attend Benjamin’s lecture.
For more information about One Book One Community, call 330-821-2665.