One Book One Town 2012 has drawn to a close, capped off by an appearance by the author of our community read, The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic, Mr. Allan Wolf. He spoke to nearly 600 readers at the Regina A. Quick Center at Fairfield University, discussing his roots as a performance poet, inviting community members on stage to read pieces from the book and leading the whole audience in an unforgettable collaborative performance.

The One Book One Town committee heartily thanks Mr. Wolf and all the presenters and programmers who worked to make this year’s One Book One Town celebration the best one yet!

We also would like to thank all the Fairfielders who embraced this book and shared their enthusiasm for the power of reading and the power of community.

Now: what should we all read together next year? Feel free to comment with your suggestion for One Book One Town 2013…

Registration for most One Book One Town events begins tomorrow, Wednesday, February 1st.

There are exciting events for Fairfielders of all ages relating to the history of the Titanic and beyond. Musical celebrations, theatrical presentations, arts and crafts, book discussions and expert lectures: We’ve got it all.

Most thrillingly, author Allan Wolf will visit Fairfield to discuss his work. Register early, as we expect places for his March 26th appearance to fill up quickly.

Visit the Programs & Events tab (right above this post) or visit our online calendar of events for all the details and to register online.

“And with a great burst of steam-driven power, this great floating city set out with its cargo of human hearts. She was the largest moving thing on the planet ever made by man. Every porthole was ablaze with yellow light as the sun gave way to dusk and then darkness.”

 - E .J. Smith, The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic by Allan Wolf

*Image by Yzmo 

With the recent trend of literary mash-ups putting sea monsters into Sense and Sensibility and describing the tragic romantic fate of Android Karenina, it was just a matter of time before someone mixed the Titanic with some supernatural force.

Enter Carpathia, the forthcoming book by fantasy author Matt Forbeck. In this (tepidly-reviewed, we admit) story, the main characters survive the Titanic disaster and arrive on the rescue ship that the book is named for. Of course, the Carpathians are a mountain range in Eastern Central Europe, concentrated in Romania.

You know, Romania…home of Vlad the Impaler, also known as Dracula. You can see where this is going.

You can pick up the book at the Main Library in March when it is released, just in time for One Book One Town. Vampires are an angle that are certainly not represented in The Watch That Ends the Night. We’ll have to ask Allan Wolf if he ever considered it when he visits Fairfield on March 26th.

Or maybe not…

After the wild success of last year’s Around the Table, we have decided to bring back the One Book One Town Writer’s Contest.

In honor of this year’s townwide read, The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic by Allan Wolf, the theme of this year’s contest is Voices from the Past.

Create a piece of prose or poetry (300 words maximum) and send it to kronald@fplct.org. Submissions will be accepted January 1 to January 31, 2012.

Please note:

• All entries must be Word documents and double spaced.
• All entries must be submitted electronically: No ‘hard copies’ will be accepted.
• All entries must contain the author’s name, phone number and email address to be considered.
• All participants must have a library card that is registered in Fairfield (which is very easy to do: Just visit our circulation desk with your out-of-town library card next time you visit!)
• No entries that have been previously published will be accepted. New, original works only please!
• Submissions are due before January 31st.

Winners will be announced on March 1st and those writers will be invited to a special reception before author Allan Wolf’s presentation at Fairfield University on Monday, March 26th.

Happy writing!

It’s official: Our One Book One Town selection is about the Titanic. Part of the reason we selected The Watch That Ends the Night by Allan Wolf was that we were enchanted by the unique and exciting way he told this familiar story, turning it into something new and even surprising. Another reason why is that people young and old are still drawn in by the story of this ill-fated ocean liner.

Since the 100-year anniversary of the tragedy is April 2012, you can be sure that the Titanic will be on a lot of people’s minds. There will certainly be commemorations, museum exhibits, TV specials, books and wno-knows-what-else.

And, most strikingly, if you have the means you could even take a cruise that includes a 10-hour trip in a submersible down to the ocean floor to see the wreckage of the magnificent ship.

A New York Times article gives readers the lowdown on the expedition: After sailing out from Newfoundland, participants will dine on five-star cuisine, enjoy the amazing and strange sea life and, of course, descend to the site of the Titanic. All this for only…$60,000 dollars. While other cruise ships will likely sell packages that pass over the Titanic, this is the only one we’ve heard of that will take its passengers all the way to the wreckage. This is the last year the travel company, Deep Ocean Expeditions, will host this special cruise.

So if any Fairfielders decide to take the dive…please take some of us librarians with you! (Well, the ones who could endure 10 hours with two other people in that suddenly-small looking craft pictured above. Hmm…nevermind!)

We are thrilled to present Fairfield’s community read for 2012: The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic by Allan Wolf. This original and fascinating take on one of the most famous disasters in history is vivid, compassionate, intense and can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. Even if you think you know the story backwards and forwards, this book will thrill you.

Pick up a copy of the book the next time you visit the Fairfield Public Library, Fairfield Woods Branch Library or the Pequot Library. Also, you can purchase a copy at the Fairfield University Bookstore. It would make an outstanding holiday gift.

Mr. Wolf will visit Fairfield on Monday, March 26th. More information, including a month-long slate of events and programs will be announced soon. Please visit this blog throughout the winter months for details and to share your experiences reading this book.

Tomorrow at 10 AM the One Book One Town committee will hold a press conference in the lobby of the Fairfield Public Library where we will reveal the book selected as Fairfield’s community read for 2012.

We would like to thank those of you who have ventured guesses as to what our book will be: White stars for all of you! As the mystery draws to a close, here’s one last hint:

Hint #5: Although they no longer live here, the author is a Connecticut native.

Hint #4: If viral videos existed during the events of the book, characters might sing along to a certain Lonely Island song from Saturday Night Live.

Hint #3: The central incident of this book has also been featured in several popular movies

Hint #2: It is a very new book: It was published this Fall.

Hint #1: It is a work of historical fiction

After months of deliberation (by our committee of library staff, community partners and readers) and weeks of anticipation, the reveal of our fifth town-wide read is this week!

Join us on Thursday, December 1st at 10 AM in the lobby of the Fairfield Public Library for the official announcement of the 2012 One Book One Town selection.

Now, as promised, another hint. Keep up with even more clues on our Twitter feed:

Hint #4: If viral videos existed during the events of the book, characters might sing along to a certain Lonely Island song from Saturday Night Live.

Hint #3: The central incident of this book has also been featured in several popular movies

Hint #2: It is a very new book: It was published this Fall.

Hint #1: It is a work of historical fiction

In 10 days we will announce our official selection for the 2012 Community Read. It will be our fifth One Book One Town event and we are thrilled to bring another extraordinary book to our town. Stop by the Fairfield Public Library at 10 AM on Thursday, December 1st for the official unveiling or visit this blog that day for all the details.

With the holiday season fast approaching, we are in a giving mood: Here’s another hint. Feel free to speculate in the comments section.

Hint #3: The central incident of this book has also been featured in several popular movies

Hint #2: It is a very new book: It was published this Fall.

Hint #1: It is a work of historical fiction