January Events for Adults @ Hayward Public Library

Mystery & Suspense

Tuesday, January 5th @ 6:30 - 7:45 p.m., Main Library
In Aunt Dimity's Death, the first of an unusual British cozy/ghost story mystery series by Nancy Atherton, American Lori Shepherd, suffering from depression caused by her recent divorce, her mother's death, and an erratic income, receives notice of an inheritance of a Cotswold cottage from an "Aunt Dimity" whom Lori thought was a fictional character in her mother's bedtime stories. When Lori travels to England to meet the requirements of the will with the Boston lawyer who found her, she finds that she has inherited not just a lovely cottage but a ghost and a WW II mystery. Lori must now discover exactly who Aunt Dimity really is.
Discussion facilitated by Heidi.Ontiveros@hayward-ca.gov, 510-881-7975.

Mostly Literary Fiction
Monday, January 11th @ Noon, Peet's Coffee (B St. and Mission) and 6:30-7:45 p.m., Main Library
We will be discussing City of Thieves by David Benioff. Durin

g the Nazis' brutal siege of Leningrad, Lev Beniov is arrested for looting and thrown into the same cell as a handsome deserter named Kolya. Instead of being executed, Lev and Kolya are given a shot at saving their own lives by complying with an outrageous directive: secure a dozen eggs for a powerful Soviet colonel to use in his daughter's wedding cake. In a city cut off from all supplies and suffering unbeliev-able deprivation, Lev and Kolya embark on a hunt through the dire lawlessness of Leningrad and behind enemy lines to find the impossible.
Choose from two different meeting times and locations - noon at Peet's Coffee & Tea or in the evening at the Main Library.
Discussion facilitated by Sally.Thomas@hayward-ca.gov, 510-881-7700. Not able to attend meetings but want to discuss this book with others? Join GoodReads.com and participate in online discussions! Contact Sally for more information.

Autobiography & Memoir

Wednesday, January 20th @ 6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Main Library
This month we will be discussing The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry by Kathleen Flinn. Flinn was a thirty-six-year-old middle manager trapped on the corporate ladder - until her boss eliminated her job. Instead of sulking, she took the opportunity to check out of the rat race for good - cashing in her savings, moving to Paris, and landing a spot at the venerable Le Cordon Bleu cooking school. The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry is the funny and inspiring account of her struggle in a stew of hot-tempered chefs, competitive classmates, her own inadequate French - and how she mastered the basics of French Cuisine.
Discussion facilitated by Abbe.Kalos@hayward-ca.gov, 510-881-7941.

Weekes Branch Group

Saturday, January 30th @ 11:00 a.m., Weekes Branch Library
Introducing Weekes Branch Book Group! Join us for our first meeting. We will be discussing Laughing Without An Accent: Adventures of an Iranian American, at Home and Abroad by Firoozeh Dumas. This book features a collection of anecdotes from different points in the author's life: stories from her youth in Iran mix with memories of her experiences as a wife, mother, and author. Dumas' parents remain a big influence in her life, whether she's dealing with her mother's frequent and sometimes, in the case of one bright red comforter, unsightly gifts, or trying to understand her father and his brothers' fixation on The Price Is Right.
Group facilitated by Melesha.Owen@hayward-ca.gov or call 510-293-5239.