Café au Libris

Friday, November 3, Athens-Clarke County Library

originally published November 1, 2006

One of the many wonderful things about Athens is the plethora of fine writers living here. One of the other wonderful things about Athens is that many of the fine people living here become writers. The Friends of the Athens-Clarke County Library have caught on to this demographic and have learned to exploit it to their advantage and to ours. Their annual Café Au Libris at the library brings out some of our best writers - along with live music, coffee and desserts - to discuss their recent work and sign copies of their books. A silent auction of gift baskets with a literary theme painlessly raises money to benefit that great (and chronically underfunded) community resource, the Athens-Clarke County Library.

This year's lineup includes the prolific Philip Lee Williams and his new book In The Morning: Reflections from First Light, a collection of essays. It will be interesting to learn what reflections Williams has time to see at first light, since it has been his habit for decades to be up writing long before rosy fingered dawn reaches Flat Rock Road in the still undeveloped wilds of Oconee County.

Even if he never wrote a word, John McCormack would be worth the evening just because of his warm personality and his delightful wit. But he has written humorously of his career as a country veterinarian prior to his becoming a professor of large animal medicine. John's latest is Santa Makes House Calls: Christmas Stories from a Country Vet.

And all that weird stuff you've always heard about Georgia has been collected by Jim Miles and packaged for your reading pleasure in, appropriately, Weird Georgia, a guide to local legends and best kept secrets. Now you have proof to show all those skeptical friends from Des Moines.

Finally, Kemp Jones - local musician, caterer and all-around cool gent - has written F.O.L.L.O.W., a charming account of his son's lost (and found) cat, illustrated by the bold colorist Stan Mullins and accompanied by a CD with songs for the book played by Kemp and his many musician friends.

This occasion is a guaranteed pleasure and a great way to help the library. Starts at 7 p.m., and admission is free.

Pete McCommons