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Announcing the May Meet the Author lineup! Douglas Brunt Wednesday, May 1 | 3-4 p.m. Join us as we chat with New York Times bestselling author, Douglas Brunt about his instant bestselling debut non-fiction work The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I. This book reveals the hidden history of Rudolf Diesel, one of the world’s greatest inventors, and his mysterious disappearance on the eve of World War I. Douglas Brunt is the New York Times bestselling author of The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel and host of the top-rated SiriusXM author podcast Dedicated with Doug Brunt. Nina Simon Wednesday, May 8 | 7-8 p.m. You’re invited to join New York Times-bestselling debut author Nina Simon online as she chats about her lighthearted whodunnit about a grandmother-mother-daughter trio of amateur sleuths, Mother-Daughter Murder Night. This big-hearted whodunnit is a Reese's Book Club pick and a "best of 2023" selection for Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CrimeReads, and LibraryJournal. Rebecca F. Kuang Tuesday, May 21 | 7-8 p.m. Don't miss what is sure to be a thrilling conversation with Rebecca F. Kuang (R.F. Kuang) about her New York Times bestselling novel, Yellowface. It grapples with questions of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation, as well as the terrifying alienation of social media. Rebecca F. Kuang is the award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Poppy War trilogy, Babel: An Arcane History, and Yellowface. Meet the Author is sponsored by Friends of the Fauquier Library and made possible through the Library Speaker’s Consortium. Registration is required; programs are also available for on-demand viewing following the event. Learn more at https://bit.ly/fplauthor.

What was the best book you read in 2023? We asked, and you answered! The following are the books submitted by your friends and neighbors as their favorite reads. The titles they couldn't put down, that make them laugh or maybe even cry. Here's what Fauquier Recommends. Fiction The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander Becoming Duchess Goldblatt by Anonymous The House is on Fire by Rachel Beanland The Windsor Knot by S. J. Bennett All the Broken Places by John Boyne Horse by Geraldine Brooks Red Rising by Pierce Brown The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S. A. Chakraborty Morning Sun in Wuhan by Ying Chang Compestine Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby Matchmaking for Beginners by Maddie Dawson All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr The Measure by Nikki Erlick The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett The Midnight Library by Matt Haig The Magic of Sea Glass by Jenny Hale Weyward by Emilia Hart Verity by Colleen Hoover Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan The Emily Windsnap series by Liz Kessler Fairy Tale by Stephen King Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver Under the Whispering Door by T. J. Klune A Good Year by Peter Mayle We are All So Good at Smiling by Amber McBride The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride Absolution by Alice McDermott Winter by Marissa Meyer Homecoming by Kate Morton Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson The Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley The Guncle by Steven Rowley The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling Amber and Clay by Laura Amy Schlitz The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by Victoria Schwab Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles The Secret History by Donna Tartt Women Talking by Miriam Toews Good Night, Irene by Luis Alberto Urrea Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros Non-Fiction Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom Mother Culture by Karen Andreola Strangers to Ourselves by Rachel Aviv American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin The End of Night by Paul Bogard The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown The Rise and Reign of the Mammals by Stephen Brusatte Life on the Mississippi by Rinker Buck The Gifts of the Jews by Thomas Cahill The Return of the Gods by Jonathan Cahn The Art Thief by Michael Finkel From West to East by James S. Gibson The Wager by David Grann When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer If This is a Man by Primo Levi The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy And There Was Light by Jon Meacham Over My Dead Body by Greg Melville Radium Girls by Kate Moore Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell The Creative Act by Rick Rubin Robert E. Lee and Me by Ty Seidule Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty Accountable by Dashka Slater My Name is Barbra by Barbra Streisand The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom To Dye For by Alden Wicker The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben Reader Come Home by Maryanne Wolf

A soft tap sounds at the back door of the Warrenton library offices.  It’s Monday morning and the first of our volunteers for the week shows up ready to work. That’s just one of the 80 people who volunteer their time and talent to help bridge the gap between what the library would like to offer and what it can afford. Together these community-minded souls contributed over 6,000 hours in 2023 processing new books, maintaining our gardens, keeping StoryWalks® current, guiding book club discussions, interviewing local authors, artists or scholars, answering questions about our natural environment or how to use new technology. Friends of the Fauquier Library volunteers operate the Book Cellar, a used bookstore in the basement of the John Barton Payne building.  Each week they sort through hundreds of donations to keep the store’s shelves stocked with great books and movies for all ages at bargain prices. All Book Cellar proceeds go to supporting the library. In fact, in 2023, the Friends gave $32,000 to fund Older Wiser Learners, Sundays at Two, books for Head Start youngsters, ebooks, book clubs, the summer reading program and Meet the Author. While we cherish our volunteers throughout the year, April 18-24, is National Volunteer Week, a time to recognize the huge difference they have made for our library. Thank you, dear friends, for choosing to spend your time with us to make the library one of the best services available to the Fauquier community. Maria Del Rosso Director, Fauquier Public Library

Join us in April for three new author talk presentations! Begin the month with Smithsonian Curator Paula J. Johnson and a discussion about American Table: The Foods, People, and Innovations That Feed Us. Additionally, we will host our first-ever two author event with Colum McCann and Diane Foley as they talk about American Mother. Finally, Xochitl Gonzalez will join us to chat about her new book Anita de Monte Laughs Last. Events are live streamed and include a one-hour interview, followed by a Q&A consisting of questions prepared by the moderator and questions submitted by participants before and during the event. Paula J. Johnson Tuesday, April 2 | 2-3 p.m. Virtually step into the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History with Curator Paula Johnson as she discusses the book Smithsonian American Table: The Foods, People, and Innovations That Feed Us. American Table is a sweeping history of food and culture that summons  everyone to the table for a fresh look at some of the people, ingredients, events, and movements that have shaped how and what we eat. Johnson, curator and project director of the American Food History Project, will discuss several stories featured in the volume, with an emphasis on those that intersect most directly with the Smithsonian’s research, collecting, and programming around food history. After this enlightening, enriching, and entertaining webinar, you can cook your way through the recipes that are featured in the volume that reflect American history and culture. Colum McCann & Diane Foley Tuesday, April 9 | 2-3 p.m. Join us for a one-of-a-kind conversation with National Book Award-winner Colum McCann as he is joined by Diane Foley, the inspiration behind the heartrending book American Mother. American Mother is the story of a mother who, in the course of confronting her son’s killer, gets to the elemental heart of violence and forgiveness. Diane Foley is the mother of Jim, a freelance journalist captured and beheaded by ISIS in 2014, an image that became one of the most iconic of the 21st century. Seven years later, Diane gets the chance to spend three days with the murderer of her son in a Virginia courthouse, inspiring her to tell her life story. What unfolds is one of the most compelling narratives in recent literary history, channeled into searing reality by New York Times bestselling author Colum McCann, who brings us on a journey of strength, resilience, and radical empathy. Xochitl Gonzalez Wednesday, April 17 | 2-3 p.m. We cannot wait for you to join us as we chat with award-winning and bestselling author Xochitl Gonzalez about her newest novel Anita de Monte Laughs Last. Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a propulsive, witty examination of power, love, and art, daring to ask who gets to be remembered and who is left behind in the rarefied world of the elite. In 1985. Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in New York City; her tragic death is the talk of the town. By 1998 Anita’s name had been all but forgotten―certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student was preparing her final thesis. On College Hill, surrounded by privileged students whose futures are already paved out for them, Raquel feels like an outsider. Students of color, like her, are the minority there, and the pressure to work twice as hard for the same opportunities is no secret. As she attempts to straddle both worlds, she stumbles upon Anita’s story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship, which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist.

Read. Shop. Buy smart. Thinking of trading in that old car for a new model?  That’s a big commitment. Before you head to the dealership check out CRs April issue, devoted to making the right selection.  Start by reading what they have to say about their “10 Top Picks.”  These are the vehicles that came out on top in “road-test performance, predicted reliability, owner satisfaction, and safety.”  Four selections from Toyota and two from Subaru earned top marks, along with others from Mazda, Ford, Tesla and BMW. “The Best and Worst Lists” identify vehicles that do (and don’t) make the cut in categories like destination charges, (which CR notes can be quite costly if they’re wrapped into the vehicle financing), gas milage, EV range and reliability.  Be sure to read: “Airbags Are a Lifesaver” to understand how your car is equipped to keep you safe in an accident. If you’re trying to keep the costs down, don’t miss “The Best Buys Right Now” for tips on great cars priced below $27,000, and “Where to Find the Good Deals” for guidelines on getting a good deal no matter what kind of vehicle you want to buy.  Then turn to the “New Car Ratings” and make a list of your own top picks. If you aren't planning to buy a new car right away, learn what to expect in a couple of years with “What’s New … What’s Next?”  This article is all about “The Hot Hybrid Everyone’s Talking About”  - a plug in EV that can switch to gas for longer trips.  These are called “PHEVs” and CR rates them by comparing them to gas, hybrid or EV counterparts. Take a look at the detailed ratings and reports for cars, trucks and SUVs by accessing CR Online and selecting "cars" from the menu options. Consumer Reports magazine is available free in print and online to Fauquier Public Library card holders, providing access to articles, reviews and ratings on over 8,000 products and services. The library has copies of Consumer Reports dating back to 2022. To learn more about library programs and services, sign up for our newsletters.

Sundays at Two with muralist Craig McPherson is now available on-demand.  Watch the lively discussion, led by veteran journalist Lou Emerson, about the artist's 50-year professional art career. Mark your calendar for the next Sundays at Two, June 2 at 2 p.m. featuring Sir Peter Crane, President of Oak Spring Garden Foundation.  Crane is internationally known for his work on the diversity of plant life. Previously he was Director of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, one of the most prestigious and influential botanical gardens in the world. All library programs are free of charge. To learn more about upcoming library programs and events, sign up for our newsletters.

Our August author lineup sizzles with intriguing and interesting topics. Robert Jones Jr. Tuesday, August 15 |  4-5 p.m. Robert Jones, Jr. (formerly known online as “Son of Baldwin”) is a Brooklyn-based, award-winning writer. He is the author of The New York Times bestselling novel, The Prophets, which won the 2022 Publishing Triangle Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction and was a 2021 National Book Award for Fiction finalist. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Essence, Variety, and The Paris Review, as well as in the critically acclaimed anthologies Four Hundred Souls and The 1619 Project. Cassandra Clare Wednesday, August 23 | 8–9 p.m. Join us for an exciting evening as we chat with mega-bestselling author, Cassandra Clare, about her newest and final book in The Last Hours series, Chain of Thorns.  An author of YA and fantasy fiction, she has written numerous instant #1 New York Times and USA Today bestsellers including the rest of The Mortal Instruments series, The Infernal Devices series, and The Last Hours series. Jeff Selingo Wednesday, August 30 | 2-3 p.m. For a year, Jeff Selingo immersed himself in the world of admissions to answer the question on the minds of teenagers and their parents: how do colleges select their freshman class? The result is his most recent book, Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions, named one of the 100 Notable Books of 2020 by the New York Times.  A regular contributor to The Atlantic, Jeff is a special advisor for innovation and professor of practice at Arizona State University and also co-hosts the podcast, FutureU. Meet the Author is sponsored by Friends of the Fauquier Library and made possible through the Library Speaker’s Consortium.  Registration is required; all programs are available for on-demand viewing following the event. Remember, your registration ensures that you will recieve a direct link not just to the live program, but also to the recorded version.

“When it’s good, it’s very good, but when it’s bad it’s horrid.” Forgive me for altering Longfellow’s poem, but it sizes up the situation perfectly when confronted with a balky technology problem. If you don’t have a resident techno whiz to sort out your confusing phone, tablet or laptop, we have a new service that may help.  Teen volunteer Jack Woodard staffs a weekly help desk at the Warrenton library for the technology challenged.  Teaching and troubleshooting only; no device repair offered.  Appointments are recommended. Other highlights this month. We’re pleased to welcome back Socrates Café after a pandemic hiatus.  Taking its cue from the Greek philosopher’s adage, “the unexamined life is not worth living”, the group includes people from different backgrounds who get together and exchange philosophical perspectives. This month’s topic -- “Does life have meaning?”  New members welcome. With a nod to St. Patrick’s Day, we’ve put together Irish films for your enjoyment. Golly, there are some good ones. Here’s your chance to vote for your favorite book of 2023.  We’re collecting titles and will publish a list.  A great way to help you decide what to read next. When I was a high school senior and taking standardized tests, I was told to show up on Saturday with a #2 pencil.  Times have changed.  Test prep has become far more elaborate and expensive.  Give your wallet a break and try Peterson’s one-stop-shop test prep.  From high school placement tests to college admissions tests to career exams, Peterson's includes practice tests, online courses and career assessments. There’s even a job search powered by Indeed.com. I’ll leave you with more of Longfellow, “The love of learning, the sequestered nooks, And all the sweet serenity of books.”  Yep, got it, got it, got it at the library. Maria Del Rosso Director, Fauquier Public Library

The joint is jumping! Since June 1, 14,000 people visited a Fauquier library; 330 signed up for a library card; over 1,700 attended a library program. Those numbers confirm what we knew all along — the library and summer go hand in hand, like sun and sand, baseball and hotdogs or 4th of July and fireworks. All Together Now, this year’s summer reading program, has been a huge draw for children, teens and adults.  There’s plenty of action still to come.  Check out this newsletter for great activities for all ages. New programs in July highlight a deep bench of local citizens willing to share their time and talent with library users. The Naturalist is In. Bring your snakes, rocks, trees or plants to your local library to be peeked at or prodded by a master naturalist from the Old Rag division of the Naturalists of Virginia. The experts will visit each branch library once a month to answer your questions about nature and the environment. Join Hope Porter, a leader in land conservation in Fauquier County and veteran journalist and editor Lou Emerson, on July 16 for a discussion about Mrs. Porter’s nearly 60 years as an “accidental activist.” This is the first in our series, Sundays at Two, which brings together distinguished writers, artists, and scholars for conversations about their work and life. Legendary history teacher Bob Jacobs will lead the library’s newest book club featuring non-fiction titles.  And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle is up first on July 26.  Mr. Jacobs taught history over 38 years, many of them at Fauquier High School. Such a nice lineup of events.  All together now, come and see us.  You’ll be glad you did. Maria Del Rosso Director, Fauquier Public Library

The Mary H. Weir Public Library was one block from my elementary school.  A note from my mother freed me to visit the place during lunch time recess.  It wasn’t a hard choice – play vs. Nancy Drew. The girl sleuth always won. To check out three books (that was the limit) a library card was necessary.  Nothing else would do despite the fact I was a well-known customer. I loved my library card. It was my passport to the world of roadsters, clues in crumbling chimneys, cliff hangers resolved in the next chapter.  The wonder of it. I felt from a very young age that reading was the life for me. September is National Library Card Sign-up Month. Most of you reading this already have a library card.  But does your best friend? Neighbor? Boss? This month persuade those people in your life to register for a library card. Remind them that signing up for a library card is free and easy, and that libraries are still better than the internet. This newsletter is filled with things to read, learn, listen or do.  No note necessary from your mother. Just take out your library card and get busy. Maria Del Rosso Director, Fauquier Public Library

There’s a wow factor that greets visitors to Warrenton these days. The beige Britches building at the corner of Culpeper and Main Streets has been transformed by a brilliant rendering of the Blue Ridge mountains. Pure alchemy, perhaps. Or, maybe not. You can learn more about murals and what it takes to create them when award winning artist Craig McPherson discusses his work with retired journalist Lou Emerson on February 25, the next installment of our Sundays at Two series.  McPherson is known for his New York murals, as well as paintings, mezzotint engravings, pastels and drawings.  Many can be found in museums around the world. February is for doers, according to author Marc Parent. And we’ve got plenty for you to do. Get counting! The 2024 Great Backyard Bird Count takes place from February 16 through 19.  Each year, volunteers tally the birds they see in backyards, parks and natural areas.  Check out a birdwatching kit with all the essentials, including binoculars, a birdsong identifier, flashcards and a guide to Virginia birds. Added bonus.  Watch our local ornithological expert Dr. David Wiedenfeld on the bird count and other birding resources. The winter reading program continues.  Pick up a game card and complete the tasks to win a prize. Bestselling authors Tessa Bailey, Jason Mott and Kim Scott make up the February lineup for Meet the Author.  One writes romances, one is a National Book Award winner and one tells you how to be a great boss. Here’s our nod to Valentine’s Day.  We’ve put together three Movie Marathons for Romantics.  From Cary Grant to Cher—pick your potion. Last thoughts. “You are Home” is the Britches’ mural theme.  Remember that when you see a spectacular sunset this month. Both are a reminder that we live in an astoundingly beautiful place. Dare I say “magical?” Maria Del Rosso Director, Fauquier Public Library

Read. Shop. Buy smart. Everyone knows a good night’s sleep is essential to good health.  It stands to reason that your mattress has a lot to do with how well you sleep.  In this issue CR is all set to help you “Find a Mattress You’ll Love.”  Start by reading “5 Key Factors” which will take you through a question-and-answer process that builds a list of mattress qualities based on the way you sleep.  Take that list and turn to the ratings pages to learn which mattress brands are most likely to suit your needs.  Now you’re ready to go shopping, but even here CR has some great advice for you.  Read “Where to Shop – and How” to ensure that your mattress shopping trip is a success.  Sleep well! Do you buy health drinks?  If so, have you ever wondered what qualifies those drinks as ‘healthy?’  This month CR asks: “Are These ‘Healthy’ Drinks Good For You?”  Read this for a quick look at how the prebiotics, probiotics, vitamins, minerals, stimulants and electrolytes found in these drinks can work to benefit your health.  You’ll notice that throughout the article the experts interviewed caution readers not to rely on the drinks alone to provide healthy nutrients.  The drinks do not replace whole foods when it comes to getting the quantity and quality of nutrients you need, but they can serve as supplements.  Check out “The Truth About Energy and Sports Drinks” to learn about some products that probably aren’t giving you any real benefit. Are you just cooking for 2 most of the time?  CR shows you how a next generation toaster oven “can stand in for your full-sized oven in almost every way” and save you money.  Read this month’s product update “The Best New Toaster Ovens From Our Tests” to learn more.  Expect to pay more if you want your toaster oven to really do it all – the price for these more advanced models ranges from $125 to $500 depending upon how you plan to use it.  Ovens are put in one of three categories: “The Basics,” “The In-Betweens,” and “The Multitaskers,” and then provides a ratings page to help select the right make and model. Other topics in this issue include: “Dishwashers” “Coffee Makers” “Luggage” “Interior Paints” “Chainsaws” Consumer Reports magazine is available free in print and online to Fauquier Public Library card holders, providing access to articles, reviews and ratings on over 8,000 products and services. The library has copies of Consumer Reports dating back to 2019.