A column about your Eden Valley Area Library
?ÄúWhere the press is free and every man able to read, all is safe.?Äù ~ Thomas Jefferson
The press often gets a bad rap in this time of fake news and indiscriminate use of social media. Consider how fortunate we are to have not one, but two local papers publishing accurate and timely stories. So begins our salute to the news.
The Eden Valley/Watkins Voice is headed up by Mike Jacobson, immediate past president of the Minnesota Newspaper Association. When asked about being part of this column, he replied ?ÄúNewspapers and reading, you hit on topics I am passionate about.?Äù His background includes serving in the Peace Corps in Papua New Guinea from 1996-1998. Having seen government corruption and inefficiency first-hand, he ?Äútakes the newspaper?Äôs role as government watchdog very seriously.?Äù What?Äôs his favorite part of the job? Whether it?Äôs an excited football player, a student being honored or ordinary people doing extraordinary things, he loves ?Äúsharing the joy in people?Äôs life accomplishments.?Äù Of course, we had to ask for a book recommendation. His all-time favorite is ?ÄúGuns, Germs and Steel,?Äù by Jared Diamond.
The Tri-County News has covered Meeker, Stearns and Wright Counties since 1948, with an online presence since 2000. It?Äôs a family affair with Jean Doran Matua as publisher/editor and her mother Maxine Doran on staff. Matua is the fourth (and second-
longest) publisher of the Tri-County News, following in the footsteps of founder Phyllis Greely Hoeft. Jean?Äôs long-time book favorites are both by Leon Uris, ?ÄúExodus,?Äù and ?ÄúMila 18;?Äù both books were helpful in developing a broader world view. While in Warsaw during college, she visited the famed address Mila 18, and visited the Jewish historical museum near there. A much earlier literary influence, though, was the Nancy Drew mystery series. Besides loving the mysteries, she learned confidence from this smart, bold girl Nancy Drew.
Investigative journalists have long been responsible for uncovering uncomfortable truths. ?ÄúAll the President?Äôs Men,?Äù is a fine example. Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward investigated the Watergate break-in for The Washington Post and in doing so uncovered President Nixon?Äôs role. Another painstakingly researched book is ?ÄúMissoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town,?Äù by Jon Krakauer. Throwing light on the national plague of campus rapes, the book ?Äúmakes clear why rape is so prevalent on American campuses.?Äù
On a much lighter note, check out ?ÄúNews of the World,?Äù by Paulette Jiles. In this post-Civil War western, a former Army captain takes on the task of returning a 10-year-old girl held captive by Kiowa, back to her aunt and uncle. It?Äôs one of Sue?Äôs favorites.
For the picture book set, try ?ÄúThe Furry News: How to Make a Newspaper,?Äù by Loreen Leedy. You never know if you have a budding journalist in your midst. Independent readers might like ?ÄúHarriet the Spy,?Äù by Louise Fitzhugh, with ?ÄúHarriet and Her Secret Notebook.?Äù And for the young adults, we have ?ÄúFamous Last Words,?Äù by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski, featuring 16-year-old Samantha D?ÄôAngelo, and her summer internship at a local newspaper.
The column wouldn?Äôt be complete without a movie suggestion. Try ?ÄúGood Night, and Good Luck?Äù (rated-PG) starring David Strathairn and George Clooney. It tells of the conflict between veteran journalist Edward R. Morrow and U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy, and what happens when ?Äúthe media offer a voice of dissent from government policy.?Äù
Next month we are changing the name and format for Book Notes. While we will still tell about great library material, we?Äôll add timely information about library programs and activities. Featuring guest contributors, it should add a fresh perspective to our column. Look for ?ÄúCheck it Out,?Äù next month and let us know how you like it.