Greetings, Readers!

It looks like Summer is here, does it not? The wind has calmed, the temperature has raised, and the sun is up! Readers, it is a good time of the year, and I hope you are enjoying it to the fullest. Alert Reader Phyllis sent us something that you may all like to hear. "For listeners in range of the classical service of Spokane public Radio - at a.m. weekdays, they are carrying Garrison Keillor's "the Writer's Almanac" - which talks about noted writers' births and deaths on that date, as well as having a poem a day... just started doing this in Spokane on 4/1." That's a great tip, Phyllis, thank you!

Readers, have you ever wanted to win a book? Or perhaps even tickets for two to Paris? Then stop on by Book People and play the Lonely Planet 'Guess the Cities' game! You could win a 'City Book' by Lonely Planet, and even have a shot at two round-trip tickets to Paris! Sound good? It gets better - there's no cost to enter. Just fill out a form and you're good to go!

Saturday, April 29th, from 12pm - 2pm, Gail Stearns will be at Book People of Moscow, signing copies of her book 'Writing Pauline'. We thought you might like to know a little more about the book in question, and so we have a Book Review for you! And, as always, refreshments will be provided. "Take A Risk! What can you learn from a woman who lived nearly a century? A lot, especially in reading Writing Pauline; Wisdom From A Long Life. Gail Stearns shows the wisdom and value of reading the life histories of ordinary people. Her skillfull writing and her own moral concern shows the reader Pauline Thompson's moral universe, as expressed through the daily actions of her life. Pauline's actions were based on her awareness of God's presence in her life. "Writing Pauline" tells the story of Pauline's intellectual journey by focusing not on the sensational events of Pauline's life (and there are those), but on the knowledge gained through experiencing life one day at a time for over 90 years. Knowledge, or Pauline's gnosis, resulted from her involvement with the issues of her time. This sacred journey led her to a Christian ethos that was not crucifiction centered; a Christian morality that was focused on the connectedness of all people. This presence of God in her life led her to embrace her life experiences and the community where they took place, and to an ethical stance requiring self-assertion and creativity. Thompson developed a feminist ethic, planting the possibility for further ethical action among the community, where anger against social injustice is central. Pauling's involvement in the issues of her time was a risk-taking which opened the way for others to consider ethical action against communal society. For Pauline, moral maturity did not equal a perfect relationship or behavior. God, for Pauline, was not an image like The Father, but an existence or being which embodies the meaning in life with myth and paradox. The value of your past is the foundation of your presence. Thompson saw Jesus' death as the triumph over death, not the celebration of violent death, and not as an absolution of sin as a way of avoiding further responsibility. To her, there is no such thing as God's will as an excuse for things to happen. Morality for Pauline became compassion, opposed to compicity in the social structures of sin; morality as love and integrity, not outer individual behavior. Pauline saw Christianity as an invitation to explore questions that help one transcend the limits of life. Writing Pauling is about the moral agency of a woman moving towards a life of wholeness, where Pauline sought to extract heaven from Chaos. A moral agency made by choices, a life made not by the highlights but by the process of living."

Sunday, April 30th, 3:00pm at the Beasley Coliseum, you can see Cinderella! That's right, Readers, Cinderalla! In Ballet form! Ballet Jorgen of Canada, one of the greatest ballet companies in North America, has taken the classic story and adapted it to the (dance) stage with a mixture of romance, humor, and soaring dance that everyone can enjoy! So pick up some tickets and check it out! Tickets are available from the Beasley Coliseum, the UI North Campus Center, or Tickets West (1-800-325-SEAT)

 Do you like safe streets? I certainly do, Readers. Show your support for the folks who keep them that way - march in support of the Police Union on May 1st, at 2:30pm. The march will begin at the Carpenter's Union Hall at 302 Jackson street, and continue on to city hall.

Also, Readers, you should know that the Tapestry Women's Choir will be performing very soon! The concert, called 'Sisters', features music that celebrates the lives of women. Their performances are as follows: May 1st, Colfax United Methodist Church; May 2nd, Pullman St. James Episcopal Church; and May 3rd, Garfield-Palouse Middle School. All performances are at 7:30pm. The suggested donation for a seat is $3, and you can rest easy knowing that part of every ticket sale goes to the Colfax Relay for Life.

Kiss Tomorrow Hello, Friday the 12th of May, from 4pm - 6pm, right here at Book People! We will be having, just in time for graduation, a book signing featuring Kim Barnes, Mary Blew, Claire Davis, and Joy Passanante - all superb authors who are featured in this excellent collection of tales from the midlife underground. This event will be a lot of fun, Readers, don't miss out!

Readers, those of you who have not yet seen the beautiful Renaissance Fair banner, hand-made by Linda Rasmussen, should come by and check it out before the fair is over! After the fair is over, it will be moving to a new home.

And that's all for this week, Readers! Thank you for reading! And, as always, if you have anything to add to our newsletter, please by all means feel free to send us an email or give us a call! Take care, Readers!

-Book People of Moscow

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