Library News: Speakers, Discussions and the Spelling Bee

The Scarsdale Library will host some interesting speakers and discussions this month. Here are just a few of the events for December. Also – the Friends of the Scarsdale Library Spelling Bee will be held on January 23, 2015. The deadline for teens or adults to enter iis December 15th. Please see details below.

Naval Historian to Discuss Contrarian Interpretation of World War II in the Pacific

It was a "Day of Infamy," that started a "Clash of Civilizations" as many theorized after December 7, 1941. Scarsdale resident Walt Johanson, who served in the Navy and helped plan "Operation Desert Storm" in 1990 has a different view.

Johanson will discuss his contrarian viewpoint in the context of the conflicts the U.S. faces today at the Scarsdale Public Library on Monday, December 8, at 7:30 p.m. Johanson believes that viewing the war as a clash of civilizations goes contrary to an analysis of the deep-rooted causes of the war in the Pacific and that thinking has contributed to the "failed policies" of today.

Johanson retired from the Navy in 1995 after a 30-year career in that service and the Marine Corps Reserves. He was an analyst at the Navy War College and wrote a history of the naval reserve. After retiring from the Navy he has taught in Mount Vernon and at the City College of New York, Iona College and Mercy College.

Black Holes and the Evolution of the Universe:

Meg Urry, the chair of the Physics Department at Yale will speak at the library on Tuesday night December 9th at 7:30 pm. She is an engaging lecturer and will present a great astrophysics slide show. Urry has been a leading promoter of women seeking careers in science and has been written up in the NY Times. The event is sponsored by the Yale Westchester Alumni Association Speakers Program. The public is invited and the event is free. For more information and to register, click here.

Nancy's Book Group to Discuss "The Rise and Fall of Great Powers"

Nancy's Book Group, led by Nancy Zachary, will discuss "The Rise and Fall of Great Powers" by Tom Rachman at the Scarsdale Public Library on Wednesday, December 17, at 1 p.m., with an evening session at 7:30 p.m. The New York Times described the work as "ingenious."

The novel focuses on Tooly Zylberberg, who as child led a peripatetic existence. Left to her own devices much of the time, it seemed inevitable that Tooly would fall in with a ragtag group of ex-pats who took her under their collective wing. The novel spans the last 30 years in this tale of a rocky road to adulthood. Over the course of flashbacks and fast-forward escapades, Tooly gradually pieces together the jigsaw of her unconventional life to confront a complete picture that isn't always comforting.
Registration is required at the library's main desk or by calling 722-1300.

Sign Up for the Spelling Bee!

Time is running out to sign up to participate in the fifth annual Friends of the Scarsdale Library Adult and Teen Spelling Bee. Teams of up to three individuals compete for prizes and recognition as the community's premier spellers. Spots are filling quickly, and the entry deadline is December 15th. Application forms are available at the Library or online at http://www.scarsdalelibrary.org/friends. Returning teams are looking for competition from challengers, who must be in high school and/or adults. The competition promises to be keen, with audience members spelling along quietly or cheering for their favorite team to win the grand prize, a set of Bose TrueSound headphones.

Besides the etymological main event, the evening's fun will include raffles and a silent auction. Notable auction items this year include an eight-week SAT prep course offered by TestTakers and valued at $1995, and a painter for a day, provided by A.G. Williams Painting Company, Inc., and valued at $600.

The Spelling Bee will take place on Friday, January 23rd at 7:30 PM in the Scarsdale High School Auditorium. Proceeds from the Spelling Bee will be used to fund a high-level speaker series, bringing quality programming to Scarsdale and making the library the intellectual hub of the community.

For more information, contact co-chairs Renu Lalwani at 917-584-8834 or renublalwani@gmail.com or Carolyn Mehta at 914 584-5903 or kamncar@aol.com.