The townwide ReadDavidson reading program has picked Kathryn Stockett’s “The Help” as this year’s community reading book, and organized six related events between August and November – from lectures and discussions to a bake-off and movie screening. Meanwhile, The Farm at Weathers Creek in Cleveland, N.C., is hosting a seminar for writers on using social media, with expert Jeff Elder. And Main Street Readers will discuss “We Are Welcome Here” at Main Street Books July 19.

READDAVIDSON EVENTS LISTED

SOURCE: ReadDavidson
ReadDavidson is a town-wide initiative organized by a group of avid readers, the Town of Davidson, Main Street Books and the Davidson Public Library. Starting in 2007, books have been chosen annually via town-wide vote, and book-related events have been planned by the ReadDavidson committee to make each book come to life.

This year, we have selected “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett. The Help is available at the library, Main Street Books or at the ReadDavidson table at the Davidson Farmer’s Market on Saturday, August 4th.

We encourage all readers to participate in the following events:

• KICK-OFF: Tuesday, August 16th, 7pm at Our Town Cinemas for the showing of the movie, The Help. Discount tickets ($7) may be purchased at Main Street Books and the Davidson Branch Library starting in August. Enjoy the movie and a short discussion afterwards.
• Bake-Off and Tasting at the Davidson Farmer’s Market on Saturday, August 27: Tasty baking features prominently in “The Help,” so we are asking people to bake something mentioned in the book (perhaps Minny’s caramel cake? Aibileen’s strawberry cake baked for Mae Mobley’s birthday?) using as many ingredients as possible from the market, and bring a finished product for market visitors to taste and vote upon the morning of August 27th. More details to come.
• Book Discussion with Davidson College Professor Shireen Campbell: Tuesday, September 13 at 7:30pm in the Community Room at the Davidson Public Library. Please join us for a lively discussion.
• Professor Emeritus Tony Abbott lectures on “The Help” on Monday, September 26th at 2pm at The Pines, but anyone, not just Pines residents, is invited to attend. Come hear Tony’s animated perspective on the wonderful characters in this book.
• Panel discussion led by the Beloved Community, a book club melding members of the Davidson Presbyterian Church and Davidson College Presbyterian Church – Wednesday, September 28 at 7pm at Davidson Presbyterian Church at 116 Depot Street. The panel will discuss “The Help” and share some personal memories and experiences from the past in Davidson, and how the past affects the present.
• FINALE: Sunday, November 6 at 4pm at Town Hall in conjunction with the Davidson Historical Society. Dr. Jan Blodgett and Dr. Ralph Levering will discuss life in Davidson in the 1960s and will compare it to life in Jackson, Mississippi, in the 60s, setting for “The Help.”

Synopsis of “The Help,” by Kathryn Stockett – Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step. Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen’s best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody’s business, but she can’t mind her tongue, so she’s lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

USING SOCIAL MEDIA

Farm at Weathers Creek
How do you present yourself to the world online? Probably not by following Rep. Weiner’s lead. You can get attention SO many other ways.

Jeff Elder

This thing called “social media” – the big cyber-party – is here to stay. To ensure you make the most of it, you need to understand the etiquette and the boundless opportunities for reach you have.

On Saturday, July 9, 2011 – Weathers Creek Writers’ Series presents “Writing for Social Media.” Jeff Elder, former columnist with The Charlotte Observer will school us in using Facebook, blogs, Twitter and more, to engage an immediate audience. Elder studied social media on a year-long fellowship to Stanford University and has more than 37,000 followers on Twitter. Students are encouraged to have their social accounts and blogs available to work on, for a hands-on, immediately applicable session. For more on Jeff, see jeffelder.net.

Cost for the workshop is $75 and includes a homemade lunch. Register for the July 9 session by July 1 . Class is limited to 14 students. All sessions will start promptly at 10 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. For more information go to our website The Farm at Weathers Creek.

MAIN STREET READERS JULY

The Main Street Readers book group will discuss “We Are All Welcome Here” by Elizabeth Berg on Tuesday, July 19. The discussion is at 7 p.m. at Main Street Books, 126 S. Main St. Call 704-892-6841 for info.

BARNES & NOBLE BOOK EVENTS

Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Birkdale Village has a variety of book-related events in the coming weeks, from kids’ book clubs, to story times to training on using your Nook reader. More info: http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/store/2118

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