Two hundred years after Detroit surrendered to the British during the War of 1812, the city's riverfront will host a weeklong gala (Sept. 5- 10) which will include a replica tall ship, and four military ships. It was on August 16, 1812 that Gen. William Hull, commander of Fort Detroit, surrendered after being led to believe that the British forces across the river in Windsor were much larger than they actually were. After the war, he was court-martialed for his actions and sentenced to death, but was pardoned by President James Monroe because of Hull's service in the Revolutionary War.

The Chairperson, Don Turner, called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM

Present: J. Fausone, K. Schulz, M. Siegrist, G. Snow, D. Turner, C. Van Auken

On Thursday, September 13 at Noon we'll be discussing:

Once upon a river: a novel by Bonnie Jo Campbell — After the violent death of her father, in which she is complicit, Margo Crane takes to the Stark River in her boat, with only a few supplies and a biography of Annie Oakley, in search of her vanished mother. Her river odyssey through rural Michigan becomes a defining journey, one that leads her beyond self-preservation and to the decision of what price she is willing to pay for her choices. The New York Times called this book "an excellent American parable about the consequences of our favorite ideal, freedom."

Interested in writing? Join other adults to share your work, get feedback and discuss the craft of writing. We will meet on:

• Saturday, September 8 from 2:00-3:00 PM
• Saturday, September 22 from 2:00-3:00 PM

This class has been canceled.

Learn to create a spreadsheet and manage a list with Microsoft Excel 2007. Prerequisite: Mouse and keyboarding skills. Join us Friday, September 14th from 10:30 AM to Noon.

Merrill is best known for two popular children's books, The Pushcart War (1972) and The Toothpaste Millionaire (1972), but wrote more than 30 books and twelve movie scripts for animated adaptations of her work. A common theme in her stories is that of an underdog overcoming the constraints of the established social and economic order. Merrill grew up on a farm in upstate New York and preferred outdoor activities, such as building forts, sledding, collecting fossils, and climbing silos, to playing inside with manufactured toys and being watched by adults. She died of cancer at her home in Vermont on August 2, 2012.

The pushcart war by Jean Merrill ; with illustrations by Ronni Solbert

If you are a fan of James Patterson's Alex Cross novels or enjoy the humor in Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum stories you might like these...

Cinnamon roll murder [large print] by Joanne Fluke

If you, like so many other grandparents are hosting your grandchildren this summer Canton Public Library offers a wide variety of programs for babies through teens this summer.  Looking for more ideas? Check out the Foundation for Grandparents' website to find suggestions for activities and tips on grandparenting.
 

The 2012 London Olympics by Nick Hunter — Last night, sadly, was the closing ceremonies for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. It was such a spectacle to watch and I have to admit, I may be going through Olympic withdrawal. Are you? Have no fear! We have great books on London, Brazil (where Rio de Janeiro will be the host of the 2016 Summer Games), and the Olympics. Have fun reading and reliving all your favorite things about this year's Summer Games!

Dr. David L. Holmes, Professor Emeritus of religious studies at The College of William and Mary, shows how our last twelve presidents' decisions were influenced by their faiths. Learn about Nixon's betrayal of Billy Graham, JFK's philandering, Eisenhower's attempt to conceal his parents' Jehovah's Witness backgrounds and much more. This is a must for history buffs and the politically aware. Join us on Wednesday, September 12 at 2:30 PM for this thoroughly researched, unbiased account.

Tune up your vocal chords — we are having a sing-a-long led by area artists, Balanced Earth. Join us on Thursday, September 6 at 7:00 PM for a blend of old favorites and newer music that will have you harmonizing along. Bring your friends and come home to the Canton Public Library for a fun evening.

Learn how to search the Web, the library catalog and online databases. Prerequisite: Mouse skills or equivalent.
Join us Tuesday, September 18th from 10:00 to 11:00 AM.

CPL's Back to Business School is a great educational opportunity for local businesspeople and entrepreneurs. The following sessions are available:

• Franchising 101 — Tuesday, September 18, 7:00-8:30 PM — with franchise owner George Lytle
• Beginning Business With SCORE — Thursday, September 20, 12:00-1:00 PM
• WordPress to Webpage — Tuesday, September 25, 12:00-1:00 PM — advertise with a free website
• Tweeting for Business Success — Thursday, September 27, 12:00-1:00 PM — with Mike McClure, president of Social Media Club Detroit and Executive Creative Director at The Yaffe Group

Registration is now open: space is limited.

Don't let your book group miss these:

The tenderness of wolves: a novel by Stef Penney

A three dog life by Abigail Thomas

Moral disorder: stories by Margaret Atwood

The Ministry of Special Cases by Nathan Englander

If you're wondering just what in the world is happening with our weather lately, the National Climatic Data Center at NOAA has the answer. According to their recently released report State of the Climate: National Overview for June 2012, the 12-month period from July 2011 to June 2012 was the warmest on record for the contiguous United States. (Their records go back to 1895.) The national average temperature was 3.2 degrees higher than the long-term average, with every single contiguous state except for Washington warmer than average temperatures. In addition, the period from Januray to June 2012 was the warmest first half of a year on record.

Look for these films based on popular books in your local theater in the coming months:

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte — Starring Kaya Scodelario, James Howson. Release date: October 2012

Les misérables by Victor Hugo — Starring Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe. Release date: December 2012

Lay the favorite: a memoir of gambling by Beth Raymer — Starring Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta-Jones. Release date: October 2012

Gore Vidal, the noted author, playwright and essayist has died at the age of 86 due to complications from pneumonia. Vidal was also known as an outspoken political commentator. During his long literary career he wrote some 25 novels, several screenplays, and more than 200 essays. He also appeared in several films, including the politcal satire Bob Roberts.

1876: a novel by Gore Vidal

Burr: a novel by Gore Vidal

Mr. Churchill's secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal

Sidney Chambers and the shadow of death by James Runcie

Boston cream by Howard Shrier

The cat, the wife and the weapon: a cats in trouble mystery by Leann Sweeney