LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Library invites community members to participate in Book-to-Action, a community-wide book discussion and activity that features the novel “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman.
Book-to-Action events will be held during April and May around Lake County.
Free copies of A Man Called Ove will be available to the public at all Lake County Library branches beginning March 14 as long as supplies last.
Library branches are located at 1425 N. High St. in Lakeport, 14785 Burns Valley Road in Clearlake, 21256 Washington St. in Middletown and 310 Second St. in Upper Lake.
The Lake County Library chose “A Man Called Ove” for its theme about the importance of community.
Ove is a lonely, grieving man who masks his sadness with grouchy outbursts and hyper attention to rules and regulations.
Ove plans to put an end to his misery but his neighbors inadvertently interrupt his plans and gradually he responds to their friendship.
In a series of darkly comic events Ove comes to value his neighbors and to be valued in turn. His story reminds us we are not alone in the world, and that community and connection matter. We wear our masks of strength or unapproachability hiding our sorrows and solitariness behind them.
Events begin with a free showing of the movie of “A Man Called Ove” at the Soper Reese Theatre on April 8 at 2 p.m. The theater is located at 275 S. Main St. in Lakeport.
Events will continue with discussions of the book at the Lakeport, Redbud and Middletown library branches during the third week of April.
As part of the Book-to-Action program the library invites participants to attend the Lake County Behavioral Health Department’s Mental Health Matters Community Fair, May 4 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Redbud Park, 14655 Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake. At the fair attendees will have the opportunity to find ways that they can get engaged with the community.
All Book-to-Action events are free and no registration is required to attend an event.
Book to Action is a program of the California Center for the Book, under the auspices of the California Library Association, and is supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.
The full calendar of events is available at all library branches and is posted on the Internet at http://library.lakecountyca.gov .
Jan Cook works for the Lake County Library.