Join Sandy and Carrie to learn about the best new books to gobble into this Summer!

$5 | Call and say you can come, (630) 765-7455!

Postponed until further notice.

The mission of The GardenWorks Project is to promote organic suburban agriculture to improve the well-being of our community, the environment, and those facing food insecurity. They empower, educate, and support all food growers in their efforts to nourish their families and neighbors in need.

All are invited to our GardenWorks Project Book Club. In March, they will consider “We Fed an Island” by José Andés.

To learn more about GardenWorks Project, visit www.gardenworksproject.org.

A book club for people in their 20s and 30s who want to fit good books and friendship in the margins of their lives. Come on the first Tuesday of the month ready to talk about your new favorite books.

Get 15% off Overbooked Book Club books at Prairie Path Books. 

This month, we will dig into Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion

Trick Mirror is an enlightening, unforgettable trip through the river of self-delusion that surges just beneath the surface of our lives. This is a book about the incentives that shape us, and about how hard it is to see ourselves clearly through a culture that revolves around the self.

Prairie Path Books is proud to celebrate local authors and their books. Come meet and mingle with over twenty writers to share their story and process and final product.  Of course - their books will be available for you to purchase!  See you soon, and love that local!

Local authors should contact Susan, read@prairiepathbooks.com, to participate in this event as space is limited.

Free!
Call the store to say you can come, (630) 765-7455.

Abraham Lincoln in the Kitchen: A Culinary View of Lincoln's Life and Times by Rae Katherine Eighmey

Wednesday, February 12, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Come on over to PPB on Lincoln’s real birthday, February 12 to hear more about what our favorite president ate, served during his years at the White House and yes—even cooked on his own!  Long and lean, it wouldn’t appear that he prioritized food, but we will explore with two experts presenting Rae Katherine Eighmey’s book on the subject:  “Abraham Lincoln in the Kitchen.”

Abraham Lincoln in the Kitchen is a culinary biography unlike any before. The very assertion of the title—that Abraham Lincoln cooked—is fascinating and true. It’s an insight into the everyday life of one of our nation’s favorite and most esteemed presidents and a way to experience flavors and textures of the past. Eighmey solves riddles such as what type of barbecue could be served to thousands at political rallies when paper plates and napkins didn’t exist, and what gingerbread recipe could have been Lincoln’s childhood favorite when few families owned cookie cutters and he could carry the cookies in his pocket. Through Eighmey’s eyes and culinary research and experiments--including sleuthing for Lincoln’s grocery bills in Springfield ledgers and turning a backyard grill into a cast-iron stove--the foods that Lincoln enjoyed, cooked, or served are translated into modern recipes so that authentic meals and foods of 1820-1865 are possible for home cooks. Feel free to pull up a chair to Lincoln’s table.

We welcome Professor Bruce Kraig, an award-winning expert on food and culture around the world (and especially Illinois), who will speak to 19th-century food and culture in general, and to Lincoln’s particular appetites.  Kraig writes:

“In his last inaugural Abraham Lincoln sat down to an elaborate feast as was the custom in 1865. What he thought about it we will never know. Growing up he knew nothing of such dishes as patê de foie gras. He was a poor boy raised on the frontier where hog and hominy were standard fare. In fact, he was indifferent to food: crackers, a bit of cheese and apples doing just fine for him. We do know what he loved best: apples, all kinds of apples, anytime and anywhere, and after he married Mary Todd he got a taste for sweets-cakes and pies of all kind.”

And Ellie Carlson of Ellie Presents will be in period costume to present
and demonstrate Lincoln’s Gingerfolk with samples to take home.

We hope you can come!  Free event.
Call the store to say you can come, (630) 765-7455!

Do you like watching and talking about movies?
Meet Lee Shoquist!  Lee Shoquist will lead a discussion of the latest Little Women and all of the movies up for major category Academy Awards in his lively and film-passionate way. Come join us for snacks and bevs on Saturday February 1 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. and you’ll still have a week to watch any great movies you may have missed before the Oscars on February 9!

$8/person
Call the store to say you can come, (630) 765-7455.

Monday, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
November 25: To Vote or Not to Vote
Please note there will be no meeting in December.

Prairie Path Books is proud to welcome as hosts for this series, the Wheaton League of Women's Voters, who are committed to  civic engagement and education (all genders welcome!).  For more information, contact Barbara Laimans, (630) 231-0833.

Founded in 2010, the non-profit organization “Living Room Conversations” with one goal: bringing back civil discourse on current topics so as to increase understanding, reveal common ground and allow for discussion for possible solutions. LRC provides training for facilitators, topics and talking points, and maybe most important a structure, or “conversation agreement” all participants need to follow. One participant described her LRC experience this way: “For once I wasn't standing on my soapbox trying to win someone to my side or defend my stance with strong words.  The ground rules threw that all out the window and put in its place a curious mind and an attitude of respect for my neighbors.”

For more information about this program, including a copy of the LRC Conversation Agreement and a summary of the first topic, visit:  www.livingroomconversations.org and www.livingroomconversations.org/topics/america_we_want_to_be_founding_aspirations/

To register, visit: www.livingroomcomversation.eventbrite.com

Mondays, 6:30–8:00 p.m., September 23, October 28 and November 25
November 25: To Vote or Not to Vote
Please note there will be no meeting in December.

Prairie Path Books is proud to welcome as hosts for this series, the Wheaton League of Women's Voters, who are committed to  civic engagement and education (all genders welcome!).  For more information, contact Barbara Laimans, (630) 231-0833.

Founded in 2010, the non-profit organization “Living Room Conversations” with one goal: bringing back civil discourse on current topics so as to increase understanding, reveal common ground and allow for discussion for possible solutions. LRC provides training for facilitators, topics and talking points, and maybe most important a structure, or “conversation agreement” all participants need to follow. One participant described her LRC experience this way: “For once I wasn't standing on my soapbox trying to win someone to my side or defend my stance with strong words.  The ground rules threw that all out the window and put in its place a curious mind and an attitude of respect for my neighbors.”

The first conversation topic will be The America We Want to Be.  This topic is warm, welcoming and a perfect format for hearing different perspectives on America, our fears about it, and our hopes and dreams for it.  All community members are invited to participate.

For more information about this program, including a copy of the LRC Conversation Agreement and a summary of the first topic, visit:  www.livingroomconversations.org and www.livingroomconversations.org/topics/america_we_want_to_be_founding_aspirations/

To register, visit: www.livingroomcomversation.eventbrite.com

The snuggle is real…

Nothing Is Scary With Harry tells the story about a little girl, her blanket, and the value of comfort to provide strength in childhood and beyond.

Katie McElligott is a first-time author and a full-time Creative Director at a Chicago advertising agency. She lives in Oak Park, Illinois with her husband, two small children and a cat named Ramona Quimby. 

Jennifer Bell is an illustrator whose work can be found on greeting cards, in magazines and more than a dozen children’s books. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and cranky cat.

Join us for this author event/book signing plus snacks and bevs. Call today to say you can come, (630) 765-7455!

The mission of The GardenWorks Project is to promote organic suburban agriculture to improve the well-being of our community, the environment, and those facing food insecurity. They empower, educate, and support all food growers in their efforts to nourish their families and neighbors in need.

All are invited to our GardenWorks Project Book Club. In November, they will consider “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life” by Barbara Kingsolver.

To learn more about GardenWorks Project, visit www.gardenworksproject.org.

Okay, so I asked my PPB pal Tom Paulsen to come over to talk about maybe featuring him as the next "Elder" in our Wisdom series. PPB and me have been stunned at the response to that offering; in fact within 90 minutes, for both of the first two events, we have sold out. I confess that my own mother, who apparently is in no hurry to read my emails or gather and organize her friends - has weaseled her way in after we closed them. I mean, really.

So I want to continue the Elder Wisdom series for sure and I called Tom. Really he's too young but he's such a fascinating person and great listener that he came to mind. He came over and we ended up sharing so many stories we never really got around to that Elder business. In fact, Tom and I barely met because fun PPB friends (Mary! Carol!) came in and after I introduced everyone we got to telling tale after tale. One great tangent we traveled was our group recall of "Storms We Have Known." It was so dang fun.

Our first topic is: When I Was A Kid. Tom, Mary, Carol and I really got going on that one and we were laughing and relating for about an hour! I shared that once of my clearest memories is my brother saying "that didn't hurt!" to me. See we had a neighborhood gang and some were 8 or so years older than me. I really wanted to keep up because of the fun and even thrilling adventures made possible because my mom was—WHERE? Where were our parents? Anyway, it made for some interesting outings—I bet you can relate. So this one time, Don down the street, who was way older than me—had a rusty old trampoline AND a pool and the gang tried to double-bounce me from the tramp INTO the pool because I was littlest. Mom? Mom?? Anyway, I remember the kids being disappointed I wasn't "staying in a ball!" so I tried real hard lock my arms around my knees - I remember it like yesterday. Anyway, I remember adrenaline and terror, but I can't remember if I ever made the big splash. Some of we four had more serious things to share, so at this event we will follow the live, organic energy of the group.

Call the store to sign up, (630) 765-7455, it will be so fun!

Free event

As a dramatic book reviewer, Jenny motivates, educates, and entertains audiences with her  unique interpretations of best-selling books in which she becomes the characters telling their real-life stories. For more than fifteen years, Jenny has been delighting audiences with her captivating style of storytelling. At the end of each review, Jenny also shares her current “favorite reads.”

Everyone remembers Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins and Maria Von Trapp, but who was she before that? The voice that Julie Andrews thought of as a “gimmick” at age 10 became one of the most recognizable voices in the world. Join Jenny as she dramatizes the life of Julie Andrews, before she was Mary or Maria, telling her story and singing her songs in her presentation of Julie Andrews’ memoir, Home: The Early Years with updates from Andrews’ recent memoir Homework: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years—with piano accompaniment!

$15/person
Call the store to say you can come,
(630) 765-7455!

Learn more about Jenny

Talking About Their Generation: Elder Wisdom, Inspiration and Humor

On September 19th, a roomfull of us were treated to the story of Robert Weisz' first 8 years - raised in Budapest by Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, he was an eyewitness to the terrors of the Hungarian Revolution in October and November of 1956. At about 8:50 on the 19th we realized we'd barely begun to hear all we wanted about Robert. So, we asked him to come back and tell us Robert Part 2 - Coming to America.

Robert started 4th grade in a communist Hungarian classroom and in January 1957 was adjusting to school in New York. He spoke not a word of English and his parents felt about 25 years out of date compared with life in a repressed and colorless society. Come hear about his mid-century immigrant success story.

We hope you can enjoy this amazing opportunity with us.

Cost: $10 Seating is limited to 30

Call to say you can come, (630) 765-7455!

If you happen to know a fascinating elder that might want to talk to me in front of a small audience, please contact me. Series will resume in the Fall, read@prairiepathbooks.com.

Come celebrate the inimitable Martha’s latest offering, and try a few tastes of yummies like
Giant White-Chocolate-Pecan Cookies, Peanut-Butter Sandwich Cookies, Sparkly Lemon Cookies and Triple Chocolate Brownie Cups. 

Tell us you can come, (630) 765-7455! $5/person

Members of the Indigo Ensemble, violinist Jennifer Leckie, violist Uli Widmaier, cellist Anna Walker and pianist Jeffrey Panko will perform the two piano quartets of Mozart (G minor, K. 478 and E flat major, K. 493) in a program called Moods of Mozart. The first masterpieces written for the instrumentation of the piano quartet, these brilliant compositions from the mature Mozart showcase a delightfully diverse complexity of emotion and virtuosity.

Jenny will discuss one of her favorite reads, “Mozart’s Women: His Family, His Friends, His Music.” As always—we will offer Jenny and Sandy’s favorite new fiction and nonfiction reads nearby for browsing. 

$10
Call the store to say you can come, (630) 765-7455!

Come hear Patricia read from and sign her new book, Pick a Pumpkin. Pairing a wonderfully rhythmic read-aloud text with expressive retro illustrations, author Patricia Toht and illustrator Jarvis capture all the excitement and familial feeling of a favorite holiday tradition. Readers will be happy to follow along with each step, from picking out the perfect specimen at the pumpkin patch (be sure to stop for cider and toffee apples) to carting it home, scooping out the insides, carving a scary face, and finally lighting a candle inside — savoring the familiar ritual of transforming an ordinary pumpkin into a one-of-a-kind glowing jack-o’-lantern.

Free event! Call to say you can come, (630) 765-7455.

Join Jenny’s hubby Bill Riddle and the Die Kellerknaben Oktoberfest Band

for an afternoon of traditional Bohemian music they call POLKA.  Lucky we know Jenny so we could snag this terrific 5-piece band: Bill’s on percussion but wait ‘til you hear the accordion, banjo, tuba and clarinet. It’s loud and rowdy and raucous and it will feel like you’ve stepped into a Munich tavern when you come over to PPB 261!

So polish up your half-step and get ready to celebrate October on a Saturday afternoon. 

$10  Call the store to say you can come, (630) 765-7455!
Think about supporting Warren’s Ale House, right across the Town Square Mall circle from PPB for their Oktoberfest menu for great wursts and etc!

There’s something within all of us, something that has the power to make us irresistible—our stories. In today's noisy and competitive world, storytelling is the best way to engage with others in a memorable and compelling way and to inspire people to act. It’s your secret advantage, the thing that will make you and your organization irresistible.

Join Jenny Riddle to find out why stories are so effective, what’s holding your stories back,
and how to find and tell your stories. 

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the science behind why people are attracted to and respond to stories

• Understand how stories speak to us in ways that numbers, data, and powerpoint presentations cannot

• Capitalize on the fact that stories are remembered far longer than facts

• Leverage stories to provide context–a more relatable and life-like framework

• Learn to pivot traditional marketing strategies with stories

• Discover the 3-part formula for effective storytelling

• Avoid these common storytelling mistakes

• Recognize that everyone has stories to tell and how to mine your life for yours

  $10/person  Call the store to say you can come, (630) 765-7455!

  
  

Mondays, 6:30–8:00 p.m., September 23, October 28 and November 25
September 23: The America We Want to Be
October 28: Relationships and Talking about Politics
November 25: To Vote or Not to Vote
Please note there will be no meeting in December.

Prairie Path Books is proud to welcome as hosts for this series, the Wheaton League of Women's Voters, who are committed to  civic engagement and education (all genders welcome!).  For more information, contact Barbara Laimans, (630) 231-0833.

Founded in 2010, the non-profit organization “Living Room Conversations” with one goal: bringing back civil discourse on current topics so as to increase understanding, reveal common ground and allow for discussion for possible solutions. LRC provides training for facilitators, topics and talking points, and maybe most important a structure, or “conversation agreement” all participants need to follow. One participant described her LRC experience this way: “For once I wasn't standing on my soapbox trying to win someone to my side or defend my stance with strong words.  The ground rules threw that all out the window and put in its place a curious mind and an attitude of respect for my neighbors.”

The first conversation topic will be The America We Want to Be.  This topic is warm, welcoming and a perfect format for hearing different perspectives on America, our fears about it, and our hopes and dreams for it.  All community members are invited to participate.

For more information about this program, including a copy of the LRC Conversation Agreement and a summary of the first topic, visit:  www.livingroomconversations.org and www.livingroomconversations.org/topics/america_we_want_to_be_founding_aspirations/

To register, visit: www.eventbrite.com/e/living-room-conversation-tickets-65269897019

Prison Saved My Life: I Recommend It For Everyone

Have you ever been at the end of your rope? 

Have you ever felt the bottom fall out of your life?

Have you ever felt completely and utterly hopeless?

Have you ever felt rejected by this world–sometimes even by the very people who are supposed to love you?

Have you ever done something so horrible that the biggest punishment there seems to be is simply having to live with the knowledge that
you did it?

Have you ever wondered what’s the point of this confusing and often painful life?

If you answered yes to any of these, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. So did Louis Dooley. This is his story. It will resonate with you, make you uncomfortable, shock you, make you laugh and cry, but in the end it will give you hope.

Free!
Call the store to say you can come, (630) 765-7455!