Saturday, October 26th from 10 am to 10 pm:Spooky Free Comic Book Day, Vault of Midnight, 219 S. Main St.
Click on the calendar below for more great book events happening in October!
(Classic Book) On the Shelf
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
July 1960
Various formats and prices
In this powerful narrative, we follow Jean Louise “Scout” Finch as she grows up in Maycomb, Alabama alongside her brother, Jem, during the Great Depression. This unconventional six-year-old girl tags along with Jem and their friend, Dill, on their adventures, including trying to draw out the neighborhood ghost, Boo Radley, eating homemade cakes at Miss Maudie's house and even eventually sneaking into the courthouse to get a peek of their father practicing law.
Their widowed father, Atticus Finch, a respected lawyer in their small town, makes the unpopular choice to take a case defending an innocent black man accused of a crime he didn't commit. From all the attention the trial attracts to the Finches', Scout faces the reality of racism that is present in her community. Through the trial and the happenings in their town, Atticus teaches his children empathy, as one of his quotes from the book reads, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view -- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
The writer, Harper Lee, effortlessly captures the perspective of a child's introduction and realization of how racism and prejudice play into the lives of those around her. This book carries a heavy yet important story and highlights the leverage that those with power, both institutional and social, hold and how it looks through the rebellious eyes of such a spirited young girl. Holding values that still ring true to this day, this novel has proved time and time again why it has earned its spot as a literary classic, still a staple to many classrooms across the nation. If there is one book you've been meaning to get around to, make sure the next one you pick up is To Kill a Mockingbird.
An Interview on Comics with Nick Yribar from Vault Of Midnight
By: Kimberly Gray
When a lot of us hear the word ‘comics’, several already-formed thoughts come to mind. Some of us think of our childhoods. Some of us think of Wednesday afternoons. Some of us think of superheroes, or movies, or franchises. And some of us maybe have some not-so-pleasant memories, or some ideas about comics that we don’t share around our nerdier friends. But regardless of what we think of when we hear the word, comics are a huge part of the book world, and a huge part of pop culture.
But does this make them important?
I sat down with one of the owners of Vault of Midnight, one of Ann Arbor’s local comic shops (with locations outside of Ann Arbor as well), to talk comics. It was a great conversation, and it enlightened me, certainly, on the depth and value of comic books.
Click here to read Kim's in-depth article with Vault of Midnight's Nick Yribar
Did You Know?
We are regularly adding interviews with authors who are appearing locally to the Book News section of our website, a2books.org. Be sure to visit it often so you don't miss out!
Click on a book below to check out our recent interviews:
Noteworthy New Releases
Snapshot of the Past
"Boxes and boxes of books for the new Ann Arbor Public Library, October 1957." Courtesy of the AADL.
When a lot of us hear the word ‘comics’, several already-formed thoughts come to mind. Some of us think of our childhoods. Some of us think of Wednesday afternoons. Some of us think of superheroes, or movies, or franchises. And some of us maybe have some not-so-pleasant memories, or some ideas about comics that we don’t share around our nerdier friends. But regardless of what we think of when we hear the word, comics are a huge part of the book world, and a huge part of pop culture.
