AT THE LIBRARY: Quiplash, Ray Bradbury and Barcelona

Published 8:15 am Wednesday, September 16, 2020

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At 8 p.m. Thursday, join Clark County Public Library librarian Brad Allard for Quiplash, the gut-busting battle of wits and wittiness from Jackbox Games.

Each player will be given a prompt such as “Something you would be surprised to see a donkey do” or “Another name for France.” There are no correct answers — just say whatever clever answer comes to mind.

Your answer will be pitted against the answer of another player who received the same prompt. All the rest of the players will vote on which answer was their favorite. The answer with the most votes wins.

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All you will need to play is a device for Zoom and a mobile device or tablet to answer the prompts. Up to eight people can play at a time. The winner of each round will receive a gift card to the Daily Grind.

You can register to attend by visiting the events tab on the Clark County Public Library’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/clarkbooks. You can also go to the library’s homepage, www.clarkbooks.org, and click on the adult programs link in the drop-down menu from the reference/adult Services tab.  That will take you to the Evanced program calendar, where you can click on the link for Quiplash.

CCPL’s books clubs have brought you some bright spots and some page turners. Now there’s a book club that brings you to other dimensions, the outer reaches of space and into the dark. Welcome to Books … From Beyond.

At 6:30 Tuesday, Sept. 22, via Zoom, join scary librarian James Gardner and discuss “Something Wicked This Way Comes” by Ray Bradbury.

The book takes you to Green Town, Illinois, on Oct. 23, the day a strange carnival comes to town.

Curious boys Jim Nightshade and William Holloway are excited and eager for some fun, but they soon learn this carnival provides danger because its always looking for a few new bodies to join … or their souls.

Begin your journey by checking out the ebook or audiobook on Hoopla, which is available through CCPL’s online library.

To sign up for the group and receive an email invite to the meeting, go to events on the library’s Facebook page, or use the Evanced calendar accessed through the adult programs link on the library’s homepage.

At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, the Short Story Reading Group meets on Zoom to discuss

“Barcelona: Open City” by John Wray.

This month’s story was selected by group member Adra Fisher. She found it in the New York Times’ “Decameron Project,” which features stories about living during COVID-19 by 29 contemporary authors including Edwidge Danticat, Margaret Atwood, Charles Yu and David Mitchell.

“Barcelona: Open City” follows the fortunes of a young man named Xavi, who loses his job on the first day of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Only essential workers and people involved in essential trips can venture out. Xavi realizes he can make money by renting out his dogs to be walked, since dog walking is deemed essential.

Things start going well for Xavi,  and then even better when he meets Mariona.

To find “Barcelona: Open City” search for it online by title or search for the New York Times’ “Decameron Project.”

If you’d rather have a hard copy or PDF, email john.clarkbooks@gmail.com, and let me know which you prefer. I can prepare a hard copy you can pick up at the library or I will be glad to mail one to you. I can email a PDF.

If you’d like to join the discussion, email me by Wednesday, Sept. 23, and I will send you the Zoom invitation. Questions? Please email.

Have a great week. Let’s quash those microbes.  Masks, distance, rub-a-dub-dub.

John Maruskin is director of adult services at the Clark County Public Library. He can be reached at john.clarkbooks@gmail.com.