The Library Guy Interviews...

Kathryn Schulz

A Chat with Kathryn Schulz on Lost and Found

Library guy Bill Peak speaks with Kathryn Schulz about her new memoir Lost & Found, which tells the story of the grief she experienced when her father died, and the compensating joy she found when she fell in love with Talbot County native Casey Cep, author of Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee. Schulz is a Pulitzer Prize-winning staff writer for The New Yorker. Peak believes she'll almost certainly win a second Pulitzer for Lost & Found.

https://talbotspy.org/the-library-guy-a-chat-with-kathryn-schulz-on-lost-and-found/

Dr. Julie Schablitsky

The Library Guy Interviews Archaeologist Who Found Harriet Tubman's Family Home

Dr. Julie Schablitsky is the Chief Archaeologist for the Maryland Dept. of Transportation's State Highway Administration. Dr. Schablitsky and her team announced earlier this month the discovery of the spot in Dorchester County where Harriet Tubman's father, Ben Ross, had his home, and where Harriet would have spent some of her childhood and learned much of her tradecraft.

https://talbotspy.org/the-library-guy-finding-harriet-tubmans-home-with-julie-schablitsky/

Dr. Jason Karlawish

The Library Guy talks with Dr. Jason Karlawish about his new book, The Problem of Alzheimer's

Dr. Karlawish is a Professor of Medicine, Medical Ethics and Health Policy, and Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania and Co-Director of the Penn Memory Center, where he cares for Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers. He is a leading authority—perhaps the leading authority—on Alzheimer's. He is also a terrific writer and storyteller. Bill, whose father was a doctor who eventually developed Alzheimer's, learned a lot from both the book and its author.

https://talbotspy.org/the-library-guy-the-problem-of-alzheimers-with-dr-jason-karlawish/

Joy Priest

Bill's guest today is the young poet Joy Priest, whose very first book of poetry, Horsepower, won the prestigious Donald Hall Prize for Poetry. She has also just won the Stanley Kunitz Poetry Prize. This young woman is a prodigy, and Bill has a great time talking with her.

https://talbotspy.org/the-library-guy-donald-hall-award-winning-poet-joy-priest/

Ann Finkbeiner

The Library Guy, Bill Peak, speaks with Ann Finkbeiner, author of an article in the November edition of Scientific American entitled, “Orbital Aggression: How do we prevent war in space?” Finkbeiner explains why America depends so heavily on its satellite fleet, how our global adversaries are already toying with the idea of destroying those satellites, and how a major attack upon them could, quite literally, endanger civilization.

https://talbotspy.org/the-library-guy-ann-finkbeiner-on-wars-in-space/

Dr. Fredia Wadley

Dr. Fredia Wadley, Health Officer for Talbot County, talks via Zoom with “Library Guy” Bill Peak to relay the latest information about the coronavirus and the progress on vaccine development. Learn about recommendations for holiday and travel safety, how to protect yourself and others, and what is being done locally to combat the virus and prepare for vaccine distribution. After clicking on the link below, enter the passcode: *+1NjKnE

National Book Award-Winner Alice McDermott

Bill Peak, Talbot County's “library guy,” has just completed an interview with Alice McDermott, who has been called “the Virginia Woolf of American letters.” Peak's interview was performed as part of a partnership between the Talbot County Free Library and The Spy to introduce area readers to the poets and writers behind some of our country's best literature.

Alice McDermott's eighth and most recent novel, The Ninth Hour, made it to the Best Books of 2017 lists of The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Time Magazine, among others. Her seventh novel, Someone, was long-listed for the National Book Award. Three of her previous novels, After This, At Weddings and Wakes, and That Night were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize. Charming Billy won the National Book Award. That Night was also a finalist for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award.

https://talbotspy.org/bill-peak-spends-some-time-with-author-alice-mcdermott/

Professor Celeste-Marie Bernier

Temple Cone

The Library Guy's guest this week is Temple Cone, Professor of English at the U.S. Naval Academy. Cone is the author of four books of poetry: Guzzle, That Singing, The Broken Meadow (which received the 2010 Old Seventy Creek Poetry Press Series Prize), and No Loneliness (which received the 2009 FutureCycle Press Poetry Book Prize). He has also published seven poetry chapbooks. In this week's interview, he will be reading poems from the most recent of these: Southrenody. Cone holds a Ph.D. in Literature from the University of Wisconsin, an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Virginia, an M.A. in Creative Writing from Hollins University, and a B.A. in Philosophy from Washington & Lee University. From 2018-2019, he served as the first Poet Laureate of the City of Annapolis.

Poet Meredith Davies Hadaway

New Yorker Writer Casey Cep on Dorothy Day

Poet Sue Ellen Thompson

Watch Bill Peak's Talbot Spy interview with local, Pulitzer Prize-nominated poet Sue Ellen Thompson, and find out what makes her one of the library guy's favorite poets. Bill's interviews with local writers and poets are made possible as part of a partnership between the Talbot County Free Library and The Talbot Spy.

Delmarva Today interviews The Library Guy

The Library Guy

2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008

The Talbot County Free Library is a very special place. Within its walls, from every walk of life, we come together as equals to study, to learn and advance as our founding fathers dreamed we would, to pursue our personal and very private notions of happiness. The following articles (which The Star Democrat has been kind enough to allow us to reprint here) describe some of the perfectly ordinary, perfectly extraordinary things it has been my privilege to see and experience as an employee of the Talbot County Free Library.

—Bill Peak—

2024

• Where Life Begins at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on January 07, 2024
• A Battle Royal at the Library originally published on February 04, 2024
• Questions Without Answers at the Library originally published on March 03, 2024
• Listening at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on April 07, 2024
• Angling at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on May 05, 2024
• Raising the Future at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on June 02, 2024
• A Child's Heart at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on July 07, 2024
• You Are What You Read at the Library originally published on August 04, 2024
• Alec in Wonderland at the Library originally published on September 08, 2024
• Dominion Requires Compassion at the Library originally published on October 06, 2024
• The Animal in Our Midst at the Library originally published on November 03, 2024

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2023

• Living into the Answers at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on January 01, 2023
• Beginnings at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on February 05, 2023
• How to Care at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on March 05, 2023
• Finding Meaning at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on April 02, 2023
• Life Savers from the Talbot County Free Library originally published on May 14, 2023
• Children Find Refuge at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on June 4, 2023
• A Library Story from the Height of the Pandemic originally published on July 2, 2023
• An Unusual Perspective at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on August 6, 2023
• Frederick Douglass Continues to Inspire at the Library originally published on September 2, 2023
• A Gift from the Past at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on October 1, 2023
• The Microscopic vs. the Macroscopic at the Library originally published on November 12, 2023
• A Tale of Ice, Wind, & Sea at the Library originally published on December 3, 2023

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2022

• A Brave New World at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on January 02, 2022
• Lost Books Found at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on February 06, 2022
• Love's Return at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on March 06, 2022
• The Bard Plays Hollywood at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on April 10, 2022
• The Fly in the Ointment at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on May 1, 2022
• Art that Frees at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on June 5, 2022
• Miracles Happen at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on July 3, 2022
• What Really Matters at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on August 7, 2022
• The People of Talbot County Acquire a Treasure originally published on September 4, 2022
• The End Game at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on October 2, 2022
• Different Points of View at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on November 13, 2022
• Why a Fountain Graces the Talbot County Free Library originally published on December 4, 2022

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2021

• A Derby Winner at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on January 03, 2021
• Find Healing at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on February 07, 2021
• Villainy Apprehended at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on March 07, 2021
• The Words We Live By at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on April 04, 2021
• The Talbot County Free Library Honors Parents originally published on May 02, 2021
• In Pursuit of a Killer at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on June 06, 2021
• Our Place on Earth at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on July 04, 2021
• A Collection of Delights at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on August 01, 2021
• How the Talbot County Free Library Works originally published on September 05, 2021
• Community and the Talbot County Free Library originally published on October 03, 2021
• The Resplendent Quetzal Comes to the Talbot County Free Library originally published on November 07, 2021
• Familiarity Breeds Contentment at the Library originally published on December 05, 2021

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2020

• New Connections at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on January 05, 2020
• Pride and Prejudice at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on February 02, 2020
• The Past Is Not Past at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on March 01, 2020
• You Are the Talbot County Free Library originally published on April 05, 2020
• What Comes After COVID-19? originally published on May 03, 2020
• COVID-19, Our Community, and the Library originally published on June 07, 2020
• Not Huey or Louie but Dewey at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on July 05, 2020
• Take a Deep Dive at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on August 02, 2020
• Old Books, New Lessons at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on September 06, 2020
• Wandering Through the Jungles of the Talbot County Free Library originally published on October 04, 2020
• The Talbot County Free Library Battles Pandemic Fatigue originally published on November 01, 2020
• Libby's Magic Carpet Ride at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on December 06, 2020

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2019

• Life's Rule at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on January 06, 2019
• Legendary Waterman to Visit the Talbot County Free Library originally published on February 03, 2019
• An Unsolved Mystery at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on March 03, 2019
• An Encounter at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on April 07, 2019
• Notre Dame Burned Yesterday originally published on April 17, 2019
• Choosing Civility at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on May 05, 2019
• Changing of the Guard at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on June 02, 2019
• Fame Comes Home to Speak at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on June 23, 2019
• Remembrance of Things Past at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on July 07, 2019
• A Hero for Our Times at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on July 28, 2019
• A Day Grows Challenging at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on August 15, 2019
• Hope Springs Eternal at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on August 25, 2019
• Life's Trees at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on September 01, 2019
• A New Travelling Companion at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on October 06, 2019
• A Great Chase Scene at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on November 03, 2019
• Sometimes a Great Notion at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on December 01, 2019

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2018

• A Library Moment on the Courthouse Lawn originally published on January 07, 2018
• Fostering the Future at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on February 04, 2018
• Riding the Rails at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on March 04, 2018
• Missed Opportunities Redeemed at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on April 01, 2018
• Finding a Hero at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on May 06, 2018
• Cultivate Your Inner Child at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on June 03, 2018
• The Nature of Beauty at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on July 01, 2018
• A Tale of Innocence Betrayed at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on August 05, 2018
• The Talbot County Library Visits the Talbot County Schools originally published on September 02, 2018
• The One That Didn't Get Away at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on October 07, 2018
• The Definitive Frederick Douglass Biography Comes to Talbot County originally published on November 04, 2018
• The Poet Who Loved Women at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on December 02, 2018

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2017

• The Future Revealed at the Library originally published on January 01, 2017
• Visions Received at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on February 05, 2017
• Compline at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on March 05, 2017
• Go Fishing at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on April 02, 2017
• Mother Matters at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on May 07, 2017
• Giving Thanks at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on June 04, 2017
• One Good Turn Deserves Another at the Library originally published on July 02, 2017
• Changing Minds at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on August 06, 2017
• A Man and His Place at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on September 03, 2017
• The Music of the Spheres at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on October 01, 2017
• New Worlds at the Talbot County Free Library originally published on November 05, 2017
• Some Notes on Writing from the Talbot County Free Library originally published on December 03, 2017

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2016

• A Living Moment at the Library originally published on January 03, 2016
• A Heart Takes Flight at the Library originally published on February 07, 2016
• The Once & Future Patron at the Library originally published on March 06, 2016
• It Takes a Community to Make a Library originally published on April 03, 2016
• Even Books Get a Second Chance at the Library originally published on May 01, 2016
• Unheralded Heroes at the Library originally published on June 05, 2016
• “The Compleat Angler” Pays a Visit to the Library originally published on July 03, 2016
• Considering the Unconsidered at the Library originally published on August 07, 2016
• A Children's Story from the Library originally published on August 28, 2016
• The Future of Democracy at the Library originally published on October 02, 2016
• Silence Is Golden at the Library originally published on November 06, 2016
• A Patron's Wisdom at the Library originally published on December 04, 2016

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2015

• Dine with Lady Macbeth at the Library originally published on January 03, 2015
• Saying Good-Bye at the Library originally published on February 01, 2015
• Hear a Confession at The Library originally published on March 01, 2015
• In Praise of an Unknown Library Patron originally published on April 05, 2015
• The Library as Kaleidoscope originally published on May 03, 2015
• Let Your Spirit Rule at the Library originally published on June 07, 2015
• Magazines Galore at the Library originally published on July 05, 2015
• What Has 8 Heads and 16 Arms at the Library? originally published on August 02, 2015
• Celebrate a Community Milestone at the Library originally published on September 13, 2015
• A Book about You at the Library originally published on October 04, 2015
• Portrait of a Field at the Library originally published on November 01, 2015
• An Inconspicuous Part of the Library originally published on December 06, 2015

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2014

• A Farmer Pays a Visit to the Library originally published on January 5, 2014
• A Quiet Treasure Passes Through the Library originally published on February 2, 2014
• Find Your Dream Place at the Library originally published on March 2, 2014
• Humanity Celebrates a Birthday at the Library originally published on April 6, 2014
• The Library: On the Side of Angels originally published on May 3, 2014
• Prof. Plum with the Rope in the Library originally published on June 1, 2014
• Pick Your Story (Carefully) at the Library originally published on July 6, 2014
• A Tale of Two Countries at the Library originally published on August 3, 2014
• Finding Wisdom at the Library originally published on September 7, 2014
• Subversive Groups to Meet at Library! originally published on October 05, 2014
• Another Life Changed by the Library originally published on November 02, 2014
• A Christmas Wish from the Library originally published on December 07, 2014

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2013

• The Art of Medicine at the Library originally published on January 6, 2013
• Something to Respect at the Library originally published on February 3, 2013
• Touching the Future at the Library originally published on March 3, 2013
• A User-Friendly Bard at the Library originally published on April 14, 2013
• Peregrine Lost, Peregrine Regained, at the Library originally published on May 5, 2013
• Passing the Torch at the Library originally published on June 2, 2013
• Tour Ante-Bellum Talbot County at the Library originally published on July 7, 2013
• A Fairy Tale Come True at the Library originally published on August 4, 2013
• The Library: Where the Future Begins originally published on September 1, 2013
• Meet a Natural Wonder at the Library originally published on October 6, 2013
• The Library Invites a Welsh Poet Home for Xmas originally published on November 3, 2013
• A Holocaust Survivor Visits the Library originally published on December 1, 2013

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2012

• The Schools' Library Connection originally published on January 8, 2012
• Reflections on Collections at the Library originally published on February 13, 2012
• Robert E. Lee Visits the Talbot County Free Library originally published on March 7, 2012
• Death Stalks the Library ... Poetically originally published on April 17, 2012
• Back to the Future at the Library originally published on May 6, 2012
• Reading Across the Ages at the Library originally published on June 1, 2012
• Life at Child-Level in the New Easton Library originally published on July 8, 2012
• A Cellist Draws Fire at the Library originally published on August 5, 2012
• A Tale of Three Cigars at the Library originally published on September 2, 2012
• Tales from the Library's Children's Desk originally published on October 7, 2012
• Voices and Visions at the Library originally published on November 4, 2012
• The Library's Prodigal Returns originally published on December 2, 2012

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2011

• The Easton Library Has Been Translated originally published on January 6, 2011
• Works of Consequence at the Library originally published on February 2, 2011
• The Library Celebrates National Poetry Month originally published on March 7, 2011
• Ambling Through the Easton Library originally published on April 18, 2011
• Parents Being Parents at the Library originally published on May 9, 2011
• A Child's Summer at the Library originally published on June 5, 2011
• The Civil War Comes to the Library originally published on July 18, 2011
• An Indian Visits the Talbot County Free Library originally published on August 14, 2011
• The Wisdom of Work at the Library originally published on September 25, 2011
• Glimpses of the Future at the Library originally published on October 4, 2011
• The Library: An American Place originally published on November 23, 2011
• A New Library Emerges From the Old originally published on December 1, 2011

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2010

• The Truth About Fiction at the Library originally published on January 5, 2010
• When People Gather at the Library originally published on January 31, 2010
• Learning to Listen at the Library originally published on March 15, 2010
• From Grace to Grace at the Library originally published on April 12, 2010
• Nature's Children at the Library originally published on May 11, 2010
• Back to the Future at the Library originally published on June 18, 2010
• Playing Soccer at the Library originally published on August 11, 2010
• Telling Tales for the New Library originally published on September 8, 2010
• Old-Fashioned Virtues at the Library originally published on October 12, 2010
• Diving for Pearls at the Library originally published on November 8, 2010
• Of Mice and Men at the Library originally published on December 11, 2010

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2009

• The Library's Genius Loci, originally published on January 4, 2009
• Murder Most Foul at the Library, originally published on February 13, 2009
• Finding Each Other at the Library, originally published on March 18, 2009
• The Ghosts of the Talbot County Free Library, originally published on April 7, 2009
• The Wilds of the Talbot County Free Library, originally published on May 6, 2009
• Romancing the Tome, originally published on June 23, 2009
• The University of the Talbot County Free Library, originally published on July 13, 2009
• Tomorrow Frequents the Library, originally published on August 3, 2009
• Finding Your Story at the Library, originally published on September 20, 2009
• The Library Comes Through in Thick and Thin, originally published on October 7, 2009
• Small Matters at the Library, originally published on November 2, 2009
• The World Visits Our Library, originally published on December 6, 2009

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2008

• Adventures in Shelving, originally published on January 6, 2008
• The Library: Where Dreams Are Stored, originally published on February 6, 2008
• For Kids of All Ages: the Library, originally published on March 9, 2008
• The Library's Secret Treasure Trove, originally published on April 6, 2008
• The Library Makes Me Hungry, originally published on May 11, 2008
• Summer's Spell at the Library, originally published on June 1, 2008
• Coming Soon to a Library Near You, originally published on July 6, 2008
• The Books of Summer ... the Library of Dreams, originally published in August 24, 2008
• The Talbot County Free Cogitarium, originally published on September 10, 2008
• The Library: Three Sketches from Life, originally published on October 15, 2008
• Thinking Deep Thoughts About the Library, originally published on December 1, 2008