The Rosamond Gifford Lecture Series is the largest library-related series in the country. I go primarily to support Friends of the Central Library. I don’t particularly enjoy many of the lectures because I’m not a big fan of contemporary fiction and not all writers are good speakers, far from it, but there have been evenings with writers and poets that I will never forget and now last night will be one of them.

Geraldine Brooks gave the second lecture of this year’s series. Historical fiction is perhaps my favorite genre and Brooks writes some of the best with the eye of an experienced foreign correspondent who is able to identify themes that resonate from centuries long past to the present. Despite a head cold, she gave one of the very best lectures.

I did not however join friends for dinner before the lecture as I usually do. My weight is dropping again this week, I'm focused on losing as much as I can before we go to Ohio for Thanksgiving and I was tired yesterday and I just didn't want to struggle with dinner out. Picking my battles I am.

(photo: Mike Greenlar / The Post-Standard)