Don Westenhaver: Alexander’s Lighthouse

Wednesday May 4th 7:00 p.m.

In 92 AD, Alexandria, Egypt was the height of civilization at that time. It included the famous Library, Museum, and Lighthouse. While lesser known than Rome, it was the unchallenged pinnacle of Western intellectual achievement. A melting pot of Egyptians, Greeks, Jews, and Romans, it frequently boiled over into violence. Alexander’s Lighthouse is the story of a team of young engineers who invent the most powerful weapon in the world for the Romans who rule Egypt. When rebels steal the weapon, the team is caught between the Romans and the rebel forces who threaten to overthrow the hated Roman occupiers. The Friends of Crowell Public Library’s popular Meet the Authors series continues with the appearance of Don Westenhaver, author of this captivating historical novel on Wednesday, May 4th at 7:00 p.m.

Midway through the writing of Alexander’s Lighthouse, Westenhaver and his wife decided to visit Egypt to gather research, with a few days scheduled in Alexandria. They were due to leave on February 11, but the Arab Spring erupted at the end of January. They were glued to their TV watching demonstrators filling Cairo’s Tahrir Square and the streets of Alexandria. The Egyptian revolution Don was writing about in 92 AD was actually happening before his eyes.

Don Westenhaver lives in Southern California and is halfway through a fifth novel, another story that makes history come alive. He combines well-known historical people, fictional characters, an intense plot, and vivid sensory descriptions to insert readers into a different time and place and make them feel at home there. He has found people display the same faults and virtues no matter what part of the earth and which century they inhabit. Don is a member of the Southern California Writers Association and the Military Writers Society of America.
Come to Crowell Library and learn more about this author on Wednesday, May 4 at 7:00 p.m. in the Library’s Barth Community. Thanks to the Friends of the Library, the authors keep coming to Crowell Public Library!

Meet the Author: Steven G. Jackson

Wednesday April 20th 7:00 p.m.


The Friends of Crowell Public Library’s Meet the Authors series continues with Steven G. Jackson and his debut novel, a gritty thriller entitled The Zeus Payload. Young tech genius Nick King is approached by CIA agents to create a cyber weapon that can infiltrate any computer system without being detected. He quickly learns that his creation, which he names the Zeus Payload, is being actively sought by undesirable groups that want to use the program to destroy the United States: rogue CIA agents, neo-Nazis, Al Qaeda, and Mexican drug lords. The chase is on. The Zeus Payload is the first of a trilogy, so stay tuned for more thrills by this author.

Steven Jackson spent his first career as an engineering and technology director in the defense business at Hughes Aircraft Company and Raytheon. The Zeus Payload, blends both sides of Jackson’s brain, leveraging a broad understanding of software, engineering, national defense, and the intelligence services, presenting a geo-political story of covert operations and conspiracies. Jackson’s book provides just enough technology to be accurate and feasible without overpowering good storytelling. Currently at work on several thrillers, he also writes comedy in shorter formats and had his stage play, "Fade to Crazy," performed in 2015. He holds a Master of Professional Writing degree from the University of Southern California, and lives in Southern California. He currently serves as Vice President of the Southern California Writers Association.

Come to Crowell Library and learn more about this versatile author on Wednesday, April 20 at 7:00 p.m. in the Library’s Barth Community. Thanks to the Friends of the Library, the authors keep coming to Crowell Public Library!

LA Opera Talk: La Boheme

SUNDAY, April 17th 2:00 p.m.
La Boheme: the heartbreaking story of opera's most famous young lovers

It's Christmas in Paris as the quintessential bohemian love story comes to life: a candle flickers out on Christmas Eve, tentative hands meet in the dark, and a rapturous duet soars under the moonlight… this is Puccini’s La Boheme. The opera is a collection of vignettes portraying six young bohemians living in the Latin Quarter of Paris in the 1840s.
Inspired by Henri Murger's novel, Scènes de la vie de bohème, La Boheme inspired the award-winning Broadway musical Rent.

Guided by an L.A. Opera Community Educator, at Crowell Library you will follow this heartbreaking story of a poet who discovers true love with a beautiful, fragile seamstress, and a painter and vivacious cabaret singer who rediscover their on-again, off-again passion. Surrounded by the evocative rooftops, cafés and garrets of Paris, these lively bohemians and their companions experience exhilarating joy and irretrievable loss.
Opera is not just magnificent music, dance and theater with astounding sets on a beautiful stage. An opera can sweep you away to foreign lands, take you back in time, dazzle you with pageantry and bring history to life. It is literature, social studies, cultural diversity, multiple languages and most of all, it is exciting! Opera has something for everyone.

This introduction to opera at Crowell Public Library is free. After hearing excerpts from this production, you’ll undoubtedly be inspired to make a trip to the Los Angeles Music Center for a real opera experience. Come explore the world of opera through LA Opera’s education programs.

Clifford Clinton, Clifton’s Cafeteria & Fighting Corruption in Los Angeles

MONDAY, April 11th @ 7:00 p.m.

In the new biography Clifton's and Clifford Clinton: A Cafeteria and a Crusader, author Edmond Clinton III tells a riveting story of greed, corruption and humanity. His grandfather, Clifford Clinton, opened the first Clifton's Cafeteria in 1931 at 618 S. Olive Street with his last $2000 and 2,500 recipes. In 1930s Los Angeles, it was a respite for weary souls during the Great Depression and a haven for the rest of the city as well; a place that became a family tradition and a place to gather one’s thoughts, be they political or spiritual.

At the same time, Los Angeles was teeming with vice and corruption and Clifford Clinton went after it. A deeply religious man, Clinton felt it was his moral obligation to tackle these issues head-on. He believed that public servants should, at the very least, tell the truth. In his attempt to clean up Los Angeles, he made some powerful enemies: the chief of police, the district attorney, and the mayor, for starters. While on a grand jury, Clinton formed the Citizen's Vice Investigating Committee to continue his crusade, and initiated a soon-to-be-citywide campaign to successfully recall Mayor Frank L. Shaw.

This would seem to be the definitive biography of the man who changed Los Angeles for the good. And with the reopening this year of the Clifton’s Cafeteria on 6th Street, the history is even more relevant. The book includes dozens of vintage images and shared recollections from Clifford Clinton's never-published memoir. Clifton's and Clifford Clinton: A Cafeteria and a Crusader is a must-read for all Angelinos fascinated by their city’s history. Come meet author Edmond Clinton on Monday, April 11th in the Library’s Barth Community Room at 7:00 p.m. and hear some fascinating insights about his crusading grandfather.

Author Edmond J. Clinton III is the eldest grandson of Clifford Clinton. He was born in Los Angeles and raised there and in San Marino, attending Huntington Middle School & San Marino High. He worked at Clifton's Cafeteria as a teenager making a whopping ninety-five cents an hour. A graduate of Occidental College and USC Medical School, Clinton is now an internist and has been on staff at Huntington Memorial Hospital since 1978. He lives in La Cañada Flintridge.

Medicare 101 Workshop

Wednesday, April 6 – 7:00 p.m.

Whether one is approaching age 65 or is already receiving Medicare benefits, attending this free educational seminar at Crowell Public Library, will be most beneficial. This hour of Medicare 101 will cover the basic rules, regulations and time frames seniors need to know. An independent broker working in Pasadena, John Dickey will present an audio-visual program on the many aspects of Medicare and will answer all questions. He will serve as a free resource and advocate, now and at any time in the future, to help people find the Medicare information they need. John’s guidance, and advocacy on behalf of seniors is always totally independent of any insurance company and is governed by CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services).
When the time comes to choose a Medicare plan, reviewing all of the options can be overwhelming. This "Medicare Made Clear" meeting will offer tools and resources that make it easier to understand and apply all of the basic rules of Medicare, plus attendees will receive a free Medicare Clarity guide book to keep for future reference. Learn the rules of Medicare, the available elections and options, how to avoid penalties, and what Parts A, B, C, D, and E are.

John Dickey has given numerous presentations throughout San Gabriel Valley on Medicare, including Arcadia, Altadena and Monrovia. He frequently attends insurance training seminars and classes to stay current on all government regulations and available plan options. He is a fully licensed certified Health Insurance Planner, has an MBA, and has lived in San Gabriel Valley for 20 years.

Don’t miss this opportunity to get all your questions on Medicare answered.

Meet the Author: Jill Amadio

Thursday March 31st 7:00 p.m.

The Friends of Crowell Public Library’s Meet the Authors series continues with Jill Amadio, whose latest Tosca Trevant mystery is Digging Too Deep. In this installment, Tosca tracks down a killer in a suspenseful murder plot that twists and turns, and includes a mysterious gemstone, and lost manuscripts that give the banished journalist a chance to earn her way back to her beloved Cornwall, and her job in London. The strange happenings at Tosca’s California home include a woman dropping dead at her feet and a creepy collector of rare musical instruments. Tosca finds even swimming in the Pacific Ocean can be fatal.

Anne Perry, best-selling author called Digging Too Deep: “Really fun, interesting and vivid people solving mysteries… I found myself turning page after page. Treat yourself and enjoy!”
Anne Cleeland, author of the Doyle & Acton mystery series: “Clever and fun, an engaging read.”

Mystery lovers will enjoy Ms. Amadio discussing all aspects of her work, and can purchase copies of Digging Too Deep. Her other publication genres include true crime, self-help, and how-to books. She has written about health and fitness, technology, cooking, relationships, lifestyles, sports, automotive, and the human condition. Jill Amadio has been a film and theater critic, fashion editor, and syndicated columnist for 25 years. She is a member of the Authors Guild, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and is a member of the Non-Fiction Advisory Board at California State University, Fullerton.

Come to Crowell Library and learn more about this versatile author on Thursday, March 31 at 7:00 p.m. in the Library’s Barth Community. Thanks to the Friends of the Library, the authors keep coming to Crowell Public Library!

LA Opera Talk: Madame Butterfly

SUNDAY, March 20th 2:00 p.m.

Guided by L.A. Opera Community Educator Larry Verdugo, follow this heartbreaking story which begins as an idyllic liaison in an enchanting land of cherry blossoms, and then turns into the tragedy of an abandoned bride forced to make an excruciating decision. The stunning LA Opera production melds sumptuous costumes with evocative period scenery. Even if making the performance at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is out of the question, one can experience the story and history of the production at Crowell Library.

In 1906, Giacomo Puccini’s Madam Butterfly premiered at La Scala in Milan, Italy. Famously, it was a total failure, one of the most scandalous moments in operatic history. After a number of revisions, the opera was re-launched and has remained a favorite with audiences since. The reasons for its longevity are many: its touching story, exotic setting and theatrical color are, of course, obvious reasons. But no doubt, it is the beauty of Puccini’s music that gives Madam Butterfly its enduring appeal. Examining the current culture, shadows of the opera’s themes and imagery resonate in art, literature, theater and film. Mr. Verdugo will use videos that feature excerpts from the opera, related films and slides that illustrate key points. The audience will surely find these colorful and entertaining -- a little sad, too.

Larry Verdugo is a retired social worker who has been an opera enthusiast since his teens, collecting recordings and enjoying live performances, as well. Upon retirement, he joined L.A. Opera League, the volunteer arm of LAO and is now on the League’s board, organizing volunteers and staffing many educational events held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Larry enjoys his role as a Community Educator, speaking for LAO about opera and promoting its pleasures. Opera truly has something for everyone. Come early as seats are limited, but free at Crowell Public Library.