Santa Barbara Reads Selection Announced

The public library is partnering with University of California Santa Barbara Library, Santa Barbara City College Library, Antioch University Library and Westmont College Library in a community-wide program focusing on the same book. The program begins in January and will continue until March 4, when the author will present a free public lecture at UCSB’s Campbell Hall at 8:00 pm. The aim is to stimulate conversation and discussion about a book among members of various groups in the area.

The branches of the Santa Barbara Public Library System will have dozens of copies of the title in regular book format, as well as large type, book on CD, and downloadable ebook and audiobook copies. Two sets of Book Club in a Bag, containing 10 paperback copies that check out for six weeks, will be available. A copy of the Spanish translation, Los Desafíos de la Memoria, is also available at each branch.

Under the tutelage of “mental athletes,” author Joshua Foer learned ancient techniques once employed by Cicero to memorize speeches and by medieval scholars to memorize entire books, and ultimately won the USA Memory Championship. Moonwalking With Einstein. his book about the art and science of remembering, explores techniques for memorizing everything from shopping lists to multiple sets of playing cards, poems, and names and faces, as well as the nature of memory and its function in our lives and society.

“The library is pleased to be able to continue to partner with UC Santa Barbara on this community reading program,” said Chris Gallery, the reference librarian who organizes the event for the public library. “We have many community members who look forward to these programs every year.”

The Central Library, located at 40 E. Anapamu Street in Santa Barbara, will have a display inspired by Moonwalking With Einstein in the lobby during January, and will host a presentation by area professors relating to the concepts and issues in the book on Wednesday, February 20 at 6:00pm. The Montecito Library, located at 1469 E. Valley Road in Montecito, will host their event on Wednesday, February 13 at 6:00pm; and the Solvang Library, located at 1745 Mission Drive in Solvang, will host a similar presentation on Thursday, February 28 at 6:00pm.

For additional information about this and other programs of the Santa Barbara Public Library System, please visit SBPLibrary.org or contact the Central Library at 805-564-5604. All library programs are FREE and open to the public.