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Hello, fellow bookworms!
So many people around the world got a sad shock last week to hear that the incredible Dolly Parton — musician, songwriter, philanthropist, actor, and all-around beloved icon — passed away on August 25 at age 80. As a lifelong county-music fan who counts 9 to 5 among my favorite movies, I had to pause what I was doing and take a moment when I heard the news.
Dolly was a champion of many causes — women’s rights, animal welfare and conservation, support for the LGBTQ+ community, disaster relief, medical research, and so much more — but today, I’m highlighting one in particular: her commitment to education and literacy, particularly for children. Her Imagination Library, founded in 1995, began after Dolly, who observed the impact that being unable to read had on her father, endeavored to provide access to books and foster a love of reading and learning in future generations. From birth until age 5, children receive a book each month — for free, regardless of their family’s income. Since its inception, the Imagination Library has gifted more than 330,000,000 books to children in the U.S., the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Canada, and Australia.
What a truly wonderful legacy to leave.
Through United Way and First 5 Santa Barbara County, you can access this program locally and get more books into the hands of children right here in our community. You can even donate directly to the Santa Barbara branch of the program through the Imagination Library site.
Dolly knew how important reading is — it not only bolsters intelligence and success in education, but it helps foster empathy and kindness, which she built her legacy on.
So, please keep reading, and especially keep reading to the children. In Dolly’s honor.
Star of the Show: My Life on Stage by Dolly Parton
One of Dolly Parton’s last published works, just released last November, this gorgeous coffee-table book is an absolute treasure trove for any Dolly fan. A whopping 12”x9” beast, this book is heavy — but it has to be to describe such a legendary career!
Star of the Show takes the reader on a ride through Dolly’s road to and beyond stardom, from her first childhood performances on her family’s porch in East Tennessee, using a stick and a tin can for a microphone, all the way to performing for millions of people all around the world. Gorgeous photos from all stages of her career accompany Dolly’s writing — all the funny anecdotes, the inspiration behind her songs, the people she couldn’t have done it without, and her insights about life, success, and staying grounded, all with that trademark Dolly good nature.
One of my best friends gifted me this book last Christmas, and it’s kept on giving — every time I read a piece of it, I come away feeling inspired. Star of the Show is a great encapsulation of what makes Dolly such a legend, and the lessons we can take from her to make our own lives a little more sparkly.
—Tessa, allbooked@independent.com
FROM OUR PAGES
We’ve had some great author visits and interviews recently, so don’t miss out. Here is some of our book-related coverage from the last two weeks! Read all this and more at Independent.com.
“UCSB Library Expands Humanities and Social Science Collection” by Keith Ham
UPCOMING BOOK EVENTS
Below, you will find a few bookish events coming up in Santa Barbara. If you are hosting a bookish event in Santa Barbara, be sure to submit the event to our online events calendar.
Fiction Book Club
Tuesday, September 1, 5:30 p.m. | S.B. Central Library, Upper Level
Storytime at Solvang Library
Wednesday, September 2, 10:30 a.m. | Solvang Library
Author Talk: Arvind Ethan Davis, The Great Game
Thursday, September 3, 6 p.m. | Chaucer’s Books
Wiggly Storytime
Friday, September 4, 10:30 a.m. | Stow Grove Park
Between the Lines: Adult Literacy Book Club
Friday, September 4, noon | S.B. Central Library, Tech Lab
SBMAL Library Open House
Saturday, September 5, 9:30 a.m. | Santa Barbara Mission Archive-Library
Storytime at the Sea Center
Saturday, September 5, 10:30 a.m. | S.B. Museum of Natural History Sea Center
Dog Man’s Viking Pawty
Saturday, September 5, 11 a.m. | The Book Loft
Little G’s: The Beginner’s Guide to Being a Wizard
Saturday, September 5, 11 a.m. | Godmothers
Writers’ Workshop for Adults & Teens
Saturday, September 5, 2 p.m. | Goleta Community Center
Storytime at Solvang Library
Tuesday, September 8, 10:30 a.m. | Solvang Library
SBMM Book Club
Wednesday, September 9, 10 a.m. | S.B. Maritime Museum
Storytime at Solvang Library
Wednesday, September 9, 10:30 a.m. | Solvang Library
Romance Book Club
Wednesday, September 9, 5:30 p.m. | S.B. Central Library
Blue Whale Poetry Reading
Wednesday, September 9, 5:30 p.m. | Unity of Santa Barbara Chapel
Chaucer’s Book Talk: Antwone Fisher, Reflections Beneath the Buckeye Trees: Notes from a Life
Wednesday, September 9, 6 p.m. | Chaucer’s Books
From Raíces to Runways: Library on the Go at SBA
Thursday, September 10, 10 a.m. | S.B. Municipal Airport
The Mary Jane McCord Planned Parenthood Annual Book Sale
Thursday, September 10-20, hours vary | Earl Warren Showgrounds
SBMM Book Club
Thursday, September 10, 10:30 a.m. | S.B. Maritime Museum
S.B. Central Library Comic Chaos Club
Thursday, September 10, 4 p.m. | S.B. Central Library, Island Room
Second Thursday at the Museum Lecture Series: Author and Filmmaker Gary Robinson
Thursday, September 10, 5 p.m. | Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center
Godmothers Gather: A Booker Prize Book Club: The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout
Thursday, September 10, 5:30 p.m. | Godmothers
Author Talk: The Carbon Wave by Dr. Leah Stokes
Thursday, September 10, 6:30 p.m. | CEC Environmental Hub
Baby & Me Storytime
Friday, September 11, 10 a.m. | Evergreen Acres Park
Wiggly Storytime
Friday, September 11, 10:30 a.m. | Evergreen Acres Park
Planned Parenthood Annual Book Sale After-Hours Event
Friday, September 11, 7:30 p.m. | Earl Warren Showgrounds
Storytime at the Sea Center
Saturday, September 12, 10:30 a.m. | S.B. Museum of Natural History Sea Center
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Party
Saturday, September 12, 11 a.m. | Stow Grove Park
Pocas pero locas y Lowriders (Writers and Riders)
Saturday, September 12, noon | S.B. Central Library
Poetry Reading: An Afternoon with Crystal AC Salas & Catherine Abbey Hodges
Saturday, September 12, 3:30 p.m. | S.B. Museum of Natural History
Storytime at the Sea Center
Sunday, September 13, 10:30 a.m. | S.B. Museum of Natural History Sea Center
Beyond Reading: A Literacy & Learning Fair
Sunday, September 13, 2 p.m. | S.B. Central Library
Planned Parenthood Young Advocates Community Reading
Sunday, September 13, 4 p.m. | Earl Warren Showgrounds
Godmothers Gather: Priya Parker & Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, The Art of Fighting
Sunday, September 13, 6 p.m. | Godmothers
Wiggly Storytime
Monday, September 14, 10:30 a.m. | Buellton Library
Storytime at Solvang Library
Tuesday, September 18, 10:30 a.m. | Solvang Library
S.B. SPOTLIGHT
We at the Independent get many books sent to us by area authors, sometimes too many! It’s practically impossible for us to read and review them all, but just because we are busy bees does not mean that they aren’t worth the attention. In an attempt to not completely drop the ball, we have compiled a list of books here that are either written by a Santa Barbara author, feature someone in our community, or have another tie to Santa Barbara. I urge you to look through this list. Perhaps you will find your new favorite read!
The following are the most recent titles that have been sent to us.
The De la Guerras of Santa Barbara by Willard Thompson, with Michael Nellis
Soul Centered: Transform Your Life in 8 Weeks with Meditation by Sarah McLean
The Power of Attention: Awaken to Love and Its Unlimited Potential with Meditation by Sarah McLean
If you are a local author and would like us to feature your book in this section, please email allbooked@independent.com with the subject line “S.B. Spotlight.”
Book Reviews Courtesy of CALIFORNIA REVIEW OF BOOKS*
Thanks to the generous contributions of David Starkey, Brian Tanguay and their team of reviewers at California Review of Books, we are able to provide a steady stream of book reviews via our content partnership. Recent reviews at Independent.com include:
*At the present time, all of the Independent’s book reviews are provided in collaboration with California Review of Books (calirb.com).
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