If your New Year’s resolution was to read more, or at least spend more time in the vicinity of books, here’s a good start:
• Boone, N.C.-based Doc Hendley (pictured) was a college student by day and bartender by night when, inspired by the story of a friend who worked at an aid organization, he decided to head to Darfur, Sudan to install water systems for survivors of the genocide. He founded the nonprofit organization Wine to Water to fight water-related death and disease, and is now involved in projects in nine different countries around the world. Hendley comes to Malaprop’s on Sunday, Jan. 8 at 3 p.m. to discuss his work and his new book, Wine to Water: A Bartender’s Quest to Bring Clean Water to the World.
• Something for young readers: Grateful Steps Publishing House & Bookshop hosts a book signing and children’s events for Tonda and TK Friends by Mary Byrd and Stephanie Willard on Saturday, Jan. 14, 10:30-11:30 a.m. The bookstore has also added toys to its merchandise.
• The Flood Reading Series returns to Posana Cafe on Monday, Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Featured readers are Sebastian Matthews and Chall Gray, covering poetry, short fiction and memoir.
From a press release: “Matthews is the author of a memoir and two books of poetry, the second of which, Miracle Day, will be out this spring from Red Hen Press. A teacher for many years at Warren Wilson College, he is also on the faculty of Queens University’s MFA program and is the editor of Rivendell, a place-based literary journal.
“Gray is the author of several chapbooks, and his writings and journalism work have been published in numerous regional and national publications. He is a theatre producer and the owner of The Magnetic Field, a restaurant and theatre in the River Arts District.”
