Ohio Center for the Book at Cleveland Public Library

• United States acquired Western land from foreign powers On October 27, 1795 Thomas Pinckney, the American Ambassador to the Court of Saint James, received his instructions from President Washington to initiate negotiations with Spanish Prime Minister Manuel de Godoy concerning American access to the Mississippi River and (finally) settling the border between the United …

February 18, 1931 – August 5, 2019 Today, we mourn the passing of one of Ohio’s great literary figures. Toni Morrison was born in Lorain, Ohio, and would go on to become an internationally-renowned author in addition to being an editor and educator and other roles. In honor of her many achievements, we here at …

Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon: Discussion Questions & Ponderables Ponderables According to Dr. Joel Frohlich, a postdoctoral researcher studying at UCLA, Charlie Gordon’s intellectual disability is a result of an inherited metabolic disorder called Phenylketonuria. This disorder occurs when cells are unable to produce an enzyme called phenylalanine hydroxylase. Why is this enzyme critical? Without …

Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon A Literary Frolic Friday discussion guide PART ONE: 1953-1966 How Keyes came to write Flowers for Algernon, publishing it first as a short story (1953) and then as a novel (1966), and how Flowers ultimately attracted the attention of actor Cliff Robertson In 1953, Daniel Keyes was hired by Martin …

The 19th annual Library of Congress National Book Festival will be held in Washington, DC, Saturday, August 31. The festival brings the nation’s leading authors, poets and illustrators together for one day to read and discuss their works. Each year a list of books representing the literary heritage of the 53 affiliates of the Library …

In the winter of 1947, John Steinbeck was desperate to “get back” to writing, to real writing, and to devote every fiber of his being to “a long slow piece of work.” To him, his hitherto published work represented only practice, training, a foreshadowing of what he could write—what he must write.  Far too long …

PART ONE: CIRCUMSTANCES BEHIND CONCEPTION OF THE RED PONY Leading up to his writing of “The Gift,” the first of what became the “Jody” short story quartet, 30-year-old John Steinbeck was deluged by a series of career setbacks and family tragedies.   Career setbacks The bulk of the royalties guaranteed to him by contract from …