Cook Memorial Public Library Podcast

Why haven't more people heard of Nancy Wake?

An upper-class expat who smuggled documents and people out of WWII Paris, armed the French Resistance, and killed a Nazi commander bare-handed, this war heroine should be a household name -- but she isn't. Author Ariel Lawhon sets out to rectify the oversight in her latest novel, Code Name Hélène. The book is a meticulously researched and compulsively readable account of Nancy Wake's life, tracing her journey from journalist to society wife to spy.

Erica spoke with Ariel about writing Code Name Hélène, why this story has been overlooked for so long, and the fascinating truth behind Nancy's signature red lipstick. They also discuss Ariel's approach to writing fiction about real people, her favorite fictional marriages, and even get a behind-the-scenes peek at her next project.

Code Name Hélène is available to check out in regular print or large type, as well as ebook formats in CloudLibrary and Libby/Overdrive. You can also purchase it at your favorite bookstore.

Find out more about Ariel here.

Books Discussed In This Episode

• All Arial Lawhon books
• Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
• The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

Note: This episode is part three in a three-part series originally released by Drops of Ink – the student news publication of Libertyville High School.

Drops of Ink explores different perspectives on race in Libertyville.

Originally published September 14, 2016.

Produced and hosted by Conor Kennedy.

Note: This episode is part two in a three-part series originally released by Drops of Ink – the student news publication of Libertyville High School.

Drops of Ink explores the history of the movement for housing equality.

Originally published July 22, 2016.

Produced and hosted by Conor Kennedy.

Note: This episode is part one in a three-part series originally released by Drops of Ink - the student news publication of Libertyville High School.

Drops of Ink delves into the history behind the segregation of Libertyville and its surrounding communities.

Originally published May 26, 2016.

Produced and hosted by Conor Kennedy.

Phil Christman is the author of the new book Midwest Futures - a collection of interconnected essays about the Midwest. The book expands on Christman's 2017 essay for The Hedgehog Review On Being Midwestern: The Burden of Normality. Both the essay and book start with a dissection of writing cliches about the Midwest as a way to begin unravelling how the region developed, what it means to live here, and what the area could become.

Our conversation (much like the book) cruises around a lot of different topics. We talk about "Midwestern" as an idea - touching on history, politics, race, literature, and even the current pandemic. We end with some of Christman's favorite Midwest books and authors, plus what he's been reading lately.

Midwest Futures published by Belt Publishing is available in eBook format in CloudLibrary, coming soon to the library in physical format, or you can purchase it.

Gwendolynn Brooks Louise Erdrich Capitalist Realism by Mark Fisher William H. Gass The Last Children of Mill Creek by Vivian Gibson Rust Belt Femme by Raechel Anne Jolie Draft no. 4 by John McPhee David Rhodes Marilynne Robinson Wagnerism by Alex Ross The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein The Origins of the Urban Crisis by Thomas Sugrue Marguerite Young

Many of us find ourselves with a lot more time at home these days. Why not use that time to explore one of the library's best digital resources - hoopla!

Audiovisual librarian Becky King and host Nate Gass each share their Top 5 hoopla movie recommendations.

Dive into hoopla right now

Don't have a library card? Apply for one online!

Local History Librarian Jennifer Barry helps us celebrate Women's History Month at the local level by highlighting the extraordinary life of Libertyville High School teacher Dr. Norma Munson.

Becky and Nate get together for the 5th year in a row to talk about last night's Academy Awards Ceremony. They discuss some of the biggest surprises and their favorite moments, plus recommend a few 2019 films you may have missed.

As the year wraps up, Readers Advisor Jo talks about the most beloved books of 2019 according to the staff at Cook Library. We go over highlights from our immensely popular 2019 fiction and nonfiction booklets available at the reference desk and online.

Listen to this quick 20 minute episode to remember the books and authors everyone was talking about and discover under the radar titles unique to your library.

Local History Librarian Jenny Barry shares some of the quirkiest newspaper headlines and articles she's encountered in her years researching Libertyville's history.

Visit our local history page to discover your own oddities in Cook Library's newspaper archives!