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Second Annual Wonder of Words Festival Kicks off November 2

October 24, 2013

The second annual Wonder of Words Festival will kickoff a compilation of events and presentations featuring prominent authors including John Carter Cash, Amy Tan and Michele Norris, November 2-12, 2013, around Greater Des Moines. Co-presented by the Downtown Community Alliance and Des Moines Public Library, the Wonder of Words Festival celebrates the written word and lifelong learning.

Gov. Terry Branstad lauds the festival as a budding contributor to the state’s literacy legacy, one that encourages a passion for reading through the dynamic art of writing.

“I think everyone would agree that reading is important, but few stop to ask the question: ‘Why is reading important?’” says Branstad. “First and foremost, reading stimulates and develops the mind, especially in children. Through reading and listening to the written word, a person can explore new things, new information, new ways to solve problems and make achievements. Learning should never stop. I hope these events throughout Iowa will help highlight the importance of reading.”

In its second year, the Wonder of Words Festival is hosting a week-long series of 14 events around Greater Des Moines, that showcase a variety of genres of the written word.

Featured events include:

  • Saturday, Nov. 2, Author Douglas Bauer — An afternoon with Iowa author Doug Bauer, presenting his latest work released this month, What Happens Next. In these clear-eyed, wry and graceful essays, Bauer presents with candor and humor the dual calendars of his own mortality and that of his aging parents, evoking the regrets and affirmations inherent in being human. This free event takes place Nov. 2, and will begin at 4 p.m. at the Central Library in Des Moines. 
  • Wednesday, Nov. 6, Pub(lishers) Crawl — The Pub(lishers) Crawl features the bars of Full Court Press, local celebrities and nationally known authors. Beginning at The Red Monk at 5 p.m., local business owner and author Mike Draper will read from his book, The Midwest: God’s Gift to Planet Earth. The crawl will then move to El Bait Shop where Drew Curtis, best-selling author and CEO of Fark.com, will chat about the media, being a TED Fellow and his newest endeavor: the Stone Farking Wheaton Woot Stout. Finally, the party will crawl back to The High Life Lounge where Mike Butterworth and Jason Walsmith of The Nadas will share a few of their favorite literary passages. The event will be hosted and emceed by Scott Siepker (aka, “The Iowa Nice Guy”).
  • Thursday, Nov.7, Standing on the Shoulders of Giants Book Release — The Greater Des Moines Partnership will unveil a commemorative book titled, Standing on the Shoulders of Giants. Written by Dave Elbert, and produced in partnership with the Des Moines Business Record and the Iowa History Center at Simpson College, the book will document the historic foundation of the Partnership, its signature accomplishments by the people who made it happen, while taking a look at what the future holds. This event is free and open to the public. It will begin at 5 p.m. at the Temple for Performing Arts.
  • Thursday, Nov. 7, RunDSM Spoken Word Poetry — Poets from Simpson College will partner with a group of middle-school students from RunDSM based in Des Moines, to present a spoken word poetry event at 7 p.m. at Wooly’s in the Historic East Village. Cost is $5.
  • Friday, Nov. 8, An Evening with Mary Swander — Featuring Driving the Body Back and VANG — two plays written by Iowa Poet Laureate Mary Swander. These performances will be followed by a talk-back session with Swander and actors Matt Foss and Karan Founds-Benton, and Pulitzer Prize winning photo-journalist Dennis Chamberlain. The performance begins at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 8. Tickets can be purchased for $20 at the Civic Center Ticket Office, charge-by-phone at (515) 246-2322 or online at DesMoinesPerformingArts.org. 
  • Saturday, Nov. 9, House of Cash, featuring John Carter Cash — An American author and country music-singer, songwriter and producer, John Carter Cash is set to perform a lively collection of musical hits once performed by his parents, as well as share stories from his family legacy during the House of Cash, Sat. Nov. 9. The House of Cash will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Wooly’s in the East Village. Tickets are available for purchase for $25 at woolysdm.com or by calling (515) 244-0550. Tickets are on sale now. 
  • Saturday, Nov. 9, Tomás and the Library Lady: A Children’s Play — Based on the book of the same title, written by Pat Mora, Tomás and the Library Lady tells the tale of a son of a migrant worker (Tomás), the harsh realities of his life, the joyful imaginings he finds in books and the special relationships with a wise grandfather and a caring librarian. The performance begins at 10:30 a.m. at The Temple for Performing Arts, Temple Theater. Tickets are $5.
  • Saturday, Nov. 9, WOW VOICES — WOW Voices will feature several well-known, yet highly diverse authors with an array of perspectives and life experiences to share. Authors include Pat Mora, Will Fellows, Emily Rapp and Jenny Barker Devine. The public is invited to the Downtown Des Moines Central Library from 1-5 p.m. on Nov. 9.
  • Sunday, Nov. 10, AViD Author Amy Tan — Bestselling author Amy Tan comes to Hoyt Sherman as part of the Des Moines Public Library AViD Series in conjunction with the Wonder of Words Festival! This free event will begin at 3 p.m. on Nov. 10. Tan’s latest novel, The Valley of Amazement, will be published the week before her appearance in Des Moines. Seating is first-come, first-served. Books will be available for sale and signing.

Community Partner Events

Full details can be found at wonderofwordsfest.com.

  • Miniature Traveling Book Exhibit — The Miniature Book Society (MBS) created this display as a way to showcase modern masterpieces as well as historic examples. The exhibit is free and open to the public. Begins Friday. Nov 1, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Monday – Wednesday 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Thursday – Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sunday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m, Central Library
  • Authors James A. Autry and Sally J. Pederson — James A. Autry and Sally J. Pederson will be discussing their new book, Choosing Gratitude 365 Days A Year. Their editor describes the book as “honest, genuine and utterly without platitudes.” This event is free and open to the public. Monday Nov. 4, Noon, Central Library
  • American Gothic Event with Author Wanda Corn — Take in the 25-foot American Gothic statue and hear from Wanda Corn, author of Grant Wood’s American Gothic: Regionalist, Modernist, Internationalist. Corn is one of the most eminent scholars of late-19th- and early-20th-century American art. This event is free and open to the public. Tuesday, Nov. 5, 7 p.m., Kent Campus Center, Simpson College
  • Author Michele Norris, The Race Card Project — Author and NPR Radio personality Michele Norris will share The Race Card Project. Michele started The Race Card Project in 2010 to help foster a candid dialogue about race. This event is free and open to the public. Wednesday, Nov. 6, 7:30 p.m., Sheslow Auditorium, Drake University
  • Poet Camille Dungy — Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa, is hosting author Camille Dungy. This roundtable will begin at 4:15 p.m. and is free to the public. A reading will follow at 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, Faulconer Gallery, Grinnell College
  • Author and Senator Rob Hogg — A state senator from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Hogg is the author of America’s Climate Century, in which he argues that climate change is the defining historical challenge for our country in the 21st Century.
  • Columnist Jennifer Hemmingsen of the Cedar Rapids Gazette (4/28/13) said the science and potential solutions (in Hogg’s book) “will help you get from zero to well-informed in a matter of hours.” Tuesday, Nov. 12, 6:30 p.m., Franklin Library

About Wonder of Words Festival

The Wonder of Words Festival connects readers, writers, and publishers at events that celebrate reading and share the joy of lifelong learning. The Wonder of Words Festival is co-produced by the Downtown Community Alliance and the Des Moines Public Library. 2013 Festival sponsors include Prairie Meadows, Alliant Energy, BRAVO Greater Des Moines, Business Record and dsm Magazine, Casey’s General Stores, The Conlin Family Foundation, Chrysalis Foundation, Douglas and Deborah West, Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), Register Media, Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, Fulbright Iowa, Full Court Press, Hoyt Sherman Place, Humanities Iowa/National Endowment for the Humanities, Iowa Beverage Systems, Iowa Public Radio, Meredith Corporation, Mid-American Energy, RunDSM, University of Iowa Press, Wells Fargo, and West Bank Foundation. Community partners include the Des Moines Public Library Foundation, Drake University, Des Moines Performing Arts, Des Moines Rotary Club, Greater Des Moines Partnership, Grinnell College, Simpson College, Wooly’s and the Iowa History Center at Simpson College. For more information, visit wonderofwordsfest.com.