The Sinking of the Reuben James
Friends of the SaddleBrooke Libraries lecture series continues on April 21 with Mark Schwartz presenting The Sinking of the Reuben James. The presentation explores the simmering background of military and political issues between two nations on the verge of war. The U.S.S. Reuben James was sunk by a Nazi U-boat in the North Atlantic weeks before Germany and America officially went to war. One hundred Americans died in the attack and American public opinion boiled over with anger. It took six weeks before a formal declaration of war was made.
Despite Neutrality Laws and an isolationist Congress, American warships patrolled the western Atlantic and escorted convoys destined for Britain. As Germany continued assaults on European democracies, President Roosevelt battled a divided Congress but did win approval for the Lend-Lease program. More ships like the Reuben James were ordered and sent to engage German U-boats. Public opinion was split between those wanting to support Europe and those wanting to stay out of the conflict. How did the sinking become an iconic moment in U.S. history and what factors really led to the declaration of formal hostilities?
Mark Schwartz graduated from Ohio State with an Air Force ROTC commission. He flew the F-II aircraft in five different active duty and reserve squadrons. His civilian career in the aerospace industry spanned 30 years including the aircraft divisions of Northrop and Lockheed and as an analyst for the Joint Staff and two Homeland Security groups.
The lecture will take place in the MountainView Clubhouse Ballroom from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. The series is free for FSL members and $5 for non-members.
May lecture features Dr. Yazzie
Dr. Evangeline Parsons Yazzie will present “Boarded Up – Social and Historical Interpretations of the American Indian Boarding School Era.” Dr. Yazzie is a Professor Emerita at Northern Arizona University. Her presentation will impart a social interpretation of how life among Indian nations began to change due to the plight American Indians were forced into in the name of education. American Indians are the only ethnic group in the United States who were subjected to forced education by the federal government. Children were taken by force, placed in a boarding school and were not allowed to speak their language or practice their culture. Parents were forced to sever all contacts with their children while the children were forced into a hostile environment where they were expected to thrive and learn.
Dr. Yazzie will speak at 4:00 p.m. on May 12 at the Mountain View Ballroom.
Two exciting FSL trips coming this fall
Friends of the SaddleBrooke Libraries is sponsoring two bus trips for fall, 2016, to the historic towns of Bisbee and Prescott.
Our first tour is to the mile high town of Bisbee for three days and two nights, October 5 through 7. Starting with a visit to the Amerind Foundation to view exhibits that tell the story of America’s first people, the tour will then move to Tombstone Courthouse State Park and then onto Bisbee where we will stay at the Copper Queen Hotel. Bisbee highlights include the Mining and Historic Museum, a Lavender jeep tour to locations featured in J.A. Jance’s Sheriff Joanna Brady mysteries and an underground tour of the Queen Mine.
A studio visit with photographer David Kachel and a gallery talk with sculptor Robert Wick are also planned. There will be free time to shop, visit galleries and explore Bisbee. The trip will conclude with a visit to the Sonoita Vineyards where we will tour the vineyards and enjoy a winetasting and lunch. The price for the tour is $695 per person, double occupancy.
The second tour is to Prescott, Arizona’s Christmas City, December 8 through 10. Prescott hosts one of the biggest holiday celebrations in Arizona. The Courthouse Square is lit with hundreds of thousands of colored lights. One of the highlights of the celebration is the Acker Night Musical Showcase. Over a hundred musicians will perform around the square playing everything from Blue Grass to Brahms. The tour also includes visits to the Sharlot Hall Museum and the Phippen Museum of Western Art. Free time is scheduled to allow shopping and gallery visits. Accommodations are at the historic Hassayampa Inn. A stop at the Desert Caballeros Western Museum in Wickenburg is planned for the return trip to SaddleBrooke. The price for the tour is $545 per person double occupancy.
For detailed itineraries, tour descriptions and registration forms, visit the FSL website http://sbfsl.org/tripsother-events.
Valerie Plame guest author for November Luncheon
Friends of SaddleBrooke Libraries is pleased to announce that Valerie Plame will be the guest speaker at our November 11 Author Luncheon. Valerie Plame is a former covert CIA Operations Officer. As a covert operative, she worked to protect our national security and prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Plame authored best sellers Fair Game, My Life as a Spy and My Betrayal by the White House, which became a major motion picture starring Sean Penn and Naomi Watts. She coauthored, with Sara Lovett, Blowback and Burned. Plame narrated and appeared in the critically acclaimed documentary on the dangers of nuclear proliferation, Countdown to Zero, and is an active member of the Global Zero Leadership board. Plame has spoken throughout the U.S. and abroad on issues including nuclear proliferation, women in intelligence and the National Security Agency. She writes for a number of news outlets including Newsweek, CNN, The Daily Beast and The Guardian.
Valerie received a Bachelor’s degree from Penn State and graduate degrees from the London School of Economics and the College of Europe.
Tickets for the luncheon are $29 and available at the HOA 2 Administration Office at MountainView. The luncheon choices are chicken citrus salad or citrus salad. Please call 825-2818 for further information.