Christopher Barzak

Christopher Barzak is a teacher of creative writing at Youngstown State University. He is the author of two novels including, One for Sorrow, and will read from his latest work, The Love We Share Without Knowing, a haunting, richly woven novel that explores the ties that bind humanity across the deepest ... (more)divides in modern day Japan. His stories have appeared in a many venues, including Nerve.com, The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror, Strange David Giffels is a columnist for the Akron Beacon Journal and contributing commentator and essayist on NPR. He has won dozens of journalism awards, including the 2006 National Award for Commentary, and has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize five times. He will read from his book, All the Way Home: Building a Family in a Falling-down House, a memoir about coming of age as a father in a ramshackle mansion reclaimed from termites, belligerent squirrels, and decades of neglect. In addition to his essays appearing in numerous publications including the New York Times and Redbook. Ohio native James J. Siegel is the poetry facilitator for a group called GuyWriters, which offers monthly critique sessions and quarterly open mic readings. He attended Bowling Green State University where he studied journalism and creative writing. The inspiration for much of his current work is based on Ohio and small town life in the Midwest. His poetry has appeared in literary journals such as The Fourth River, Toledo Review, Borderlands: Texas Poetry Review, Blueline and the online at magazine Paper Street. He lives in San Francisco. MENU: BBQ chicken breasts with provolone cheese on fresh deli roll; Asian broccoli salad with sunflower seeds, green onions, almonds and ramen noodles, raspberry almond bars. ***** Reading and dinner tickets are $25; Reading-only tickets are $15 for adults, $5 for children twelve and under. Individual dinner tickets must be ordered by 4:00 p.m. on the Monday before each Picnic. Reading-only tickets may be purchased in advance or at the door. All tickets are available online by clicking on the Event Tickets link to the left. If you missed our 2008 Literary Picnics, click here for the podcasts courtesy of WOSU. Schedule A typical Literary Picnic evening follows this schedule: 5:20 - 6:00 p.m. – Our Young Docents offer thorough (and often thoroughly hilarious) guided tours of Thurber House. 6:15 p.m. – Picnicking begins! Guests are welcome to pack their own picnic, or order one of our festive dinners, featuring the culinary delights of Party Panache. Don't forget to bring your lawn chairs or blankets. Alcoholic beverages are permitted. 7:00 p.m. – Our guest for the evening takes the stage. Afterward, the guest signs books in the front parlor. In case of rain, join us at: State Auto Insurance, 518 East Broad Street. The rain site for the July 22, New Voices picnic is Thurber Center 91 Jefferson Ave.

Join us for the first Room Book Club Meeting! We will be discussing Christopher Barzak's new novel, "The Love We Share Without Knowing" and then having a LIVE phone Q & A with the author!!You get 10% off your copy of the book club selection when you buy it at Room!

In this haunting, richly woven novel of modern life in Japan, the author of the acclaimed debut One for Sorrow explores the ties that bind humanity across the deepest divides. Here is an artful storytelling of intertwined narratives in which the lives of several strangers are gently linked through love, ... (more)loss, and fate.

A celebration of Ohio's authors. Free and open to the public. The book festival will run from 10am to 4:30pm.