This post is part of our Guest Picks series, featuring members of our library community sharing their favorite books and movies.
From the West Coast to the East Coast, this month's guest reader has experienced the many opportunities that libraries offer.
Born in Southern California, my first exposure to a library was in conjunction with the local summer reading program. When it was blazing hot my mother would drive us to the library, which was an oasis of coolness. While I greatly appreciated the very effective air conditioning years ago, the early exposure to books has generated a lifetime of enjoyment from reading.
With an economics degree from UCLA, home to the expansive Powell Library, I have fashioned a career in banking spanning both coasts. My wife Meg and I have lived in the Fredericksburg area for over twenty years. Soon after we arrived, I was fortunate to be accepted into the Rappahannock Rotary Club, which afforded me the opportunity to provide local service as well as support international service projects. When our three children were young, they, too, developed a love for books through frequent trips to the Headquarters Branch, now known as the Fredericksburg Branch.
My understanding and interest were boosted by a former neighbor who, many years ago, quietly and consistently advocated for libraries as an important community resource. I firmly believe that the Central Rappahannock Regional Library system is a major asset to the Fredericksburg area. I hope you will consider reading one or more of the books that I have enjoyed and continue to enjoy.
George Washington in the American Revolution, 1775-1783; George Washington and the New Nation, 1783-1793; and George Washington: Anguish and Farewell, 1793-1799.
