Thirty Years Of Liberating Literature is theme for this 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week (September 30-October 6, 2012). To observe the week, AADL welcomed acclaimed poet and publisher Mariela Griffor, who read from her work and discussed her extraordinary life - which forms a framework for much of her poetry.The many literary accomplishments of Mariela Griffor followed many years of involuntary exile from her native Chile. A firm supporter of freedom of speech, Mariela fled to Sweden in 1985 following the violent death of her boyfriend at that time. She moved to Grosse Pointe in 1998 with her American husband and two daughters.The author of "Exiliana" and "House," she is the Honorary Consul of Chile in Michigan and founder of Michigan's Marick Press, a not-for-profit literary publisher, founded to preserve the best work by poets of the American Midwest. Mariela co-founded The Institute for Creative Writers at Wayne State University and her work has appeared in periodicals across Latin America and the United States. She holds a B.A in Journalism from Wayne State University and M.F.A. in Creative Writing from New England College.Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment and highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship. It is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association; American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression; the American Library Association; American Society of Journalists and Authors; Association of American Publishers; and the National Association of College Stores. It is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.

At 47, Whit Alexander, the co-founder of the Cranium board game, decided to start a new business selling affordable goods and services to low-income villagers in Ghana. His brother, Max, a journalist, came along to tell the story. Neither anticipated how much of an adventure they'd find, and how many challenges they'd encounter on the path to success, from deadly insects and insane driving conditions to voodoo priests and ethnic rivalries! Join us as Max and Whit Alexander make a special visit to Traverwood Branch to discuss their adventures and the resulting new book "Bright Lights, No City: An African Adventure On Bad Roads With A Brother And A Very Weird Business Plan." This acclaimed new book is the story of how this seminal adventure tests and finally redefines the relationship of these two extraordinary brothers. The author, Max Alexander, is the perfect guide: skeptical at first, hilariously observant, worried about much that he is asked to plunge into, and finally inspired by what he sees.. A booksigning will follow and books will be on sale at the event.

Bestselling author, screenwriter and playwright Delia Ephron makes a special appearance at the Library to discuss her career as well as her delightful new novel 'The Lion Is In.' The event includes a book signing and books will be for sale. Delia Ephron's screenwriting credits include the hit movies 'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,' 'Bewitched,' 'You've Got Mail,' 'Hanging Up' (based on her novel), and 'Michael.' She was also the producer of the timeless comedy 'Sleepless In Seattle.'She has written several critically acclaimed novels for adults and teenagers, books of humor, including 'How to Eat Like a Child,' and essays. Her journalism has appeared in The New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Vogue, More, and The Huffington Post. Recently, Delia collaborated with her sister, Nora Ephron, on a play, 'Love, Loss, and What I Wore,' which just completed an acclaimed two year run off-Broadway and has been performed in cities around the world, including Paris, Rio de Janeiro, and Sydney.'The Lion Is In' is full of "smart, snappy dialogue" according to Booklist and is the story of three women, who, one warm summer's night, go on the lam together. When their car breaks down on a rural highway in North Carolina, they're forced to seek shelter in a seemingly abandoned nightclub. Which is where they meet Marcel (a retired circus lion) - and soon everything changes. Do not miss this chance to meet this amazing writer!

The Ann Arbor District Library is honored to host an evening with journalist Dan Rather as he discusses his new memoir "Rather Outspoken: My Life In The News." The event, which includes a booksigning, will be held at The Michigan Theater, 603 East Liberty in Ann Arbor. Books will be on sale. There is no charge to attend this special evening event, cosponsored by Michigan Radio. Given his distinguished record and his long exposure on television around the globe, Dan Rather may be the best-known journalist in the world. He has covered virtually every major event in the world in the past 60 years. His resume reads like a history book, from his early local reporting in Texas on Hurricane Carla to his unparalleled work covering the assassination of President John F. Kennedy; the civil rights movement; the White House and national politics; wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan, the Persian Gulf, Yugoslavia and Iraq. From his first days as the Associated Press reporter in Huntsville, Texas, in 1950, Rather has more than earned his reputation as the "hardest working man in broadcast journalism."Rather served as anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News from 1981 to 2005, the longest such tenure in broadcast journalism history. He helped to found 48 Hours, a broadcast he anchored and reported for from its premiere on Jan. 19, 1988, through 2002. He was a correspondent for 60 Minutes from 1975 to 1981, and again from 2005 to the summer of 2006. Rather also helped to found and served as a correspondent for 60 Minutes II from its debut on Jan. 13, 1999, to its final edition in 2005. His regular contributions to CBS News Radio included Dan Rather Reporting, a weekday broadcast of news and analysis on the CBS Radio Network from 1981 to 2004. In 2006 Rather founded the company News and Guts and became anchor and managing editor of HDNet's Dan Rather Reports, which specializes in investigative journalism and international reporting.He has received virtually every honor in broadcast journalism, including numerous Emmy and Peabody Awards and citations from critical, scholarly, professional and charitable organizations. Rather has also authored or co-authored seven books, four of which have become New York Times bestsellers."Rather Outspoken: My Life In The News" is told in a straightforward and conversational manner. Readers will note his distinctive voice on every page. Rather discusses the major stories from his decades of reporting, including inside stories of top personalities he has either interviewed or worked with over his remarkable career. He also discusses his controversial dismissal from CBS, the Abu Ghraib story, the George W. Bush Air National Guard controversy, his coverage of the JFK assassination, the origin of "Hurricane Dan" and much more. The book also include Rather's thoughts and reflections on the state of journalism today and what he sees for its future, as well as never-before-revealed personal observations and commentary. Join us for this fascinating evening with Dan Rather.

With the new ease and popularity of self-publishing, everyone from your elderly neighbor to your teenage babysitter is becoming a published author. But how do you combat the hordes of eBooks and print books available to reach your readers, and actually sell some books? How can you make your work stand out? Join us for what should be a lively discussion on creative ways to market and publicize your book. This event is co-sponsored by the Detroit Chapter of the Women's National Book Association. Panelists include: Kai Blum, director of Search Engine Marketing at Ingenex Digital in Ann Arbor; Emlyn Chand, president of author PR firm Novel Publicity; and author Ann Pearlman, whose memoir, "Infidelity," was nominated for a National Book Award and a Pulitzer Prize, and was made into a Lifetime movie by Lionsgate.The panel will be moderated by Shannon Janeczek, whose full-time gig has been marketing and business writing for almost 20 years. Find out more about how to join the ranks of self-published authors!

Enter the world of fantasy as bestselling author Brandon Mull appears at the Library to discuss and read from his new book (just released in March) - "Beyonders #2: Seeds of Rebellion." This new page-turner (for readers in grades 3 - 7) is the second epic installment in the Beyonders fantasy series! This event will include a booksigning and books will be available for purchase. Brandon Mull is the author of the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling Fablehaven series in addition to the acclaimed Beyonders series. This new installment promised to be even more exciting.After the cliffhanger ending of "Beyonders: A World Without Heroes," Jason is back in the world he's always known--yet for all his efforts to get home, he finds himself itching to return to Lyrian. Jason knows that the shocking truth he learned from Maldor is precious information that all of his friends in Lyrian, including Rachel, need if they have any hope of surviving and defeating the evil emperor.

Focusing on the 2012 Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads book selection "Born On A Blue Day: Inside The Mind Of An Autistic Savant" by Daniel Tammet, this extraordinary evening will feature nationally-known Autism Consultant Dr. Julie Donnelly and (via Skype) Dr. Darold Treffert, one of the world's leading experts on Autistic Savant Syndrome.Dr. Darold Treffert will discuss Extraordinary Savant Syndrome highlighting recent developments in research on this remarkable condition.

The theme for Ann Arbor Ypsilanti Reads 2012 is Language: How We Communicate. Award-winning journalist Stephen G. Bloom, the UM Howard R. Marsh Visiting Professor of Journalism, will discuss how he communicates through non-fiction writing - including his December piece "Observations From 20 Years of Iowa Life" in The Atlantic which set off a firestorm of controversy placing him in the national spotlight. Bloom will also discuss the role of journalists today, touching on the future of journalism and nonfiction writing. Since 1993, Bloom has been on the faculty of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Iowa, where he is Professor and the Bessie Dutton Murray Professional Scholar. Prior to joining the Iowa faculty, Bloom was a staff writer at the Sacramento Bee, San Jose Mercury News, Los Angeles Times, and Dallas Morning News. He was a Brazilian correspondent for the Field News Service and national news editor at the Latin America Daily Post. He is the author of "Tears of Mermaids: The Secret Story of Pearls," "The Oxford Project" with photographer Peter Feldstein, "Inside the Writer's Mind" and "Postville: A Clash of Cultures In Heartland America." His work has appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers, including The Atlantic, Smithsonian, The New York Times Magazine, Washington Post, Wilson Quarterly, Salon, Chronicle of Higher Education, American Journalism Review, International Herald Tribune, Chicago Tribune Magazine, Money, Journal of Health Communication, Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, American Editor, and National Public Radio's All Things Considered.

On September 11, 2001, local resident John Titus lost his daughter Alicia, a flight attendant on United Airlines 175, when the plane crashed into the south tower of the World Trade Center.

AADL is extremely proud to host violinist, arts educator, and President of the Detroit-based Sphinx Organization Aaron Dworkin, as he discusses his long-awaited inspirational memoir "Uncommon Rhythm: A Black, White, Jewish, Jehovah's Witness, Irish Catholic Adoptee's Journey to Leadership." The book is a harrowing yet moving account of Aaron's personal journey through social isolation and discrimination to found one of the nation's cultural jewels, the Sphinx Organization. Books will be on sale at the event and the evening will include a book signing."Uncommon Rhythm" is a tapestry of stirring narrative, precious photos and poignant poems. A MacArthur Fellow, Aaron is driven by the single vision of inclusion for all, and hopes that this book will inspire all people who have ever felt like outsiders to nurture their own gifts and make valuable contributions to society.Named a MacArthur Fellow, a Member of the Obama National Arts Policy Committee and President Obama's first nominee to the National Council on the Arts, Aaron P. Dworkin is the Founder and President of the Sphinx Organization, the leading national arts organization that focuses on youth development and diversity in classical music. An author, social entrepreneur, artist-citizen and an avid youth education advocate, he has received extensive national recognition for his vast accomplishments.He is the recipient of the National Governors Association Distinguished Service to State Government Award, Detroit Symphony's Lifetime Achievement Award, Michiganian of the Year, Crain's 40 Under 40 and Who's Who Awards, BET's History Makers in the Making Award, AT&T Excellence in Education Award, University of Michigan's African-American Alumni Council's 5 Under 10 Award, Entrepreneur Of The Year Award by the National Black MBA Association-Detroit Chapter, and Interlochen Arts Academy's 2003 Path of Inspiration Award.He has also been named one of Newsweek's 15 People Who Make America Great and has been featured in People Magazine, on NBC's Today Show and Nightly News with Brian Williams, on CNN's Airport Network-Innovator Series and Anderson Cooper 360 and on NPR's The Story and Performance Today. In addition, he has appeared in numerous articles in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Detroit News and Free Press, Washington Post, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Emerge and Jet Magazines and many other media outlets.