Scott Turow's novel Presumed Innocent is the featured book for Everyone's Reading 2010, the Metro Detroit one book/one community read. The 1987 bestseller ushered in the age of the legal thriller. In Turow's work, character and psychological studies take precedence over courtroom pyrotechnics as he plumbs questions of morality, truth and justice. In Presumed Innocent, prosecuting attorney Rusty Sabich finds himself a suspect in the very case he is investigating -- the killing of Carolyn Polhemus, his former lover and prominent member of his boss's staff. Turow has completed a sequel, Innocent, which is due out in May.
As a participating library in this year's community reading program, Royal Oak will raffle 26 pairs of free tickets to Turow's April 15 appearance at Millenium Centre, 15600 J. L. Hudson Drive, Southfield, along with two pairs of tickets to Turow's Wednesday, April 14 appearance at 7:00 PM at the Village Theater at Cherry Hill, 50400 Cherry Hill Road, Canton. The drawing will be open only to Royal Oak library cardholders. A box for entries will be available in the Library starting March 15 and the drawing will be held on March 31.
Multiple copies of Presumed Innocent are available to check out and the Library has planned the following events in conjunction with Everyone's Reading:
- The Library's two book discussion groups will focus on the book -- The Third-Thursday Book Discussion Group on Thursday, March 18 at 7:00 PM in Library Meeting Rooms C-D, and the Salter Center Daytime Book Discussion Group on Monday, April 19 at 10:00 AM at the Jack and Patti Salter Community Center, 1545 East Lincoln, Royal Oak.
- One of the themes of Presumed Innocent is wrongful conviction, so the Library will offer a program about the Thomas M. Cooley Innocence Project on Monday, March 22 at 6:30 PM in the Friends Auditorium. The program will feature Professor Marla Mitchell, co-director of the Lansing legal program that works to exonerate those wrongfully imprisoned for crimes they did not commit.
- A notable true-crime case in the area will be explored Wednesday, March 31 as the Library hosts Detroit News reporter George Hunter to discuss his book Limb from Limb, an account of the 2007 killing of Tara Grant in Macomb County. Her husband, Stephen Grant, was convicted of strangling and mutilating his wife. Hunter will sell and sign copies of the book after his talk.
- Turow's bestseller was made into a popular 1990 film starring Harrison Ford. The Library will show the film on Tuesday, March 16 at 6:00 PM in the Friends Auditorium. It is part of the Library's Tuesday night movie series featuring films selected for the over-18 crowd.
The only events requiring a ticket are Turow's appearances in Southfield and Canton. The Library's other free programs in conjunction with Everyone's Reading 2010 are open to the public. Registration is suggested by calling the Adult Reference Desk at 248-246-3715, or by signing up online.
Everyone's Reading is sponsored by Metro Detroit public libraries in Oakland and Wayne counties. Now in its ninth year, Everyone's Reading promotes community dialogue through the shared experience of reading and discussing the same book. For more information, you can also visit www.everyonesreading.info.
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Show/hide comments
Show/hide comment form
