STANWOOD — Former Peace Corps volunteer, writer and book enthusiast Michele Graves plans to encourage readers to have “a naked encounter” while searching for library books when she speaks Tuesday during a presentation sponsored by the Stanwood-Camano Friends of the Library
“Be an adventurous reader instead of just going right for the best-seller list books,” she said in a press release from the Friends of the Library. “As someone put it to me, ‘have a naked encounter,’ which is another way of saying seek a fresh perspective and really explore books.”
The presentation is set for noon Tuesday at the Lost Lake Clubhouse, 1469 Lake Drive, Camano Island.
Graves also plans to talk about her treks to find books while working as a Peace Corps volunteer in a remote region of South Africa. In the mid-1990s, she lived in a hut there and taught gardening and nutrition to her fellow villagers.
Her presentation is titled “A Backpack Full of Books,” and includes a segment she calls “The Top 10 Books I Read by Candlelight in Lesotho.”
Graves’ passion for reading often has motivated her to go to great lengths to track down books. While serving in the Peace Corps, Graves often took day-long bus rides after which she hiked two hours over steep terrain to reach the nearest transit house, a respite place for Peace Corps volunteers.
“It had the nearest library, although it was really just a single book shelf,” Graves said.
Graves also plans to bring along photos and memorabilia she collected during her Peace Corps service.
Graves now works as a communications specialist at Edmonds Community College.
For more information about the presentation or to join Stanwood-Camano Friends of the Library, contact Graves’ mother, Friends president Bonnie Thielke at 360-654-1988 or bonnie3d42@yahoo.com.
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.
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