[Durham INC] "Something for the Pain" for Durham Reads Together (locations across Durham)

[John Schelp]

>From Durham County Library (25 Aug 2009)...

Durham Reads Together 2009: "Something for the Pain" 

Durham County Library has selected "Something for the Pain" by Durham resident Dr. Paul Austin for Durham Reads Together 2009, the library’s bi-annual community-wide reading event. The book, which Library Journal calls "a definite page-turner and a riveting debut," is a deeply-felt and deftly rendered first-person account of the life of an ER doctor. 

Durham County Library encourages everyone to read the book in preparation for programs and events (listed below) throughout the month of October. Durham Reads Together will conclude with a Meet the Author event on Sunday, November 1 at 3:00 pm at the Doris Duke Center in the Sarah P. Duke Gardens, 426 Anderson St., Durham. All Durham Reads Together programs are free and open to the public. For more information about the book, the author, and events and programs, visit www.durhamcountylibrary.org/drt. Durham Reads Together 2009 is sponsored by the Friends of the Durham Library.

"I was thrilled when I heard that Something for the Pain had been chosen for Durham Reads Together," said Austin. "I hope people enjoy it and that it sparks a lively conversation.  I am grateful to Durham County Library for giving Something for the Pain such an honor." 

The book was selected by a committee of staff from across the Durham County Library system. "We wanted to feature a local author this year, in keeping with one of the goals of the library's strategic plan, which is to embrace and promote Durham's cultural heritage," said Marian Fragola, humanities and adult programming coordinator. "We felt that Something for the Pain not only touches on important and universal themes, but that it also has local references that readers will enjoy." For the title selection process, the committee reviewed approximately twenty-five books by North Carolina writers that had been published in the past five years.

The book also has topical appeal. "Healthcare reform is a big topic in the news right now, and although the book isn't about healthcare policy, the stories do raise some of the issues we face nationally and locally," Austin said.

With support from the Friends of the Durham Library, Durham County Library has purchased more than 200 additional copies of Something for the Pain to ensure that the book circulates easily throughout the community.  Library customers can check out or request the title at any library facility or by visiting www.durhamcountylibrary.org and searching the catalog by title or author.

Now that the title has been announced, everyone in Durham – individuals, community organizations, businesses, book groups, high school and college students, healthcare workers and members of the faith community – is encouraged to read and discuss the book, and attend programs in October.

This is the third Durham Reads Together project coordinated by the Durham County Library. In 2005 the book featured was James McBride’s The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother. In 2007 Durham Reads Together featured Darcy Frey’s The Last Shot.

Durham County Library provides the entire community with books, services and other resources that inform, inspire learning, cultivate understanding and excite the imagination. For more information about the library, visit us online at www.durhamcountylibrary.org


Programs

* For Better or For Worse: When Your Spouse Has a Stressful Job
Sunday, October 4 at 3:00 pm
Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St.

One of the themes of Something for the Pain is the impact of Dr. Austin’s job on his marriage and family life. In this panel discussion, moderated by WTVD’s Monica Barnes, panelists will share their experiences and the joys and challenges of having a spouse with a stressful job. Panelists include:

- Sally Austin, wife of Dr. Paul Austin, author of Something for the Pain
- Nicole Marsalis, wife of Branford Marsalis, world-renowned saxophonist
- John McCallie, husband of Duke University’s “Coach P,” Joanne McCallie
- Paula Flood, wife of Eugene Flood Jr., CEO of Smith Breeden Associates

* ER and the Media 
Sunday, October 11 at 3:00 pm
Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St.

"...on TV shows it looks easy." – Dr. Paul Austin, Something for the Pain

>From Dr. Kildare and Marcus Welby, to the docs on House and Grey’s Anatomy, the lives of medical professionals have made great television. But do the images we see on TV affect our expectations of the real ER? Mark Olson, Assistant Professor of Visual Studies at Duke University, and UNC-CH professor Dana Coen, whose writing credits include the prime-time drama series Bones and JAG, will engage you in a discussion about the representation of medicine in the media.

* Yoga for Stress Management
Every Monday in October at 7:00 pm
Parkwood Library, 5122 Revere Road

The importance of healthy stress relief is one of the issues that Paul Austin highlights in Something for the Pain. Yoga has long been touted for its ability to relieve stress and provide a sense of well-being. As part of Durham Reads Together, come try yoga for yourself, under the instruction of Vickie Pashion. Please wear comfortable clothing. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. 

* Faith in Healing
Saturday, October 10 at 10:00 am
East Regional, 211 Lick Creek Lane

According to some studies, faith and a positive mindset play significant roles in the healing process. What is the connection between patients’ faith and their medical outcomes? What role does the faith community play in helping care for the sick? A panel including Susan Dunlap of Duke Divinity School will lead a discussion exploring these topics. 

* Book Discussion with Dr. David Carr
Wednesday, October 14 at 7:00
The Regulator Bookshop, 720 Ninth St

Dr. David Carr, Associate Professor at the UNC’s School of Information and Library Science, will lead a book discussion on Something for the Pain. Bring your thoughts and questions for an invigorating discussion.

* Cutting Edge Medicine Panel Discussion
Thursday, October 15 at 7:00 pm
North Regional Library, 221 Milton Road

What exciting medical breakthroughs are doctors and researchers currently pursuing? What can we expect from the medical community in the next twenty years? MaryAnn Black, Associate Vice President for Community Relations for Duke University Health System, moderates this panel discussion among Drs. Alex Cho, Kevin Schulman, and H. Kim Lyerly on the future of medicine.

* Durham Reads Together Red Cross Blood Drive
Thursday, October 22 from 10:00 am – 2:30 pm
Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St.

Give the gift of life by donating blood in a Durham Reads Together Red Cross blood drive. The need is constant. The gratification is instant. Give blood.

* Author discussion with Dr. Paul Austin
Thursday, October 22 at 11:00 am
Durham Technical Community College Educational Resources Center auditorium, 1637 Lawson St.

Something for the Pain author Paul Austin will read from his book and discuss topics including the narrative arc, how to get published, how the real ER differs from what you see on TV. Open to the public.

* Healthcare in Hayti
Saturday, October 24 at 11:00 am
Stanford L. Warren Library, 1201 Fayetteville Street

Join special guests Spencie Love, author of One Blood: The Death and Resurrection of Charles R. Drew, Margaret K. Goodwin, former director of radiology and laboratory services at Lincoln Hospital (now Lincoln Community Health Center), and Andre Vann, instructor of public history at NCCU, for a discussion about healthcare in the Hayti district and notable African-American figures in Durham’s medical history.

* Meet the Author: A Conversation with Dr. Paul Austin
Sunday, November 1 at 3:00 pm
Doris Duke Center, Sarah P. Duke Gardens, 426 Anderson St.

Meet Dr. Paul Austin, Durham resident and author of Something for the Pain. Dr. Austin will discuss the process of writing and answer your questions. Discussion will be followed by a book signing. Co-presented with Sister Cities of Durham, Inc. 


All Durham Reads Together 2009 programs are free and open to the public. Copies of Something for the Pain are available for checkout at Durham County Library (www.durhamcountylibrary.org). For more information, contact Marian Fragola at 919-560-0268 or mfragola at durhamcountync.gov