PORT TOWNSEND — Several events are planned this week as part of the 13th annual Community Read hosted by Port Townsend Public Library.
The book under discussion is Port Townsend native Leif Whittaker’s memoir, “My Old Man and the Mountain.”
An entire month of programming was planned this month to celebrate Whittaker’s non-fiction narrative that traces his life with his adventurous mother, Dianne Roberts, brother Joss, and his dad, mountaineering legend Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Mount Everest.
The idea of a Community Read is that the entire community reads and discusses the same book.
“It is designed to promote closer ties among community members through the shared experience of reading, sharing and discussing the same book and ideas related to topics raised by the book,” according to the library.
A limited number of free copies of the book were made available at the Port Townsend Public Library on a first-come first-served basis. Additional copies were available at the library at 1220 Lawrence St., on two-week loans. Books also could be purchased at Imprint Bookstore.
Dramatic readings of excerpts from “My Old Man and the Mountain” are planned at the Key City Public Theatre’s Playhouse, 419 Washington St., at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
For more information about this edition of PT Shorts, call 360-385-5278 or email boxoffice@keycity publictheatre.org.
Also on Thursday will be “Adventure Photography with Christian Coxen” at 7 p.m. in the Carnegie Reading Room at the library. Coxen will present and discuss his environmental images.
Coxen is a photographer and adventurer from the Olympic Peninsula. Examples of his work can be found at www.christian coxen.com.
Northwind Arts Center, 701 Water St., is displaying a juried show, “Courage to Climb,” with selected works inspired by Whittaker’s book until April 1.
The next discussion group is planned at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Alchemy Bistro & Wine Bar, 842 Washington St. Discussion groups are on a drop-in basis.
The last discussion group will be at 2 p.m. March 20 at Velocity Coffee Shop at the Northwest Maritime Center, 431 Water St.
Children and their families can enjoy a special Story Trail through Kai Tai Lagoon scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday Story pages will be found along the path to be read as families enjoy a walk thorough native habitat.
To conclude the month, readers can meet the author at a special program from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. March 29 in the auditorium at Port Townsend High School, 1500 Van Ness St.
After an introduction by his father, Leif Whittaker will discuss his book and read selected passages.
A book signing will follow.
For more about Community Read, see http://www.ptpubliclibrary.org/.
