The DNL Report

I Keep Trying to Catch His Eye: A Memoir of Loss, Grief, and Love by Ivan Maisel was chosen as the 2023 One Book One Town (OBOT) title. It is an honest, deeply emotional memoir in which the author reflects on the loss of his son Max to suicide, the impact of grief on family and community, and the painful journey that brought Ivan to a place where he could see grief as an expression of love.

This is the first year that a OBOT author was a resident of Fairfield. Maisel is also vice president/editorial and senior writer at on3.com and has covered college football for nearly four decades, from 2002-2021 at ESPN. There he wrote for ESPN.com and appeared on television, ESPN Radio, and various podcasts.

“One Book, One Town selections are meant to promote discussion within our community,” remarked Scott Jarzombek, Fairfield Town Librarian. “The themes of grief and loss that this book explore touch everyone, making this an ideal choice for a town-wide read that will, we hope, start an important conversation.” And since what Ivan and his family experienced was felt throughout the entire community, the memoir holds special meaning to the people of Fairfield.

OBOT programming took place throughout February and March at the Fairfield Public Library, DiMenna-Nyselius Library, and Pequot Library. The OBOT author talk with Ivan Maisel took place at Fairfield University's Quick Center for the Arts on March 28th. View the recording here.

For more information about One Book One Town visit: https://fairfieldpubliclibrary.org/OBOT/history/

The 3rd annual Winter Reading Challenge ended on Feb. 28th. We had 61 Challengers (from 27 campus departments) read 285 titles within the 10 categories, plus 188 “other” books logged. You can view the categories below. Don't be bummed you missed this reading challenge! The Summer Reading Challenge starts on May 8th.

Here are the books read by three or more Winter Reading Challengers:

Kindred by Octavia Butler (Sci-fi category)

The Death of Jabez Chew by Sally Bossom (Creative Writing category)

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn  (Student Book Club's category)

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg   (Nostalgia category)

Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci (Reader's Digest category) book on order

Sitting Pretty: The View From My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig (FUSA's Diversity & Inclusion Board's category) book on order

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo (DEI Book Club category)

Book Lovers by Emily Henry (Stag Read: Book Recommendations guide category) book on order

The Rhino Suit by Colter Jackson  (One Book One Town category)

I Keep Trying to Catch His Eye by Ivan Maisel (One Book One Town category)