War Comes Home is an initiative sponsored by Cal Humanities focused on the veteran experience, aiming to increase public understanding and empathy for those who have served, as well as to spark a public conversation on how best we can support the process of reincorporating our veterans into the fabric of civilian life.

To anchor the read, on the recommendation of an advisory group of librarians, scholars, book professionals, journalists, and veterans advocates, we have selected Karl Marlantes' What It Is Like to Go to War. Marlantes is a Vietnam veteran, a Rhodes Scholar, and the author of the New York Times best-selling novel Matterhorn. His newest book has received much reader and critical acclaim since publication in 2011, and has frequently been cited by veterans as the work that best expresses their experience. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, it “ought to be mandatory reading by potential infantry recruits and by residents of any nation that sends its kids—Marlantes’s word—into combat.”

The Tulare County Library will have several events in conjunction with this program. The events include collecting of oral histories from local veterans, book discussions of Marlantes’ book and a talk by the Author, an expert panel about veterans’ issues, a fun day for military personnel and veterans and their families, a film series and job searching computer classes for veterans.

Veterans History Project

The Tulare County Library is working with the Library of Congress and the Veterans History Project to record Veteran’s history. The United States Congress created the Veterans History Project as an effort to "collect, preserve, and make accessible the personal accounts of American war Veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war."

We can help you tell your story by either interviewing you or recording you as you tell stories about your time in service.  If you are not comfortable with being filmed we can also help you send in a memoir, diary, or journal or photographs or letters.

The Veterans History Project keeps all the originals sent to them. The Tulare County Library will also keep copies in its History Room collection located at the Visalia Branch Library.  If you have any questions, please contact Faythe at 559-713-2706. 

If you are interested in participating, please click here.

Author Talk

http://hip1.sjvls.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=1408X43U75O18.141088&menu=search&aspect=subtab255&npp=20&ipp=20&spp=100&profile=thq&ri=&term=&index=.GW&x=11&y=13&aspect=subtab255&term=What+it+is+like+to+go+to+war&index=.TW&term=Karl+Marlantes&index=.AW&term=&index=.SW&term=&index=.NW&term=&index=.SE&term=&index=.STW&term=&index=.EW&sort=3100014 Karl Marlantes will be at the Visalia Veterans Memorial Building on October 9, 2014 at 10:30 am to discuss his book, "What is it Like to go to War" and answer questions.

From the publisher's website:
A graduate of Yale University and a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, Karl Marlantes served as a Marine in Vietnam, where he was awarded the Navy Cross, the Bronze Star, two Navy Commendation medals for valor, two Purple Hearts, and ten Air Medals. He is the author of the best-selling and prize-winning Matterhorn.

For more information, please contact Carol at 559-713-2707
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Book Discussion

Visalia Branch Library's First Tuesday Book Club will be discussing "What It Is Like to go to War" by Karl Marlantes on October 7, 2014 at 6:30pm. 

http://hip1.sjvls.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=1408X43U75O18.141088&menu=search&aspect=subtab255&npp=20&ipp=20&spp=100&profile=thq&ri=&term=&index=.GW&x=11&y=13&aspect=subtab255&term=What+it+is+like+to+go+to+war&index=.TW&term=Karl+Marlantes&index=.AW&term=&index=.SW&term=&index=.NW&term=&index=.SE&term=&index=.STW&term=&index=.EW&sort=3100014 

In his memoir, Marlantes relates his combat experiences in Vietnam and discusses the daily contradictions warriors face in the grind of war, where each battle requires them to take life or spare life. He also underscores the need for returning veterans to be counseled properly. 

Copies of the book will be available at the reference desk beginning September 2.  
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Read-a-Thon

http://www.foodlinktc.org/
The teens at the Visalia Branch Library are holding a Read-a-Thon to raise money for FookLink. The event will take place on November.  The teens will be reading "Something Like Normal" by Trish Doller:

When Travis returns home from Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother has stolen his girlfriend and car, and he has nightmares of his best friend getting killed but when he runs into Harper, a girl who has despised him since middle school, life actually starts looking up.

The teens will read together from 9:30-12:30 and 1:30-4:30pm.  The teens will strive to read the book in the six hour time frame.  Teens will be asking community members to sponsor them by asking for a donation per hour their read or a flat donation.

Please contact Faythe at 559-713-2706 if you are interested in participating or sponsoring a reader.
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Veteran's Family Day

Join us at the Visalia Branch Library for Veteran's Family Fun Day!
November 8
10-3pm

Activities to include:
Information booths
Arts and Crafts
Veterans salute 

Keep checking back for updates

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