Book Talk Book Talk (January 05, 2005)

TAKE A HIKE . . . The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District has just published a trail guide, "Peninsula Tales and Trails," commemorating the district's 30th anniversary. The 384-page book features 38 trails in 22 of the district's 25 open space preserves, giving length of the trail, estimated hiking time, and a rating ("difficult" or "moderate"). In addition to maps and photos, there are concise descriptions of every trail, including highlights and landmarks. The book is available at the district offices at 330 Distel Circle, Los Altos, on the district's Web site (www.openspace.org) and at bookstores. Weekly Editor Jay Thorwaldson wrote the foreword to the book.

ALL ABOUT STENGER . . . The Los Altos History Museum will open an exhibit Jan. 6, "Throwing a Long Shadow," about the life and work of the late Wallace Stegner, a revered novelist, writing teacher at Stanford, and longtime champion of the local environmental movement. The exhibit, which will run through June 12, features a pictorial timeline of his life, a recreation of his home study, plus films and video interviews. An opening reception for the show will be held Sunday, Jan. 9, 2-4 p.m. at the museum, located at 51 South San Antonio Road between the city's library and Hillview Community Center. The museum is open Thursday through Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.

DISCOVERING DICKENS . . . Stanford University will begin its third annual community reading project Jan. 28, again featuring a Charles Dickens novel. The book this time will be the 1854 novel "Hard Times." People can sign up to receive the 10 free weekly installments of the book by enrolling at http://dickens.stanford.edu or by calling (650) 724-9588 by Jan. 18. The novel, like other Dickens novels, was originally published in weekly installments. There will be a public reading at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31 at Stanford's Kresge Auditorium.

AUTHOR, AUTHOR . . . author events at Kepler's Books in Menlo Park this month include noted physicist Michio Kaku ("In Parallel Worlds") at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 7. Consumer advocate Michael Finney ("Michael Finney's Consumer Confidential") will appear at 4 p.m. Jan. 9. David Thompson ("The Whole Equation: A History of Hollywood") appears at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 26. And physicist Simon Singh ("Big Bang: The Origins of the Universe") appears at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31.

Items for Book Talk may be sent to Don Kazak, Title Pages Editor, Palo Alto Weekly, P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302 or e-mailed to dkazak@paweekly.com by the last Wednesday of the month.

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