Roswell Reads 2013: 'Sweeping Up Glass' is Chosen

For the eighth year in a row, Roswell residents will read the same book, at the same time. Roswell Reads literary committee has chosen its 2013 book selection: "Sweeping Up Glass" by Carolyn Wall.

The annual program has a history of choosing books set in the South, written by little known, but highly acclaimed authors, says the committee.

The book description on Amazon.com says:

Olivia Harker Cross owns a strip of mountain in Pope County, Kentucky, a land where whites and blacks eke out a living in separate, tattered kingdoms and where silver-faced wolves howl in the night. But someone is killing the wolves of Big Foley Mountain–and Olivia is beginning to realize how much of her own bitter history she’s never understood: Her mother’s madness, building toward a fiery crescendo. Her daughter’s flight to California, leaving her to raise Will’m, her beloved grandson. And most of all, her town’s fear, for Olivia has real and dangerous enemies.

Now this proud, lonely woman will face her mother and daughter, her neighbors and the wolf hunters of Big Foley Mountain. And when she does, she’ll ignite a conflict that will embroil an entire community–and change her own life in the most astonishing of ways.

Friends of the Roswell Library description of the 2013 selection includes a write up by Mystery Scene magazine, which likens Wall's writing to that of famous Southern writers, such as Flannery O’Connor and Harper Lee. In addition to writing her own books, Wall also teaches writing workshops.

Roswell residents are encouraged to participate in the annual city-wide reading program from January through March. The reading program will be enhanced by several special events throughout those months, including special guests speakers, workshops and a Literary Luncheon with the author on Saturday, March 16 at the Roswell Adult Recreation Center. Tickets are set to go on sale for $15 each during mid-January.

The Roswell Reads committee presented their selection and a copy of the book to each Roswell City Council member Monday evening, Dec. 10.

This year's book follows the 2012 selection, "" by Tom Franklin.