Tommy Wells: Council of the District of Columbia, Ward 6

Events

On December 5th, Councilmember Tommy Wells will launch “Tommy’s Traveling Book Club”, a quarterly discussion group coordinated by the Federation of Friends of the DC Public Library. Each event will occur at a different branch library.

The first book club meeting will be on Monday, December 5, 2011, 6:30 - 8:00 pm, at the Watha T. Daniel-Shaw Neighborhood Library, located at 1630 7th St. N.W. For this inaugural event, Councilmember Wells has chosen Triumph of the City, by Edward Glaeser as his first selection. Joining him in leading the discussion will be Harriet Tregoning, Director of the DC Office of Planning.

Triumph of the City argues that cities are civilization’s greatest invention, and that urban living actually makes people greener, healthier, and happier. Author Edward Glaeser is the Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics at Harvard University, where he studies the economics of cities, housing, segregation, obesity, crime, innovation, and other subjects. Not surprisingly, he weaves several of these topics throughout the book, as he explores what makes our cities – and humankind – thrive and survive.

"If you live in a city, if you're planning on living in a city, if you ever lived in a city-this is a great book to read to give yourself a nice feeling of what you're accomplishing. It's a tremendous book."
- Jon Stewart, Host of The Daily Show

"A magisterial book from the world's leading authority on why and how
cities work. Comprehensive, compelling and strongly recommended."
- Tim Harford, author of The Undercover Economist and Adapt;  columnist for The Financial Times

"Triumph of the City is bursting with insights and policy proposals to debate. You'll... walk away dazzled by the greatness of cities and fascinated by this writer's nimble mind."
- The New York Times Book Review

Tommy’s Traveling Book Club will meet again in April, during National Library Week, with details to come. In the meantime, parents should save the date of February 11, 2012 when Tommy’s Traveling Book Club - Pee Wee Edition visits the Deanwood Library (1350 49th. St. NE). Councilmember Wells will participate in a special 10am children’s storytime to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Ezra Jack Keats’ classic, The Snowy Day.

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