'Wounds of War:' 11th Annual Silicon Valley Reads Kicks Off Wednesday

Los Gatos resident Diane McNutt has been organizing Silicon Valley Reads for the last 10 years. The idea: Get everyone—adults and children alike—reading the same books on the same themes in order to spark conversation and build community.

In 2012, the series held 100 events and had more than 9,000 people participate.

McNutt says that those numbers are impressive but what she loves is what happens later. 

“Months after the series was over, a friend of mine from Campbell told me that she had started a group at her church, about eight Christian and eight Muslim women, using the Silicon Valley Reads books to start a conversation,” McNutt says. “Those are the kinds of stories where we really are having an impact in engaging the community and starting important conversations and there’s nothing better than that.”

The 2013 Silicon Valley Reads series kicks off Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m. at the Campbell Heritage Theatre with Mercury News columnist Mike Cassidy interviewing the two authors, Brian Castner, author of The Long Walk, and Sue Diaz, author of Minefields of the Heart panel and music performed by students of Prospect High School.

On Friday, Los Altos Patch Editor L.A. Chung will moderate a conversation with Castener and Diaz at Books Inc. at Town & Country Shopping Center in Palo Alto.

The theme for the 2013 Silicon Valley Reads series is the "Invisible Wounds of War." Castener is an Iraq war vet who had three tours of duty and Diaz is the mother of a vet who went through two deployments.

"As we looked at this theme, we found that everyone is only a couple of people away of knowing someone or has a family member serving," she says. "It’s the universal experience."

This year's series has a variety of events that wil appeal to all age groups, in additio to the two books chosen for adults and the four children's books, McNutt said.

"The program has evolved over the years, like last year, and we have a huge variety of events of all types that are focused not just on the books but the theme, "invisible wounds of war,'" she says. "We do have something for every age group and interest to draw them in and encourage them to read, think and talk. We have children’s authors, authors, films, panel discussion, experiential activities like writing letters to veterans that will be collected by local libraries.

"Cupertino is doing a collection of items with South Bay Moms for those on active duty," McNutt says.

"There really is no excuse for everyone not to be involved in some way and to learn more."

*Other Silicon Valley Reads events scheduled for Los Altos are:

Feb. 27 - "Why World Peace Is Possible and How We Can Achieve It"

Iraq War veteran, West Point graduate and peace activist Paul K. Chappell discusses how he learned at West Point and in the army that world peace is possible. He explains how military history shows that human beings are not naturally violent. He also debunks the "Gandhi myth" and describes how waging peace is strategically superior to violence in solving our national and global problems.

While on active duty, Chappell wrote two books, Will War Ever End?: A Soldier's Vision of Peace for the 21st Century and The End of War: How Waging Peace Can Save Humanity, Our Planet, and Our Future. He is also the author of Peaceful Revolution: How We Can Create the Future Needed for Humanity's Survival.

After leaving active duty in November 2009, he began serving as the Peace Leadership Director for the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation in Santa Barbara, CA. He speaks throughout the country to colleges, high schools, veterans groups, churches, and activist organizations. Presented by Los Altos Voices for Peace and sponsored by the Friends of the Library of Los Altos. 7:00 p.m.

March 14 - Sue Diaz

Sue Diaz, author of Minefields of the Heart, talks about the emotional rollercoaster her family experienced when her son was deployed.  Q&A follows. 6:00 p.m.

April 10 - Brian Castner

Brian Castner, author of The Long Walk, talks about being in combat and the difficulties he experienced when he returned home.  Q&A follows.  7:00 p.m.

*Information provided by Silicon Valley Reads 2013

Silicon Valley Reads is presented by the Santa Clara County Office of Education, Santa Clara County Library District and the San Jose Public Library Foundation, with funding from foundations, nonprofit organizations, corporations and private donors.

There will be 123 public events during the Silicon Valley Reads series (with about a dozen school events, closed to the public) that run from Jan. 30 to April 13 throughout Silicon Valley. For a complete list of events, visit www.SiliconValleyReads.org or email SVReads@aol.com.