Duke professor Adrian Bejan will read from and sign copies of his new book, Design in Nature, which he wrote with Peder Zane. This book explores the Contructal Law and the evolution of design in the natural world around us, from biological life to inanimate systems – trees, tributaries, air passages, neural networks, and lightning bolts. Adrian Bejan is the J. A. Jones Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Duke University. Peder Zane is an award-winning columnist who has worked for the New York Times and the Raleigh News and Observer.

Alan Shapiro will read from his debut novel Broadway Baby which follows aspiring entertainer Miriam Bluestein (who continues to look at the world as if it were, indeed, all a stage). A story of her obsessive love and self-deception, this novel follows Miriam on and off Broadway. Shapiro captures her struggles with marriage, the war, and motherhood while chasing her dream of stardom. Shapiro has published ten books of poetry, most recently, Old War and has been the winner of the Kingsley Tufts Award and an LA Times Book Award in poetry. He teaches at UNC.

Henry Alford will read from and sign copies of his new book, Would it Kill You to Stop Doing That? A Guide to Modern Manners. As both a humorist and a journalist Alford explores how we can treat each other better in an unconventional way: he teaches Miss Manners how to steal a cab, interviews an army sergeant on etiquette, volunteers himself as a tour guide for foreigners visiting New York City and provides answers to questions like Why shouldn’t you ask a cabdriver where’s he’s from? Sarah Vowell writes “The wry and endearing Alford has pulled off writing a book about wisdom that’s actually wise.” Alford is the author of How to Live and has a weekly column in the New York Times.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, local author Jacqueline Ogburn will read from and sign copies of her book for children, Little Treasures: Endearments from Around the World, which is a picture book of endearments in different languages, illustrated by Caldecott winning artist Christ Raschka. Bring your honey, babycakes, pumpkin, lampchop, or sweetie pie. Ogburn is the author of nine other pictures books, including A Dignity of Dragons and The Bake Shop Ghost.

Check out the book trailer posted on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU-4E1LLB34&feature=youtu.be

Journalists Marvin Kalb and his daughter Deborah Kalb will read from and sign copies of their new book Haunting Legacy: Vietnam and the American Presidency from Ford to Obama which includes five years of research and interviews and compelling insight on how President Obama and his advisors approach the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya. Marvin Kalb is the Edward R. Murrow Professor of Practice (Emeritus) at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and founding director of the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy. His journalism career covers thirty years of award winning reporting and commentary for CBS and NBC News. Deborah Kalb is a freelance writer and editor writing for such outlets as the Gannett News Service, Congressional Quarterly, U.S. News & World Report, and The Hill.

Local author Tom Spector will provide a presentation from his new book, Our Two Gardens: How to Cultivate Healing. The book provides techniques for dealing with stress, anxiety, fear and chronic pain. Combining profound meaning with light humor, Spector shares his 35 years of experience teaching meditation, including practical approaches for obtaining inner peace and effective ways of visiting the seriously ill. Spector has been teaching meditation and healing since 1976 and teaches at the Hatha House Yoga Studio in Durham.