Books are here to stay, says luncheon speaker

Humorist and novelist Bunkie Lynn told a Shelbyville audience on Tuesday that as a book lover, she hopes Shelbyville can break ground on a new library soon just as her own community, Hendersonville, recently did.

Lynn was the keynote speaker at the Friends of Argie Cooper Public Library 2007 Author's Luncheon and donated half of her book sales at the luncheon to the Friends organization, which is trying to raise money for a new library.

"A library is a book-lover's heaven," said Lynn, and although she's tried reading "e-books" on a computer screen, she still prefers the feel, the look and even the smell of a good old-fashioned ink-and-paper volume.

"There is nothing like the feel of a book in your hand," she said.

Lynn read excerpts from her novel "A Comedy of Heirs" and the satirical book "The Big Girls' Guide To Life," as well as from an upcoming novel, "Mood Swing Manifesto."

She said her love of books began early, when she was read the James Thurber children's book "Many Moons" as a child. She said there is no greater gift that parents can give a child than to read to them and develop their love of books.

Later, she learned to read Dr. Seuss classics like "Hop On Pop," which built not only her reading skills but her self-esteem as well.

Today, she has many books, and carries a "wish list" on her iPhone of books she has yet to read or own.

"My husband has told me, 'No more books,' and I don't listen to him," she said.

Her excerpt from "The Big Girls' Guide to Life" made fun of unrealistic expectations about body size and shape and celebrated enjoyment of what Lynn considers the four food groups: chocolate, garlic, red wine and desserts. (She pointed out that "desserts" is "stressed" spelled backward.)

"Gravy can be counted as a vegetable," she said, "unless it has little pieces of sausage in it, and then it's a main dish."

Lynn's husband is from Tullahoma, and she asked if any in the crowd had ever had their pianos tuned by her father-in-law, Frank Wessel. The luncheon took place at the Blue Ribbon Circle on the Celebration grounds, but Lynn said she's never been to the Celebration.

"I've never even been on a horse," she said. "And that's probably a good thing for the horse."

Lynn's web site is bunkielynn.com, and she also writes a web site column for the Women's National Book Association.