Romeo Reads 2025
WHAT IS ROMEO READS?
Read ~ Attend ~ Connect
Romeo Reads is…
An invitation to all Romeo, Washington & Bruce Township residents to
– collectively read a specially selected book and to
– attend free events connected to its content.
We wish to:
• promote literacy
• foster an appreciation of books and reading
• provide a forum to connect and
• enhance civic unity through literature.
This is our FIFTH year of Romeo Reads. We hope you’ll join in.
This year we are reading The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki.
What is The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post about?
Growing up in the modest farmlands of Battle Creek, Michigan, Marjorie Merriweather Post was inspired by a few simple rules:
• always think for yourself
• never take success for granted, and
• work hard—even when deemed American royalty, even while covered in imperial diamonds.
Marjorie had an insatiable drive to live and love, and to give more than she got. From crawling through Moscow warehouses to rescue the Tsar’s treasures to outrunning the Nazis in London, from serving the homeless of the Great Depression to entertaining Roosevelts, Kennedys and Hollywood’s biggest stars, Marjorie lived an epic life few could imagine.
Her journey began gluing cereal boxes in her father’s barn as a young girl. No one could have predicted that C.W. Post’s Cereal Company would grow into the General Foods empire and reshape the American way of life, with Marjorie as its heiress and leading lady. Not content to stay in her prescribed roles of high-society wife, mother and hostess, Marjorie dared to demand more—and made history in the process. Before turning 30 she amassed millions, becoming the wealthiest woman in the United States. But it was her life-force, advocacy, passion and adventurous spirit that led to her stunning legacy.
And yet Marjorie’s story, though full of beauty and grandeur, set in the palatial homes she built such as Mar-a-Lago, was equally marked by challenge and tumult. A wife four times over, Marjorie sought her happily-ever-after with the blue-blooded party boy who could not outrun his demons, the charismatic financier whose charm turned to betrayal, the international diplomat with a dark side, and the bon vivant whose shocking secrets would shake Marjorie and all of society. Marjorie did everything on a grand scale, especially when it came to love.
Bestselling and acclaimed author Allison Pataki has crafted an intimate portrait of a larger-than-life woman, a powerful story of one woman falling in love with her own voice and embracing her own power while shaping history in the process.
Read and experience with us
The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post
for Romeo Reads 2025.
Who is the author?
Allison Pataki is the New York Times bestselling author of:
• Finding Margaret Fuller: a novel
• The Queen’s Fortune: a novel of Desiree, Napoleon, and the Dynasty that Outlasted the Empire
• Where the Light Falls : a novel of the French Revolution
• Sisi : Empress on Her Own: a novel
• The Accidental Empress: a novel
• The Traitor’s Wife: the Woman Behind Benedict Arnold and the Plan to Betray America
• Beauty in the broken places: a memoir of love, faith, and resilience
• and two children’s books: NELLY TAKES NEW YORK and POPPY TAKES PARIS.
Her novels have been translated into 20 languages. A former news writer and producer, Pataki has written for The New York Times, ABC News, The Huffington Post, USA Today, Fox News and other outlets.
She graduated Cum Laude from Yale University with a major in English and spent several years in journalism before switching to fiction writing. A member of The Historical Novel Society, she lives in New York with her husband and family.
What do others think of the book?
“…a compelling, fast paced historical novel that touches on changing social movements, politics, business, and gender roles throughout the 20th century…”
“It was stunning to read about the opulence of her life—the luxuries, the heartbreaks, the heroism. She was truly a woman of great honor, confidence, and heart. A wonderful book that really transported me through her years as if I was living it alongside her.”
“In the author’s note Pataki mentions some of the places she visited during her research, and ends with a suggested list of books for further reading about Marjorie Post.”
How do I get the book?
Purchase a signed copy of Allison Pataki’s book for $15.00 at the circulation desk of either branch, payable by cash or personal check, while supplies last.
Or, place a hold for a copy of the book through our library lending system.
Overdrive offers the title as an e-audiobook.
Enjoy your read!
Read The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post on your own, or meet with a group. We encourage readers to connect for book discussions.
Join our Facebook Group (Romeo District Library Group) to discover other readers, and for Romeo Reads ‘DID YOU KNOW’ tidbits!
THE EVENTS
1. Thursday, February 20, 2025, 6:00 pm
The Opulent Collections of Marjorie Post
Marjorie Post may be best known for growing General Foods and her wide-reaching philanthropy, but she is also know for her exquisite taste in luxury. Her collections include porcelain dining wear to lavish jewelry and fine art to high couture.
RDL Kezar Branch Manager Stacie Guzzo highlights some of the “glitz and glamour” of the Post empire.
Signed copies of The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post are available for purchase at both branches for $15.00 while supplies last.
2. Thursday, March 6, 2025, 6:00 pm
Fabergé-esque Egg Craft
Marjorie Post obtained many pieces of art from around the world when in Russia, and she loved showing off her Fabergé Egg collection. Now you can craft your own beautiful masterpiece. Registration is required and limited to 20 spots.
3. Thursday, March 20, 2025, 6:00 pm
Clean Eating with Chef Fran
C. W. Post wanted to put his customers on “the road to Wellville.” Using the philosophy of clean eating, our favorite local chef, Fran from Pamela’s Catering, shares new recipes that even Post would be proud to put on his table! Registration is required and limited to 30 spots.
4. Thursday, April 10, 2025, 6:00 pm
Book Discussion with Librarian Stacie Guzzo
Read this magnificent history of fame and fortune, then join in the discussion before the author visits in a couple of weeks! If you do not get a chance to read it before the discussion meets, come anyway! We foster a no-pressure and lively good time!
Signed copies of The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post are available for purchase at both branches for $15.00 while supplies last.
Thursday, April 24, 2025, 7:00 pm
Virtual Author Visit with Allison Pataki
The event all Romeo Readers have been waiting for!
This year’s Romeo Reads finale welcomes celebrated author Allison Pataki online for discussion and audience questions. Join us at Graubner for this exciting and magnificent event!
Signed copies of The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post are available for purchase at both branches for $15.00 while supplies last.
How do I register?
Register online for EACH program that interests you.
• www.rdl.org, Library Information, Calendar.
• Then navigate to each event date to register.
Or, click through the direct links on this page. Please remember to include your email address.
Need to register by phone? Have a question? Call 586-752-2583
TELL YOUR FRIENDS!
We want as many participants as possible to enjoy this awesome program! Pick up a card with all the details at both branches.
ROMEO READS 2025 is sponsored by Romeo District Library &
Friends of Romeo District Library.
By clicking on the Send button, I certify that the information on this
application is correct. I assume full responsibility for all uses of
this card and any additional cards that bear my signature. I agree to
pay all fines and damages charged to my card, and to give immediate
notice of a lost card or change of address.
Card are only available to residents of Bruce Township, Washington Township and the Village of Romeo.
You can now pick up your library items any time at both branches of the Romeo District Library.
Both branches offer 24/7 pickup lockers. To have an item held at the locker all you have to do is select Romeo District Library-Graubner 24hr Pickup Locker or Romeo District Library-Kezar 24hr Pickup Locker when placing a hold. You will be notified when your item or items are available and all you have to do is scan or type in your library card number and you can pick up your items any time day or night.
The New York Times @ RDL
The Romeo District Library is now providing online access to the New York Times.
To access the The New York Times while in the Library click here.
Instructions for access inside the library are in the video below.
To access the The New York Times from outside the Library click here.
Instructions for access outside the library are in the video below.
Summer Reading 2023
June 12th 2023 – August 12th 2023
Spend this Summer reading and logging your reading times to get prizes.
We have Summer Reading Challenges for Kids, Teens and Adults.
This year the Romeo District Library is using Beanstack to keep track of your reading. Getting started with Beanstack is easy! You can download the app to your device or visit our Beanstack page to get started. Follow the steps to create an account for yourself and your family so you can participate in our reading challenges!
You can download the Beanstack app for your device by visiting your app store below.
Once you download the app select “At my Library, school, or bookstore” then select Find a Site and search for Romeo to select Romeo District Library.
If you have any questions or problems please reach out at ask@romeodistrictlibrary.org or give us a call at 586.752.0603
Romeo Reads 2023
What is Romeo Reads?
Read Attend Connect
Romeo Reads is…
An invitation to all community residents to read a Michigan-authored book and to attend free programs connected with its content.
We wish to:
- promote literacy
- foster an appreciation of books and reading
- provide a forum to connect and
- enhance civic unity through literature.
This is our third year of Romeo Reads. We hope you’ll join in.
We are reading Call me Athena: Girl from Detroit by Colby Cedar Smith.
What’s this year’s book about?
In depression-era Detroit, the world seems like a place full of contradictions to Mary…
Promised to a much older man and told to curb her desire to own a business like her father, while courted by a boy who sees her for who she is and who she wants to be, Mary sees her future as more uncertain by the day…
By flashing back to Mary’s parents’ adolescences in WWI-era Greece and France, they… exist as people whose dreams have been blunted by trauma.
Call Me Athena[‘s]… real strength is the way it takes such different times, places, and stories and shows how commonalities like love, grief, and hope can connect a family over the course of generations.
Who is the author?
Colby Cedar Smith grew up in the Midwest, and she still dreams of the cold northern woods and the smell of lake water.
She holds degrees from Colorado College and Harvard University. She has been a finalist for several poetry awards and prizes, and her poems have been published in many publications.
Call Me Athena is a Library of Michigan 2022 Michigan Notable Book selection.
Colby lives with her husband and two children in Hopewell, New Jersey, and teaches creative writing at the Arts Council of Princeton. Read more of her work at www.colbycedarsmith.com.
What do others think of the book?
“… the author’s sense of history brings details of the different times and cultures to life… Her blank verse serves the tale well, with lines such as “Death walks the halls / naked, / without pride, asking for his mother,” to convey the youth and despair of injured young men. A strong debut written with heart and strength. —Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission
“This novel in verse captures one young woman’s struggle for independence, equality, and identity as the daughter of Greek and French immigrants in tumultuous 1930s Detroit.” —Back Cover Review
“This is an exceptional novel in verse that at times devastated me in the best way, bringing out the anguish that these characters suffered and with only such few words. I also laughed and smiled at the joyful moments… Highly recommended YA novel that will transport you to historical times in which women had to fight for every bit of freedom. —Danielle, Amazon review
How do I get the book?
To purchase a copy of Smith’s book for $20, contact the circulation desk at either branch.
Please specify if you are purchasing a copy.
We accept cash or check.
Alternatively, you can place a hold for a copy through our library system.
Hoopla offers the title as an ebook or e-audiobook.
Enjoy your read!
Read the book on your own or meet with a group.
We encourage readers to connect for book discussions.
Join our Facebook Group (Romeo District Library Group) to discover other readers, and for
Romeo Reads “quick chats,” Q&A, reader polls & more!
What are the programs’ details?
Thursday, March 9, 5:45 pm, Kezar branch Significance of Postcards in War Time Communication
One of the sub-stories in Call Me Athena includes postcards sent between Gio and Jeanne, Mary’s parents, when they were young.
This program will discuss some history of the postcard as a historical record and its importance in communication.
We will have examples from our Romeo Community Archives.
Stamped postcards will also be available for those who may like to write a note to a soldier or loved one.
Thursday, March 16, 7:00 pm, Graubner branch Greek Food Tasting with Pamela’s Catering
Opa! Mary’s father, Gio, is a native of Central Greece.
So we’ve invited Chef Fran to cook up some delicious Greek cuisine!
Bring a little Greek culture to your palate and enjoy some fantastic flavors!
Thursday, March 23, 6:00 pm, Kezar branch 1932 Ford Hunger March Talk with UAW, Local 600
Why, in 1932, did unemployed union workers and their families march to the Rouge plant carrying a list of demands for Henry Ford?
What was the outcome?
Has this important part of Detroit and automotive history been memorialized?
Those questions and more will be answered.
Thursday, March 30, 6:00 pm, Kezar branch The Detroit Industry Murals with Detroit Institute of Arts
Learn the complex and intriguing story behind Diego Rivera and his Detroit Industry murals, which have now been declared a National Historic Landmark.
Thursday, April 13, 6:00 pm, Kezar branch Book Discussion with Librarian Stacie Guzzo
Copies of the Romeo Reads 2023 book Call Me Athena are available for purchase at both of our branches.
Read this exquisite novel in verse, then join in the discussion before the author visits us next week!
If you do not get a chance to read it before the discussion meets, feel free to come anyway!
Thursday, April 20, 7:00 pm, Graubner branch Author Visit/Q&A with Colby Cedar Smith
The event all Romeo Readers have been waiting for!
Author of Call Me Athena: Girl from Detroit, Colby Cedar Smith, will be here in Romeo to speak about her novel, writing style and family history, and answer audience questions.
Books are available for purchase.
How do I register?
Register online for EACH program that interests you.
From www.rdl.org, click Calendar under the Library Information tab.
Then navigate to each date to register.
Or, use the direct links on this page.
Please remember to include your email address.
Have questions? Call 586-752-2583.
TELL YOUR FRIENDS! We want as many participants as possible to enjoy this awesome program!
Romeo Reads is sponsored by RDL and Friends of RDL.
Romeo Reads 2022
RomeoReads2022_Presentation
We invite all Romeo, Washington and Bruce Twp. community members to read a selected Michigan author’s title and to attend programs associated with its content.
The Romeo Reads 2022 selection is: The Mason House: a memoir by T. Marie Bertineau. It is a Library of Michigan 2021 Michigan Notable Books selection.
ALL TOGETHER.
one book. one community. one full program. one enriching dialogue.
Program runs March 1 – April 21 and includes: