Dinner in the Library,
December 6, 2002

University Librarian Tom Leonard welcomed Library donors and friends to the annual dinner saying, with a great sense of pride:

University Librarian Emeritus Joe Rosenthal and current University Librarian Tom Leonard.

"Welcome to the Library's many friends-and many Cal alumni-who support the finest public university library in North America, according to the Association of Research Libraries." And so the 2003 annual Dinner in the Library began.

Chancellor Robert Berdahl (who chairs the Library Advisory Board) followed Tom and talked about the Library's national distinction and leadership among university libraries, as well as its continued importance to students, faculty, and scholars.

The main attention of the gathering, however, was directed with great anticipation to the honored guests and speakers, husband and wife authors Ayelet Waldman and Michael Chabon, who was awarded the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for fiction for The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay.

Ayelet, a graduate of the Harvard Law School and former Federal Public Defender in Los Angeles, serves as an adjunct professor at Boalt Hall while continuing her mystery writing with a recently published third novel, Playdate with Death and the anticipated publication of her fourth, Daughter's Keeper, in September.

Michael, who published his first book (that also was his masters thesis from UC Irvine), The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, in 1988, went on to publish Wonder Boys and A Model World, before the publication of Kavalier & Clay in 2000.

Ayelet Waldman and Michael Chabon charmed and delighted Dinner attendees by discussing their own list of Frequently Asked Questions-with very enlightening answers.

A recent quote from Michael in an October 1, 2002 Pittsburgh Tribune-Review article noted, "I am so lucky. I can't believe it... I just keep saying I can't believe I get to do this." The guests at the dinner that evening probably felt much the same when hearing the wonderful and witty program of conversation between these two distinguished authors. Another exceptional success for our Dinner in the Library!