Fresh from the Stacks

“Hunger Was Good Discipline” 

The Community Library presents a new foyer exhibit that explores Hemingway’s time in Paris in the 1920s, and his later years in Ketchum, Idaho—where he shaped his memories into the pages of A Moveable Feast. This exhibit will be on display through December 2025. 

Between Two Places 

Two periods stand out in Hemingway’s life: his early years in Paris and his later years in Ketchum. In Paris, he kept disciplined writing routines and built friendships that sharpened his craft. In Ketchum, as he approached his sixth decade, he found quiet in the mountains and spent time with close friends, often thinking back to his Paris years. On display are pieces from both worlds: objects surrounding him as he worked on A Moveable Feast, and items from the Paris he was recreating on the page. Together, they link places and moments, revealing the larger story of how Hemingway lived, worked, and remembered.  

Paris (1921-1928) 

During these years, Hemingway—newly married to Hadley Richardson—began to define himself as a writer. He wrote in cafés, studied painters and authors he admired, and carefully practiced his craft. Most mornings he wrote, and in the afternoons, he walked the city, watching closely and shaping his work with the same discipline. At times, Hemingway used hunger to sharpen his senses. Even when he could afford to eat, he sometimes chose to wait, believing that hunger—real or imagined—kept his mind clear and his writing strong.  

Ketchum (1939-1961) 

Hemingway first came to Ketchum in 1939 when the Union Pacific Railroad invited him to help promote the new Sun Valley Resort. Returning often for the next two decades, he eventually bought a home here where he would spend the last few years of his life. The Wood River Valley became a place of outdoor pursuits, shared with his close-knit friendships. In this quiet setting, he would often think back to his Paris years, shaping those memories into the pages of A Moveable Feast.  

Writing A Moveable Feast 

Years after leaving Paris, Hemingway began turning his memories into a book. In Ketchum, he wrote about the streets, cafés, and conversations of his youth, shaping them into vivid scenes. The chapters recall his early writing career. He worked on the manuscript until his death in 1961, leaving it unfinished. Published in 1964, A Moveable Feast joins Paris and Ketchum on the page, linking the places and years shaping Hemingway’s life and work.  

Click here to view other exhibits that The Community Library has hosted in its foyer.

Reflecting on 70 Years of Publishing 

By Pam Parker
Director of Library Operations

Happy Anniversary to The Community Library, which celebrates 70 years as an institution in 2025.  

Our librarians thought it would be fun to look back on those years and identify stand-out books that were published for each year. We did this for four categories: fiction, nonfiction, young adult and children’s. Then we created a mash-up list that picks the most significant title for each year as our 70 Years, 70 Books list. 

• Download the Mash-up list here.
• Download All Genres here.
• Download Children’s and YA here.
• Download Adult Genres here.

As we look back on seven decades of book publishing, one trend stands out: the sheer growth in both volume and variety of titles. What once amounted to a few dozen titles per year has become a steady stream of monthly arrivals on our shelves.  

Readers now find dozens of books in subgenres as specific as Magical Realism, Narrative Nonfiction and Middle Reader. That’s not to mention the oddities that have leaped onto the page like Paranormal Romance and Historical Comedy – yes, those are whole categories now. 

Each subgenre represents a hive of releases—astonishing, and at times, overwhelming! 

Our list isn’t a popularity contest. Instead, it’s a curated reflection on the books that have made a lasting impact—works that shaped conversations, captured cultural moments, or introduced new ways of thinking. 

For instance, the 1960s and 1970s brought fiction that challenged social and political norms. The 1980s ushered in a wave of narrative nonfiction that breathed life into history. In the 1990s, saw the emergence of Young Adult, a distinct genre that served those readers between ages 12-18, primarily – and, yes, adults admit to reading in this space! 

The 21st century has seen an explosion of subgenres, offering something for every niche and then some. I’ve yet to read any Western Horror but our pick for best fiction of 2025 is just that! The Buffalo Hunter Hunter (2025) by Stephen Graham Jones. The novel delves into the era in which we largely destroyed a species in our greedy efforts to settle the West. 

Compiling this list was no small task. It’s inherently subjective, and any “best of” collection will vary depending on who’s making it.

We’ve collaborated across our library staff to ensure a thoughtful balance among fiction, nonfiction, children’s literature, and young adult titles. A fun effort might be to make your own list! You’d likely be surprised how many books bubble up that you’ve read across the decades—and some that you’ve always wanted to read, too! 

Want to explore further? Visit our full genre lists to see the 70 titles we believe have stood the test of time. You might discover something new, or color outside your normal reading habits with a subgenre pick. Most importantly, this effort is about being inspired to read, whether that’s revisiting a modern classic that deserves a second look or diving headfirst into something you’d not likely turn the pages of! 

Celebrating the Library’s 70th Birthday!
Wednesday, August 20
4:30pm – 6:30pm
4th & Walnut in Ketchum

We’re going to party like it’s 1995! So dress up and come dance, play, explore, hunt, paint, eat, drink, and be happy…

…at The Community Library, Gold Mine Thrift, Gold Mine Consign, and Wood River Museum of History and Culture.

We’ll be dancing through the decades with live music, hosting an outdoor adventure zone for kids, giving away books, painting in watercolor, and offering discounts at Gold Mine Thrift.

You’ll also find a pop-up exhibit of retro fashion, the Time Warp Photo Booth, a scavenger hunt (with prizes!), and more. Plus, FREE birthday cake, pizza, tacos, ice cream, and refreshments! 

We’re going to “book around the block” (and through history) for literacy, history, shopping, community, food, and fun, with activities for all ages! We heartily encourage you to DRESS in 1950s attire, too … you may win a prize!

Book around the Block is supported by Sun Valley Resort, Taqueria al Pastor, Smoky Mountain Pizza, Mountain High Creamery, and On the Hop.