Book Talk at CV Library

Author Katherine Vaz

Castro Valley Library and Books on B will host a book talk by author Katherine Vaz on June 9. The talk will highlight Vaz’s recent book, “Above the Salt.” The event will include a slideshow, Q&A, book signing, and light refreshments.   

“Above the Salt” follows Protestant immigrants from the Portuguese island of Madeira to Illinois in the late 1800s. Described as equal parts love story and immigrant experience,  it takes a couple through America’s Civil War period and beyond. Readers will discover the meaning of “Above the Salt” during a scene in the book with Abraham Lincoln.   

Vaz was raised in Castro Valley and is making a trip here from her current home in New York. “Above the Salt” was chosen Book of the Week by People Magazine last November.  Vaz has written extensively about the experiences of Portuguese people in America and worked on this book for 16 years. Her father August Vaz came from the Azores and spoke Portuguese as his first language. He and his wife raised their six children on Somerset Avenue in Castro Valley. 

“I’ve always felt that it was my little corner of the Bay Area,” she says. “Castro Valley was always the place where we had the family holidays when I came to California.”

Registration is requested for this event, which will be held from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday June 9.  Book sales and signing will be managed by Renee Rettig, owner of Books on B. To register, type in Katherine Vaz’s name on the Events tab at www.aclibrary.org 

Castro Valley Library is located at 3600 Norbridge Ave., (510) 667-7900.