Program participants at the table in the front of the room (from left): Klaus Dannenberg, Dale Spaulding, and David Carlton (standing) (photo by Julie Parker)
Joan Muyskens Pursley
David Carlton, Klaus Dannenberg, and Dale Spaulding presented an amusing, poignant, and informative program in our library on Dec. 8. Each of these men has written a book, or in Dr. Carlton’s case, five books, that are very personal to them, yet of wide interest for others. Organized by the RR Library Subcommittee, the event was hosted by Joan Pursley and videotaped by Marcia Elving. The video appears on the library’s website RobsonLibrary.org.
David Carlton holds a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Texas A&M and has owned and operated five veterinary hospitals since 1976. His books Doc, Country Doc, Dallas Doc, Texas Doc, and Hey, Doc feature many zany adventures and moving moments of his long career. His story about a woman who brought in a goldfish with a blue pebble in its belly was a hit with the audience. And, yes, the “Doc” did succeed in extracting the pebble without killing the fish.
Klaus Dannenberg co-authored (with Bruce Black) Honoring Aging Parents. He began working on the book, subtitled How to Grow Up When Mom and Dad Grow Old, after spending 15-plus years caring for elderly parents. This guide uses real-life vignettes illustrating situations, emotions, and frustrations—experienced by Klaus and his co-author—to provide helpful counsel and emotional support for caregivers. It’s a good read and a book you might want to give to your children as you become less independent. Klaus holds a BS and MS from Auburn University and a PhD in Philosophy from Southern Methodist University. He worked in the aerospace/defense industries for more than 40 years.
A retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander, Dale R. Spaulding is a graduate of Auburn University and the U.S. Navy Postgraduate School. He spoke about and read a brief passage from Fortitude, his family history narrative, which won the 2023 Readers Favorite Silver Medal Award for Non-Fiction: Genealogy. A story of faith, patriotism, and determination, it weaves 400 years of his family’s history through national and international events.
Residents interested in sharing their family’s history with future generations will want to attend Dale’s OLLI course titled “Crafting A Family History Narrative.” It will be held here at Robson on Tuesday, Feb. 20, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Dale will share lessons he learned during his 20 years researching and writing Fortitude.
David, Klaus, and Dale’s books can be found in the RR Authors section of our library, along with books by a number of our other neighbors. We hope to feature additional Robson authors in future programs. If a book of yours is in our library and you would like to participate in one of these programs, please contact Joan Pursley at [email protected].