Expect to be inspired Wednesday at Auntie’s Bookstore

Above: Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy (front row, third and fourth from left, respectively) meet with President Lyndon Johnson, other members of his cabinet and other civil rights leaders on June 22, 1963, at the White House. Photo by from the JFK Presidential Library and Museum.

Claire Rudolph Murphy is a familiar name among area writers, especially to those who read fiction and nonfiction aimed primarily at young-adult readers.

Murphy's latest book fits precisely in the nonfiction category: "Martin and Bobby: A Journey Toward Justice" (Chicago Review Press, $17.95). The title refers, of course, to the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and the late U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy.

Murphy will give a preview of her book beginning at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Auntie's Bookstore. She will be accompanied by a panel of students from local high schools and universities, all of whom will discuss the ideas regarding leadership that Murphy's book addresses.

Here's what Kirkus Reviews has to say about Murphy's book: "This book brings to life the high stakes involved in principled leadership and highlights the fact that effective leaders do not act in a vacuum but take on challenges because they are passionate about their causes."

As Murphy told Stephanie Hammett of The Spokesman-Review, "Both men evolved in their understanding, they evolved in their commitment, and they made mistakes. They made a huge impact and those words will live on. Words matter and words can inspire.”

Expect to hear a few of those inspiring words Wednesday night at Auntie's.