Radio Special Features Reading of Acclaimed Book on Civil War : Pulitzer Prize-winning ‘The Killer Angels’ was inspiration for movie ‘Gettysburg’ and PBS documentary.

The 1974 Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Civil War, “The Killer Angels” by Michael Shaara, which was made into the movie “Gettysburg,” also inspired Ken Burn’s incredible 1993 PBS Civil War documentary. Shaara’s book has been recorded by Tony- and Emmy-award winning actor George Hearn for Cathedral Audio Books and will be broadcast by KCRW-FM as a Thanksgiving Day special from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday. The broadcast can be heard in Ventura and Oxnard on KCRU-FM 89.1, in Ojai on 102.1 and in Santa Paula, Fillmore and Moorpark on 102.3. The audio book, which is available at bookstores and museum gift shops includes comments from “Gettysburg” director Ron Maxwell and selections from the movie soundtrack.

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The major feasting is finished and family gossip has been revisited along with the leftovers. Now it’s time for a change of pace. Visit the Ventura Bookstore, 522 E. Main St. at 2 p.m. Saturday to meet master fabulist Clive Barker. He will read from his new novel, “Everville,” the sequel to his “The Great and Secret Show,” which has more than 1 million copies in print. Barker, a Los Angeles resident, has also produced and directed films including “Hellraiser” and “The Candyman.”

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A wonderful way to support public libraries is to shop for holiday treasures in their gift stores. It’s a win-win situation. You discover and purchase unique items and the library returns your investment by acquiring books, and funding activities in which you participate.

Jewelry, folk art, books, educational toys, posters, art prints and collectibles are on sale at the Thousand Oaks Library’s Foundation Store, 1401 Janss Road.

The Oxnard Library’s Friends, Books and Things gift shop is dressed up for the holidays and provides reasonably priced merchandise at 251 S. A St.

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Enjoy a guiltless Thanksgiving. Don’t count calories, but do indulge in a random act of kindness just for spite.