At first glance, Josh Hanagarne seems an improbable librarian. He stands 6' 7", competes in strongman contests and was diagnosed in high school with Tourette syndrome. But books were his first love: Hanagarne’s earliest memories involve fantastic adventures between the pages of Gulliver’s Travels and a passionate infatuation with Fern from Charlotte’s Web. Everything in Hanagarne’s life—from his Mormon upbringing, to finally finding love, to learning to control his tics through lifting—circles back to a close connection to books. His acclaimed memoir, The World’s Strongest Librarian, illuminates the mysteries of Tourette syndrome as well as the very different worlds of strongman training and modern libraries. Hanagarne is a librarian at the Salt Lake City Public Library.
