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Former Star Tribune staff writer Curt Brown will be in the Twin Cities this week to read from his new book, "The William Marvy Company of St. Paul," a history of the Latvian immigrant family that created the first iconic barber poles. Brown, who has degrees in history and American studies, is the author of "So Terrible a Storm," the history of a 1905 storm on Lake Superior. Brown's event will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 17 at Common Good Books, 38 S. Snelling Av., St. Paul.