September 10, 2010

        

Paula Poundstone Book Sales to Benefit Friends of the Library

Paula-Poundstone.jpgFriday, September 10, 2010
Levitt Pavilion

The Friends of the Westport Library will receive a portion of the proceeds from the sales of books, CDs, and audiobooks at the Homes with Hope fundraiser with Paula Poundstone. The Emmy award-winning comedian is the national spokesperson for the Friends association. For tickets and more information.

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September 11, 2010

        

Family Program: Jump For Joy with the Two Cat Band!

Two-Cat-Band-crop.jpgSaturday, September 11, 2010
10:00 to 10:30 am
McManus Room
Ages 5 & under with an adult

Join Mike Michaels as he gets the whole gang moving, shakin' and singing along with glee. It's time to sing, dance, jump, hop or close your eyes and just listen. Just drop in!

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September 12, 2010

        

MUSIC@THE LIBRARY: Gene Bertoncini Trio

Gene-Bertoncini.jpgSunday, September 12, 2010
2:00 pm
McManus Room

The Gene Bertoncini Trio with international jazz star and master guitarist Gene Bertoncini, Joe Corsello on drums, and Rick Petrone on bass will delight with a selection of classical jazz and swing music from the "Great American Songbook."

Supported by the Grace K. Salmon Foundation.

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September 13, 2010

        

Jobseeker Special: How to Launch Your First Job Search

jobseekers-logo.jpgMonday, September 13, 2010
7:00 pm
McManus Room

Sara Hacala of Sara Hacala & Associates, and Meredith Lowe and Gary Clarke of Westport firm The Career Co-Op will speak to recent college graduates and others who are looking for their first full-time jobs on how to mount an effective job search campaign. Topics will include enlisting parents as allies, making the most of interview opportunities, and interviewing with people of all ages.

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September 14, 2010

        

AUTHOR and ART @THE LIBRARY: Kevin Miserocchi

Addams-Family--An-Evilution.jpgTuesday, September 14, 2010
7:30 pm
McManus Room

H. Kevin Miserocchi, Director of the Tee and Charles Addams Foundation, discusses The Addams Family: An Evilution which traces the Addams Family history through more than 200 cartoons of the Addams Family characters, including posters, magazine covers, book jackets, sketches and family greeting cards, along with appropriately offbeat information. This book reminds us where these oddly lovable characters came from and, in doing so, offers a lasting tribute to one of America's greatest humorists. For the first time, Miserocchi also presents notes the artist wrote when "The Addams Family" TV series went into production.

Miserocchi will also discuss the art exhibit of Charles Addams' work that is currently on display in The Great Hall. Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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September 15, 2010

        

Jobseekers: Energize Your Job Search

jobseekers.jpgWednesday, September 15, 2010
10:00 am
McManus Room

Gain an advantage by using valuable online tools such as Reference USA, LexisNexis, and Business & Company Resource Center. Learn how to identify your key companies, spot industry trends, and get in-depth background information for greater success in networking and interviewing.

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September 16, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Rafael Yglesias

happy-marriage.jpgThursday, September 16, 2010
Noon
McManus Room

In A Happy Marriage: A Novel , Rafael Yglesias tells the story of Enrique Sabas and his wife Margaret, alternating between the romantic misadventures of the first weeks of their courtship and the final months of Margaret's life as she says good-bye to her family, friends, and children — and to Enrique. Spanning thirty years, the story is tells it means for two people to spend a lifetime together, capturing the maturing of feelings, the issues around sex, and the frustrations of parenthood — and what makes a happy marriage. "Maybe marriage is the oldest story in the world, but in Mr. Yglesias's tender, funny, rueful telling, the lifelong relationship is the story of life itself.”— Wall Street Journal, The Summer Book List.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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The Malloy Lecture in the Arts: “Remembering Archie” (Archibald MacLeish – The Poet and the Man) as told by Christopher Plummer

Christopher-Plummer--credit.jpgThursday, September 16, 2010
7:00 pm
Westport Country Playhouse

Emmy and Tony award-winning actor Christopher Plummer will do readings from Archibald MacLeish with an interview following with Annie Keefe, Westport Country Playhouse Artistic Advisor, about his career and book, In Spite of Myself: A Memoir.

ALL TICKETS ARE NOW TAKEN.
Phone the Westport Country Playhouse box office
at 203-227-4177. Call a few days before the event to see if any tickets become available.


DO NOT LEAVE A MESSAGE UNDER COMMENTS IF YOU WANT RESERVATIONS.
YOU MUST CALL THE PLAYHOUSE AT THE NUMBER ABOVE

Directions to Westport Country Playhouse.
Photo credit Richard Bain

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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September 19, 2010

        

A Discussion with Author Francine Prose

Prose-credit-Stephanie-Berg.jpgAnne-Frank-cover.jpgSunday, September 19, 2010
3:00 pm
Westport Country Playhouse

In collaboration with the Westport Country Playhouse, Francine Prose, author of Anne Frank: The Book, the Life, the Afterlife, the story of the book The Diary of Anne Frank, will talk about her book. A discussion with David Kennedy, Associate Artistic Director at the Playhouse, about the book and the Playhouse’s upcoming production will follow.

Prose is the author of many bestselling books of fiction, including A Changed Man and Blue Angel, which was a finalist for the National Book Award, and the nonfiction New York Times bestseller Reading Like a Writer. Her novel, Household Saints, was adapted for a movie. Another novel, The Glorious Ones, has been adapted into a musical of the same name.

Registration required for this free event. Click here to register.
Directions to the Westport Country Playhouse.
Photo credit Stephanie Berger.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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September 20, 2010

        

Jobseeker Special: Improve Your Interview Chemistry

handshake5.jpgMonday, September 20, 2010
7:00 pm
McManus Room

Uco J. Wiersma, Organizational Psychologist, will talk about how jobseekers may apply behavioral research findings to improve interview success.

Dr. Wiersma has taught in the Departments of Management in many universities, and his research publications have appeared in leading scientific journals in the field of Organizational Psychology. When working in the Human Resources department of the New York Stock Exchange, he used evidence-based management techniques to redesign selection, new hire orientation, and performance appraisal processes. He is currently working on the first of a series of books that will help people to prepare for employment interviews, onboard themselves during the first 100 days of a new job, improve current job performance through self-assessment, and reduce stress between work and family.

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September 21, 2010

        

Jobseeker Special: Over 40 and Looking for Work

jobseekers-logo.jpgTuesday, September 21, 2010
9:00 am
McManus Room

Career Specialist Susan Atherton brings this Connecticut Department of Labor workshop to Westport. Registration required.

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Pageturners: Let the Great World Spin

McCANN_Let-Great-World.jpgTuesday, September 21, 2010
10:30 am and 7:30 pm
Sheffer Reading Room

Discussion of the book Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann. 368 pages. In the dawning light of a late-summer morning, the people of lower Manhattan stand hushed, staring up in disbelief at the Twin Towers. It is August 1974, and a mysterious tightrope walker is running, dancing, leaping between the towers, and suspended a quarter mile above the ground. In the streets below, a slew of ordinary lives become extraordinary. The first 80 pages might be confusing, but this book will leave you thinking about stereotypes, friendship, family, fate, and death and how, regardless of personal drama, humanity moves on.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821 or email Sue Madeo at smadeo@westportlibrary.org.
New participants always welcome.

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Preparing for the SAT Test

sat-test.jpgTuesday, September 21, 2010
7:30 to 9:00 pm
McManus Room

Join Anthony Green, Columbia University graduate, founder of Odyssey Prep, and co-author of the upcoming Odyssey Prep's 100 Point SAT Curriculum: The 100 Most Essential Points All Students Need to Know to Improve Their SAT Scores for a discussion on the most important steps you should (and should not) take to prepare your child for the SAT. Contact Jaina Lewis at 203-291-4809 or jlewis@westportlibrary.org for more information.

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September 22, 2010

        

Take a Break with Author Lisa Wexler

Book%20Review%20Secrets%20o.jpgLisa-Wexler.jpgWednesday, September 22, 2010
9:30 am, coffee; author talk at 10:00 am
McManus Room

Connecticut radio talk show host and attorney Lisa Wexler discusses her book Secrets of a Jewish Mother: Real Advice, Real Stories, Real Love, co-written with her mother Gloria Kamen and sister Jill Zarin, a star of The Real Housewives of New York City. "Honest, self-aware, and frequently funny, these women deliver a triple-strength dose of universal advice."—Publisher's Weekly

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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September 23, 2010

        

Community Conversation—The Af-Pak Puzzle:
The Prospects for American Policy in Afghanistan and Pakistan

Coll-author-photo-Bin-Laden.jpgThursday, September 23, 2010
7:30 pm
McManus Room

Steve Coll, Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist and writer, staff writer for The New Yorker, and former managing editor of The Washington Post, is currently president and CEO of the New America Foundation. At The New Yorker, he maintains a blog on entitled Think Tank, where he writes primarily on issues of foreign and public policy, and American national security. Previously he spent 20 years as a foreign correspondent and senior editor at The Washington Post.

Article in the New Yorker by Steve Coll on the floods in Pakistan.

Photo credit Lauren Shay Lavin

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September 25, 2010

        

Free Library Events at Blues, Views & BBQ Festival

Rick-Brown.jpgSaturday, September 25, 2010
10:00 am
McManus Room

At 10:00 am, hear Rick Browne, Ph.B. (an honorary Ph.B., Doctor of Barbecue Philosophy, degree bestowed upon him by the prestigious Kansas City Barbecue Society), host of public television's popular "Barbecue America" series, talk about all things barbecue, including his bestselling cookbooks The Best Barbecue on Earth, The Barbecue America Cookbook, and Barbecue America: A Pilgrimage in Search of America's Best Barbecue.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

BluesBrothersPoster.jpg Saturday, September 25, 2010
2:00 pm
McManus Room

At 2:00 pm, enjoy The Blues Brothers, the 1980 American musical comedy film directed by John Landis and starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. The infectuous nuttiness of the brothers Blue and film's legion of guest stars add to the zany storyline and soul-searching blues music. (1980, 135 minutes)

More information on the Blues, Views & BBQ Festival.

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September 26, 2010

        

The Usual Suspects: Dance Hall of the Dead

Dance-Hall-of-the-Dead.jpgSunday, September 26, 2010
2:00 pm
Seminar Room

Discussion of the award-winning mystery Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman. When two young boys suddenly disappear, Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn of the Navajo Tribal Police, must observe the strange laws of the Zuñi while tracking their brutal killer.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821. New participants always welcome.

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Free Library Events at Blues, Views & BBQ Festival

Raisin-Cain-Cover.jpgSunday, September 26, 2010
2:00 pm
McManus Room

Author Mary Lou Sullivan talks about her book Raisin’ Cain: the Wild and Raucous Story of Johnny Winter, based on exclusive interviews, covering the guitar slinger's entire career. From toughing it out in Texas to his appearance at Woodstock, his affair with Janis Joplin, his stadium-filling tours, and washing out on drugs and the temptations of the road before finally fulfilling his dream of becoming a 100-per cent pure bluesman, resurrecting the career of Muddy Waters, and winning a Grammy Award for his effort, this is the story of one of the greatest guitar players of all time.

"This book registers as one of the world's great music biographies." — Dan Aykroyd, aka Elwood Blues in The Blues Brothers

Fox Ct Now Interview with Sullivan on her book.

More information on the Blues, Views & BBQ Festival.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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September 27, 2010

        

The Business Side of Performing Arts

cynthia-gibb.jpgMonday, September 27, 2010
7:00 pm
McManus Room

Hear about the business side of performing arts from actress, singer, dancer, and former model Cynthia Gibb. For those who are serious about their acting, singing, or modeling and are considering it as a career, find out about the differences between training as a performer vs. what is required to run one's own "business" as a performer, and how to navigate this path, including ethical issues.


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September 28, 2010

        

Best New Books from Sybil Steinberg

Sybil-Steinberg.jpgTuesday, September 28, 2010
Noon
McManus Room

For books to settle down for a great read, come hear Westporter Sybil Steinberg, contributing editor and former book review section editor for Publishers Weekly, when she shares her list of the best new books. Always fascinating to listen to! Bring your notebooks for this critic’s expert overview of newly published titles that are not to be missed.

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What's Playing: Ondine

ondine.jpgTuesday, September 28, 2010
7:00 pm
McManus Room

Ondine is a lyrical modern day fairy tale tells the story of Syracuse (Colin Farrell), a local fisherman whose everyday life is transformed by a beautiful and mysterious woman whom he fishes from the sea and who his young daughter, Annie believes is a mermaid. But like all fairytales, enchantment and darkness go hand in hand. Directed and written by Irish filmmaker and Academy award-winning Neil Jordan. A 2010 Tribeca Film Festival choice. (2009, 110 minutes)

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September 29, 2010

        

Teen Animé Night

Doki-Doki.jpgWednesday, September 29, 2010
6:30 to 8:30 pm
McManus Room

Join the Westport Library for a night of Animé and meet others who share your passion. The event will be determined by participants, so come with ideas. Do you want to watch DVDs? Discuss manga? Listen to Japanese pop music? Bring items from your personal collection and browse what the Library has to offer. No registration necessary. To suggest program ideas in advance, please contact Jaina Lewis at 203-291-4809 or jlewis@westportlibrary.org.

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September 30, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Ann Brashares

cover-my-name-is-memory.jpgThursday, September 30, 2010
7:30 pm
McManus Room

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and The Last Summer (of You and Me) comes an imaginative, inspired, magical book-a love story that lasts more than a lifetime. Ann Brashares discusses her latest novel, for readers of all ages, My Name is Memory, an "unabashed romance, which has the heart-pounding pace and tone of a beach novel, and hope for the sequel hinted at in the open ending." — Booklist

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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October 1, 2010

        

Great Hall Art Exhibit: "FOUR FROM WESTPORT: Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Rabbit Hill Children's Book Festival"

Rabbit-Hill-10-Ann-art.jpgOctober 1-November 30
The Great Hall

Celebrating 10 years of the Rabbit Hill Festival of Literature with original illustrations from Westport artists Leonard Everett Fisher, Hardie Gramatky, Victoria Kann, and Hans Wilhelm.

Opening reception Friday, October 1, 2010 from 6:00 to 7:00 pm.

Enter through upper level Library entrance. Light refreshments served.

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Opening Reception for the Great Hall Art Exhibit
"FOUR FROM WESTPORT: Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Rabbit Hill Children's Book Festival"

2001-Sky-Sea-Jetty--Me-2.jpgt_17713_01.jpg









NOODLES----I'M-NOT-SCARED!-.jpg GOLDI-Tea-Party-1.jpg Friday, October 1, 2010
6:00 pm
The Great Hall

Celebrating 10 years of the Rabbit Hill Festival of Literature with original illustrations from Westport artists Leonard Everett Fisher, Hardie Gramatky, Victoria Kann, and Hans Wilhelm.

Enter through upper level Library entrance. Light refreshments served.

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October 2, 2010

        

Fix Up Those Vacation Pix!

photoshopelements11.jpgSaturday, October 2, 2010
11:00 am
McManus Room

Learn how to work with your digital photos with Adobe Photoshop Elements from digital camera expert Michael Franco. Find out how SmartFix, Brightness/Contrast, Color Enhance, Rotate, Clone Stamp, Lasso Selection, and others can really make a difference.

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October 3, 2010

        

MUSIC@THE LIBRARY: Heather Hardy

heather_hardybw.jpgSunday, October 3, 2010
2:00 pm
McManus Room

Electric blues violinist and vocalist, Heather Hardy, brings together a phenomenal sound and excellent voice. Though classically trained, she has pursued her love of improvisation as a blues performer since the early 1990's. A wide variety of experiences, from European tours, performances in the NYC subway stations, and shows in blues clubs has enabled her to develop into an experienced leader of her band Lil'l Mama. "If you want great blues with a twist, this is it."

Supported by the Grace K. Salmon Foundation.

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October 4, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Salvatore Basile

Fifth-Avenue-Famous.jpgMonday, October 4, 2010
7:30 pm
McManus Room

Cathedral historian Salvatore Basile will speak about his book Fifth Avenue Famous: The Extraordinary Story of Music at St. Patrick's Cathedral. As the city’s preeminent Catholic institution, St. Patrick’s Cathedral has served one of the most dynamic and diverse communities in the world for well over a century. It has been intimately entwined with the history of New York: a major center of culture in the nation’s cultural capital. The Cathedral Choir provides an extraordinary and largely overlooked insight into this history, and in Basile’s pitch-perfect exploration, it becomes a microcosm for the larger trends, upheavals, and events that have made up the history of the city, the nation, and even the world. Basile will also give a presentation on "Forgotten Showbiz: New York’s Extravagant Sacred Music Scene in the Gilded Age—And How Tossing Out the Ladies Ended It All."

Salvatore Basile is Cathedral Music Historian, as well as a soloist and Senior Cantor of the Cathedral Choir at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. He has performed in numerous venues and is a music historian with a vast collection of period recordings.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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October 5, 2010

        

Jobseeker Special: Take Action!

networking2.jpgTuesday October 5, 2010
8:00 am
McManus Room

Rich Gee, CEO of the richgeegroup, says that there are three types of people in this world: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened. Along with R. Patrick Morrow and Brian P. Scanlon of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Gee will run a speed networking session (2 minute interactions with each participant) to improve job search skills. Registration required. Enter through Riverwalk Level off of Jesup Green.

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The Conversations Continue...

bks1.jpgTuesday, October 5, 2010
10:00 am
Sheffer Reading Room

Nina Sankovitch will continue drop-in conversations! No "book reports" — just read whatever interests you and then drop into the Library and talk about it. There will be a Conversation the first Tuesday of every month starting on Tuesday, October 5, 2010 at 10:00 am in the Sheffer Reading Room. We will meet for about an hour. All are welcome!

Reading list from Stop&Swap 2010

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AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Antonya Nelson

Bound.jpgTuesday, October 5, 2010
7:30 pm
McManus Room

Antonya Nelson is known for her razor-sharp depictions of contemporary family life in all of its sometimes sad, sometimes hilarious complexity. She will discuss Bound: A Novel, her first novel in over a decade, which has roots in her youth in Wichita, in the neighborhood stalked by the BTK (Bind, Torture, and Kill) serial killer. It is a powerful novel of wayward love and lost memory, of public and private lives twisting out of control to tragic and comic ends.

Nelson is the author of nine books of fiction, including Nothing Right and the novels Talking in Bed, Nobody’s Girl, and Living to Tell. Her work has appeared in many magazines, as well as in anthologies such as Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards and The Best American Short Stories. She has received a Guggenheim Fellowship, an NEA Grant, the Rea Award for Short Fiction, and, recently, the United States Artists Simon Fellowship.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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October 6, 2010

        

Arts Education Workshop

artsmart_logo.jpgWednesday, October 6, 2010
9:30 to 10:30 am
McManus Room

Thinking of becoming an ArtSmart volunteer in the schools? Work with children and want to introduce them to art? Think you need a degree in art history? Let the Children’s Librarians show you the myriad resources available for art presentations using age-appropriate materials. Register now.

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Business Special: How to Have a Million Dollar Presence on a Zero Dollar Budget

Jane-2010-head-shot.jpgWednesday, October 6, 2010
7:00 pm
McManus Room

Get your name in the press on a regular basis with a tried and true formula from Jane Pollak, whose media presence includes the New York Times and "The Today Show." Learn how to create a one page plan for your business, build your promotional kit, and determine your talking points. If you're looking for regional press or global coverage, don't miss this session for getting noticed in the news.

Copies of her book Soul Proprietor: 101 Lessons from a Lifestyle Entrepreneur will be available for purchase and signing.

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October 7, 2010

        

Todd Bryant Weeks on Ralph Ellison's Record Collection

Todd-Bryant-Weeks.jpgThursday, October 7, 2010
7:30 pm
McManus Room

Staples High School graduate and jazz historian Todd Bryant Weeks plays selections and give background on Ralph Ellison's record collection, giving new insights into this literary master. Ellison, who had originally intended to become a classical composer "utilized a multidisciplinary approach and drew on music, photography, and the fine arts as sources of inspiration and cultural pride." —Todd Bryant Weeks

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October 9, 2010

        

Family Program: Pop Art with Michael Albert

michael-albert-box.jpgSaturday, October 9, 2010
2:30 to 3:30 pm
McManus Room
Ages 5 and up with an adult

Pop artist Michael Albert will conduct an art workshop where families will create their own pop art collage using cereal boxes. Bring an empty cereal box for your project. Registration begins Wednesday, September 1. Phone 203-291-4810, e-mail kids@westportlibrary.org, or come to the Smilow Family Children’s Library.

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October 12, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Deborah Lee Luskin

into-the-wilderness.jpgTuesday, October 12, 2010
Noon
McManus Room

Will I ever adjust to this place? Weston High School graduate Deborah Lee Luskin offers answers to that question in Into the Wilderness. In 1964, Rose Mayer buries her second husband and wonders what she's going to do with the rest of her life. Reluctantly, she visits her son at his summer place in Vermont, where there are neither sidewalks, Democrats, nor other Jews. Luskin tells a tender romance between 64-year olds with humor, wit, and compassion. Set against the backdrop of Vermont's changing seasons, Into The Wilderness is both a love story and a testament to the endurance of the human heart.

Luskin has been writing about Vermont life, past and present, since relocating from New York City in 1984. Luskin holds a PhD in English Literature from Columbia University and has taught literature and writing to diverse learners, from Ivy League undergraduates to prison inmates. She is a Visiting Scholar for the Vermont Humanities Council, a freelance journalist, a skilled technical writer, and a regular commentator for Vermont Public Radio. Into The Wilderness is her first published novel.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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What's Playing: Letters to Juliet

letters-to-juliet.jpgTuesday, October 12, 2010
7:00 pm
McManus Room

Letters to Juliet is set in Verona, Italy, the beautiful city where Romeo first met Juliet. The heartbroken leave notes asking Juliet for her help and it's there that aspiring writer Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) finds a 50-year-old letter that will change her life forever. She sets off on a romantic journey of the heart with the letter's author, Claire (Vanessa Redgrave), now a grandmother, and her handsome grandson, and all three will discover that sometimes the greatest love story ever told is your own. (2010, 105 minutes)

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October 13, 2010

        

Reading Aloud to Children Workshop

school-volunteer-ass-green.jpg Wednesday, October 13, 2010
12:30 to 1:30 pm
McManus Room

A unique opportunity for adults to hear Children’s Librarians model techniques for reading aloud to children in a group setting. This program supports Bridgeport’s School Volunteer Association (SVA) and is also recommended for education majors, teachers, or adults who read aloud.

Register now.

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AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Al Jaffee and Mary-Lou Weisman

Mad-Life.jpgWednesday, October 13, 2010
7:30 pm
McManus Room

Author Mary-Lou Weisman and cartoonist Al Jaffee discuss their book Al Jaffee’s Mad Life, the remarkable story of one of America’s most prolific and beloved cartoonists with dozens of original color illustrations. Jaffee’s inventive work has enlivened the pages of Mad since 1955. To date he has pickled three generations of American kids in the brine of satire, and continues to bring millions of childhoods to untimely ends with the knowledge that parents are hypocrites, teachers are dummies, politicians are liars, and life isn’t fair. Eighty-eight year-old Jaffee is probably best known as the inventor of the “fold-in” which he started in 1964 and has been doing ever since. He is the author of eight volumes of Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions.

New York Times article on Al Jaffee.
Al Jaffee's work is on display in the Riverwalk case from September 1 through October 18.

Westporter Mary-Lou Weisman is an award-winning journalist and best-selling author. Weisman, who has known Al for over 30 years, has published several books, and her essays, feature articles, interviews, and film and book reviews have appeared in many magazines, among them The Atlantic Monthly, The New Republic, Newsweek, and Vogue.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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October 14, 2010

        

TRENDS in TECHNOLOGY
Creating a Website

Website%20TOOLS.jpgThursday, October 14, 2010
10:00 am
McManus Room

Interested in building a website? Technology and software consultant Diane McKeever will discuss the process involved, including tools and skills, steps in good design, and the value of search engine optimization.

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"Modern Family" Night @the Library

modern-family-poster.jpgThursday, October 14, 2010
7:00 pm
McManus Room

Enjoy episodes of the new sitcom “Modern Family,” named “Best Comedy Series” at this year’s Emmy Awards. The mockumentary follows Jay Pritchett, a middle-aged man remarried to a much younger (and hotter) Colombian woman, and the families of his adult children, Claire and Mitchell. Claire is a control-freak homemaker with four children, the fourth being her man-child husband Phil. Mitchell is a control-freak lawyer who has adopted a Vietnamese baby with his over-the-top partner Cameron, played by Eric Stonestreet, Emmy winner for“Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series”.

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October 16, 2010

        

Family Wii Day

wii-party.jpgSaturday, October 16, 2010
2:00 to 4:00 pm
McManus Room

Spend an afternoon playing Wii on the big screen in the Library’s McManus Room. All ages welcome. Contact Jaina Lewis at 203-291-4809 or jlewis@westportlibrary.org for more information.

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October 17, 2010

        

The Usual Suspects: Murder in the Marais

Murder-in-the-Marais.jpgSunday, October 17, 2010
2:00 pm
Seminar Room

Discussion of the mystery Murder in the Marais by Cara Black. Aime Leduc, a intrepid young French-American detective, is hired to investigate the grisly murder of an old Jewish woman in the Marais district of Paris.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821. New participants always welcome.

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October 18, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Eric Burns

INVASION-OF-MIND-SNATCHERS-.jpgMonday, October 18, 2010
7:30 pm
McManus Room

Eric Burns, a former NBC News correspondent who is an Emmy-winner for his broadcast writing, knows about the impact of television. His new book, Invasion of the Mind Snatchers: Television's Conquest of America in the Fifties, chronicles the influence of television that was watched daily by the baby boomer generation. As kids became spellbound by "Howdy Doody" and "The Ed Sullivan Show," Burns reveals, they often acted out their favorite programs. Likewise, they purchased the merchandise being promoted by performers and became fascinated by the personalities they saw on screen, often emulating their behavior. It was the first generation raised by TV and Burns looks at both the promise of broadcasting as espoused by the inventor, and how that promise was both redefined and lost by the corporations who helped to spread the technology.

Dan Woog's 06880 blog on the book.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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October 19, 2010

        

Pageturners: Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel

half-broke-horses.jpgTuesday, October 19, 2010
10:30 am and 7:30 pm
Sheffer Reading Room

Discussion of the book Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls. 288 pages. The author of Glass Castle writes this true-life novel about Lily Casey Smith (the author's grandmother) who at age six helped her father break horses, at age fifteen left home to teach in a frontier town, and later as a wife and mother runs a vast ranch in Arizona where she survived tornadoes, droughts, floods, the Great Depression, and the most heartbreaking personal tragedy--but despite a life of hardscrabble drudgery still remains a woman of indomitable spirit.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821 or email Sue Madeo at smadeo@westportlibrary.org.
New participants always welcome.

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Lyme Disease Symposium

lyme.jpgTuesday, October 19, 2010
7:00 pm
McManus Room

Monica Wheeler, MSN, RNA, Director of Community Health at the Westport-Weston Health District, will introduce the panel discussion. Participants include Dr. Adam Breiner,N.D, who will give an overview of Lyme diseasse and its treatment, pathologist Dr. Sin Hang Lee, M.D.,F.R.C.P. (C), F.C.A.P., who researches molecular diagnosis of infections of early Lyme disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, and Abigail Dumes, PhD candidate in the department of Anthropology at Yale, whose dissertation research is on the controversy that surrounds the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease in the United States Save the date: Part II of this symposium will be held on March 29, 2011.

Co-sponsored by the Westport-Weston Health District and Turn the Corner Foundation.

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October 20, 2010

        

Jobseeker Special: Your Next Job

jobs4.0 logo.gifWednesday, October 20, 2010
10:00 am
McManus Room

Steven Greenberg, founder of www.jobs4point0.com and host of CBS Radio’s “Your Next Job,” will discuss what it takes for a mature job seeker to get hired. Topics will include how to identify and apply for unadvertised jobs, how to create a resume that generates interviews, how to follow up in ways that generate offers, and how to turn a job search into a productive process that can lead to a better career.

National Public Radio story on the website Jobs 4.0.

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Riverwalk Display: “Rabbit Hill Festival of Literature Celebrates Its 10th Year”

Rabbit-Hill-10-Ann-art.jpgFrom Wednesday, October 20
Riverwalk Level Display Case

In conjunction with the “2010 Rabbit Hill Festival of Literature, an exhibit focusing on collaboration, that magical thing that happens when authors and artists work closely together to create a single book.

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October 21, 2010

        

RABBIT HILL FESTIVAL OF LITERATURE

rabbithillbw.jpg
The 10th Annual Rabbit Hill Festival of Literature will be held on Thursday, October 21 through Saturday, October 23, 2010.

The theme will be COLLABORATION. . . the magical thing that happens when authors and artists work closely together, or when a pair of writers and/or illustrators work side-by-side to create a single book.


Click here for website and registration.

If you would like to be on the email list, send your email address to Joan Hume at jhume@westportlibrary.org

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October 25, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Alex Ross

listentothis.jpgMonday, October 25, 2010
7:30 pm
McManus Room

Music critic for The New Yorker magazine Alex Ross offers a view of the musical scene, from Bach to Bob Dylan, in his new book Listen To This. Hear about his belief in "approach(ing) music not as a self-sufficient sphere but as a way of knowing the world."

Ross also wrote for the New York Times from 1992 to 1996. His first book, The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century, was a national bestseller, translated into sixteen languages, selected as one of the New York Times's ten best books of year, won a National Book Critics Circle Award, the Guardian First Book Award, and was a finalist for the 2008 Pulitzer Prize.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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October 26, 2010

        

Community Conversation on Underage Drinking

Underagedrinking.jpgTuesday, October 26, 2010
7:30 to 9:00 pm
McManus Room

Staples High School Principal, John Dodig, will begin the program with a talk on the upcoming Homecoming event on Saturday, October 30. Then, the forum will be opened to a moderated discussion on underage drinking and responsibility. Students and parents are invited to participate in finding a solution for this community issue.

Co-sponsored with the Staples High School PTA.

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October 27, 2010

        

Jobseekers: Energize Your Job Search

jobseekers.jpgWednesday, October 27, 2010
10:00 am
McManus Room

Gain an advantage by using valuable online tools such as Reference USA, LexisNexis, and Business & Company Resource Center. Learn how to identify your key companies, spot industry trends, and get in-depth background information for greater success in networking and interviewing.

| Comments (0)

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Ari Berman

herdingdonkeys.jpgWednesday, October 27, 2010
7:30 pm
McManus Room

Ari Berman, a political correspondent for The Nation, discusses his book Herding Donkeys: The Fight to Rebuild the Democratic Party and Reshape American Politics, the improbable tale of the grassroots resurgence that transformed the Democratic Party from a lonely minority to a sizable majority. It chronicles the inside story of Howard Dean’s visionary yet deeply controversial fifty-state strategy, charting his unpredictable journey from insurgent presidential candidate, to front-running flameout, to chairman and conscience of the Democratic Party in an unexpected third act. Ari Berman reveals how the Obama campaign built upon Dean’s strategy when others ridiculed it, expanding the ranks of the party and ultimately laying the groundwork for Obama’s historic electoral victory—but also sowing the seeds of dissent that would lead to legislative stalemate and intraparty strife.

Berman is a contributing writer for The Nation magazine, covering national politics, and is an Investigative Journalism Fellow at The Nation Institute. He has written extensively about the White House, Congress, political parties, foreign affairs and the intersection of money and politics. His stories have appeared in the New York Times, Editor & Publisher and the Guardian and he is a frequent guest and political commentator on MSNBC, C-Span, and NPR.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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October 28, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: S.J. Rozan and Daniel Judson

On-the-Line.jpgvoyeur.jpgThursday, October 28, 2010
7:30 pm
McManus Room

Two accomplished mystery writers, SJ Rozan and Daniel Judson, join in a moderated discussion with Joe Meyers of the Connecticut Post. Rozan, winner of the Edgar, Shamus, Anthony, Nero, and Macavity awards for Best Novel, features her critically acclaimed and much-loved characters Lydia Chin and Bill Smith in her tenth novel of the series, On the Line. Judson, a Shamus Award winner and three-time finalist, has a new book, Voyeur, a dark thriller set in the south fork of Long Island.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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October 31, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Barbara Taylor Bradford

Playing-the-Game.jpgSunday October 31, 2010
2:00 pm
McManus Room

Bestselling English romance novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford discusses Playing the Game. In this latest novel, she introduces readers to another extraordinary woman, Annette Remmington, whose path takes her from a troubled childhood to a career in the glamorous world of priceless artwork. Bradford herself is a lover of art history and fills the story will wonderful insights into the business of art collecting and weaves fascinating details about art appraisals, auctions, and art fraud into the story.

Bradford is the author of twenty-five New York Times bestselling novels, including her phenomenal debut novel, A Woman of Substance, and her most recent book, Breaking the Rules. With over 82 million books in print, Bradford is one of the world’s most popular women’s fiction writers and is known for creating strong female characters who overcome great obstacles on their journeys to success.

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November 2, 2010

        

The Conversations Continue...

bks1.jpgTuesday, November 2, 2010
10:00 am
Sheffer Reading Room

Nina Sankovitch will continue drop-in conversations! No "book reports" — just read whatever interests you and then drop into the Library and talk about it. There will be a Conversation the first Tuesday of every month starting at 10:00 am in the Sheffer Reading Room. We will meet for about an hour. All are welcome!

Reading list from Stop&Swap 2010

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November 3, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Sara Poole

Poison--cover.jpgWednesday, November 3, 2010
Noon
McManus Room

AuthorSara Poole discusses her debut novel Poison: A Novel of the Renaissance. In the simmering hot summer of 1492, a monstrous evil is stirring in the Eternal City of Rome. The brutal murder of an alchemist sets off a desperate race to uncover the plot that threatens to extinguish the light of the Renaissance and plunge Europe back into medieval darkness.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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November 4, 2010

        

Take a Break: Self-Hypnosis - Open Your Mind to Positive Change

MARCEL,-MAY-2010.jpgThursday, November 4, 2010
10:00 am
McManus Room

Hear how to recondition your mind when Hypnotist Marcel Lasen describes healing techniques used in hypnosis. Learn how to give positive suggestions that condition your mind and facilitate natural healing of the physical body.

Marcel is a Board Certified Hypnotist and Instructor with advance certifications in HypnoCoaching, Pediatric Hypnosis, HypnoBirthing, Metaphysical Hypnosis, HypnoDontics, and Complementaty Medical Hypnosis.

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November 7, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Eric Jaffe

The-King's-Best-Highway.jpgSunday, November 7, 2010
2:00 pm
McManus Room

Eric Jaffe discusses his book King’s Best Highway: The Lost History of the Boston Post Road, the Route That Made America, a vivid look at American history through the prism of the country's most storied highwasy, the Boston Post Road.

Jaffe is a graduate of the Columbia University School of Journalism. He is a former editor of Smithsonian magazine's Web site, Smithsonian.com. His work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Slate, Science News, and Boston magazine. The King's Best Highway is his first book.

August 2010 Sunday New York Times book review.
Interview with Leonard Lopate for WNYC on 7-1-10.
Dan Woog's 06880 blog entry on this book.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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November 8, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Michael White

beautiful-assassin.jpgMonday, November 8, 2010
7:30 pm
McManus Room

Author Michael White discusses his new book, Beautiful Assassin: A Novel, a tale of love, loyalty, and intrigue set during World War II, in which a decorated Russian sniper finds herself caught between two suspicious allies.

White is the author of Beautiful Assassin. His previous novels include the New York Times Notable Book A Brother’s Blood and two Connecticut Book of the Year finalists, The Garden of Martyrs and Soul Catcher. He is the director of Fairfield University’s MFA program in creative writing, and lives in Connecticut.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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November 9, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Steven Kotler

small-furry-prayer.jpgTuesday, November 9, 2010
Noon
McManus Room

Author, journalist, and co-founder of the Rancho de Chihuahua dog sanctuary Steven Kotler talks about his book, A Small Furry Prayer: Dog Rescue and the Meaning of Life. An insider look at the culture of dog rescue, he mixes personal experience and scientific inquiry into a narrative that explores what it means to devote one’s life to the furry and the four-legged. Along the way, Kotler combs through every aspect of canine-human relations from the long human history with dogs to new research into the neuroscience of canine companionship to discovering why living in a world made of dog may be the best way to uncover the truth about what it really means to be human. “Joyous… Brimming with humor, gratitude, and grace, this is a remarkable story.” —starred Publisher's Weekly review.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Allan Johnson

AllanJohnsoncov.jpgTuesday, November 9, 2010
7:30 pm
McManus Room

Allan G. Johnson will discuss his debut novel, The First Thing and the Last, and tell the story of what it took to overcome the publishing industry's resistance to bringing into print this inspiring story of healing and redemption in the aftermath of domestic violence.

Johnson is a nationally recognized writer and public speaker who has focused on issues of social inequality since receiving his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Michigan. He first became involved in the issue of men's violence against women as a volunteer at the Rape Crisis Service in Hartford, Connecticut. He has authored research on sexual violence, testified before legislative committees, consulted with the National Center for the Prevention of Rape and the Connecticut Commissioner of Public Health, and served on the board of the Connecticut Coalition against Domestic Violence. During thirty years of college teaching, he regularly taught courses on gender, race, and social class. His nonfiction books have been translated into several languages and excerpted in numerous anthologies.

Interview and book excerpt on National Public Radio's Boston affiliate WBUR.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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November 10, 2010

        

Business Special: Grant Opportunites for Technology Innovation

jobseekers-logo.jpgWednesday, November 10, 2010
9:30 am to Noon
McManus Room

Federally-funded grants for technology innovation can be advantageous for small businesses, manufacturers, or new technology-related businesses. Merrie London, Manager of Connecticut Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), Louis Parks of Secure RF, and Kate Hohorst of Student Employment Systems will share their knowledge and experience. Registration required and opens on October 10. For questions, call Sylvia Schulman at 203.291.4844.

Co-sponsored with the Fairfield County chapter of SCORE.

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November 13, 2010

        

iPhone, BlackBerry, Android: Using Your Smartphone Smarter

smartphones.jpgSaturday, November 13, 2010
11:00 am—1:00 pm
McManus Room

Technology expert Richard Frisch explores how to make better use of these fantastic little computing devices through:
  • Organizing contacts to work better on your phone
  • Integrating Google Voice with your smartphone
  • Using your phone's camera creatively and productively
  • Synchronizing your phone and computer(s), effortlessly
  • Apps to make your phone more useful
  • Pimping out your smartphone—themes, ringtones, covers and accessories

Frisch is the founder of RHFtech, which provides technology support for small businesses and residences, is a member of the Microsoft Partner Network, and is also a technology journalist writing a biweekly column, "The RHFtech Help Desk", for The Hour, Stamford Times and Wilton Villager papers.

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AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Nancy Pearl

Book-lust-to-go.jpgSaturday November 13, 2010
2:00 pm
McManus Room

Nancy Pearl, librarian, best-selling author, and literary critic, speaks on the latest in her Book Lust series. Book Lust To Go: Recommended Reading for Travelers, Vagabonds, and Dreamers is 120 places, including imaginary ones, to read about before you go.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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November 14, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Cathryn J. Prince

A-President.jpgSunday, November 14, 2010
2:00 pm
McManus Room

A meteor crash in 1807 in Weston, CT sparked the curiosity of a young Yale chemistry professor. His rigorous investigation of the incident started a chain of events that eventurally brought the once-low standing of American science to sudden international prominence. And, by coincidence, the event also embroiled Silliman in politics, pitting him against no less an adversary than President Thomas Jefferson. Journalist Cathryn J. Prince tells this remarkable story, A Professor, a President, and a Meteor, with a lively, historical narrative.

Cathryn J. Prince is the author of Burn the Town and Sack the Banks: Confederates Attack Vermont! and Shot from the Sky: American POWs in Switzerland. She is a freelance contributor to The Weston Forum, Weston Magazine, and is a frequent contributor to The Christian Science Monitor. Prince holds an M.S. in journalism from Columbia University, a B.A. in International Affairs from The George Washington University, and an M.A. in American Studies from Fairfield University.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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November 16, 2010

        

Pageturners: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

cover-henrietta.jpgTuesday, November 16, 2010
10:30 am and 7:30 pm
Sheffer Reading Room

Discussion of the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. 369 pages. A story about science – and so much more. Lacks died unaware that doctors would be using her cells to further advances in the scientific community – and cashing in on such developments – and never received a dime. In search of justice, Skloot seeks out Lacks’s descendants to learn if they’re aware of the famed cells and to see if they’ve derived any benefit from the important contribution to science their relative made. A fascinating discussion of the enduring legal and ethical questions that human-tissue research raises.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821 or email Sue Madeo at smadeo@westportlibrary.org.
New participants always welcome.

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November 17, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Reggie Nadelson

blood-count.jpgWednesday November 17, 2010
7:30 pm
McManus Room

Mystery author Reggie Nadelson will speak on Blood Count, the tenth book in her popular mystery series featuring NYPD detective and first-generation immigrant with complex ties to his Russian past, Artie Cohen. This is a murder mystery, a love story, and a tale about New York, race, real estate, money, and music, with an ending one could never predict.

Nadelson is a journalist and documentary film-maker. She is the author of the critically acclaimed series featuring Artie Cohen, Moscow-born New Yorker and the first great post-Cold War cop.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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November 21, 2010

        

MUSIC@THE LIBRARY: Gwynfyd

Gwynfyd-Hi-Res-01.jpgSunday, November 21, 2010
2:00 pm
McManus Room
Gwynfyd, a folk music duet from Wales, features the singing and musicianship of Pamela Wyn Shannon and Eifion Wyn Williams. They will offer an afternoon of original and traditional songs and stories, sung in both Welsh and English, that celebrate Welsh folklore, history, and nature.

Pamela has been a professional musician for over 15 years and has shared the stage with legendary musicians including Billy Bragg, Martin Simpson, June Tabor and Roger McGuinn. Eifion, who grew up speaking Welsh, learned traditional songs in school. Together they bring their love for the Welsh landscape and natural heritage to Gwynfyd’s repertoire.

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The Usual Suspects: Still Life

still-life.jpgSunday, November 21, 2010
2:00 pm
Seminar Room

Discussion of the award-winning mystery Still Life by Louise Penny. Chief Inspector Gamache of the Sûreté du Quebec is called to a tiny hamlet south of Montreal to investigate the suspicious hunting "accident" that claimed the life a local woman.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821. New participants always welcome.

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November 22, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: David L. Meth

a-hint-of-light.jpgMonday November 22, 2010
Noon
McManus Room

Westporter and award-winning playwright David L. Meth discusses his book A Hint of Light, the story of a black-Korean Amerasian boy orphaned to the streets of Seoul from the time he is born. This view of the streets through the eyes of its various inhabitants that exposes the underbelly of racism that permeates Asian and American societies documents a segment of society trapped in their own skins because of their color, but who remain foreigners in their own land with no identity and no escape.

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November 30, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Jack Cavanaugh

Gipper.jpgTuesday, November 30, 2010
7:30 pm
McManus Room

Local author, veteran New York Times sportswriter, and Pulitzer prize nominee Jack Cavanaugh discusses The Gipper: George Gipp, Knute Rockne and the Dramatic Rise of Notre Dame Football. In this story about the major personalities and events that made Notre Dame the football powerhouse it became, Cavanaugh introduces George Gipp, the talented baseball player and high stakes gambler who stumbles upon football unexpectedly at Notre Dame, and Knute Rockne, the fiery and ambitious coach who motivates and challenges independent minded Gipp.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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December 4, 2010

        

Friends Holiday Book Sale

Holiday-Book-Sale.jpg Saturday, December 4
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Riverwalk Level

Holiday shopping was never easier than buying books at the Friends Holiday Book Sale! Donated books in pristine condition that are truly giftworthy—and all at reasonable prices. You'll find craft, cooking, and children's books, as well as fiction, history, current events, gardening, biography, and more. DVDs and CDs. Also, gently-used holiday themed materials. More information.

Want to volunteer at the sale? Email Suzy Hooper geosoo143@yahoo.com.
Visa and MasterCard accepted.

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December 5, 2010

        

Friends Holiday Book Sale

Holiday-Book-Sale.jpg Sunday, December 5, 2010
1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Riverwalk Level

Holiday shopping was never easier than buying books at the Friends Holiday Book Sale! Donated books in pristine condition that are truly giftworthy—and all at reasonable prices. You'll find craft, cooking, and children's books, as well as fiction, history, current events, gardening, biography, and more. DVDs and CDs. Also, gently-used holiday themed materials. More information.

Want to volunteer at the sale? Email Suzy Hooper geosoo143@yahoo.com.
Visa and MasterCard accepted.

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December 6, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Jared Duval

next-generation-democracy-w.jpgMonday, December 6, 2010
7:30 pm
McManus Room

Drawing on the lessons of open source technology, social organizer Jared Duval offers an inspiring call to action. Hear him speak about this book Next Generation Democracy: What the Open Source Revolution Means for Power, Politics, and Change which chronicles some of the watershed events, such as Hurricane Katrina, during which centralized leadership was not enough, and then tells the success stories of the leaders, both inside the government and out, who are finding streamlined, directly democratic ways to address public challenges. Telling the stories of participatory organizations such as SeeClickFix and America Speaks, Duval describes a new approach to complex problems that draws on their sources, voices, and flexibility of vast networks of citizens, and does so with unprecedented speed.

Duval is a Fellow at Demos, a New York based think tank where he is helping to build a first-of-its-kind fellowship program for young authors. He was the National Director of the Sierra Student Coalition, the national student chapter of the Sierra Club and the largest student environmental organization in America.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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December 7, 2010

        

Jobseekers: Energize Your Job Search

jobseekers.jpgTuesday, December 7, 2010
10:00 am
McManus Room

Gain an advantage by using valuable online tools such as Reference USA, LexisNexis, and Business & Company Resource Center. Learn how to identify your key companies, spot industry trends, and get in-depth background information for greater success in networking and interviewing.

| Comments (0)

        

The Conversations Continue...

bks1.jpgTuesday, December 7, 2010
10:00 am
Sheffer Reading Room

Nina Sankovitch will continue drop-in conversations! No "book reports" — just read whatever interests you and then drop into the Library and talk about it. There will be a Conversation the first Tuesday of every month starting at 10:00 am in the Sheffer Reading Room. We will meet for about an hour. All are welcome!

Reading list from Stop&Swap 2010

| Comments (0)

        

The Conversations Continue...

bks1.jpgTuesday, December 7, 2010
10:00 am
Sheffer Reading Room

Nina Sankovitch will continue drop-in conversations! No "book reports" — just read whatever interests you and then drop into the Library and talk about it. There will be a Conversation the first Tuesday of every month starting at 10:00 am in the Sheffer Reading Room. We will meet for about an hour. All are welcome!

Reading list from Stop&Swap 2010

| Comments (0)

December 14, 2010

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Elizabeth Irvine Bray

Flato-Cover-test.jpgTuesday, December 14, 2010
10:00 am
McManus Room

Former Westporter Elizabeth Irvine Bray will talk about her book Paul Flato: Jeweler to the Stars. This beautifully illustrated book celebrates the work of Hollywood's first celebrity jeweler and features stunning examples of the jewels as well as the stars, socialites, and heiresses who wore them.

A Graduate Gemologist from the Gemological Institute of America in New York, Bray was a
jewelry specialist with Christie's auction house for over 7 years. She is currently a consultant and appraiser
based in Los Angeles.

NYT article on Paul Flato.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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December 19, 2010

        

The Usual Suspects: The 39 Steps

buchan-thirty-nine-steps-bo.jpgSunday, December 19, 2010
2:00 pm
Seminar Room

Discussion of the mystery The 39 Steps by John Buchan. Adventurer Richard Hannay is thoroughly bored with his life until a murder is committed in his flat. This 1915 thriller inspired many other novelists and filmmakers including Alfred Hitchcock.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821. New participants always welcome.

| Comments (0)

January 4, 2011

        

The Conversations Continue...

bks1.jpgTuesday, January 4, 2011
10:00 am
Sheffer Reading Room

Nina Sankovitch will continue drop-in conversations! No "book reports" — just read whatever interests you and then drop into the Library and talk about it. There will be a Conversation the first Tuesday of every month starting at 10:00 am in the Sheffer Reading Room. We will meet for about an hour. All are welcome!

Reading list from Stop&Swap 2010

| Comments (0)

January 13, 2011

        

Jobseeker Special: Orientation to Healthcare Careers—Part I

careers-pic.jpgThursday, January 13, 2011
10:00 am
McManus Room

Interested in a healthcare career? Deidre Johnson, Health Career Advisor for CT Community colleges, will discuss the many programs in nursing and allied-health careers offered by CT Community Colleges, from short-term certificate programs to Associate Degrees. Participate in a free healthcare assessment practice test. Registration suggested. Contact Margie Freilich-Den at mfreilich-den@westportlibrary.org or 203-291-4800.

CT Community Colleges Health Care Programs

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January 16, 2011

        

MUSIC@THE LIBRARY: Sean Smith Quartet

My_Best_Friend.jpgSunday, January 16, 2011
2:00 pm
McManus Room

Bassist Sean Smith has been an integral part of the international jazz scene for more than 20 years. He has appeared in many of the major jazz festivals, concert halls, and clubs all over the world. A prolific composer, his music has also been featured in several films. Sean’s compositions are best described as lyrical, melodic, cinematic, and songful. As a member of the Jacky Terrasson Trio, his work with Terrasson and Emmanuel Pahud on Into The Blue was nominated for a 2003 Grammy Award. In 2007 Sean received a Bistro Award for Outstanding Instrumentalist.

His dynamic working quartet includes John Ellis on the saxophones, John Hart at the guitar, Russell Meissner at the drums, and Smith at the bass. Their recordings include Sean Smith Quartet Live!, and Poise, both featuring his compositions.

Supported by the Grace K. Salmon Foundation.

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The Usual Suspects: Murder on the Iditarod Trail

Murder-on-the-Iditarod-Trai.jpgSunday, January 16, 2011
2:00 pm
Seminar Room

Discussion of the mystery Murder on the Iditarod Trail by Sue Henry. When the best "mushers" in the world begin expiring in gruesome ways, state trooper Alex Jensen is determined to catch the killer before he takes out Alaska's most beloved female Iditarod champion. First in the series. Winner of the 1992 Anthony and Macavity for Best First Novel.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821. New participants always welcome.

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January 20, 2011

        

Jobseeker Special: Orientation to Healthcare Careers—Part II

careers-pic.jpgThursday, January 20, 2011
10:00 am
McManus Room

Deidre Johnson, Health Career Advisor for CT Community colleges, will review the healthcare assessment practice test given in the prior session. She will also discuss the results and options available for those interested in pursuing allied health careers. Registration suggested. Contact Margie Freilich-Den at mfreilich-den@westportlibrary.org or 203-291-4800.

CT Community Colleges Health Care Programs

| Comments (0)

January 27, 2011

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Caroline Leavitt

Pictures-of-You.jpgThursday, January 27, 2011
Noon
McManus Room

Caroline Leavitt talks about her newest book, Pictures of You, a mix of a literary mystery and the story of two women, both running away, whose fates intertwine forever. “A magically written, heartbreakingly honest snapshot of the people we leave behind and those we can’t let go. Caroline Leavitt is one of those fabulous, incisive writers you read and then ask yourself, Where has she been all my life?”—Jodi Picoult

Leavitt is the award-winning author of eight novels. Her essays and stories have been included in New York magazine, Psychology Today, More, Parenting, Redbook, and Salon. She’s a columnist for the Boston Globe, a book reviewer for People, and a writing instructor at UCLA online.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

| Comments (0)

February 1, 2011

        

The Conversations Continue...

bks1.jpgTuesday, February 1, 2011
10:00 am
Sheffer Reading Room

Nina Sankovitch will continue drop-in conversations! No "book reports" — just read whatever interests you and then drop into the Library and talk about it. There will be a Conversation the first Tuesday of every month starting at 10:00 am in the Sheffer Reading Room. We will meet for about an hour. All are welcome!

Reading list from Stop&Swap 2010

| Comments (0)

February 5, 2011

        

Westport Library Twelfth Annual Crossword Puzzle Contest

crossword-2010-winners.jpgSaturday, February 5, 2011
1:00 pm
McManus Room

Photo of finalists from the February 2010 contest: (l to r) Peter Rimkus, grand prize winner, Will Shortz, Jan O'Sullivan, and Alice Dutton.
Photo credit Larry Untermeyer.

YouTube video of the 2009 contest on the Library's YouTube website.

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February 13, 2011

        

The Usual Suspects: Dreaming of the Bones

Dreaming-of-the-Bones.jpgSunday, February 13, 2011
2:00 pm
Seminar Room

Discussion of the mystery Dreaming of the Bones by Deborah Crombie. A bizarre and powerful connection between 1960s poet Lydia Brooke, who supposedly committed suicide, Duncan Kincaid's ex-wife Victoria McClellan, and Edwardian poet Rupert Brooke, leads Kincaid and his partner Gemma to murder, obsession, and secrets hidden for three decades. 5th in the series. Winner of the 1998 Macavity Award for Best Novel.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821. New participants always welcome.

| Comments (0)

March 1, 2011

        

The Conversations Continue...

bks1.jpgTuesday, March 1, 2011
10:00 am
Sheffer Reading Room

Nina Sankovitch will continue drop-in conversations! No "book reports" — just read whatever interests you and then drop into the Library and talk about it. There will be a Conversation the first Tuesday of every month starting at 10:00 am in the Sheffer Reading Room. We will meet for about an hour. All are welcome!

Reading list from Stop&Swap 2010

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March 20, 2011

        

The Usual Suspects: The Shape of Water

The-Shape-of-Water.jpgSunday, March 20, 2011
2:00 pm
Seminar Room

Discussion of the mystery The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri. World-weary, empathetic Sicilian Inspector Salvo Montalbano is handed a hot potato when the body of Silvio Luparello, a local politico, is found in the Pasture, the little town of Vigata's red-light district. The death seems to have occurred in flagrante of natural causes, but Montalbano's instincts tell him something is wrong. First in the series.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821. New participants always welcome.

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April 5, 2011

        

The Conversations Continue...

bks1.jpgTuesday, April 5, 2011
10:00 am
Sheffer Reading Room

Nina Sankovitch will continue drop-in conversations! No "book reports" — just read whatever interests you and then drop into the Library and talk about it. There will be a Conversation the first Tuesday of every month starting at 10:00 am in the Sheffer Reading Room. We will meet for about an hour. All are welcome!

Reading list from Stop&Swap 2010

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April 17, 2011

        

The Usual Suspects: Full Dark House

Full-Dark-House.jpgSunday, April 17, 2011
2:00 pm
Seminar Room

Discussion of the mystery Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler. When a bomb claims the life of John May's detective partner of more than half a century, May becomes convinced that the key to the killer's identity lies in their first case together, which involved a steamy theater production in Blitz London. 1st in the series. First in the series.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821. New participants always welcome.

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April 27, 2011

        

AUTHORS @THE LIBRARY: Caitlin Kelly

Caitlin-Kelly-credit-Jose-R.jpgWednesday, April 27, 2011
Noon
McManus Room

Author Caitlin Kelly discusses her new book Malled: My Unintentional Career in Retail. After losing her job as a journalist and the security of a good salary, Kelly was hard up for cash. She found herself in a job at a local mall, and in the midst of a bizarre alternate reality of the American Mall: a world of low-wage workers selling overpriced goods to well-to-do customers. As she struggled through more than two years, she gained a deeper understanding of the plight of the retail worker. This is her documentation of one woman's struggle to find meaning ful work in a broken system.

Caitlin Kelly has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and others. She is the author of Blown Away: American Women and Guns and also blogs for trueslant.com and theopencase.com.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of all purchases will benefit the Library.

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May 3, 2011

        

The Conversations Continue...

bks1.jpgTuesday, May 3, 2011
10:00 am
Sheffer Reading Room

Nina Sankovitch will continue drop-in conversations! No "book reports" — just read whatever interests you and then drop into the Library and talk about it. There will be a Conversation the first Tuesday of every month starting at 10:00 am in the Sheffer Reading Room. We will meet for about an hour. All are welcome!

Reading list from Stop&Swap 2010

| Comments (0)

May 15, 2011

        

The Usual Suspects: Shanghai Moon

Shanghai-Moon2.jpgSunday, May 15, 2011
2:00 pm
Seminar Room

Discussion of the mystery Shanghai Moon by S.J. Rozan. Estranged for months from fellow P.I. Smith, Chinese-American private investigator Chin is brought in by former mentor Joel Pilarsky to help with a case that involves tracking down a valuable brooch, the Shanghai Moon, which disappeared during WWII. Ninth in the series.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821. New participants always welcome.

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June 7, 2011

        

The Conversations Continue...

bks1.jpgTuesday, June 7, 2011
10:00 am
Sheffer Reading Room

Nina Sankovitch will continue drop-in conversations! No "book reports" — just read whatever interests you and then drop into the Library and talk about it. There will be a Conversation the first Tuesday of every month starting at 10:00 am in the Sheffer Reading Room. We will meet for about an hour. All are welcome!

Reading list from Stop&Swap 2010

| Comments (0)

June 19, 2011

        

The Usual Suspects: The Broken Teaglass

The-Broken-Teaglass.jpgSunday, June 19, 2011
2:00 pm
Seminar Room

Discussion of the mystery The Broken Teaglass by Emily Arsenault. Engaging in office flirtation and amateur sleuthing to alleviate the boredom of their jobs as dictionary updaters, Billy Webb and Mona Minot discover that someone has been lacing their dictionary files with clues to a long-unsolved murder.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821. New participants always welcome.

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July 10, 2011

        

The Usual Suspects: The Third Man

The-Third-Man.jpgSunday, July 10, 2011
2:00 pm
Seminar Room

Discussion of the mystery The Third Man by Graham Greene. Penniless Rollo Martins, an American second-rate western western-adventure writer arrives in post-World War II Vienna to find his friend Harry Lime, king-pin of the Austrian black market, only to learn he has died under suspicious circumstances, and the police are closing in on his associates.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821. New participants always welcome.

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August 21, 2011

        

The Usual Suspects: The Hunt for Sonya Dufrette

The-Hunt-for-Sonya-Dufrette.jpgSunday, August 21, 2011
2:00 pm
Seminar Room

Discussion of the mystery The Hunt for Sonya Dufrette by R.T. Raichev. On the day of the Royal Wedding in July 1981 at a house party by the Thames, a little girl vanishes. Her doll is found floating in the river, but there is no sign of the child. Twenty years later, mystery author Antonia Darcy still puzzles over the disappearance and the ongoing bizarre behavior of the girl’s family. First in the series.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821. New participants always welcome.

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September 18, 2011

        

The Usual Suspects: Knots and Crosses

Knots-and-Crosses.jpgSunday, September 18, 2011
2:00 pm
Seminar Room

Discussion of the mystery Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin. While investigating a series of gory killings of young, innocent girls, Edinburgh police detective John Rebus, a former member of Britain's elite SAS, discovers his own ties to the killer and is brought up against his own memories, which hold the key to unraveling the case. 1st in the series.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821. New participants always welcome.

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October 16, 2011

        

The Usual Suspects: And Only to Deceive

And-Only-to-Deceive2.jpgSunday, October 16, 2011
2:00 pm
Seminar Room

Discussion of the mystery And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander. Accepting a dashing viscount's marriage proposal as part of a plan to escape her overbearing mother, Emily finds herself widowed early after her marriage and subsequently learns that her husband was not who he professed to be, a discovery that prompts an investigation of the British Museum. First in the series.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821. New participants always welcome.

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November 20, 2011

        

The Usual Suspects: The Kill Artist

The-Kill-Artist.jpgSunday, November 20, 2011
2:00 pm
Seminar Room

Discussion of the mystery The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva. A former Israeli intelligence operative, Gabriel Allon has devoted himself to art restoration since the murders of his wife and daughter, until Ari Shamron, the head of Israeli intelligence, calls on him to thwart a Palestinian plot to destroy the Middle East peace negotiations, a conspiracy linked to Tariq, a Palestinian zealot with lethal ties to Gabriel's own past. First in the series.

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821. New participants always welcome.

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December 18, 2011

        

The Usual Suspects: Hercule Poirot’s Christmas

Hercule-Poirot's-Christmas.jpgSunday, December 18, 2011
2:00 pm
Seminar Room

Discussion of the mystery Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie. It is Christmas Eve. The Lee family reunion is shattered when the tyrannical Simeon Lee is found dead in a pool of blood, his throat slashed. When Hercule Poirot offers to assist, he finds an atmosphere not of mourning but of mutual suspicion. It seems everyone had their own reason to hate the old man. In the tradition of “A Christie for Christmas.”

For copies of the book, phone 203-291-4821. New participants always welcome.

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