You’re invited to join us for a virtual conversation with acclaimed author Kate Quinn about her latest fantastical work, The Astral Library, which poses the question: Have you ever wished you could live inside a book? Welcome to the Astral Library, where books are not just objects, but doors to new worlds, new lives, and new futures. REGISTER HERE. or call the library at 860-767-1560.
Learn how to harness your dreams to improve your sleep and health with dream engineer Dr. Michelle Carr in this virtual author talk presented by Essex Library. In Nightmare Obscura, Dr. Carr unlocks the science behind the sleeping body. Drawing on her expertise in nightmares, lucid dreaming, and the cutting-edge field of dream engineering, she reveals how we can revolutionize our sleeping—and waking—health. REGISTER HERE.
Tom D. Crouch, a Smithsonian veteran of almost 45 years, paints a robust picture of a unique American establishment and its lasting legacies in his book Smithson’s Gamble. REGISTER HERE. Follow the fascinating growth and development of the world's largest museum and research complex during its first 60 years. Told in rich detail, Smithson's Gamble reveals how, as it defined a role rooted in curiosity and exploration, the Smithsonian helped to shape the nation's developing identity. The Smithsonian evolved from a small, narrowly focused organization into an institution leading the way in fields from astrophysics to zoology. Smithsonian researchers, and the hundreds of citizen scientists who they recruited, created a collection that documented the natural and human history of a continent. The American conservation movement and a national weather service are rooted at the Smithsonian. Smithson's Gamble is filled with fascinating characters, twists and turns, and moments of triumph and tragedy, complete with political machinations, a bit of backstabbing, accusations of murder, and the occasional scandal. Register now to take part in the conversation and learn about the trials, errors, and incredible legacy of the Smithsonian’s foundation. About the Author: Tom Crouch joined the Smithsonian in 1974 and has served both the National Air and Space Museum […]
Join us as award-winning author and summer reading champion Katherine Applegate talks to viewers about her enthusiastically heartwarming novel in verse, Odder. Everyone wants to meet Odder, the Queen of Play. Odder spends her days off the coast of central California, practicing her underwater acrobatics and spinning the quirky stories for which she’s known. She’s a fearless daredevil, curious to a fault. But when Odder comes face-to-face with a hungry great white shark, her life takes a dramatic turn, one that will challenge everything she believes about herself―and about the humans who hope to save her. Katherine Applegate’s Odder is inspired by the true story of a Monterey Bay Aquarium program that pairs orphaned otter pups with surrogate mothers. This poignant and humorous tale told in free-verse examines bravery and healing through the eyes of one of nature’s most beloved and charming animals. About the Author: Katherine Applegate is the Newbery Medal-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous books for young readers, including The One and Only Ivan, Wishtree, Crenshaw, the Endling series, the Roscoe Riley Rules chapter books series, and the Animorphs series. She lives with her husband, who writes as the author Michael Grant, and their children in California. Essex Library programs are free and open […]