MICHAEL KORDA

Author of Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia

Thursday, December 2 at 7 p.m.

Best-selling author Michael Korda (Ike: An American Hero) returns to Darien Library to discuss his new biography of T.E. Lawerence, Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia.

It's the story of an epic life on a grand scale, a revealing, in-depth, and gripping biography of the dynamic Englishman whose daring exploits and romantic profile—including his sun-burnished blonde looks and flowing white robes—made him an object of intense fascination, known the world over as “Lawrence of Arabia.” Yet unlike other biographers, Mr. Korda does not seek to burnish or destroy the legend; rather he aims to demystify and reveal the real man—T. E. Lawrence—as he truly was.

A diffident 5’5” Oxford scholar and archeologist, Lawrence vanished into the desert in 1917 to become the greatest and most colorful figure of World War I.  He was the inventor of modern guerilla warfare, the master of explosives, the world’s first media celebrity, one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, and the boldest of warriors.

Ultimately, as Korda demonstrates, Lawrence remains the paradigm of the hero in modern times, the arch-heroic type whose life was both a triumph and a sacrifice, and whose capacity to astonish remains undimmed.

"This magisterial biography of British soldier and adventurer T.E. Lawrence celebrates a life spent subverting authority in the most glamorous -- and -- bizarre ways. Korda's vivid portrait of Lawrence and his warring impulses captures the brilliance and charisma of this fascinating figure." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Much has been written about him, but no one has succeeded in illuminating the quintessential Lawrence of Arabia so profoundly and so well as Michael Korda. HERO is a work of brilliance, discernment and meticulous scholarship that surely will be hailed as the gold standard.” -- Henry A. Kissinger

A book signing will follow the presentation. Book will be available for purchase.

Refreshments will be served.

Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s).

Last night, Dorie Greenspan, author of Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours,  visited Darien Library and entertained and enthused us with her fun-filled and food-filled talk. We'll be following up with more about this extraordinary author event, but in the meantime, check out the photos from last night on our facebook page.

 Click here to see the photos on facebook. 

Check back for more about this event, including more on "the pout," "the shrug," and geographical incorrectness.

(Big thanks to Dorie for coming to Darien Library, and to Barrett Bookstore for arranging this appearance!)

Autumn at Darien Library includes two august authors; both known and respected internationally in their professions and their areas of expertise.

We are proud and honored to announce that our fall calendar includes author events that will feature Dorie Greenspan and Michael Korda.

Each presentation will conclude with a book signing and books will be available for purchase.

Refreshments* will be served at both events.

DORIE GREENSPAN

Author of Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours

Thursday, November 18 at 7 p.m.

Dorie Greenspan has been called "a culinary guru" by The New York Times. She is the author of the James Beard Award-winning Baking: From My Home to Yours, which inspired the creation of the online baking community Tuesdays with Dorie. Her new book, Around My French Table, is winning raves and fans. According to New York Journal of Books, Around My French Table is "positively chock full of new interpretations of old classics as well as a few surprising new recipes." The reviewer adds "In addition to all the wonderful recipes, her anecdotal tidbits about life in Paris are priceless."

Americans have had a long love affair with French cuisine, but in the past decade, we discovered Italian, Mexican, Asian and other foreign traditions. Now, however, we are in the midst of a French revival: witness the renewed interest in Julia Child at the movies and on bestseller lists.
 
Still, someone had to remind us that French cooking at home is one of life’s great pleasures, and that someone is one of the most admired of American cooks, Dorie Greenspan. Greenspan, who has been visiting Paris for more than three decades and has been living there part time for the past thirteen years, shares the remarkable dishes—some classic, many surprising and new—that she and her French friends cook at home every day.

Around My French Table is not French cooking by the rulebook. This is the author's "French kitchen journal" -- her own synthesis of the food she's been passionately involved with for all these years -- true elbows-on-the-table food that can be made and enjoyed by everyone.

This is a book that shows how people in France eat and cook now -- a timely and engaging reminder that America's love affair with French food is as passionate and as exciting as ever.

*Darien Library staff members are passionate about cooking...and books...and (no surprise!) cookbooks. We will be providing homemade refreshments for this event, choosing from the "more than 300" recipes from Dorie's French table! 

Dorie Greenspan's appearance is made possible by Barrett Bookstore. 

MICHAEL KORDA

Author of Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia

Thursday, December 2 at 7 p.m.

Best-selling author Michael Korda (Ike: An American Hero) returns to Darien Library to discuss his new biography of T.E. Lawerence, Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia.

It's the story of an epic life on a grand scale, a revealing, in-depth, and gripping biography of the dynamic Englishman whose daring exploits and romantic profile—including his sun-burnished blonde looks and flowing white robes—made him an object of intense fascination, known the world over as “Lawrence of Arabia.” Yet unlike other biographers, Mr. Korda does not seek to burnish or destroy the legend; rather he aims to demystify and reveal the real man—T. E. Lawrence—as he truly was.

A diffident 5’5” Oxford scholar and archeologist, Lawrence vanished into the desert in 1917 to become the greatest and most colorful figure of World War I.  He was the inventor of modern guerilla warfare, the master of explosives, the world’s first media celebrity, one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, and the boldest of warriors.

Ultimately, as Korda demonstrates, Lawrence remains the paradigm of the hero in modern times, the arch-heroic type whose life was both a triumph and a sacrifice, and whose capacity to astonish remains undimmed.

"This magisterial biography of British soldier and adventurer T.E. Lawrence celebrates a life spent subverting authority in the most glamorous -- and -- bizarre ways. Korda's vivid portrait of Lawrence and his warring impulses captures the brilliance and charisma of this fascinating figure." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Much has been written about him, but no one has succeeded in illuminating the quintessential Lawrence of Arabia so profoundly and so well as Michael Korda. HERO is a work of brilliance, discernment and meticulous scholarship that surely will be hailed as the gold standard.” -- Henry A. Kissinger

Please join us at Darien Library for these engaging and entertaining programs!

Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s).

Meet the Chef: Dorie Greenspan - Thursday November 18th at 7 p.m.

Dorie Greenspan

Author of Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours

Thursday, November 18 at 7 p.m.
 

Dorie Greenspan has been called “a culinary guru” by The New York Times. Julia Child was a fan. And...there's more. Dorie is the author of the James Beard Award-winning Baking: From My Home to Yours, which inspired the creation of the online baking community “Tuesdays with Dorie.” Currently, her brand new book, Around My French Table, is winning raves and fans. (It is GORGEOUS!) According to New York Journal of Books, Around My French Table is “positively chock full of new interpretations of old classics as well as a few surprising new recipes.” The reviewer added, “In addition to all the wonderful recipes, her anecdotal tidbits about life in Paris are priceless.”
Dorie, who is one of the most admired of American cooks, has been visiting Paris for more than three decades and has been living there part time for the past thirteen years. In her new book, she shares the remarkable dishes – some classic, many surprising and new – that she and her French friends cook at home every day.
Around My French Table is not French cooking by the rulebook. This is the author’s “French kitchen journal” – her own synthesis of the food she’s been passionately involved with for all these years – true elbows-on-the-table food that can be made and enjoyed by everyone.
This is a book that shows how people in France eat and cook now – a timely and engaging reminder that America’s love affair with French food is as passionate and as exciting as ever.

We will be providing homemade refreshments for this event – Library staff members will be choosing from the "more than 300" recipes to prepare from Dorie's French table!

A book signing will follow the presentation. Books will be available for purchase. (Think Holiday Gift Giving!!!)

This event is the first of our Fall Author Events at the Library. Click here for more information.

Dorie Greenspan’s appearance is made possible by Barrett Bookstore.

Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s).

Meet the Author, Beth Lambert, on Thursday, October 28th at 7 p.m.

On Thursday, October 28 at 7 p.m., meet Beth Lambert, author of A Compromised Generation: The Epidemic of Chronic Illness in America’s Children. Ms. Lambert is a featured speaker at the Library as part of our Health & Wellness Series.

A Compromised Generation reveals how seemingly benign elements of American culture are making millions of children chronically ill, disabled, or dysfunctional. Children are being diagnosed with illnesses such as autism, asthma, allergies, and ADHD at a breathtaking rate. The author reveals how environmental factors, specific American lifestyles, and pharmaceutical over-usage are at the root of the epidemic, and offers advice on how it can be reversed.

“’A Compromised Generation’ is a thorough and gripping account of the new reality for millions of children and their families. Beth Lambert - a clever, dedicated and courageous parent armed with maternal instincts and persuasive scientific facts - shows us why “mothers know best.” She explains how environmental insults have compromised the health and future of an entire generation and also provides well-researched strategies aimed at prevention. ‘A Compromised Generation’ is a must read for protecting our children.” -- Deirdre Imus, president of the Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology

Beth Lambert (pictured at right) is a former healthcare consultant and teacher, and is currently the Executive Director of PEACE: Parents Ending America's Childhood Epidemic, a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to education the public about the epidemic of chronic illness affecting our youth. The Q&A portion will also feature co-author Victoria Kobliner, MS, RD, a registered dietician with extensive experience using diet to help children with autism and related disorders.

A book signing will follow the presentation. Books will be available for purchase at the event. Refreshments will be served.

This program is part of our Health & Wellness Series, “A Picture of Health,” an extensive series of lectures, expert panels, computer workshops, and films. Click here for all the details.

Friends of the Darien Library cordially invite you to the Annual Meeting

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2010

5:30  p.m.

Isobel Coleman, author of Paradise Beneath Her Feet: How Women are Transforming the Middle East, will be the featured speaker. Ms. Coleman is Senior Fellow for U.S. Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, where she focuses on the Middle East and South Asia. Her areas of expertise include democratization, civil society, economic development, regional gender issues, educational reform, and microfinance. Her writings have appeared in Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, The Washington Post, Financial Times, International Herald Tribune, USA Today, Christian Science Monitor, and online venues such as the Huffington Post. She is a frequent speaker at academic, business, and policy conferences. In 2010, she is also serving as a track leader for the Clinton Global Initiative.

Reviews for Paradise Beneath Her Feet:

"Mercifully, Coleman...offers this engrossing portrait of real Muslim women that reveals how Islamic feminists are successfully arguing that gender inequality is contrary to both Islamic spirit and law." -- Publishers Weekly

"...portrays feminist struggles in five rather different countries: Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. Coleman uses biographical vignettes to demonstrate how some Muslim women are advancing their rights without rejecting their religious traditions." -- Library Journal

Preceding the presentation, election of officers and new trustee nominations for the year 2010/2011 will take place. Dulcy Brainard, Amy Cholnoky, Randall Heck, Suzanne McGraw, and Susan Weaver are nominated as new trustees.

Learn about the year's developments at Darien Library from James F. Clark, President of the Board, and Louise Berry, Director of the Library.

Reception and book signing to follow.

Books will be available for purchase.

On Thursday, October 21 at 7 p.m., as part of our Health & Wellness Series, Gene Stone, author of The Secrets of People Who Never Get Sick, will be our featured speaker.

The Secrets of People Who Never Get Sick tells the stories of 25 people who each possess a different secret of excellent health, and shows how we can all use these insights to improve our own lives. The stories make it personal; then comes the science, the expert authority, and the nuts and bolts. From probiotics to veganism to a daily dose of garlic, from yoga to cold showers, it’s an extensive list: 25 secrets to health and how to make each work for you.

A book signing will follow the presentation. Books will be available for purchase at the event. Gene Stone is a health-savvy journalist, writer, and former Peace Corps volunteer. He’s written and/or ghostwritten more than 30 books, most recently the national bestseller The Engine 2 Diet, with Rip Esselstyn; his articles and columns have appeared in New York, Playboy, Esquire, Vogue, Elle, and GQ.

Our Health & Wellness Series, “A Picture of Health” is an extensive series of lectures, expert panels, computer workshops, and films. The schedule offers sessions on a variety of health issues, including nutrition, stress management, personal safety for children and teens, pain management, holistic medicine, sleep disorders, and medication management. For more information, please click here.

Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s).

On Saturday, despite record-breaking temperatures in the high 90s and a record crowd of 150,000 people in Washington D.C. for the National Book Festival, I recorded a very cool event in my personal and professional life. I had the extraordinary pleasure of interviewing author Ken Follett. (Pardon me while I continue my slow (and reluctant) descent from Cloud 9.)

Fall of Giants, the first in the author's new Century trilogy, comes out tomorrow (the books are in the building and ready to hit our shelves in the morning!). In other words, we are READY! So ready, in fact, Jen told me that she's got it on order for delivery to her Kindle at midnight tonight! Obviously, we cannot wait to get our hands on this new epic from one of the world's best storytellers.Tomorrow will come soon enough. In the meantime, here's what the author has to say about the book.

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Ken Follett Interview from Darien Library on Vimeo.

A Picture of Health

Darien Library Health & Wellness Series

Achieving personal wellness requires a conscious decision and commitment to shape a healthy lifestyle. It encompasses self-assessments of how we feel about various aspects of our lives, including our physical and emotional well-being.

At all times, Darien Library is an excellent resource for researching information about health and medical concerns. This fall, we add A Picture of Health, an extensive series of lectures, expert panels, computer workshops, and films. The schedule offers sessions on a variety of health issues, including nutrition, stress management, personal safety for children & teens, pain management, holistic medicine, sleep disorders, and medication management.

Please join us for this important and enriching series.

Lectures, Expert Panels & Meet-the-Author Events
Health Choices Information & Technology Courses
Health & Wellness Film Screenings

Lectures, Expert Panels, & Author Events

Managing Your Medication

Thursday, September 23 at 10:30 AM
Get the 411 on medication safety! While prescription and over-the-counter medications can improve health and overall quality of life, they also contain powerful chemicals with potential to harm when used incorrectly. This presentation will review the general risks and benefits of medication therapy, common medication use problems, and ways everyone can improve medication safety. All participants will complete a medication safety self-assessment. Free medication organizer and a packet of valuable informational materials will be provided. (And for information about "Safe Disposal = Safe Returns," Darien's Free Medication Collection Day on Saturday, October 9, please click here.)

Presented by Elaine Abrams, MPH RN CHES, Certified Health Education Specialist and Community Health Coordinator at Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County (formerly Nursing & Home Care).

Ask the Doctors!

Tuesday, October 5 at 7 PM
It's time to take the anxiety out of the word "healthcare!" Doctors4Darien, a team of four esteemed community physicians, will discuss new research findings and information related to our bodies and our health. The panel will also focus on preventative healthcare from head to toe - literally! From dental care to foot care and everything in between, this is your chance to learn new and better paths to well-being.

Presented by Dr. Maryann Lehmann, D.D.S., Dentist; Dr. Brian P. McKay, D.C., Chiropractor; Dr. Brian S. Sheets, D.O., Ob/Gyn; and Dr. Josephine Velasquez, D.P.M., Podiatrist.

Personal Safety: A Workshop for Kids (ages 9 - 12)

Monday, October 11 from 2 PM to 3:30 PM
In this self-protection class, your children will learn the ABC's of safety in a fun and supportive atmosphere. Practice when and how to say no to strangers, friends, and familiar adults, and when it's time to find safety and ask for help. Sign up for this workshop in the Children's Library, or call (203) 669-5235 for details.

Presented by Michael Robin, certified self-defense instructor.

Medicare 411

Tuesday, October 12 at 10:30 AM
When it comes to understanding Medicare, we know you have tons of questions - so we're giving you the answers! Learn about CHOICES (the Connecticut Health Care Options program), the types of Medicare plans that are available, buying and paying for plans, and how the new healthcare reform benefits you. (CHOICES does not sell insurance, nor does it endorse one plan over another; it is funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Administration on Aging, and the State of CT.)

Presented by Christine Crain, Director of Programs - Southwestern Connecticut Agency on Aging, and CHOICES Regional Coordinator. The Q&A portion will also feature Inta V. Adams, Assistant Director - Darien Social Services.
 
 

Personal Safety: A Mother/Daughter Workshop (ages 12 - 18)

Saturday, October 16 from 2 PM to 3:30 PM
Learn self-protection skills and safety basics with your teen in this mother/daughter workshop. A definite bonding experience, this class has won rave reviews for improving parent-child communication. Sign up for this program by emailing the Teen Librarian at eleone@darienlibrary.org.

Presented by Michael Robin, certified self-defense instructor.

 

To Eat or Not to Eat? That is the Question.

Tuesday, October 19 at 7 PM
With so many choices available at the supermarket these days, deciding which food to purchase for a healthy lifestyle can be very difficult! What should we be eating? And how much? Our panel of nutrition experts will help address these food issues and more, including overeating, portion-size awareness, making healthful food choices for your family (especially children), the importance of plant-based living, and how to be a budget organic. Healthy snacks will be provided by Whole Foods Market.

Presented by Jessica Yep, MS, RD, CDN - Registered Dietician and Founder of Nutrition Consultants LLC; Mimi MacLean, Holistic Health Coach - The Well Balanced Life; and Ronna Corlin, Healthy Eating Specialist - Whole Foods Market.

 

Meet the Author! Gene Stone

The Secrets of People Who Never Get Sick
Thursday, October 21 at 7 PM
The Secrets of People Who Never Get Sick tells the stories of 25 people who each possess a different secret of excellent health - and shows how we can all use these insights to improve our own lives. The stories make it personal; then comes the science, the expert authority, and the nuts and bolts. From probiotics to veganism to a daily dose of garlic, from yoga to cold showers, it's an extensive list: 25 secrets to health and how to make each work for you. A book signing will follow the presentation. Book will be available for purchase at the event.

Gene Stone is a health-savvy journalist, writer, and former Peace Corps volunteer. He's written and/or ghostwritten more than 30 books, most recently the national bestseller The Engine 2 Diet, with Rip Esselstyn; his articles and columns have appeared in New York, Playboy, Esquire, Vogue, Elle, and GQ.

Integrative/Holistic Approaches to Wellness

Tuesday, October 26 at 7 PM
What is holistic medicine? This modern approach to medicine integrates traditional and complementary therapies to promote optimal health, taking into account physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental factors that affect our overall wellness. Experts from Greenwich Hospital's Center for Integrative Medicine, where hearing the patient's entire story is essential to its more natural approach to wellness, will discuss these integrative and holistic practices, including new ways of thinking about healing.

Presented by Dr. Henri Roca, Medical Director - Greenwich Hospital's Center for Integrative Medicine. The Q&A panel will also include additional experts from the center.

Meet the Author! Beth Lambert

A Compromised Generation:
The Epidemic of Chronic Illness in America's Children
Thursday, October 28 at 7 PM
Children today are being diagnosed with illnesses such as autism, asthma, allergies, and ADHD at breakthtaking rates. A Compromised Generation reveals how environmental factors, specific American lifestyles, and pharmaceutical over-usage are at the root of the epidemic, offering advice on how it can be reversed. A book signing will follow the presentation. Book will be available for purchase at the event.

Beth Lambert is a former healthcare consultant and teacher, and is currently the Executive Director of PEACE: Parents Ending America's Childhood Epidemic, a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to education the public about the epidemic of chronic illness affecting our youth. The Q&A portion will also feature co-author Victoria Kobliner, MS, RD, a registered dietician with extensive experience using diet to help children with autism and related disorders.

Stress Management: Caring for Ourselves, Empowering Our Children

Friday, November 12 at 11 AM
We all live busy lives, and trying to fit our commitments into a 24-hour day while juggling the needs of our family, friends, and ourselves sometimes seems impossible! But no matter how busy we are, it is important to find ways to manage stress to maintain a healthy lifestyle and overall sense of well-being. This panel discussion will provide specific tips for reducing stress for ourselves while helping our children to develop healthy stress-management habits, as well.

Presented by representatives from The Child Guidance Center of Southern CT, Darien Youth Options, and Family Centers.

Healthy Choices (Lecture + Technology Series)

Registration Required

People are turning to the internet more than ever to find health and wellness information. But with so many online options, how can we be sure we're getting the best information out there? This unique health education series combines lectures by world-class physicians with hands-on computer workshops that will help you to become a more information-literate healthcare consumer and to make more informed health decisions for you and your family. Co-sponsored by Stamford Hospital.

Each session will take place in Darien Library's Technology Lab (lower level) and consist of a lecture on a health-related topic, followed by a hands-on workshop that will teach you how to find corresponding health information online.

Registration for Healthy Choices is open to all Darien residents, those who work full-time in Darien, and non-resident Friends of the Library at the Contributor level ($300 annual donation). To register, visit darienlibrary.org. (Registration begins in mid-September). All registrants will be notified via email or phone to confirm that your registration has been accepted. If you have any questions about registration, contact Judy Sgammato at jsgammato@darienlibrary.org or (203) 669-5256.

A Focus on Sleep Disorders

Monday, October 4 at 7 PM
Guest Lecture: Steven A. Thau, MD, FCCP, Associate Director of Sleep Center - Stamford Hospital
Workshop Instructor: Judy Sgammato, Technology Manager - Darien Library

Living Healthy with Diabetes

Friday, October 15 at 10 AM
Guest Lecture: Debbie Milne, RN, CDE, Director of Diabetes & Endocrine Center - Stamford Hospital
Workshop Instructor: Guillaume Van Moorsel, Director, Health Science Library - Stamford Hospital

All About Pain Management

Tuesday, October 26 at 10 AM
Guest Lecture: Vincent Carlesi, MD, Pain Management Specialist - Stamford Hospital
Workshop Instructor: Guillaume Van Moorsel, Director, Health Science Library - Stamford Hospital
 

Increasing Vitality with Herbs

Monday, November 8 at 7 PM
Guest Lecture: Joseph Feuerstein, MD, Director of Integrative Medicine - Stamford Hospital
Workshop Instructor: Judy Sgammato, Technology Manager - Darien Library

Health & Wellness Films

Good Night with the Sleep Doctor

Thursday, September 30 at 7 PM
Noted sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus explains how your genes, environment, job, and physiology may be hampering your sleep and in turn, dramatically affecting your waking life. In the PBS lecture, he shows  that getting the proper quality and quantity of sleep can help rejuvinate your mind and body, increase your energy, help you lose weight, take years off of your appearance, and more. Not Rated; 79 minutes (2007).

Just Add Spice: Parenting for Happy, Healthy Kids

Monday, October 18 at 2 PM
Follow four families as they attempt to instill healthy habits in their kids by using a set of proven positive parenting skills represented by the acronym SPICE (Structure, Praise, Inspire, Consistency, and Enjoy) - including how to deal with children who refuse to eat healthy foods and turn to sedentary forms of entertainment. Not Rated, 90 minutes (2010).

Food, Inc.

Monday, October 18 at 7 PM
This controversial documentary film lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, which is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health. We have bigger, better, longer-lasting food, but the consequences may often outweigh the benefits. Named one of the ten best films of 2009 by Entertainment Weekly. Rated PG; 94 minutes (2009).
 
 

The Alternative Fix

Monday, October 25 at 2 PM
The past few years have seen an explosion in the popularity of complementary and alternative medicine. Under pressure from everyone from consumers to Congress, major hospitals and medical schools have embraced therapies that were once dismissed as quackery. But the question remains: Do these treatments actually work? PBS's Frontline examines the controversy over complementary and alternative medical treatments. Not Rated; 60 minutes (2004).
 

The Way We Get By

Wednesday, November 10 at 2 PM
A deeply moving documentary film about life and how to live it. Beginning as a seemingly idiosyncratic story about a group of senior citizens who gather daily at a small airport to thank American soldiers departing and returning from Iraq, the film quickly turns into an incredibly compassionate story about aging, loneliness, war, and mortality. Winner of the 2009 SXSW Special Jury Award. Not Rated; 84 minutes (2009).

Alexandra Lebenthal

What do you wear to meet a socialite?

Correction.

What do you wear to meet a CEO-cialite?!

That was the question on hand (or perhaps just in my mind?!) last Thursday as Darien Library hosted it's 5th annual Adult Summer Reading Grand Finale Party!

Our guest speaker was Alexandra Lebenthal, the socially prominent (and completely stunning) President and CEO of Lebenthal & Co. and its wealth management division, Alexandra & James, Inc. Ms. Lebenthal, who also serves as a board member of the School of American Ballet and is involved with several other leading New York cultural institution (and who approves of the CEO-cialite moniker, dubbed by the press!), visited us to talk about her debut novel, The Recessionistas, which is set during the 2008 economic landslide and follows a cast of high society characters living in New York City. She gave the audience some fascinating and expert insight into the entire financial debacle and revealed the inspiration for this fictional account by sharing some of the true stories - the what, where, why, and how - that occurred in New York City among the financial and social elite at the time of the slide -- and yes, the talk did involve a bit of fashion and fierce shoes! (I took notes!)

Fascinating, entertaining, and completely enthralling. It was a quintessential summer-in-the-city experience, centered around this quintessential summer-in-the-city read! (In case you missed the event, Alexandra's presentation is posted below. And take a look at more photos from the event here.)

To make the evening complete, our guest speaker helped us draw the winners for our grand finale prizes, the Amazon Kindle (with a leather case and gift certificate to Amazon.com), and just for those in attendance, our last weekly tote bag filled with books (including a signed copy of The Recessionistas). Then, it was time for wine, cheese, and celebration of a summer full of reading and talking about books!

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in this year's program. We received over 600 participants and over 500 reviews, and over the next few weeks, we'll be adding them to our website (as reviews by "Summer Reading 2010"), so that we can all share what we thought about the books we've read over the past few months!

Alexandra Lebenthal at Darien Library from Darien Library on Vimeo.