In the Art Gallery

ART ON VIEW

Photography by David Hurwitt

October 13 - November 30

Artist's Reception on Friday, October 23, 6 - 8 p.m.

The Art Gallery is located on the Library's lower level.

Meet Us on Main Street!

This Wednesday, October 14th, at 11 a.m., we'll be Meeting on Main Street as usual to talk books, but this week will be a little different...we'll be talking COOKBOOKS. (Do I hear some of you sighing from how divine that sounds???) We love cookbooks. I know I can't help it, and I've barely turned on my oven in 2 years. But, still (sigh), I love cookbooks. (In my opinion, some cookbooks are so gorgeous, they deserve to be considered and displayed as coffee table books.)

But back to reality...and back to Main Street! Louise and Jen, two of our cookbook experts, are ready to recommend their favorites and they'll be armed with armloads of books and tons of kitchen experience. I would absolutely, positively trust them to tell me where to find the best recipes. So should you...so come by at 11. We'll be mixing it up.

Meet Us on Main Street! will continue to meet on Wednesday mornings at 11 throughout the month of October.

(image at right courtesy of flickr user jspatchwork)

On display in the Art Gallery!

ART ON VIEW!

Photography by David Hurwitt

October 13 through November 30

Artist's Reception on Friday, October 23, 6 - 8 p.m.

The show's going up today and will be in the Art Gallery through November 30th. Please be sure to come by and have a look at this wonderful display of photographs from near and far! For a brief glimpse of the exciting exhibit making its way to our walls, enjoy the video slideshow.

This Friday, October 9th, at 7:30 p.m., we'll be showing the classic film GASLIGHT. The announcement was made last week at the Darien Domestic Violence Task Force's annual proclamation - that October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. (The ceremony was held in the Library's Courtyard (pictured) last Thursday morning.)

The film, from 1944, stars Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, and Joseph Cotton. It's a psychological thriller - one which resulted in a Best Actress Oscar for Ingrid Bergman, a film classic, and a glimpse into the insidious world of psychological torture. From this film we also get the term "gaslighting," which means the ruthless manipulation of an individual into believing something other than the truth.

It's a great movie and we hope that you'll join us for this special screening.

Refreshments will be served.

Yesterday evening, we kicked off our Fall Author Series with a visit from A.J. Jacobs, the delightful and hilarious best-selling author of The Know-It-All, The Year of Living Biblically, and his most recent memoir, The Guinea Pig Diaries.

And what an evening it was!

There was certainly no shortage of laughter to be had as A.J. shared personal stories of the experiments he has put himself (and his wife) through over the past 15 years in a quest to explore his curiosities about life. Perhaps one might think that deciding to read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica from A to Z, or choosing to follow all (literally all) the tenants of the Bible for an entire year, or spending a month practicing radical honesty, or posing in the nude for a magazine all might be suitable as punishment for committing a major crime. However, thank goodness A.J. sees the potential in these difficult and crazy tasks to add meaning to his life - and through each of his books, a whole lot of laughter and amazement to ours.

(By the way, last night, the audience got to meet his wife, Julie, "the saint." It was a bit of a surreal moment. And yes, she is absolutely wonderful!)

Now, many of us here are still recovering from what Barbara T. has brilliantly coined - The A.J. Effect. You know you're experiencing it when you find yourself spontaneously combusting into laughter at the mere thought of George Washington...or Crest Toothpaste...or Kate Hudson movies. It's true - none of these things are inherently funny. But when you combine A.J. Jacobs and his observations, witty style of writing, and thought-provoking insights with just about any subject, the result is something so hilarious and unforgettable that you are compelled to tell everyone (seriously, everyone) about his books and insist that they read them, too. 

If you happened to miss our event last night, or if you just want to re-live all of the laugh-out-loud goodness, keep your eye on our website. In the coming days, we will have A.J.'s entire talk available to watch as a webcast.

And here is a bit more fantastic news that we learned yesterday. A.J. is currently in the midst of his next major quest - to become the healthiest person in the world. He has a board of advisors (that includes Dr. Oz!), has starting visiting the gym, and he even refrained from snacking on the cheese and crackers at our reception last night (not a healthy food, he admitted). He takes his experiments very seriously - and I seriously cannot wait to read his next book!

October at the Library is full of wonderful events, programs, and arrivals.  As the headline states, our month includes diaries, intelligence, and madness. Allow me to clarify that. 

On Sunday, October 4th at 5:30 p.m., A. J. Jacobs, the author of The Guinea Pig Diaries: My Life as an Experiment will be here as we kick off our Fall Author Series. A few of us have had the opportunity to meet A. J. (and his wife, "the saint")...and have read the new book. We are ecstatic that he agreed to come to Darien Library to speak! (Note to self: I must tell him how I made a spectacle of myself howling with laughter while reading The Guinea Pig Diaries...on Metro North.) Let this serve as a warning to you about selecting an appropriate place to read this hilarious book and also as a friendly reminder that you don't want to miss this event! (Did you catch him last week on the Colbert Report? Very cool gig.)

On Sunday, October 18th at 5:30 p.m., Professor John Wargo, Chair of Environmental Studies, Yale University will be here to present Green Intelligence: Creating Environments that Protect Human Health. Professor Wargo will talk about the risk of toxic exposures and the health threat, particularly on children. Though his sobering assessment of the impact of toxic chemicals on human health is frightening, he also proposes clear solutions, and outlines practical protective measures and guidelines. Click here for all the details about the program. Sounds like another "must."

On Thursday, October 22nd at 7 p.m., Lucinda Scala Quinn, the author of Mad Hungry: Feeding Men & Boys will be our speaker as our Fall Author Series continues. Earlier this year, my favorite cookbook was Giulia Melucci's I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti. Now I have a new favorite to add to my small but well-used and well-loved cookbook collection!  Click here to read all about my Mad Hungry madness. (I cannot hide my enthusiasm over this one - I've already ordered copies that I'm giving as Christmas gifts (and, of course, I'll get them all signed when she's here on the 22nd!).)

There is so much going on in October. This just scratches the surface. Please check our Events post for even more October events.

Really. This is my new favorite cookbook. Mad Hungry: Feeding Men & Boys by Lucinda Scala Quinn doesn't come out until mid-October, but I've seen a copy and believe me, it's glorious! I don't have any men and/or boys in my household anymore, but I suppose that if I did, I might love this cookbook even more(!)...so..I am here to tell you that these recipes are good for all genders, ages...and occasions! Don't let the title throw you! These are practical recipes for delicious homemade meals....and the book is beautiful with page after page of color photographs!

We will have to wait a little while for the book to be released, but then on Thursday, October 22nd at 7 p.m., Lucinda Scala Quinn will be our featured speaker as one of our Fall Author Series authors! Lucinda is Vice President and Editorial Director of Food and Entertaining of Martha Stewart Omnimedia. She is also the co-host of the Everyday Food program on PBS.

We'll be baking some excellent dessert recipes right out of this book to serve at the program...AND Lucinda will be doing a live demonstration of one of her recipes!

If this cooler weather is putting you in a cooking or baking frame of mind, plan on checking out this new book from Martha Stewart's Food and Entertainment guru and make sure to come to the program on the 22nd!

 ...and listening...and watching. And, we think, smiling. In October, we return with our Foreign Film Series, another short story discussion series (Short Stories for Short Days), the One Page Poetry Circle, a special film screening for Domestic Violence Awareness month, and our Fall Book Discussion Series. We'll be continuing with our increasingly popular Meet Us on Main Street throughout October, and present the first in our fall Classics 2.0 program where we will take a closer look at literature and its timeless relevance. This month, we will also introduce Book Group Savvy, a workshop for those looking to start a book group or just looking to add some pizzazz to their exisiting group.

Briefly, here are some key dates for October at the Library:

Every Tuesday at 3 p.m. - Short Stories for Short Days

Every Wednesday at 11 a.m. - Meet Us on Main Street

Sunday, October 4, 5:30 p.m. - Fall Author Series: A. J. Jacobs, author of "The Guinea Pig Diaries"

Wednesday, October 7, 11 a.m. - Book Group Savvy

Friday, October 9, 7:30 p.m. - Film Screening - "Gaslight"

Tuesday, October 13, 7 p.m. - Fall Book Discussion Series - (A Golden Age is the discussion book.)

Sunday, October 18, 530 p.m. - Professor John Wargo - Green Intelligence: Creating Environments that Protect Human Health

Monday, October 19, 2 p.m. - Classics 2.0 (film screening: "Sense & Sensibility")

Wednesday, October 21, 7 p.m. - One Page Poetry Circle (Poetry & Masks)

Thursday, October 22, 3 p.m. - Classics 2.0 (book discussion: "Sense & Sensibility")

Thursday, October 22, 7 p.m. - Fall Author Series: Lucinda Scala Quinn, author of "Mad Hungry: Feeding Men & Boys"

Friday, October 23, 7:30 p.m. - Foreign Film Series begins ("The Class" is the first of seven films in the series)

And, as long as we're talking about...well...talking...we have more news for you --our teens have been talking, too! Last month, they created and posted their very first Darien Library TEENCAST!

Click here to listen.

They are pleased and psyched (and preening) about their podcast prowess and are gearing up for more. 

John Wargo

Darien Library and Yale Club of Lower Fairfield County Speakers' Series Present

PROFESSOR JOHN WARGO

Chair of Environmental Studies, Yale University

Green Intelligence: Creating Environments that Protect Human Health

Sunday, October 18 at 5:30 p.m.*

Darien Library is pleased to bring you this exciting and timely presentation and discussion with Yale Club of Lower Fairfield County Speakers' Series. Please join us for this important event featuring Professor John Wargo, where he'll talk about the risk of toxic exposures and the health threat, particularly on children. In his new book, Green Intelligence, he demonstrates that exposure to hazardous health-damaging chemicals is widespread and poorly regulated, and that knowledge of contamination and danger is often kept from a too-trusting public. 

Most individuals carry in their tissues a combination of metals, pesticides, solvents, fire retardants, waterproofing agents, and by-products of fuel combustion and not surprisingly, many toxins are significantly more concentrated in the bodies of young children. 

Pesticides. Nuclear testing. Vehicle emissions. U.S. military activity. Plastics. These are some of the specific examples of past and present exposures to identify weaknesses in our system and lessons we can apply to guard human health.

Professor Wargo's sobering assessment of the impact of toxic chemicals on human health is frightening, but he also proposes clear solutions, and outlines practical protective measures and guidelines. 

Professor Wargo was a guest this week on the Living on Earth radio show and podcast - click here to listen. 

John Wargo is professor of environmental policy, risk analysis, and political science at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and the Department of Political Science at Yale University. He is Chair of the Environmental Studies Major in Yale College and has been an adviser to several EPA administrators and National Academy of Sciences Committees, theU.S. Congress, the U.N. World Health Organization, and Vice President Al Gore.

Here are more details about the October 18th program at the Library:

* - 4:30 p.m.  - Special behind-the-scenes Green Tour of our environmentally innovative Darien Library

  - 5:30 p.m. - Presentation by Professor Wargo

  - 6:15 p.m. - Q&A and reception

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

We are thrilled that Meet Us on Main Street will be continuing throughout the month of October! This program is getting more and more popular every week and it's easy to see why...the informal and friendly atmosphere, the shared love of books, the whole social element, of course, but also just knowing that everyone who's there wants to be there adds an extra special element. It's fun. It's interesting. It's becoming an occasion! And it's at 11 a.m. every Wednesday in October! 

Remember, if you can't make it, or want to refresh your memory after leaving, we post the talked-about books on our website...just look under the Catalog tab, or follow our Meet Us on Main Street tag.