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EventsThis Week at the Library: August 29 - September 4Written by hmartyn on 08/29/2010Hosted by Barbara Thomas, this video highlights the events of the week that you won't want to miss!
This Week at the Library August 29 - September 4 from Darien Library on Vimeo. Friday's Film - "The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler"Written by Barbara T. on 08/31/2010
Showing Friday at 7:30 p.m.
September 3 at 7:30 p.m. -- THE COURAGEOUS HEART OF IRENA SENDLER(2009) Starring Anna Paquin, Goran Visnjic, Marcia Gay Harden; Not rated, 95 minutes This is the story of Irena Sendler, a social worker who was part of the Polish underground during World War II and was arrested by the Nazis for saving the lives of nearly 2,500 Jewish children by smuggling them out of the Warsaw ghetto. Often called "The Female Schindler," Sendler not only saved thousands of lives, but also countless generations of their descendents. "Some 70 years later, stories from the Holocaust continue to horrify and -- once in a while -- inspire....'The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler,' a masterfully produced [Hallmark Hall of Fame] movie, does both with its moving depiction of the Polish Catholic social worker credited with saving the lives of 2,500 Jewish children during World War II." -- John Maynard, The Washington Post To learn more about the movie and watch the trailer, click here. For the schedule of Friday Night Films for September, click here. All films are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s). A Picture of Health (and Art!)Written by Erica B on 08/31/2010
Health & Wellness Series - Fall 2010
An apple a day keeps the doctor away . . . and so does a busy calendar! Beginning this month, Darien Library will launch A Picture of Health, an extensive series of health & wellness lectures, panel discussions, meet-the-author events, technology courses, and film screenings, providing you with an array of expert advice to help you to think about your health in new ways, gain a better understanding of the factors that affect your well-being, obtain practical techniques for improving your daily health, and motivate you to become a more informed and empowered healthcare consumer. We're covering everything from head to toe, including eating habits, alternative/integrative medical approaches, sleep issues, diabetes, personal safety, pain and stress reduction, medicare, and children's health. And we're beginning with Managing Your Medication on September 23 at 10:30 AM. Click here for all of the details on the series. It's your first step to becoming (and staying) healthy!
But . . . we're not just nourishing the body. We're also nourishing the artistic side! Please save the date for a very special Art Night at Darien Library. On Friday, September 17 at 6:30 PM in our art gallery, we will host the opening reception of our next Art-on-View exhibit, a collection of photographs by longtime Darien resident and award-winning photographer Blake Robinson. The exhibit, entitled Up Close will include 33 images and will feature intimate portraits of people as well as macro-photographs of flowers and marbles. Later that evening, at 7:30 PM, join us in the Community Room for our Friday Film, The Art of the Steal, about the greatest, most underhanded art theft since World War II. This gripping documentary chronicles the long and dramatic struggle for control of the Barnes Foundation, a private collection of art valued at more than $25 billion.
But . . . we're not just nourishing the body and artistic side. We're also nourishing the mind! The return of September also brings with it the return of our Fall Book Discussions Series. Our theme is The Butterfly Effect: Small Decisions, Epic Impacts - and we have chosen some epic books to discuss. Cutting for Stone. Let the Great World Spin. Room. The Passage. Seriously epic. The first discussion begins on Tuesday, September 28 at 7 PM. Our One Page Poetry Circle returns, as well, led by Madge McKeithen, faculty of The Writing Program at The New School. Bring a single page of poetry inspired by the theme of the evening. We'll read, discuss, and learn about new forms of poetry, as well. The first discussion begins Wednesday, September 15 at 7 PM. Our Short Stories for Short Days returns, led by Carroll Stenson. There's no excuse to miss this. The stories are short, the conversation is inpiring, and the cookies are delicious! The first discussion begins on Tuesday, September 28 at 3 PM. And as always, we hope you will join us as we continue our Friday Film Series and Wednesday Matinee Series this fall. Never short on entertainment, the line-ups include brand new blockbusters, thought-provoking documentaries, and some trips down memory lane.
And click here for a list of all of the events happening at Darien Library this September! Short Stories for Short DaysWritten by Erica B on 08/31/2010
Carroll Stenson
We are pleased to announce that our Short Stories Series's (very!) short end-of-summer hiatus has ended! Whew! What I'm trying to say is.... Short Stories for Short Days returns for a six-week series, beginning this September. As always, our beloved discussion leader, Darien resident Carroll Stenson, will be back, and we hope you will join us, too! Classic short stories and some stories by contemporary authors will be discussed -- focusing on content and themes, on characters and how they relate to our own experiences. Please join us! Tuesday, September 28 at 3 PM Tuesday, October 5 at 3 PM Tuesday, October 12 at 3 PM Tuesday, October 19 at 3 PM Tuesday, October 26 at 3 PM Tuesday, November 2 at 3 PM Copies of the short stories to be discussed will be available at the Welcome Desk during the week prior to each session. September Matinee MoviesWritten by Barbara T. on 08/30/2010
"Wall Street," showing Wednesday, September 22 at 2 p.m.
We've got a little bit of studying and review to do this September. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, the sequel to 1987's Wall Street (pictured left), will open in theaters on September 24th. Have you seen the trailer? It looks great, but, hoo boy, do I need to refresh my memory! Michael Douglas as Gordon ("Greed is good") Gekko was a slimy villain - and we will become reacquainted with him upon his release from federal prison, where he's spent eight years. Has he changed? Has he softened? We'll have to wait until the 24th to find out, but in the meantime, refresh, refresh, refresh, when earlier that week, on the 22nd at 2 p.m., we'll be screening the 1987 blockbuster, Wall Street.
Wednesday, September 1st, at 2 p.m. -- THE LAST SONG (2010) Starring Miley Cyrus, Kelly Preston, and Greg Kinear; Rated PG; 107 minutes This film is set in a small Southern beach town where an estranged father gets a chance to spend the summer with his reluctant teen-aged daughter, who’d rather be home in New York. He tries to reconnect with her through the only thing they have in common – music – in a story of family, friendship, secrets and salvation, along with first loves and second chances.
Wednesday, September 8th, at 2 p.m. -- THE WALL: A WORLD DIVIDED (2010) Documentary feature; Not rated; 60 minutes THE WALL looks inside the revolution that swept across Europe with the November 1989 opening of the Berlin Wall, to understand how this remarkable event helped end the Cold War without a fired shot. The film explores the ordinary people caught up in politics, as well as the political leaders, to reveal the tense moments surrounding the unexpected series of events that resulted in a new Europe in less than a year.
Wednesday, September 15th, at 2 p.m. -- PRINCESS KAIULANI (2010) Starring Q'orianka Kilcher, Barry Pepper, and Will Patton' Rated PG; 130 minutes Set against the dramatic island backdrop of Hawaii and based on the inspiring true story, this film is a breathtaking romance about an unlikely heroine and her unwavering fight to defend the independence of her people. In 1888, Hawaii was a paradise teetering on the brink of civil unrest. When the palace was overthrown, young Princess Kaiulani was sent to Victorian England where she underwent a harsh and testing education that equipped her with a sense of honor and duty. There, she also fell in love wih the spirited and rebellious young Englishman, Clive Davis. Emerging from her childhood and inspired by her blossoming romance, Kaiulani set sail for American to meet President Grover Cleveland to prove that she and her people were not the "barbarians" portrayed by the American press. Wednesday, September 22nd, at 2 p.m. -- WALL STREET (pictured, above)(1987) Starring Michael Douglas. Charlie Sheen, Daryl Hannah, Martin Sheen, Sean Young, and Terrence Stamp; Rated R; 126 minutes In this riveting, behind-the-scenes look at big business in the 1980's, an ambitious young broker (Charlie Sheen) is lured into the illegal, lucrative world of corporate espionage when he is seduced by the power, status and financial wizardry of Wall Street legend Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas). But he soon discovers that the pursuit of overnight riches comes at a price that's too high to pay.
An Irish fisherman named Syraceuse, rscues a beautiful woman he finds drifting in the sea. The woman, who calls herself Ondine, appears to be suffering from amnesia, and the two soon fall deeply in love. Meanwhile, Syraceuses's sickly young daughter begins to suspect that Ondine may be a mermaid-like sea nymph. Wednesday Matinee Movies. Every Wednesday at 2 p.m. All movies are free and open to the public. The Next ART ON VIEWWritten by Barbara T. on 08/30/2010
Blake Robinson
UP CLOSEPhotography by Blake Robinson September 15 - October 25 "Up Close,” a photography exhibit of work by Blake Robinson, will be on display in the Art Gallery from Wednesday, September 15 through Monday, October 25.
"Up Close" will include 33 images and will feature intimate portraits of people as well as macro-photographs of flowers and marbles. Robinson, a long-time Darien resident, has been shooting pictures avidly his whole adult life. In each of the past five years, he has won awards in color photography at the Darien Arts Center annual art show. His work has been published in local newspapers and magazines. The opening reception will be held on Friday, September 17 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.*
The Art Gallery is located on the Library's lower level.
(Pictured at right, "Ren.") *Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s). Friday Night Films in SeptemberWritten by Barbara T. on 08/27/2010
Showing Friday, September 3, at 7:30 p.m.
There's always something curious in the air whenever September rolls around. It's hard to resist the desire to try something new...to be curious...to learn...to reconnect. Our selection of films for the September screenings bring some new and different titles to invigorate your fall Fridays. In the spirit of September, here's an early fall pop quiz. Match the tag line with the film. "I worked too hard. And too long. I ain't goin' down without a fight." "How did one woman save 2500 children?" "What if you had a second chance to find true love? The greatest love story ever told...is your own." "The True Story of a multi-billion dollar art heist and how they got away with it." September 3 at 7:30 p.m. -- THE COURAGEOUS HEART OF IRENA SENDLER(2009) Starring Anna Paquin, Goran Visnjic, Marcia Gay Harden; Not rated, 95 minutes This is the story of Irena Sendler, a social worker who was part of the Polish underground during World War II and was arrested by the Nazis for saving the lives of nearly 2,500 Jewish children by smuggling them out of the Warsaw ghetto. Often called "The Female Schindler," Sendler not only saved thousands of lives, but also countless generations of their descendents.
In this critically-acclaimed gen, Abner Meecham is fleeing the retirement home where his son abandoned him and is setting out to reclaim his beloved Tennessee farmstead -- only to find it's been leased to an old enemy, the volatile Lonzo Choat. After Abner intervenes to protect Choat's daughter from her drunken father's abuse, events spiral toward a startling, violent climax in "...an exceptionally fine, richly atmospheric film."
It's been called the greatest theft of art since the Second World War. Reveals how a private collection of paintings became the envy of the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and other major institutions, and the prize in a battle between one man's vision and the forces of commerce and politics. Founded in 1922 by wealthy American drug developer and art collector Albert C. Barnes, the Barnes Foundation became the finest collection of paintings by Renoir, Cezanne, Matisse, and Van Gogh.
When a young American travels to the city of Verona, home of the star-crossed lover Juliet Capulet of Romeo and Juliet fame, she joins a group of volunteers who respond to letters to Juliet seeking advice about love. After answering a letter dated 1957, she inspires its author to travel to Italy in search of her long-lost love and sets off a chain of events that will bring love into both their lives unlike anything they could ever imagine.
Click on the images to watch the movie trailers and then join us on Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m. for our Friday Night Films! All films are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s). Health & Wellness Series - Fall 2010A Picture of Health |
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Ask the Doctors!
To Eat or Not to Eat? That is the Question.
Food, Inc.
The Alternative Fix
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On Friday, September 17th, Art on View and Friday Night Films at Darien Library meet for the perfect artistic convergence.
The opening reception for UP CLOSE, photography by Blake Robinson, will be held in the Library's Art Gallery at 6:30 p.m. This Art on View exhibit will feature intimate portraits of people as well as macro-photographs of flowers and marbles. (The exhibit will run through October 25th.) Click here for more information.
Our film screening, that evening at 7:30 p.m., will be The Art of the Steal, about the greatest, most underhanded art theft since World War II. This gripping documentary chronicles the long and dramatic struggle for control of the Barnes Foundation, a private collection of art valued at more than $25 billion. (Click here for the Friday Night Films schedule for September.)
Please join us for this special art-full evening.
Our Fall 2010 Book Discussion Series is Announced!
Written by Erica B on 08/26/2010The Butterfly Effect
Small Decisions, Epic Impacts
Every day we make decisions. Sometimes, we know these decisions will be life-altering, which helps us to anticipate the consequences. At other times, the decisions seem so small in relation to the big picture that we don't think twice and often forget about them immediately after they are made. It's these seemingly irrelevant moments, however that often have the biggest effects - and perhaps so far-reaching that it is impossible for us to detect just how much our small decision may have changed the course of our lives - and the lives of others - forever.
The Butterfly Effect. A simple idea derived from a complex physical theory: The flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil can lead to a tornado in Texas. This fall, we have selected four novels that bring this idea to the pages of the book. These critically-acclaimed and award-winning stories are epic - in both the stories themselves and the authors' abilities to write them. The books are enthralling... thought inducing... heartbreaking... passionate... complicated... and above all, discussion-worthy.
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| Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese |
Let the Great World Spin |
Room by Emma Donoghue (Available in mid-September) |
The Passage by Justin Cronin |
| Tuesday, September 28 7 PM |
Tuesday, October 12 7 PM |
Tuesday, November 2 7 PM |
Tuesday, November 16 7 PM |
Darien Library, 1441 Post Road, Darien, Connecticut, 06820-5419 · 203-655-1234Directions and Contact Information. Twitter: darienlibrary. AIM & Y!M: deweydarien.