Events
Friday Night Feature - "Bernie"
Written by Erin S on 08/02/2012
Friday, October 5 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. -- BERNIE (2012) Starring Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, and Matthew McConaughey; Rated PG-13; 104 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
In the tiny, rural town of Carthage, TX, assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede was one of the town’s most beloved residents. He taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir and was always willing to lend a helping hand. Everyone loved and appreciated Bernie, so it came as no surprise when he befriended Marjorie Nugent, an affluent widow who was as well known for her sour attitude as her fortune. Marjorie quickly became fully dependent on Bernie and his generosity and Bernie struggled to meet her increasing demands. The people of Carthage were shocked when it was reported that Marjorie Nugent had been dead for some time, and Bernie Tiede was being charged with the murder.
"Jack Black, in the greatest performance of his career, makes us see what the people of Carthage, Texas, saw in Bernie Tiede..." -- Roger Moore, McClatchy-Tribune News Service
"A dead-solid-perfect depiction of small-town life." -- Bill GoodyKoontz, Arizona Republic
For more information, please watch the film's trailer. Check out the rest of our Friday Night Features in October.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Darien Community Hurricane Potluck
Written by Erin S on 08/01/2012
Saturday, November 3 at 5:30 p.m.
Sandy who? Consider this is a call to arms for the Darien community to gather together and share delicious food with one another. Do you have power and a secret casserole prowess? Bring a dish to Darien Library Saturday evening and lend a hand to your electricity-less friends and neighbors. You provide a dish and the Library will provide utensils and beverages.
No power? Bring your good attitude! We're also happy to point out that guacamole does not require cooking.
When preparing your dish, please read these food saftey guides handpicked by the Darien Health Department:
- Cooking for Groups: A Volunteer's Guide to Food Safety
- 7 Food Safety Steps for Successful Community Meals
We're a community...and a great one at that! We'll see you this Saturday.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Frankenstorm Family-Friendly Film Marathon
Written by Erin S on 08/01/2012
Friday, November 2, 2012
Join us in our Community Room for a movie marathon!
10 a.m. - Chestnut: Hero of Central Park (2004) Rated G; 87 minutes.
In this family comedy, orphaned young sisters Sal and Rae think their dreams have come true when they find an adorable, abandoned Great Dane puppy and, on the same day, learn that they've been adopted. But when the girls arrive at their posh new Manhattan apartment, they discover the building has one strict rule: No dogs allowed! Sal and Rae must use every hilarious trick in the book to hide their mischievous pup, survive in the big city, and create the family of their dreams.
12 p.m. - The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012) Rated PG; 88 minutes.
Pirate Captain sets out on a mission to defeat his rivals Black Bellamy and Cutlass Liz for the Pirate of the year Award. The quest takes Captain and his crew from the shores of Blood Island to the foggy streets of Victorian London.
2 p.m. - Finding Nemo (2003) Rated G; 100 minutes.
After his son is captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney, a timid clownfish sets out on a journey to bring him home.
4 p.m. - Hugo (2011) Rated PG; 126 minutes.
Set in 1930s Paris, an orphan who lives in the walls of a train station is wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton.
Meet the Author - David Kirchhoff
Written by Erin S on 07/30/2012
Tuesday, October 9 at 7 p.m.
David Kirchhoff, author of Weight Loss Boss, will be our featured speaker.
David Kirchhoff isn’t just the President and CEO of Weight Watchers International—he’s a member of Weight Watchers® himself and one of its biggest success stories. In this book, Kirchhoff shares his personal story from his slide into full-fledged obesity, to his struggles managing his relationship with food and finding an exercise regimen that sticks. Kirchhoff offers a frank, funny and groundbreaking look at the challenges to losing weight and keeping it off—and makes the case for radically rethinking what it takes to achieve long-term success and a healthy lifestyle that lasts.
About the Author
David Kirchhoff is the President and CEO of Weight Watchers International, Inc., overseeing a network of service providers around the world who help 1.3 million people in its meetings each week. His business and personal philosophies are grounded in the belief that obesity prevention is achievable and can be realized through a combination of smart governance, industry support and community empowerment. Prior to his current position, Kirchhoff held several positions within the company, including Chief Operating Officer for Europe and Asia and President of WeightWatchers.com, Inc. He is the author of the popular weight loss blog, “Man Meets Scale” at ManMeetsScale.blogspot.com. All royalties from the book will be donated to Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign.
Books will be available for purchase at this event. Refreshments will be served.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Friday Night Feature - "Romantics Anonymous"
Written by Erin S on 07/28/2012
Friday, September 28 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. -- ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS (2010) Starring Benoît Poelvoorde, Isabelle Carré and Lorella Cravotta; 80 minutes; In French with English subtitles.
Jean-Rene is the boss of a chocolate factory and Angelique is a talented chocolate maker. They are both emotionally-challenged people. Drawn together through a shared passion for chocolate, Jean-Rene and Angelique fall in love, but neither is able to express how they feel. Sadly, their crippling shyness is driving them apart. But eventually, they manage to overcome their lack of self-confidence, and risk baring their true feelings.
"Movies that truly have the capacity to delight - that amuse and lift the spirits and create a warm feeling - are rare. Romantics Anonymous is one of those rare delights." -- Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
For more information, please watch the film's trailer. Check out the rest of our Friday Night Features in September.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
A Circle That's Not Square
Written by JanetD on 07/24/2012
Storytelling -- it's the age-old art of sharing legends, family lore, personal experiences, folktales, and funny anecdotes. It's the way we share what's important to us and connect with others. Darien Library is hosting a storytelling circle for grown-ups this Thursday, September 27 at 7 PM. Join our circle and you'll hear professional and amateur tellers, and of course, you are welcome to share your own stories with us (or just come to listen!).
Our next circle will be November 7. We look forward to including you in an upcoming storytelling event here at Darien Library!
Video of Emma Straub
Emma Straub, author of Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures was the first speaker for our new series, First Look Darien. This series will highlight a first-time publishing author whom we think is going to go BIG! For more information about Emma's visit, please see the original post.
Friday Night Features in September
Written by Erin S on 07/22/2012
Friday, September 7 at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. – Darling Companion (2012) Starring Diane Keaton and Kevin Kline; Rated PG-13; 103 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
After Beth saves a bedraggled lost dog from the side of the freeway on a wintry day in Denver, she forms a special bond with the animal. When her self-involved husband Joseph loses the dog after their daughter's wedding at their vacation home in the Rockies, Beth, distraught and angry with Joseph, enlists the help of the few remaining guests and a mysterious woman in a frantic search.
For more information, please watch the film's trailer.
Friday, September 14 at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. – Footnote (2012) Starring Shlomo Bar-Aba, Lior Ashkenazi, Aliza Rosen, Yuval Scharf, and Alma Zack; Rated PG; 103 minutes. In Hebrew with English subtitles.
This film tells the story of a great rivalry between a father and son, both eccentric professors in the Talmud department of Hebrew University in Jerusalem. The son has an addictive dependency on the embrace and accolades that the establishment provides, while his father is a stubborn purist with a fear and profound revulsion for what the establishment stands for, yet beneath his contempt lies a desperate thirst for some kind of recognition. The Israel Prize, Israel's most prestigious national award, is the jewel that brings these two to a final, bitter confrontation.
For more information, please watch the film's trailer.
Friday, September 21 at 6:30 and 8:45 p.m. – The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012) Starring Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, and Tom Wilkinson; Rated PG-13; 124 minutes. Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
For a disparate group of English pensioners, retirement takes an unconventional turn when they abandon their homeland, enticed by advertisements for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, a seemingly luxurious sanctuary for “the elderly and beautiful” in Jaipur, India. On arrival, they discover that the hotel falls somewhat short of the romantic idyll promised in the brochure, but they are gradually won over by the ever-optimistic young manager Sonny, and tentatively embark on a new adventure, finding that life can begin again when you let go of the past.
For more information, please watch the film's trailer.
Friday, September 28 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. – Romantics Anonymous (2010) Starring Benoît Poelvoorde, Isabelle Carré and Lorella Cravotta; Not Rated; 80 minutes; In French with English subtitles.
Jean-Rene is the boss of a chocolate factory and Angelique is a talented chocolate maker. They are both emotionally-challenged people. Drawn together through a shared passion for chocolate, Jean-Rene and Angelique fall in love, but neither is able to express how they feel. Sadly, their crippling shyness is driving them apart. But eventually, they manage to overcome their lack of self-confidence, and risk baring their true feelings.
For more information, please watch the film's trailer.
All films are free and open to the public.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Fall Book Discussion Series
Written by Erin S on 07/19/2012
Fall 2012 BOOK DISCUSSION SERIES
Character Counts
Here's one of our most-anticipated annual announcements!
We are getting ready for our Fall Book Discussion Series! Below, are the book selections and discussion dates. The theme of the series is Character Counts.
Please join us in our Conference Room this Fall as we read and discuss three carefully selected, critically-acclaimed, and discussion-worthy books. Library staff members will lead discussions. Prior reading of the books is not necessary to join the discussion.
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking
by Susan Cain
Tuesday, September 18 at 7 p.m.
Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures
by Emma Straub
Tuesday, October 16 at 7 p.m.
Bring Up the Bodies
by Hilary Mantel
Tuesday, November 27 at 7 p.m.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s).
This Month's Wednesday Matinee - "The Lucky One"
Written by Erin S on 07/18/2012
Wednesday, September 19 at 1:30 p.m. - THE LUCKY ONE (2012) Starring Taylor Schilling, Zac Efron, and Blythe Danner; Rated PG-13; 101 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
U.S. Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq, with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive -- a photograph he found of a woman he doesn't even know. Learning her name is Beth and where she lives, he shows up at her door, and ends up taking a job at her family-run local kennel. Despite her initial mistrust and the complications in her life, a romance develops between them, giving Logan hope that Beth could be much more than his good luck charm.
"...strong performances from Efron, Schilling and a scene-stealing Blythe Danner." - Matthew Turner, ViewLondon
For more information, please view the film's trailer.
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