Events
Friday Night Feature - "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"
Written by Erin S on 05/07/2012
Friday, August 10 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. -- SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN (2011) Starring Ewan McGregor, Amr Waked, and Emily Blunt; Rated PG-13; 107 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
When Britain’s leading fishing expert is approached by a consultant to help realize a sheikh’s vision of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to the desert, he immediately thinks the project is both absurd and unachievable. But when the Prime Minister’s overzealous press secretary latches on to it as a ‘good will’ story, this unlikely team will put it all on the line and embark on an upstream journey of faith and fish to prove the impossible, possible.
"A charming little movie." -- Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic
"Trust me: These are characters with whom it's a pleasure to spend a couple of hours." -- Lou Lumenick, New York Post
For more information, please watch the film's trailer. Check out the rest of our Friday Night Features in August.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Friday Night Feature - "Like Crazy"
Written by Erin S on 05/05/2012
Friday, July 6 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. -- LIKE CRAZY (2011) Starring Felicity Jones, Anton Yelchin, and Jennifer Lawrence; Rated PG-13; 90 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
A young American guy and a young British girl meet in college and fall in love. Their love is tested when she is required to leave the country and they must face the challenges of a long-distance relationship.
"Felicity Jones will break your heart at least once in Like Crazy." -- Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
"The couple's story is related through small, true-to-life details that paint an unidealized portrait of love - the euphoria, the sadness, and everything in between." -- Eric D. Snider, Film.com
For more information, please watch the film's trailer. Check out what else we're screening in July.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Short Story Redux with Carroll Stenson
Written by mpaterniti on 05/05/2012
“It’s Summertime and the Livin’ is Easy”. So easy, that hopefully you can take time to come to our popular, summer short story series. Our snow bird, Carroll Stenson, is back. Rested from her winter in Florida, she is prepared with new stories, to lead us in thought provoking and life illuminating discussions.
Our program will begin on Tuesday, June 19 at 3:00 p.m. in the Darien Library Conference Room and will continue every Tuesday (excluding July 3) through August 21. The first story is “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner. Copies are available at the Welcome Desk.
In subsequent weeks stories will be passed out at the end of each session or may be picked up at the Welcome Desk.
Please join us and share with other short story enthusiasts.
Ukulele for Seniors
Written by Erin S on 05/05/2012
Thursday, July 12 at 3 p.m.
Because the ukulele has four strings, it only requires four fingers to play, so it’s easy to learn even if you’ve never held an instrument. During this hands-on workshop, we’ll have you “Mahalo-ing” in no time. We’ll provide the ukes and you provide the flavor.
"UncleZac" has performed in several bands including Sharkey & The Unknowns, a local 50’s and 60’s oldies/motown group, PT & the cruisers, a 60‘s and 70‘s doo-rock group, Roswell & the Ukulaliens, a five piece ukulele band, and also acted as “uke consultant” to the Darien High School Ukulele Group. As a solo uke performer at various venues from the Gershwin Hotel in NYC to local senior centers, he plays music from Leon Redbone to Jimmy Buffett to Allan Sherman and more. Even though he is primarily a bari player, he never travels with only one uke because as Fred Fallin says, “each one has a different voice” that adds it’s own flavor to any song.
Space is limited. To register, please contact Erin Shea, Head of Adult Programming at 203-669-5232, or via email at eshea@darienlibrary.org.
Friday Night Feature - "Wanderlust"
Written by Erin S on 05/03/2012
Friday, July 13 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. -- WANDERLUST (2012) Starring Paul Rudd, Jennifer Aniston, and Justin Theroux; Rated R; 98 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
This comedy is about a couple who leaves the big city pressures of Manhattan and joins a freewheeling community where the only rule is to be yourself. But as they learn to shed the worries of their lives and assume the commune's free spirit mentality, there is a chance that their newfound perspective could cause more problems than it solves.
"... you probably won't see a funnier movie all year." -- Jim Lane, Sacramento News & Review
For more information, please watch the film's trailer. Check out what else we're screening in July.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Meet the Author - Maggie Shipstead
Written by Erin S on 05/02/2012
Monday, July 16 at 7 p.m.
Maggie Shipstead, author of Seating Arrangements, will be our featured speaker.
Winn Van Meter is heading for his family’s retreat on the pristine New England island of Waskeke. Normally a haven of calm, for the next three days this sanctuary will be overrun by tipsy revelers as Winn prepares for the marriage of his daughter Daphne to the affable young scion Greyson Duff. Winn’s wife, Biddy, has planned the wedding with military precision, but arrangements are sideswept by a storm of salacious misbehavior and intractable lust: Daphne’s sister, Livia, who has recently had her heart broken by Teddy Fenn, the son of her father’s oldest rival, is an eager target for the seductive wiles of Greyson’s best man; Winn, instead of reveling in his patriarchal duties, is tormented by his long-standing crush on Daphne’s beguiling bridesmaid Agatha; and the bride and groom find themselves presiding over a spectacle of misplaced desire, marital infidelity, and monumental loss of faith in the rituals of American life.
About the Author
Maggie Shipstead was born in 1983 and grew up in Orange County, California. Her short fiction has appeared in Tin House, VQR, Glimmer Train, The Best American Short Stories, and other publications. She is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and a recipient of the Stegner Fellowship from Stanford University.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Arthur Lipner & Brazilian Vibes
Written by Erin S on 05/01/2012
Thursday, August 2 at 7 p.m.
World-renowned vibes and marimba player Arthur Lipner brings his Brazilian Vibes group to the Library for an evening of jazz, bossa nova and samba. Be prepared to move your feet!
Arthur Lipner has emerged as one of the leading vibes and marimba voices of today. As such he is one of the few musicians carrying the message of jazz mallets into the 21st century. Arthur’s live performances and recorded projects convey an exuberant drive of creativity and depth. His travels around the globe as a jazz musician and percussionist have delighted audiences and critics alike. Of a live performance in December 2006, the Chronicle Herald (Nova Scotia) wrote, “Lipner belongs to that rare category of master player that includes Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson...”
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
This Month's Wednesday Matinee - "13 Going on 30"
Written by Erin S on 04/30/2012
Wednesday, July 18 at 1:30 p.m. - 13 GOING ON 30 (2004) Starring Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, Judy Greer, Andy Serkis, and Kathy Baker; Rated PG-13; 97 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
Jenna Rink is a typical preteen who wants to grow up fast more than anything else in the world. On her 13th birthday she gets way more than she bargained for when she wishes for a new life. She gets one … but it is inside the body of a 30-year-old magazine editor! She has to track down her best friend - convince him that she isn’t crazy – and then try and figure out how to get her old life back.
"Alias superspy Jennifer Garner makes the most of her first starring role and discovers that love -- and navigating adult life -- really is a battlefield." -- Betsy Bozdech, Hollywood.com
For more information, please view the film's trailer.
Demystifying the Computer with Abby Stokes
Written by Erin S on 04/29/2012
Guest Lecture with Abby Stokes
Thursday, July 19 at 10 a.m.
Abby Stokes, author of Is This Thing On? A Computer Handbook for Late Bloomers, Technophobes, and the Kicking & Screaming will demystify those pesky contraptions we call computers and show participants how to navigate the online world of search engines, web navigation, online banking, shopping, travel planning, and even dating.
Praise for Abby Stokes:
“Stokes gives the feeling that a friend is explaining it all to you.” — The New York Daily News
About the Author:
Abby Stokes has demystified computers for more than 135,000 people, mostly seniors, during the past 17 years. Abby has taught courses in basic computing at Cooper Union and New York University’s School of Lifelong Learning, as well as computer skills to private and corporate clients. She has lectured on the topic across the country. A firm believer that “if my mother can learn the computer anyone can,” Abby is confident that everyone can master the computer and navigate the Internet. She splits her time between New York City and Niantic, Connecticut.
Books will be available for purchase at the event.
Meet the Author - Alex Stone
Written by Erin S on 04/29/2012
Thursday, July 19 at 7 p.m.
Alex Stone, author of Fooling Houdini: Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks, and the Hidden Powers of the Mind will be our featured speaker.
A blend of history, psychology, science, and memoir, Fooling Houdini is a funny, insightful account told from the author’s unique perspective as a journalist and a former physics graduate student. A dedicated amateur magician since childhood, Stone vows to rebound from a disastrous showing at the 2006 Magic Olympics and soon embarks on an ambitious journey of self-improvement that takes him both across the globe and inside the brain, leading him to question life’s biggest mysteries and investigate the fundamental aspects of human nature in the process.
About the Author
Alex Stone has written for Harper’s, Discover, Science, and The Wall Street Journal. He graduated from Harvard University and has a master’s degree in physics from Columbia University. He grew up in Wisconsin, Texas, and Spain. He currently lives in New York City.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s).
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