RJ Julia hosts conversation with lawyer, author Eve Rodsky
At RJ Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Road, Madison, Eve Rodsky, a lawyer and author of “Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live)” will be in conversation with award-winning writer and editor Pem McNerney on Oct. 6 at 4 p.m. Rodsky, frustrated by her husband’s minimal cooperation in sharing family responsibilities, created a guidebook to a time and anxietysaving system. The cost to attend is $5, plus tax.
On Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. journalist and historian Garrett Graff will discuss “The Only Plane in the Sky,” an oral history of Sept. 11, 2001 attacks recalled by first responders, witnesses, survivors, friends and family members, as well as pilots, flight attendants and government officials. Graff writes about politics, technology and national security. His books include “Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government’s Secret Plan to Save Itself — While the Rest of Us Die.”
On Oct. 10 at 6:30 p.m. Jake Burt will give a free talk on his novel, “The Tornado,” about a kid who figures out how to avoid the school bully. But will he defend a new student from the tormentor? Burt also wrote the middle-grade novels “Greetings from Witness Protection!” and “The Right Hook of Devin Velma.” He lives in Hamden, where he teaches fifth grade.
On Oct. 11 at 7 p.m., Jon Clinch, author of the brilliantly written novel, “Finn,” which imagined the life story of Huckleberry Finn’s father, will discuss his latest, “Marley,” which explores the complicated relationship of Ebenezer Scrooge and Jacob Marley, from the Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol.” Clinch, of Vermont, helped to save The Mark Twain House from bankruptcy by organizing a benefit event in 2008.
Reservations and information: 203-2453959 or rjjulia.com.
At Wesleyan RJ Julia Booksellers, 413 Main St., Middletown, on Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. journalist and editor Steve Luxenberg will discuss his book, “Separate: The Story of Plessy v. Ferguson, and America’s Journey from Slavery to Segregation” in conversation with Roxanne Coady, founder of the RJ Julia bookstores. Luxenberg’s book explains how the 1896 Supreme Court decision creating “separate but equal’ public schools fostered and protected segregation with ongoing consequences.
On Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. Wesleyan alumnus Edwin Hill will discuss his novel, “The Missing Ones,” about a remote island whose residents keep disturbing secrets, and Vanessa Lillie will discuss her debut thriller, “Little Voices,” in which a woman works to defend a friend after both become suspects in another’s death.
On Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. Nikki Grimes, a bestselling children’s author and poet, will give a free talk on her memoir, “Ordinary Hazards,” about growing up in a family with a difficult history.
On Oct. 10 at 7 p.m., NBA trainer
Rob McClanaghan, author of “Net
Work,” will be in conversation with
Wesleyan Athletic
Director Mike
Whalen. Mc
Clanaghan’s book offers a look at how such players as
Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love strive to become superstars.
Information: 860-685-3939 or wesleyanrjjulia.com.
At a Mark My Words: Political Satire program on Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. the Mark Twain House & Museum, 351 Farmington Ave., Hartford, authors Ian Doescher and Jacopo della Quercia will discuss their book “MacTRUMP,” a political satire of the Trump presidency written in iambic pentameter in the style of The Bard. The characters include MacTrump — Lord of MacTrump Towers, Son of New York — his unhappy but dutiful wife Lady MacTrump, his clever daughter Dame Desdivanka, his advisers and his messenger, McTweet. Geoffrey Sheehan, co-founder of Capital Classics Theatre Company who leads the Shakespeare Book Club at the West Hartford Library, will also take part. Tickets are $15. The Twain House will continue its free West End Wednesdays Book Talk Series with authors who live in that Hartford neighborhood on Oct. 9. The program, featuring Dan Pope, will begin at 5:30 p.m. with refreshments and cash-only wine and beer. The talk will start at 6 p.m. Pope is the author of “Housebreaking” and “In the Cherry Tree.”
On Oct. 9, Elisabeth Petry will discuss her mother, Ann Petry, and the James Family Letters at a free The Trouble Begins at 5:30 program. Ann Petry wrote novels, short stories and children’s books. Her 1946 debut, “The Street,” was the first novel by an African American woman to sell more than one million copies. A journalist and author, Elizabeth Petry will show scenes from her upcoming film on her mother and her family, which was prominent in the 19th-century Hartford African American community and knew the Twain family. A 5 p.m. reception will precede the talk.
Registration: marktwainhouse.org. Information: 860-247-0998.
Steve Rushin, the award-winning sportswriter and author from Granby, will give a free reading at Westminster School’s Armour Academic Center, 995 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury, on Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. Seniors Geena Kim and Daniel Pinckney will also read.
Rushin contributes to Sports Illustrated and also is an author, travel writer and essayist. His sports books include “Road Swing” and “The Caddie Was a Reindeer.” He also published the novel, “The Pint Man,” and the nonfiction book “The 34-Ton Bat.” 860-408-3053.
Author and former Courant reporter Michael Downs will discuss “Lost in a Laughing-Gas World: Horace Wells in Fact and Fiction,” on Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. at Keeney Memorial Cultural Center, 200 Main St., Wethersfield. The talk is based on his book, “The Strange and True Tale of Horace Wells, Surgeon Dentist,” about Wells’ discovery 173 years ago of nitrous oxide as an anesthetic and how he went from pioneering scientist to destitute addict. 860-9563311.
Poet, educator and best-selling author of 33 books Kwame Alexander will give a free READI talk about life as an author, moderated by Maurice Splash Eastwood, on Oct. 7 at 5:30 p.m. at Sea Tea Comedy Theater, 15 Asylum St., Hartford, presented by Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) in partnership with Connecticut Humanities and Now You Know Ent. READI Talks are part of COA’s Young Creative Professionals programming.
There will be a cash bar for patrons age 21 or older. Reservations are required: kareaditalks.splashthat.com.
The free Poets on Poetry series, presented by the Connecticut Poetry Society at Avon Free Public Library, 281 Country Club Road, Avon, continues with local poets discussing poets that inspire them. On Oct. 10 at 2 p.m., Mark Sheridan will lead a discussion of William Carlos Williams.
Information: 860-673-9712 or avonctlibrary.info or ctpoetry.net.
The Storyteller’s Cottage, 750 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury, will host an Author Night Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. with Shelby C. Davis, whose book is “Everything My Parents Taught Me in 6 Steps.” On Oct. 12 at 2 p.m. there will be an Author Talk with humorist, Allia Zobel-Nolan, about two of her books, “Laugh Out Loud” and “Purr More, Hiss Less.”
Admission to each talk is $5. Pre-registration required: www.StorytellersCottage.com/book-online.