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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20241218T200000
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SUMMARY:2025 Carnegie Medal Finalist Preview
DESCRIPTION:Tune in Wednesday\, DEC 18 at 8 pm ET | 5 pm PT as PBS Books and Booklist Reader highlight the six 2025 Finalists for the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction Awards. \nFiction Finalist:\n\nCinema Love\, by Jiaming Tang\nJames\, by Percival Everett\nMartyr!\, by Kaveh Akbar\n\nNonfiction Finalist:\n\nChallenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space\, by Adam Higginbotham\nCue the Sun! The Invention of Reality TV\, by Emily Nussbaum\nA Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon\, by Kevin Fedarko\n\nThe two medal winners will be announced at the Reference and User Services Association’s Book and Media Awards livestreaming event\, on Sunday\, January 26. A celebratory event\, including presentations by the winners and a featured speaker\, will take place in June 2025 at the American Library Association’s Annual Conference in Philadelphia. \n#ALA_Carnegie hashtag!
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/2024-carnegie-medal-finalist-preview/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250115T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250115T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20241216T161505Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241216T161826Z
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SUMMARY:Filmmaker Talk with Zach OHora - Carl the Collector
DESCRIPTION:Join PBS Books as we meet the newest member of the PBS Kids Family Carl the Collector and all his friends with show creator\, author and illustrator Zach OHora. This new series\, which premiered last fall\, is the first PBS Kids program to center on a neurodiverse character. Learn more about Carl and all his adventures while celebrating the diverse way kids think and express themselves. \n\nAbout the Author\nZachariah OHora\nIllustrator\, Author & Creator “Carl the Collector”\nNew York Times best-selling illustrator and author Zachariah OHora is creator and executive producer of “Carl the Collector\,” which is produced by his Fuzzytown Productions along with Spiffy Pictures. \nThe series\, PBS KIDS’ first to center on a neurodiverse character\, follows the everyday adventures of Carl\, a warm-hearted autistic raccoon who loves collecting things. The series celebrates the diverse ways kids think and express themselves while helping them develop a strong sense of self and community. \nOHora’s award-winning books include My Cousin Momo!\, Niblet & Ralph\, The Not So Quiet Library and Fuzzy (Inside & Out). \nOHora also created the Rivian Gear Guard avatar featured in all the cutting-edge electric vehicle company’s security systems. \nOHora resides in Narberth\, Pennsylvania with his wife and two kids. \n\nMore from the Author:\nTwenty-five years in the Big House and A. Wolf is still sticking to his story: he was framed! As for that huffing and puffing stuff? A big lie. A. Wolf was just trying to borrow a cup of sugar to make his poor old granny a birthday cake. \nWho should you believe\, the pigs or the wolf? You read. You decide. \nA quarter-century after publication\, with over two million copies sold\, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs remains as funny and irreverent as the inventive minds of Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. Viking is celebrating this landmark anniversary with a handsome gift edition\, featuring a stunning new jacket with lots of silver. And there’s a surprise inside as well! \nA captivating informational picture book about Paul Horn\, a musician who communicated with orcas through the power of music. For fans of Shark Lady and Margaret and the Moon. \nUnbelievable but true\, this is the story of two whales\, two Pauls and two boys. \nThe whales are Haida and Chimo\, captive orcas who lived in an aquarium called Sealand of the Pacific in the 1970s. \nThe Pauls are Paul Horn\, a professional flute musician\, and Dr. Paul Spong\, a scientist studying the orcas in order to learn more about these mystifying creatures. \nAnd the boys are Marlen and Robin\, Paul Horn’s sons\, who are fascinated with the orcas despite their father’s fear of the giant whales. \nWhat follows is the spellbinding story of how the Pauls\, through the power of music\, learn to communicate with the orcas — and set into motion an entire anti-captivity movement dedicated to protecting these intelligent and majestic animals. \nZachariah OHora’s distinctive retro art and kid-friendly humor take the stage in this story about accepting and celebrating differences. \nMomo is coming to visit\, and his cousins are SO excited! But even though Momo is a flying squirrel\, he won’t fly for his cousin’s friends. Plus\, his games are weird. He can’t even play hide and seek right! But when Momo’s cousins give his strange ways a chance\, they realize that doing things differently can be fun…almost as much fun as making a new friend.
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/filmmaker-talk-with-zach-ohora-carl-the-collector/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250120T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250120T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250114T190831Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250114T191245Z
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SUMMARY:Restless Dissatisfaction: An Urgent Call for the Pursuit of Justice and Equality
DESCRIPTION:Famed actress\, activist and filmmaker\, Erika Alexander presents the keynote lecture at the annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King\, Jr. Symposium at the University of Michigan\, which PBS Books will be livestreaming on Jan. 20. \nAlexander is an actress\, trailblazing activist\, entrepreneur\, creator\, producer\, director and one of the country’s boldest\, most daring\, and powerful voices. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Maxine Shaw in “Living Single\,” Detective Latoya in “GET OUT\,” Cousin Pam in “The Cosby Show\,” and recently Coraline in the hit movie\, “American Fiction. \nRecognizing the power of storytelling\, Alexander believes that although content must be entertaining\, stories have tremendous capacity to create impact and meaningful social change. As co-founder of Color Farm Media\, she is on a mission to bring greater equity\, inclusion\, and diverse representation to both media and electoral politics. \nA critical thought leader on racial and gender equity and leadership\, she serves as a board member for One Fair Wage and is highly involved with social and racial justice organizations including The Poor People’s Campaign\, Color of Change\, NAACP\, UNCF\, among others. \nThis special PBS Books presentation is offered in conjunction with the University of Michigan Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives. \nLearn more at https://oami.umich.edu/mlk-symposium/ \nErika Alexander\nActress\, Activist\, Entrepreneur\, Creator\, Producer and Director\nErika Alexander is an actress\, trailblazing activist\, entrepreneur\, creator\, producer\, director and one of the country’s boldest\, most daring\, and powerful voices. Recognizing the power of storytelling\, Erika believes that though content must be entertaining\, stories have tremendous capacity \nto create impact and meaningful social change. As co-founder of Color Farm Media\, she is on a mission to bring greater equity\, inclusion\, and diverse representation to both media and electoral politics. \nErika has recently stepped boldly into the arena of film director\, with her debut film THE BIG PAYBACK\, co-directed with Whitney Dow. The film debuted at Tribeca Festival and premiered on PBS on MLK Day 2023. The documentary chronicles the story of the first reparations bill for African Americans in U.S. history. \nShe is also creator/writer/producer of 2022 Audible Original’s Best True Crime Series and DuPont Columbia award-nominee\, FINDING TAMIKA\, and producer of the three-time\, Emmy-nominated Best Documentary and winner\, NAACP Best Documentary\, JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE. \nHer upcoming projects include THE UNTITLED NOVELIST project\, directed by Cord Jefferson; with Jeffrey Wright\, Tracy Ross\, Sterling K. Williams and Issa Rae. \nA critical thought leader on racial and gender equity and leadership\, she serves as a board member for One Fair Wage and is highly involved with social and racial justice organizations including The Poor People’s Campaign\, Color of Change\, NAACP\, UNCF\, among others.
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/restless-dissatisfaction-an-urgent-call-for-the-pursuit-of-justice-and-equality/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250124T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250124T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250114T192524Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250114T192526Z
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SUMMARY:Rashaad Newsome - Engineering Futures: Art\, Code\, and the Architecture of Liberation | The Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series
DESCRIPTION:Rashaad Newsome is a multidisciplinary artist whose work blends several practices — collage\, sculpture\, video\, music\, computer programming\, and performance — to form an altogether new field. He seamlessly merges art\, code\, film\, and community-building to create immersive experiences that explore the intersections of Blackness\, queerness\, and futurism. Using the equalizing force of sampling\, he crafts compositions that surprise in their associative potential and walk the tightrope between identity politics\, social practice and abstraction. \nAssembly\, his groundbreaking exhibition and film\, brings together dancers\, artificial intelligence\, animation\, collage\, sculpture\, holography\, and soundscapes to reimagine collective liberation. Central to this work is Being\, the Digital Griot — an AI-powered entity that embodies radical storytelling. Acting as both mirror and provocateur\, Being demonstrates AI’s potential as a tool for liberation rather than control. \nNewsome will offer an in-depth exploration of the conceptual frameworks and processes behind Assembly and Being. He will discuss how his work dismantles systems of oppression and reimagines physical and digital spaces as arenas for liberation. Through dynamic storytelling\, dance\, and the collaboration between human and non-human performers\, Newsome pushes artistic boundaries while sparking critical conversations about how art and technology can shape futures beyond binary thinking\, paving the way for a more liberated world. \nNewsome has exhibited and performed in galleries\, museums\, institutions\, and festivals throughout the world\, including The Whitney Museum\, Brooklyn Museum\, MoMA PS1\, SFMOMA\, New Orleans Museum of Art\, Centre Georges Pompidou\, and the Garage Center for Contemporary Culture. He has received multiple honors and awards for his work\, including a 2014 Headlands Center for the Arts Visiting Artist Residency\, and a 2011 Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Award. \nIn tandem with Newsome’s appearance in the Penny Stamps Series\, the Institute for the Humanities is hosting Chimera\, an immersive exhibition built around a newly commissioned film of the same name. This exhibition reflects a bold shift in Newsome’s practice toward sci-fi filmmaking\, layering the architecture of film\, movement\, and world-building to probe themes of identity\, resistance\, and creation. Chimera opens directly following this event at the Institute for the Humanities gallery with an opening reception and artist meet and greet. Chimera will be on view from January 16 through February 28\, 2025 at the Institute for the Humanities Gallery. \nPresented in partnership with the University of Michigan Institute for the Humanities. This project was made possible by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan. \nSeries presenting partners: Detroit PBS\, ALL ARTS\, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public. \nThe Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series Fall 2024 Season\nThis fall\, the Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series brings respected leaders and innovators from a broad spectrum of creative fields to Ann Arbor’s historic Michigan Theater for weekly in-person events. \nDetroit PBS and PBS Books\, in partnership with the Stamps School\, will stream each week’s event Fridays at 8pm. \nSee the full schedule of events livestreamed by PBS Books here. \nSome programs may not be available online\, depending on artist requests. Interested in receiving notifications before online videos go live? Sign up to receive a reminder before each event begins streaming. \nWatch Past Penny Stamps Episodes
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/rashaad-newsome-engineering-futures-art-code-and-the-architecture-of-liberation-the-penny-stamps-distinguished-speaker-series/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250129T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250129T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20241217T164625Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250723T161939Z
UID:10755-1738180800-1738184400@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:PBS Books Readers Club - "Remarkably Bright Creatures" by Shelby Van Pelt
DESCRIPTION:PBS Books Readers Club launches season two with award-winning author Shelby Van Pelt to examine her extraordinary story\, Remarkably Bright Creatures \nJoin PBS Books Readers Club on Wednesday\, January 29 for a captivating conversation with Shelby Van Pelt as she discusses her heartwarming debut novel\, Remarkably Bright Creatures. This engaging virtual event will offer an in-depth exploration of Van Pelt’s extraordinary narrative\, which blends humor\, emotion\, and an unforgettable bond between a widowed woman and an octopus named Marcellus. \nRemarkably Bright Creatures tells the story of Tova Sullivan\, a grieving widow who forms an unlikely friendship with Marcellus\, an intelligent and insightful octopus at the local aquarium. As their lives intertwine\, Tova embarks on a journey of self-discovery and healing\, with Marcellus offering wisdom in ways no one could have expected. The novel celebrates themes of connection\, loss\, and second chances\, drawing readers into a world full of compassion and surprises. \nIn this PBS Books exclusive event\, Shelby Van Pelt will share the inspiration behind her novel\, delve into the unique characters that drive the story\, and explore the ways in which art and storytelling can bridge the gap between humans and the natural world. Readers will delight in learning about her writing and research process and discover the family member who inspired the central protagonist\, Tova\, in this heartwarming story about unexpected friendships and second chances. \nRemarkably Bright Creatures is the perfect pairing for fans of the PBS Masterpiece series All Creatures Great and Small\, highlighting the unique bonds we share with our animal friends. \nDon’t miss this special opportunity to engage with one of today’s most exciting new authors and to discover the magic of Remarkably Bright Creatures. This unforgettable evening of literary discussion takes place on the PBS Books Facebook and YouTube channel\, January 29 at 8pm ET. \n\nAbout the Book\nDazzling and unexpected\, Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel\, REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES\, is set over the course of a summer in a fictional town on Puget Sound. This is a witty and warm tale of a widow’s friendship with a giant Pacific octopus reluctantly residing at the local aquarium—and the truths she finally uncovers about her son’s disappearance thirty years ago. \nTova Sullivan began mopping floors and tidying up on the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium after her husband died. Keeping busy has always helped her cope\, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son\, Erik\, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago. Finding the sea creatures around her easier to talk to than the humans in her life\, Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus\, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors—until he forms an unlikely friendship with Tova. Ever the detective\, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. As his affection for Tova grows\, Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late. \nA native of the Pacific Northwest\, Shelby Van Pelt vividly renders the small town of Sowell Bay and the characters that live within it. Inspired by her own pragmatic\, first-generation Swedish-American grandmother\, Van Pelt imbues the character of Tova with warmth and specificity\, from her love of coffee to her fondness for stray cats. Our favorite octopus Marcellus\, however\, began as a writing exercise. Long fascinated by the creatures\, Van Pelt immediately thought of a captive octopus when asked to write from an unexpected point of view. How bored must it feel? How indignant at the thought that it wouldn’t be able to slip out of its tank? Over the course of writing the book\, Van Pelt spent a lot of time wandering aquariums\, staring at octopus’ tanks\, and hoping that the occupant might emerge from its hiding place to stare back. \nCharming\, compulsively readable\, and full of wit\, Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel is a beautiful exploration of friendship\, reckoning\, and hope—a reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past   can help uncover a future that once felt impossible. \nAs Van Pelt says in her author’s note\, “To gaze at an octopus and have it gaze back at you will make anyone wonder who the brighter creature is.” \n\nGuest Biography\nBorn and raised in the Pacific Northwest\, Shelby Van Pelt lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her family. Remarkably Bright Creatures is her first novel. \n\nReaders Club Hosts\nHeather-Marie Montilla\nHeather-Marie Montilla\, a dynamic integrative leader\, is an educator and nonprofit manager. She has worked in the nonprofit sector and libraries for over two decades\, making a positive impact in arts\, cultural\, educational\, and community-building arenas. \nHaving joined the PBS Books team as their Library Bureau Chief in Fall 2018\, Montilla is now the National Director of PBS Books and has interviewed more than 150 writers. In addition\, she is a faculty member at Michigan State University and Eastern Michigan University for their Arts and Cultural/Entertainment Management Programs. Having been an Executive Director for 8 years\, Heather has a wide range of experience in management\, finance\, strategic planning\, marketing\, and fundraising. Heather holds a MPA From Columbia University\, a MLIS from Wayne State University\, and a bachelor’s from Duke University. She lives in Chicagoland\, and is married with four children\, a dog\, and a bird. \nPrincess Weekes\nPrincess Weekes is an award winning writer and video essayist who works at breaking down the intersections between race\, gender\, and pop culture. Formally an Assistant Editor at The Mary Sue\, co-host of Netflix’s The Geeked Podcast\, and co-host and co-writer on the PBS Digital Series It’s Lit. On weekends she works as a bookseller at a local bookstore. When not reading or writing she can be found playing TTRPGs of cuddling with her cat\, Lola. \nLauren Smith\nExecutive Producer and host of national PBS programming at Detroit Public TV\, Lauren develops content for PBS and other distributors of public media for broadcast\, streaming\, and other digital channels and has executive-produced and/or produced over 60 national broadcast and programs. Her passion is to develop inspiring\, entertaining\, and educational content alongside the best national and international talent\, and to engage important content with communities across the country. Lauren loves to read and has worked to develop and produce PBS Books content for nearly ten years! \nFred Nahhat\nFred Nahhat is an Emmy Award-winning producer\, host\, and presenter for Detroit’s PBS station\, where he serves as Sr. VP of Production. A 30-year broadcast veteran\, Fred has hosted and produced numerous programs for Public TV – including music specials from Il Volo\, Celtic Gold and the New Divas – as well as other series and specials “New Year’s Eve with the DSO”\, “The Detroit Dream Cruise\,” “The PBS Books Readers Club” and “Get Up\, Get Out\,” among others. \nHe is a graduate of Wayne State University and a member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Michigan Chapter\, USA Hockey\, and Leadership Detroit.
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/readers-club-201/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250131T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250131T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250114T193128Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250114T193129Z
UID:10869-1738353600-1738357200@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:1491s - The Full Migizi | The Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series
DESCRIPTION:The 1491s are a dynamic Native American sketch comedy group known for their razor-sharp wit and fearless approach to storytelling. Comprising a collective of Indigenous creators\, including writers\, performers\, and filmmakers\, The 1491s challenge stereotypes and celebrate Native culture through humor\, satire\, and an unflinching lens. Their work spans viral videos\, stage performances\, and contributions to acclaimed television projects\, such as the groundbreaking series Reservation Dogs. \nRooted in their identities and histories\, The 1491s use comedy as a tool for activism and cultural expression\, engaging audiences with narratives that amplify Indigenous voices. Their performances often blend traditional storytelling with contemporary issues\, fostering a greater understanding of Native experiences while sparking joy and laughter. \nTheir first video\, a Twilight parody called New Moon Wolf Pack Auditions\, went viral in 2009\, as have many of their subsequent videos. The 1491s have traveled the country and the world sharing their satirical\, stereotype-busting humor through live performances\, panels\, discussions\, and appearances on major media outlets including The Daily Show on Comedy Central\, Reservation Dogs on FX\, and Dallas Goldtooth’s TikTok. They have also used their talents to address social and legislative issues\, such as the full inclusion of Indigenous women in the Violence Against Women Act. \nFour of the five 1491s members will be in conversation with Eric Ting\, Chinese-American Obie award-winning director. \nDallas Goldtooth (Mdewakanton Dakota/​Diné) is a writer\, artist\, actor\, and Dakota language instructor\, known for his roles in Reservation Dogs\, Rutherford Falls\, and Ghosts. \nMigizi Pensoneau (Ponca/​Ojibwe) is a writer\, producer\, and cultural consultant with credits on Barkskins\, Rutherford Falls\, and Reservation Dogs. \nRyan RedCorn (Osage Nation) is a graphic artist\, writer\, and actor\, contributing to Reservation Dogs as a writer and performer\, and appearing in Barking Water. \nBobby Wilson (Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota) is an artist and actor\, with work on Rutherford Falls\, Reservation Dogs\, and Spirit Rangers. \nPresented in partnership with the University Musical Society. This project was made possible by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan. \nSeries presenting partners: Detroit PBS\, ALL ARTS\, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public. \nThe Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series Fall 2024 Season\nThis fall\, the Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series brings respected leaders and innovators from a broad spectrum of creative fields to Ann Arbor’s historic Michigan Theater for weekly in-person events. \nDetroit PBS and PBS Books\, in partnership with the Stamps School\, will stream each week’s event Fridays at 8pm. \nSee the full schedule of events livestreamed by PBS Books here. \nSome programs may not be available online\, depending on artist requests. Interested in receiving notifications before online videos go live? Sign up to receive a reminder before each event begins streaming. \nWatch Past Penny Stamps Episodes
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/1491s-the-full-migizi-the-penny-stamps-distinguished-speaker-series/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250205T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250205T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250130T161014Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250204T142637Z
UID:10943-1738785600-1738789200@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:The Wright Conversations featuring LaTosha Brown
DESCRIPTION:PBS Books is proud to share a conversation from the Charles H. Wright Museum! LaTosha Brown\, co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund\, delivers a powerful keynote address about MLK Day. Her speech explores the critical need for African Americans and all disenfranchised members of our community to exercise the right to vote as a means of achieving social justice. Her remarks highlight the healing power of love amidst personal grief and loss. Brown emphasizes that understanding our shared humanity requires embracing pain and compassion providing a perfect start to the Wright’s annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring legacy. \nWebsite: MsLaToshaBrown.com \nIG: @MsLaToshaBrown \nTwitter: @MsLaToshaBrown
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/the-wright-conversations-featuring-latosha-brown/
CATEGORIES:Wright Museum
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250207T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250207T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250114T193539Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250114T193540Z
UID:10872-1738958400-1738962000@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:George Rodriguez - Guardians\, Altars\, and Community | The Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series
DESCRIPTION:Born and raised in the border city of El Paso\, TX\, George Rodriguez creates highly ornamented ceramic sculptures\, largely unified by a connection to sociopolitical themes. Drawing inspiration from his Mexican American upbringing and experience with global travel\, his guardian figures\, tomb sculptures\, and installations commemorate and build community. Realized with ornamentation\, humor\, and reverence for heritage and celebration\, his art aims to build bridges between cultures and across time. \nRecent projects include a permanent installation at the new Kansas City International Airport\, a community tile mural at The Clay Studio in Philadelphia\, and an outdoor public sculpture at CASA of Maryland\, an immigration advocacy organization in Baltimore. His work has shown extensively throughout the U.S. including the Whatcom Museum\, Bellingham\, WA; Crocker Art Museum\, Sacramento\, CA; Canton Art Museum\, Canton\, OH; amongst others. \nRodriguez’s sculptures are part of the collections of the National Museum of Mexican Art\, Chicago\, IL; the University of Washington’s Paul G. Allen College of Computer Science and Engineering\, Seattle\, WA; Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum\, Washington D.C.\, and the National Museum in Stockholm\, Sweden. He was featured on PBS Craft in America’s ​“Storytellers” episode. \nRodriguez is an educator and assistant professor at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture in Philadelphia. His teaching extends beyond the university to engage diverse communities in collaborative building projects\, such as tile murals and collectively designed large-scale sculpture. The interchange of ideas from teaching and mentorship recharges Rodriguez’s creative practice. \nPresented in partnership with Institute for the Humanities. This project was made possible by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan. \nSeries presenting partners: Detroit PBS\, ALL ARTS\, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public. \nThe Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series Fall 2024 Season\nThis fall\, the Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series brings respected leaders and innovators from a broad spectrum of creative fields to Ann Arbor’s historic Michigan Theater for weekly in-person events. \nDetroit PBS and PBS Books\, in partnership with the Stamps School\, will stream each week’s event Fridays at 8pm. \nSee the full schedule of events livestreamed by PBS Books here. \nSome programs may not be available online\, depending on artist requests. Interested in receiving notifications before online videos go live? Sign up to receive a reminder before each event begins streaming. \nWatch Past Penny Stamps Episodes
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/george-rodriguez-guardians-altars-and-community-the-penny-stamps-distinguished-speaker-series/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250214T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250214T170000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250114T193925Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250210T193152Z
UID:10875-1739520000-1739552400@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:Stacey Kirby - The Bureau of Personal Belonging | The Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series
DESCRIPTION:Stacey Kirby is a queer\, white-bodied\, self-appointed civil servant and interdisciplinary artist known for creating participatory installations that explore themes of identity\, community\, and civil rights. Through interactive performances and immersive environments\, she invites audiences to reflect on their roles in civic and social engagement. Kirby’s work takes place in traditional art spaces and alternative public spaces such as restrooms\, on billboards and at protests. \nAs the recipient of the 2025 Roman J. Witt Artist-in-Residence Award\, Kirby will collaborate with the campus community to create a new iteration of The Bureau of Personal Belonging\, reflecting the current cultural\, societal\, and political landscape. The Bureau\, a series of performances set within site-specific art installations\, utilizes bureaucratic forms\, postures\, and language in vintage office environments to engage participants and community performers in exploring questions of civil authority. With a history spanning two decades\, including over 200 performances\, involving 300 community performers\, and engaging 10\,000 participants\, Kirby’s work employs humor and satire to foster an on-going dialogue about identity\, community\, and human rights. \nKirby is a recipient of numerous awards\, including the ArtPrize 8 Juried Grand Prize and an NC Arts Council Artist Fellowship for Visual Artists; has been nominated for the United States Artists Award and the Anonymous Was A Woman Award; and was a finalist for the 1858 Prize. Kirby has also been awarded artist residencies at the Headlands Center for the Arts\, Barton College\, the Atlantic Center for the Arts\, the Gibbes Museum of Art\, and was a visiting artist at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Her work is represented in the Ackland Art Museum at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill\, Duke University Rare Book Collection\, and other private collections. Kirby has a dual degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Studio Art and Journalism and Mass Communication. Kirby serves her community on the Nasher Museum of Art’s Friends Board at Duke University and as a member of the Scrap Exchange Board of Directors. \nPresented in partnership with Stamps Gallery and Roman J. Witt Artist Residency Program. This project was made possible by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan. \nSeries presenting partners: Detroit PBS\, ALL ARTS\, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public. \nThe Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series Fall 2024 Season\nThis fall\, the Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series brings respected leaders and innovators from a broad spectrum of creative fields to Ann Arbor’s historic Michigan Theater for weekly in-person events. \nDetroit PBS and PBS Books\, in partnership with the Stamps School\, will stream each week’s event Fridays at 8pm. \nSee the full schedule of events livestreamed by PBS Books here. \nSome programs may not be available online\, depending on artist requests. Interested in receiving notifications before online videos go live? Sign up to receive a reminder before each event begins streaming. \nWatch Past Penny Stamps Episodes
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/stacey-kirby-the-bureau-of-personal-belonging/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250214T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250214T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250213T183851Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250218T182354Z
UID:11239-1739563200-1739566800@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:The Magic of Masterpiece | All Creatures Great and Small | Filmmaker Talk with Melissa Gallant
DESCRIPTION:Join Heather-Marie Montilla for an engaging conversation with Melissa Gallant\, Executive Producer of All Creatures Great and Small\, as they share exclusive behind-the-scenes insights into the highly anticipated Season 5 of this cherished series.
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/the-magic-of-masterpiece-all-creatures-great-and-small-filmmaker-talk-with-melissa-gallant/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250219T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250219T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250210T192931Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250219T202358Z
UID:11211-1739995200-1739998800@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:Slavery After Slavery Author Talk with Dr. Mary Frances Berry
DESCRIPTION:Discover Untold Stories of Resilience: PBS Books Author Talk with Dr. Mary Frances Berry \nJoin us for a powerful and thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Mary Frances Berry\, celebrated historian and author of Slavery After Slavery. Hosted by Heather-Marie Montilla\, this PBS Books Author Talk traces the stories behind individual cases from southern supreme courts to demonstrate how formerly enslaved families and their descendants were systemically injured through white supremacist practices\, perpetuated by the legal system. Dr. Berry calls upon us to have empathy and understanding for marginalized people today.
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/slavery-after-slavery-author-talk-dr-mary-frances-berry/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250221T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250221T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250114T194524Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250210T193448Z
UID:10879-1740168000-1740171600@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:asses.masses - Ya Herd? Theatre\, Games\, Democracy and Donkeys | The Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series
DESCRIPTION:asses.masses is a custom video game designed to be played from beginning to end by a live audience\, one person at a time. It’s the 7+ hour epic story of a herd of unemployed donkeys trying to get their jobs back\, all while navigating the perils of a post-Industrial society in which they’ve been made redundant. Cheeky\, political\, and best described as Animal Farm meets Pokémon meets Final Fantasy\, asses.masses puts the control(ler) in its audience’s hands and asks them to discover the space between the work that defines us and the play that frees us. \nasses.masses creators Patrick Blenkarn and Milton Lim are conceptual artists exploring urgent questions around the social value of art\, digital labour\, and the political potential of games. Mixing their backgrounds in performance\, philosophy\, psychology\, and digital media\, their collaborations have manifested in video games\, participatory installations\, digital archives\, and card games. In addition to asses.masses\, Patrick and Milton are also the co-founders of the Canadian national video archive of performance (videocan) and the co-creators behind a performing arts economy trading card game (culturecapital). Their projects have been presented across Canada\, as well as in Argentina\, Mexico\, Spain\, Italy\, Germany\, the USA\, and the UK\, in English\, French\, Spanish\, Italian\, German\, and Catalan. \nIn tandem with their appearance in the Penny Stamps Series\, asses.masses will be in performance as part of the UMS season on February 15 and 16\, 2025 at the Stamps Auditorium\, Walgreen Drama Center. \nPresented in Partnership with University Musical Society. This project was made possible by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan. \nSeries presenting partners: Detroit PBS\, ALL ARTS\, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public. \nThe Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series Fall 2024 Season\nThis fall\, the Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series brings respected leaders and innovators from a broad spectrum of creative fields to Ann Arbor’s historic Michigan Theater for weekly in-person events. \nDetroit PBS and PBS Books\, in partnership with the Stamps School\, will stream each week’s event Fridays at 8pm. \nSee the full schedule of events livestreamed by PBS Books here. \nSome programs may not be available online\, depending on artist requests. Interested in receiving notifications before online videos go live? Sign up to receive a reminder before each event begins streaming. \nWatch Past Penny Stamps Episodes
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/asses-masses-ya-herd-theatre-games-democracy-and-donkeys-the-penny-stamps-distinguished-speaker-series/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250226T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250226T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250130T164646Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250723T161334Z
UID:10994-1740600000-1740603600@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:PBS Books Readers Club - 'Good Dirt' & 'Black Cake' by Charmaine Wilkerson
DESCRIPTION:PBS Books Readers Club is delighted to welcome critically acclaimed author Charmaine Wilkerson to discuss her captivating new novel Good Dirt and her bestselling debut\, Black Cake. The episode premieres on February 26 at 8PM ET as a PBS Books Facebook Live event\, on the PBS Books YouTube channel\, pbsbooks.org\, and the PBS app. \nGood Dirt tells the story of Ebby Freeman\, a woman who unravels the connections between a childhood tragedy\, a treasured family heirloom\, and her ancestors’ enduring legacy. Through multiple generations\, Wilkerson masterfully explores themes of family\, identity\, and how the past shapes the future. Good Dirt is a poignant and complex narrative that highlights the emotional and historical ties that define us. \nWe’ll also delve into her debut novel\, Black Cake\, which captivated readers with its compelling tale of family secrets\, the search for identity\, and a mysterious inheritance. \nBoth Good Dirt and Black Cake display Wilkerson’s rich\, layered storytelling and unique ability to craft vivid characters and intricate plots\, blending both historical and contemporary issues with the timeless exploration of identity and belonging. \nOur PBS watch alike this month is Great Migrations: A People on the Move\, the latest docuseries from Henry Louis Gates Jr.\, which premieres on January 28\, 2025. Preview it now on the PBS App. \n\nAbout the Author\nThe daughter of an affluent Black family pieces together the connection between a childhood tragedy and a beloved heirloom in this moving novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake\, a Read with Jenna Book Club Pick\n\nRead More\n\n \n\nWhen ten-year-old Ebby Freeman heard the gunshot\, time stopped. And when she saw her brother\, Baz\, lying on the floor surrounded by the shattered pieces of a centuries-old jar\, life as Ebby knew it shattered as well.\n\nThe crime was never solved—and because the Freemans were one of the only Black families in a particularly well-to-do enclave of New England—the case has had an enduring\, voyeuristic pull for the public. The last thing the Freemans want is another media frenzy splashing their family across the papers\, but when Ebby's high profile romance falls apart without any explanation\, that's exactly what they get.\n\nSo Ebby flees to France\, only for her past to follow her there. And as she tries to process what's happened\, she begins to think about the other loss her family suffered on that day eighteen years ago—the stoneware jar that had been in their family for generations\, brought North by an enslaved ancestor. But little does she know that the handcrafted piece of pottery held more than just her family's history—it might also hold the key to unlocking her own future.\n\nIn this sweeping\, evocative novel\, Charmaine Wilkerson brings to life a multi-generational epic that examines how the past informs our present.\, We can’t choose what we inherit. But can we choose who we become?\n\nIn present-day California\, Eleanor Bennett’s death leaves behind a puzzling inheritance for her two children\, Byron and Benny: a black cake\, made from a family recipe with a long history\, and a voice recording. In her message\, Eleanor shares a tumultuous story about a headstrong young swimmer who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder. The heartbreaking tale Eleanor unfolds\, the secrets she still holds back\, and the mystery of a long-lost child challenge everything the siblings thought they knew about their lineage and themselves.\n\nCan Byron and Benny reclaim their once-close relationship\, piece together Eleanor’s true history\, and fulfill her final request to “share the black cake when the time is right”? Will their mother’s revelations bring them back together or leave them feeling more lost than ever?\n\nCharmaine Wilkerson’s debut novel is a story of how the inheritance of betrayals\, secrets\, memories\, and even names can shape relationships and history. Deeply evocative and beautifully written\, Black Cake is an extraordinary journey through the life of a family changed forever by the choices of its matriarch.\n \n\n\nRead Less
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/readers-club-202/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250228T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250228T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250114T194959Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250210T193208Z
UID:10882-1740772800-1740776400@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:Tiff Massey - Whatupdoe | The Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series
DESCRIPTION:Tiff Massey is an artist whose practice centers around adornment and community. Massey creates jewelry\, sculpture\, performance\, video\, music\, and immersive environments with large-scale jewelry pieces and quilts. Massey was the first Black woman to earn an MFA in metalsmithing from the Cranbrook Academy of Art. She draws on 1980s hip-hop culture and her experiences as a Detroit native to explore the concept of adornment in African diaspora and contemporary issues surrounding race\, class\, and popular culture. \nMassey merges her art practice with meaningful community engagement to explore the relationship between identity\, public space\, and community. Her installation 7 Mile + Livernois\, currently on display at the Detroit Institute of Arts\, refers to the neighborhood at the heart of Detroit’s Black business and fashion district. It is also where Massey grew up\, and the site of a new art and community space Massey is building that blends her craft with her drive for community kinship. \nTiff Massey’s art has been featured in solo and group shows around the US and internationally\, and has garnered multiple awards. Massey’s work is in the permanent collections of many institutions\, including the Museum of Art and Design in New York and the National Gallery of Victoria in Australia. She is the winner of the 2021 United States Artists Fellowship and the 2019 Art Jewelry Forum Susan Beech Mid-Career Artist Grant\, a two-time winner of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation’s Knights Arts Challenge\, and a 2015 Kresge Artists Fellowship recipient. \nThis project was made possible by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan. \nSeries presenting partners: Detroit PBS\, ALL ARTS\, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public. \nThe Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series Fall 2024 Season\nThis fall\, the Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series brings respected leaders and innovators from a broad spectrum of creative fields to Ann Arbor’s historic Michigan Theater for weekly in-person events. \nDetroit PBS and PBS Books\, in partnership with the Stamps School\, will stream each week’s event Fridays at 8pm. \nSee the full schedule of events livestreamed by PBS Books here. \nSome programs may not be available online\, depending on artist requests. Interested in receiving notifications before online videos go live? Sign up to receive a reminder before each event begins streaming. \nWatch Past Penny Stamps Episodes
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/tiff-massey-whatupdoe-the-penny-stamps-distinguished-speaker-series/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250312T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250312T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250303T210904Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250311T204752Z
UID:11249-1741809600-1741813200@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:Author Talk: A Conversation with Juhea Kim & the Ballerina Book Club
DESCRIPTION:PBS Books Author Talk: A Conversation with Juhea Kim & the Ballerina Book Club \nJoin PBS Books for a captivating Author Talk featuring Juhea Kim\, acclaimed author of City of Night Birds\, in conversation with Ballerina Book Club’s Isabella Boylston and Connor Holloway\, renowned dancers from American Ballet Theatre\, alongside Heather-Marie Montilla\, National Director of PBS Books. \nThis special live-streamed event celebrates Youth Art Month\, highlighting the beauty of art and literature—because we are all young at heart and should celebrate the arts! The discussion will highlight two remarkable books: City of Night Birds by Juhea Kim\, a lyrical and immersive novel set in the ballet world. \nKim will take center stage to share insights into her writing process\, the challenges of bringing a ballet-themed novel to life\, and the deep artistic and spiritual connections between writing and dance. Boylston and Holloway—of the Ballerina Book Club—join as hosts\, sharing their love of literature and how their club\, in partnership with WNET’s All Arts\, brings storytelling of their arts education journey and ballet together in new and exciting ways. \nDon’t miss this extraordinary conversation celebrating the power of books\, the beauty of ballet\, and the art of creative expression. Be part of the PBS Books community and tune in live! \n\nAbout the Book\nA once-famous ballerina faces a final choice—to return to the world of Russian dance that nearly broke her\, or to walk away forever—in this incandescent novel of redemption and love On a White Night in 2019\, prima ballerina Natalia Leonova returns to St. Petersburg two years after a devastating accident stalled her career. Once the most celebrated dancer of her generation\, she now turns to pills and alcohol to numb the pain of her past. She is unmoored in her old city as the ghosts of her former life begin to resurface: her loving but difficult mother\, her absentee father\, and the two gifted dancers who led to her downfall. One of those dancers\, Alexander\, is the love of her life\, who transformed both Natalia and her art. The other is Dmitri\, a dark and treacherous genius. When the latter offers her a chance to return to the stage in her signature role\, Natalia must decide whether she can again face the people responsible for both her soaring highs and darkest hours. Painting a vivid portrait of the Russian ballet world\, where cutthroat ambition\, ever-shifting politics\, and sublime artistry collide\, City of Night Birds unveils the making of a dancer with both profound intimacy and breathtaking scope. Mysterious and alluring\, passionate and virtuosic\, Juhea Kim’s second novel is an affecting meditation on love\, forgiveness\, and the making of an artist in a turbulent world. \nAbout the Author\nJuhea Kim is the author of the novel Beasts of a Little Land\, which was a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the winner of the Yasnaya Polyana Literary Award\, Russia’s largest annual award in literature. It has been translated around the world and is being adapted for television. She is also the author of City of Night Birds\, which was a Reese’s Book Club pick. A graduate of Princeton University\, her writing has been published in Granta\, the Times Literary Supplement\, the Independent\, Zyzzyva\, Guernica\, and other outlets. She is an advocate for wildlife conservation\, animal rights\, and education and aid in Africa. Born in Korea and raised in Portland\, Oregon\, Kim now lives in London. \nLearn More About Juhea Kim \nAbout Ballerina Book Club\nBallerina Book Club\, hosted on ALL ARTS\, was created as a space for readers to connect over a shared love of literature. Founded by Isabella Boylston\, principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre\, the club offers a place for book lovers to engage in meaningful discussions. Inspired by her lifelong passion for reading\, Boylston sees literature as a way to explore different worlds—much like the immersive experience of dance. “Often\, people have the misconception that dancers aren’t intellectually curious\, but I’ve found the opposite to be true\,” she says. Ballerina Book Club welcomes everyone: “All you need is an open book and an open mind!” \nGet the Latest Updates from Ballerina Bookclub and Isabella Boylston \nSign Up for the Ballerina Bookclub Newsletter \nFounder\, Ballerina Book Club\nIsabella Boylston is an international ballet star and Principal Dancer of American Ballet Theatre. She has appeared as a guest star with Paris Opera Ballet\, Mariinsky Ballet\, National Ballet of China and many others. She transcended onto the big screen in the film Red Sparrow\, as well as recently starring in Laufey’s Santa Baby music video along with Bill Murray. In addition to having an active social media presence\, she runs Ballerina Book Club with her cohosts Connor Holloway and AllArts to share her lifelong love of reading. \nCo-Founder\, Ballerina Book Club\nConnor Holloway (they/them) born and raised in Louisville\, Kentucky\, is a dancer\, reader\, writer\, producer and content creator. Connor moved to NYC in 2013 to dance with American Ballet Theatre where they met Isabella Boylston and launched the Webby-nominated\, Ballerina Book Club in partnership with ALL ARTS (2020). Some favorite books include: David Leavitt’s The Lost Language of Cranes\, James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room and Madeline Miller’s Song of Achilles. \nAbout ALL ARTS\nALL ARTS is the destination for inspiration\, creativity and art of all forms. This New York Emmy-winning arts and culture hub is created by The WNET Group\, the community-supported home of New York’s PBS stations. \nThe Mission of ALL ARTS is to enrich lives through the transformative power of art by providing a free\, multi-platform portal for the arts\, accessible to everyone\, everywhere. \nLearn More and Sign Up for the ALL ARTS Newsletter \nAbout the Host\nHeather-Marie Montilla\, a dynamic integrative leader\, is an educator and nonprofit manager. She has worked in the nonprofit sector and libraries for over two decades\, making a positive impact in arts\, cultural\, educational\, and community-building arenas. \nHaving joined the PBS Books team as their Library Bureau Chief in Fall 2018\, Montilla is now the National Director of PBS Books and has interviewed more than 150 writers. In addition\, she is a faculty member at Michigan State University and Eastern Michigan University for their Arts and Cultural/Entertainment Management Programs. Having been an Executive Director for 8 years\, Heather has a wide range of experience in management\, finance\, strategic planning\, marketing\, and fundraising. Heather holds a MPA From Columbia University\, a MLIS from Wayne State University\, and a bachelor’s from Duke University. She lives in Chicagoland\, and is married with four children\, a dog\, and a bird.
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/author-talk-a-conversation-with-juhea-kim-the-ballerina-book-club/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250321T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250321T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250114T195446Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250213T184131Z
UID:10885-1742587200-1742590800@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:Gary Tyler - Art as Resilience | The Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series
DESCRIPTION:For over four decades\, Gary Tyler has worked at the intersection of art and social justice. After enduring nearly 42 years wrongfully imprisoned at Angola State Penitentiary\, Tyler uses his textile-based practice to highlight issues of mass incarceration\, instilling messages of hope and resilience. \nTyler first learned to quilt to support the Angola Prison Hospice program\, where he was a volunteer. Notably\, Tyler was the President of the Angola Prison drama program for almost three decades\, using the position to promote a culture of community\, civic responsibility and introspection. \nMaterial\, symbolism\, and quilting traditions are central to Tyler’s work. Since his release in 2016\, Tyler’s appliqué quilts feature motifs of transformation\, self-portraits and intricate allegorical landscapes\, depicting memories of his time incarcerated\, including the legendary Angola Rodeo and his time as president of the drama program. Through his work\, Tyler honors the lives of those depicted and creates a dialogue around the lasting impact of mass incarceration and its roots in slavery\, with the hope of inspiring meaningful change. \nGary Tyler is a 2019 and 2020 Art Matters Awardee\, and in 2024 he received an honorary Doctorate Degree in Art and Design from the Massachusetts College of Art & Design. Tyler was awarded the 2024 Right of Return Fellowship by the Center for Art and Advocacy\, as well as the Frieze Los Angeles Impact Prize\, which recognizes an artist who has made a significant impact on society with their work. His work can be seen at the Historical New Orleans Collective Museum in New Orleans\, and is in the collections of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington\, D.C. as well as the City of Santa Monica’s Art Bank. \nPresented in partnership with the Library Street Collective\, with support from the Prison Creative Arts Project. The Annual Exhibition of Artists in Michigan Prisons is the largest curated exhibition of art by incarcerated artists in the world and features art from every prison in the state of Michigan. The 29th Annual Exhibition will run from March 18 through April 1 in the Duderstadt Gallery on the University of Michigan campus. All of the art is for sale and the proceeds of the sales go to the artists themselves. \nThis project was made possible by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan. \nSeries presenting partners: Detroit PBS\, ALL ARTS\, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public. \nThe Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series Fall 2024 Season\nThis fall\, the Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series brings respected leaders and innovators from a broad spectrum of creative fields to Ann Arbor’s historic Michigan Theater for weekly in-person events. \nDetroit PBS and PBS Books\, in partnership with the Stamps School\, will stream each week’s event Fridays at 8pm. \nSee the full schedule of events livestreamed by PBS Books here. \nSome programs may not be available online\, depending on artist requests. Interested in receiving notifications before online videos go live? Sign up to receive a reminder before each event begins streaming. \nWatch Past Penny Stamps Episodes
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/gary-tyler-art-as-resilience-the-penny-stamps-distinguished-speaker-series/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250326T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250326T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250311T133041Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250723T152338Z
UID:11289-1743019200-1743022800@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:PBS Books Readers Club - 'The Women' by Kristin Hannah
DESCRIPTION:PBS Books Readers Club welcomes international best-selling author\, Kristin Hannah to discuss her powerful and most recent novel The Women. The episode premieres on March 26th at 8PM ET as a PBS Books Facebook Live event\, on the PBS Books YouTube channel\, pbsbooks.org\, and the PBS app. \nIn The Women\, Frances “Frankie” McGrath\, a twenty-year-old nursing student\, impulsively decides to join the Army Nurse Corp after her brother is shipped out to fight in the Vietnam War. Her life is changed forever as she is thrust into the chaos and destruction of war\, where friendships are forged\, tested and lost. As she faces the violence and trauma of war\, Frankie also struggles with the challenge of returning home to a nation torn apart by political division\, feeling just as lost and out of place as the soldiers who fought beside her. \nThe Women shines a spotlight on the unsung heroes of the Vietnam War — female nurses who served courageously\, risking their lives to care for others in the midst of danger. \nIn honor of Woman’s History month\, our PBS watch-alike is Call the Midwife\, a period piece about nurses\, midwives and nuns from Nonnatus House as they serve the expectant mothers in London’s East End. Watch past seasons now on the PBS app. Season 14 premiers on March 30th on PBS. \n\nAbout the Author\nKristin Hannah \nKristin Hannah is the award-winning\, #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 novels. Her last book\, The Four Winds\, was the biggest selling hardcover fiction title of 2021. Her previous novels\, The Four Winds\, The Great Alone\, The Nightingale and Firefly Lane were all named Goodreads Best Historical Fiction and her international blockbuster\, The Nightingale\, won the coveted People’s Choice Award for best fiction and was a selection of the Reese Witherspoon Book Club in 2023 and named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon\, iTunes\, Buzzfeed\, the Wall Street Journal\, Paste\, and The Week. In 2018\, The Great Alone became an instant New York Times #1 bestseller\, as did The Four Winds when it was published in February of 2021 as well as becoming #1 on the Wall Street Journal\, USA Today\, and Indie bookstores’ bestseller lists. It was selected as a book club pick by the both the Today Show and the Book Of the Month Club\, which named it the best book of 2021. Firefly Lane\, her beloved novel about two best friends\, was the #1 Netflix series around the world in the week it came out. A former attorney\, Kristin lives in the Pacific Northwest. \n\n About the Hosts\nPrincess Weekes\nPrincess Weekes is an award winning writer and video essayist who works at breaking down the intersections between race\, gender\, and pop culture. Formally an Assistant Editor at The Mary Sue\, co-host of Netflix’s The Geeked Podcast\, and co-host and co-writer on the PBS Digital Series It’s Lit. On weekends she works as a bookseller at a local bookstore. When not reading or writing she can be found playing TTRPGs of cuddling with her cat\, Lola. \n\n\nLauren Smith\nExecutive Producer and host of national PBS programming at Detroit PBS\, Lauren develops content for PBS and other distributors of public media for broadcast\, streaming\, and other digital channels and has executive-produced and/or produced over 60 national broadcast and programs. Her passion is to develop inspiring\, entertaining\, and educational content alongside the best national and international talent\, and to engage important content with communities across the country. Lauren loves to read and has worked to develop and produce PBS Books content for nearly ten years!
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/readers-club-203/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250409T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250409T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250318T132125Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250425T142908Z
UID:11456-1744228800-1744232400@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:National Library Week - A Conversation with ALA President Cindy Hohl
DESCRIPTION:Join PBS Books for a special celebration of National Library Week (April 6-12) as we explore the enduring impact of public libraries in our communities. In anticipation of the Independent Lens documentary Free for All: Inside the Public Library (premiering April 29 on PBS and the PBS App)\, host Heather-Marie Montilla sits down with Cindy Hohl\, President of the American Library Association\, to discuss the important role of libraries in American society. \nFrom the vital work of librarians to the challenges of Freedom To Read and budget cuts\, this conversation delves into how libraries remain cornerstones of democracy\, knowledge\, and inclusion. We also take an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Free for All with filmmakers Dawn Logsdon and Lucie Faulknor\, exploring the untold stories behind these beloved institutions.
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/national-library-week-cindy-hohl/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250416T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250416T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250321T121234Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250425T143349Z
UID:11434-1744833600-1744837200@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:The Wright Conversations featuring Kwame Alexander
DESCRIPTION:Internationally renowned poet\, New York Times bestselling author of 40 books\, Emmy-winning producer\, and educator Kwame Alexander is on a mission to change the world one word at a time. \nAlexander comes to The Wright to discuss his newest book\, This is the Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets and read excerpts from his many writings. In an op-ed published last year in the Los Angeles times Alexander captured the challenges and opportunities of the present moment when he wrote so eloquently that “too many of us have lost our way\, our will and our sense of historic purpose. The good and righteous in us knows what’s necessary for a renewal. For a healing. For a reclamation of the most important values that have eluded us\, but still define our journey as human beings: freedom\, democracy and equality of opportunity. The problem is we don’t know where to go\, or we’re too afraid of how we get there.”
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/the-wright-conversations-kwame-alexander/
CATEGORIES:Wright Museum
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250423T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250423T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250324T184433Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250425T143136Z
UID:11436-1745438400-1745442000@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:A Conversation on Free for All: The Public Library
DESCRIPTION:Join PBS Books for an enlightening conversation exploring the transformative power of public libraries in America. This special event\, created to support the upcoming Independent Lens film Free for All: The Public Library\, features an in-depth discussion with filmmakers Dawn Logsdon and Lucie Faulknor\, as well as a thought-provoking conversation with Cindy Hohl\, President of the American Library Association. \nFilmmakers Logsdon and Faulknor offer a behind-the-scenes look at their documentary\, which traces the evolution of public libraries from their revolutionary beginnings to their role today as essential pillars of democracy\, education\, and community support. Inspired by the heroic efforts of librarians during Hurricane Katrina\, the film examines the historic and ongoing challenges facing libraries\, from budget cuts to book bans\, while celebrating their resilience and continued relevance. \nAdditionally\, Cindy Hohl provides expert insight into the current state of America’s libraries\, the fight for the Freedom to Read\, and the critical role libraries play in fostering inclusion\, knowledge\, and civic engagement. \nHosted by Heather-Marie Montilla\, this PBS Books event will also feature the official film trailer for Free for All: The Public Library\, offering viewers an exclusive preview of this inspiring documentary. \nWhere to Watch: Tune in live on Facebook\, YouTube\, and the PBS app \nDon’t miss this engaging conversation about the past\, present\, and future of America’s public libraries. \nAbout the Host\n\nHeather-Marie Montilla \nHeather-Marie Montilla\, a dynamic integrative leader\, is an educator and nonprofit manager. She has worked in the nonprofit sector and libraries for over two decades\, making a positive impact in arts\, cultural\, educational\, and community-building arenas. \nHaving joined the PBS Books team as their Library Bureau Chief in Fall 2018\, Montilla is now the National Director of PBS Books and has interviewed more than 150 writers. In addition\, she is a faculty member at Michigan State University and Eastern Michigan University for their Arts and Cultural/Entertainment Management Programs. Having been an Executive Director for 8 years\, Heather has a wide range of experience in management\, finance\, strategic planning\, marketing\, and fundraising. Heather holds a MPA From Columbia University\, a MLIS from Wayne State University\, and a bachelor’s from Duke University. She lives in Chicagoland\, and is married with four children\, a dog\, and a bird. \n\nAbout the Guests\n\nLucie Faulkor \nLucie Faulknor is an arts management and documentary film professional. Founder at Serendipity Films\, LLC\, she produced the award-winning documentary Faubourg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans. Lucie has worked with SFJAZZ\, City Arts & Lectures\, Dublin Fringe Festival\, and more. She holds a Master of Nonprofit Administration. \n\n\nDawn Logsdon \nDawn Logsdon produced\, directed\, and edited Faubourg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans\, and co-directed Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton. Her editing credits include Jacques Pepin: The Art of Craft\, The Weather Underground\, Paragraph 175\, The Castro\, The Vanishing Line\, and Have You Heard From Johannesburg among others. \n\n\nCindy Hohl\nPresident\, American Library Association \nCindy Hohl\, director of policy analysis and operational support at Kansas City (Mo.) Public Library is the 2024-2025 president of the American Library Association (ALA). \nHohl is past president of the American Indian Library Association and is an active member of other ALA affiliates\, including the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association\, Black Caucus of ALA\, Chinese American Librarians Association\, and REFORMA: The National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking. Hohl is also a member of several round tables: Intellectual Freedom Round Table\, Library Research Round Table\, and Social Responsibilities Round Table. \nHohl holds a Bachelor of Science in Organization Management and Leadership from Friends University\, a Master of Library and Information Science from Wayne State University\, and a Master of Business Administration from Baker University.
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/independent-lens-free-for-all/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250430T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250430T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250325T151608Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260302T203947Z
UID:11438-1746043200-1746046800@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:PBS Books Readers Club - "Miss Austen" by Gill Hornby
DESCRIPTION:PBS Books Readers Club welcomes international best-selling author Gill Hornby to discuss her novel Miss Austen. The episode premiered on April 30th at 8PM ET on Facebook\, YouTube\, and the PBS app. \nOpening in 1840s England\, two decades after her beloved sister Jane’s death\, elderly spinster Cassandra Austen returns to the vicarage of Kintbury on a mission to collect and destroy letters written by Jane. Cassandra must navigate time\, strained relationships\, and a meddling housemaid while on her mission to protect her late sister’s legacy. With each letter she reads\, floods of vivid memories resurface\, bringing both joy and sorrow. \nMiss Austen weaves a story that blends the youthful promise and romance of early years with the hard-earned wisdom of experience. \nIn the interview\, Hornby discusses her research and writing process\, the joys and challenges of revisiting the world and writing style of Jane Austen\, her recommended reads\, and more. \n\n“Cassandra didn’t just do Jane’s reputation a service by burning so many letters\, she did me a great service as well because she created all these holes in Jane’s life story… and it was into there\, into those pockets\, that I could put my imagination.” – Gill Hornby \n\nPBS Watch-Alike: Miss Austen\, an adaptation of Hornby’s novel\, comes to life on screen in a limited series on PBS Masterpiece. The four-part show will premiere Sunday\, May 4th at 9pm EST. \nAbout the Author\nGill is a journalist whose debut novel\, The Hive\, sold to Little\, Brown UK in a heated auction. US rights were pre-empted by Reagan Arthur Books. It’s about a group of women who meet at the school gates each day and – under the guise of the school’s charity committee – scheme\, support\, compete and jostle for position in their unspoken but fiercely run hierarchy. The book was published in the UK in May 2013 and went straight into the top ten bestseller list. Gill’s second novel\, All Together Now\, was published in June 2015 (Little\, Brown UK)— the Daily Telegraph described it as ‘a sparkling comedy of manners’. \nIn January 2020 her first foray in historical fiction\, Miss Austen (Cornerstone)\, was published to critical acclaim and instant anticipation\, appearing on many ‘Books to Watch in 2020’ lists and receiving glowing reviews in the national papers. Called ‘pitch perfect’ by Kirsty Wark and ‘deeply imagined and deeply moving’ by Karen Joy Fowler\, it retells the life of England’s most famous female novelist from the perspective of her forgotten sister\, Cassandra\, and examines the real-life mystery of why she burned so many of Jane’s letters\, a conundrum which has baffled literary historians for centuries. Miss Austen was a Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller. It has been developed as a four-part television starring Keeley Hawes by the BBC. \nGill’s Hornby’s Godmersham Park returns to the life of the celebrated Regency novelist with the deeply moving tale of a young governess in the Austen family. It was published by Cornerstone in June 2022\, and became a Sunday Times Bestseller shortly after. Waterstones selected the paperback of Godmersham Park as their Fiction Book of the Month for January 2023. It had recently been optioned by Federation Stories and Bonnie Productions for TV. \nGill is currently working on her third novel in the Austen series\, to be published by Century. \n About the Hosts\nPrincess Weekes\nPrincess Weekes is an award winning writer and video essayist who works at breaking down the intersections between race\, gender\, and pop culture. Formally an Assistant Editor at The Mary Sue\, co-host of Netflix’s The Geeked Podcast\, and co-host and co-writer on the PBS Digital Series It’s Lit. On weekends she works as a bookseller at a local bookstore. When not reading or writing she can be found playing TTRPGs of cuddling with her cat\, Lola. \n\n\nLauren Smith\nExecutive Producer and host of national PBS programming at Detroit PBS\, Lauren develops content for PBS and other distributors of public media for broadcast\, streaming\, and other digital channels and has executive-produced and/or produced over 60 national broadcast and programs. Her passion is to develop inspiring\, entertaining\, and educational content alongside the best national and international talent\, and to engage important content with communities across the country. Lauren loves to read and has worked to develop and produce PBS Books content for nearly ten years!
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/readers-club-204/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250507T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250507T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250314T192519Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250604T140918Z
UID:11408-1746648000-1746651600@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:Percival Everett Delivers Bauder Lecture at CAALS
DESCRIPTION:Join us for the 36th Contemporary American Authors Lecture Series (CAALS)\, featuring acclaimed novelist Percival Everett\, the 2024 National Book Award winner for Fiction.\nPercival Everett will deliver the prestigious Bauder Lecture in the Marygrove Theatre. As the latest distinguished guest in Marygrove Conservancy’s lecture series\, Everett will read from his works\, discuss his literary career\, and engage with audience questions. \nEverett is the author of 24 novels\, including Erasure\, which was adapted into the award-winning film American Fiction. His most recent novel\, James\, is a New York Times best-seller that reinterprets Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of the runaway slave Jim. He has received over a dozen major literary awards\, cementing his place as one of the most celebrated contemporary American authors. \nYou can watch Percival Everett’s Bauder Lecture on May 7th\, 2025 at 8PM ET on the PBS Books YouTube channel. \nExplore more with Percival Everett\n July 2024 Readers Club Pick: James – Check out our exclusive conversation with Percival Everett about his bestselling novel here. \n Can’t wait for the lecture? Experience Everett’s literary impact firsthand by exploring his body of work\, including James\, Erasure\, and So Much Blue.
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/percival-everett-bauder-lecture/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250521T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250521T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250425T192917Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250506T194722Z
UID:12034-1747857600-1747861200@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:Author Talk: "Tell Me Everything" by Elizabeth Strout
DESCRIPTION:PBS Books will highlight Mental Health Awareness month with a conversation with New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Strout about her book Tell Me Everything. \nJoin us for this conversation on May 21st at 8PM ET on Facebook\, YouTube\, and the PBS app. \nTell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout explores the complexities of human relationships against the backdrop of a murder investigation in Crosby\, Maine. The novel delves into the lives of its beloved characters\, including Lucy Barton and Olive Kitteridge\, as they navigate friendship\, love\, and the search for meaning in their lives. Through poignant storytelling\, Strout captures the essence of connection and the impact of shared experiences on our understanding of life. \nAbout the Author\nElizabeth Strout \nElizabeth Strout was born in Portland\, Maine\, and grew up in small towns in Maine and New Hampshire.  From a young age she was drawn to writing things down\, keeping notebooks that recorded the quotidian details of her days.  She was also drawn to books\, and spent hours of her youth in the local library lingering among the stacks of fiction.  During the summer months of her childhood she played outdoors\, either with her brother\, or\, more often\, alone\, and this is where she developed her deep and abiding love of the physical world: the seaweed covered rocks along the coast of Maine\, and the woods of New Hampshire with its hidden wildflowers. \nDuring her adolescent years\, Strout continued writing avidly\, having conceived of herself as a writer from early on.  She read biographies of writers\, and was already studying – on her own – the way American writers\, in particular\, told their stories.  Poetry was something she read and memorized; by the age of sixteen was sending out stories to magazines.  Her first story was published when she was twenty-six. \nStrout attended Bates College\, graduating with a degree in English in 1977.  Two years later\, she went to Syracuse University College of Law\, where she received a law degree along with a Certificate in Gerontology.  She worked briefly for Legal Services\, before moving to New York City\, where she became an adjunct in the English Department of Borough of Manhattan Community College.  By this time she was publishing more stories in literary magazines and Redbook and Seventeen.  Juggling the needs that came with raising a family and her teaching schedule\, she found a few hours each day to work on her writing. \nAbout the Host\nHeather-Marie Montilla \nHeather-Marie Montilla\, a dynamic integrative leader\, is an educator and nonprofit manager. She has worked in the nonprofit sector and libraries for over two decades\, making a positive impact in arts\, cultural\, educational\, and community-building arenas. \nHaving joined the PBS Books team as their Library Bureau Chief in Fall 2018\, Montilla is now the National Director of PBS Books and has interviewed more than 150 writers. In addition\, she is a faculty member at Michigan State University and Eastern Michigan University for their Arts and Cultural/Entertainment Management Programs. Having been an Executive Director for 8 years\, Heather has a wide range of experience in management\, finance\, strategic planning\, marketing\, and fundraising. Heather holds a MPA From Columbia University\, a MLIS from Wayne State University\, and a bachelor’s from Duke University. She lives in Chicagoland\, and is married with four children\, a dog\, and a bird.
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/author-talk-elizabeth-strout/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250528T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250528T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250425T174124Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260221T210526Z
UID:12043-1748462400-1748466000@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:PBS Books Readers Club - "We All Live Here" by Jojo Moyes
DESCRIPTION:PBS Books Readers Club welcomes international and New York Times best-selling author Jojo Moyes to discuss her brand-new novel We All Live Here. This episode premieres May 28th at 8PM ET on Facebook\, YouTube\, and the PBS app. \nLila Kennedy’s life is in chaos. Her marriage is over\, her two daughters are acting out\, her house is falling apart\, and her elderly stepfather seems to have moved in. She is struggling to maintain some semblance of a career\, and her love life is anything but simple. So\, when her estranged father- who vanished to Hollywood 35 years ago- shows up at her house\, Lila thinks she can’t take any more. However\, Lila soon discovers that even the most complicated relationships can teach you profound lessons about love and what it truly means to be family. \nWe All Live Here is a heartfelt\, funny\, messy family drama that is full of surprises. It’s a reminder that even the family we think we can’t forgive may have something to teach us about love. \nPBS Watch-Alike: Caregiving\nThis new documentary executive produced by Bradley Cooper is set to premiere on PBS on June 24th at 9p.m. ET. As the aging baby boomer generation and increasing life expectancy put immense pressure on caregiving in America\, the nation’s long-term care system is on the brink of crisis. This film humanizes this pressing national issue by sharing stories from caregivers and featuring interviews with experts who are working tirelessly to ensure that caregivers receive the security and support they so selflessly offer to others. \n About the AuthorJojo Moyes \nJojo Moyes is a #1 New York Times bestselling novelist and screenwriter whose beloved books have captivated readers around the world. Her works include the global bestseller Me Before You\, along with its sequels After You and Still Me\, as well as The Giver of Stars\, Someone Else’s Shoes\, The One Plus One\, and the short story collection Paris for One and Other Stories. Her novels have been translated into 46 languages\, have topped charts in 12 countries\, and have sold over 57 million copies worldwide. Me Before You alone has sold more than 15 million copies and was adapted into a major motion picture starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin. \nJojo’s work has been featured in Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club and the Richard and Judy Book Club. She is also part of the BBC Maestro platform\, where she teaches a course on Writing Love Stories. In addition to her fiction\, Moyes is an accomplished screenwriter and a former journalist. She lives in London\, England. \n About the Hosts\nPrincess Weekes\nPrincess Weekes is an award winning writer and video essayist who works at breaking down the intersections between race\, gender\, and pop culture. Formally an Assistant Editor at The Mary Sue\, co-host of Netflix’s The Geeked Podcast\, and co-host and co-writer on the PBS Digital Series It’s Lit. On weekends she works as a bookseller at a local bookstore. When not reading or writing she can be found playing TTRPGs of cuddling with her cat\, Lola. \n\n\nLauren Smith\nExecutive Producer and host of national PBS programming at Detroit PBS\, Lauren develops content for PBS and other distributors of public media for broadcast\, streaming\, and other digital channels and has executive-produced and/or produced over 60 national broadcast and programs. Her passion is to develop inspiring\, entertaining\, and educational content alongside the best national and international talent\, and to engage important content with communities across the country. Lauren loves to read and has worked to develop and produce PBS Books content for nearly ten years!
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/readers-club-205/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250604T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250604T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250527T151033Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250827T180534Z
UID:13042-1749067200-1749070800@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:Wisdom Keepers
DESCRIPTION: \nJoin PBS Books National Director Heather-Marie Montilla in conversation with Wisdom Keepers host Ray Suarez and executive producer Dr. William Baker. \nThis exclusive conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Wisdom Keepers\, a profound new docuseries exploring life’s essential questions through interviews with leading thinkers in philosophy\, faith\, science\, and ethics. The series premieres June 9\, 2025 on the PBS App. \nMore than a preview\, this discussion invites viewers to reflect\, listen\, and engage in meaningful dialogue about belonging\, hope\, and the pursuit of wisdom. \nYou can watch Wisdom Keepers on the PBS app or on PBS.org.  \nWatch Wisdom KeepersHost\n\nHeather-Marie Montilla\nHeather-Marie Montilla\, a dynamic integrative leader\, is an educator and nonprofit manager. She has worked in the nonprofit sector and libraries for over two decades\, making a positive impact in arts\, cultural\, educational\, and community-building arenas. \nHaving joined the PBS Books team as their Library Bureau Chief in Fall 2018\, Montilla is now the National Director of PBS Books and has interviewed more than 150 writers. In addition\, she is a faculty member at Michigan State University and Eastern Michigan University for their Arts and Cultural/Entertainment Management Programs. Having been an Executive Director for 8 years\, Heather has a wide range of experience in management\, finance\, strategic planning\, marketing\, and fundraising. Heather holds a MPA From Columbia University\, a MLIS from Wayne State University\, and a bachelor’s from Duke University. She lives in Chicagoland\, and is married with four children\, a dog\, and a bird. \n\n\nGuests \n\nRay Suarez \nVeteran journalist Ray Suarez was most recently the host of Al Jazeera America’s daily news program\, Inside Story. Before coming to AJAM\, Suarez spent 14 years as a correspondent and anchor at public television’s nightly newscast\, The PBS NewsHour where he rose to become chief national correspondent. During his years at The NewsHour\, Suarez covered the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington\, four presidential elections\, among hundreds of other stories. In 2004\, and again in 2008\, Suarez moderated presidential candidates debates broadcast on PBS and HDnet. Before PBS NewsHour\, Suarez was the Washington-based host of NPR’s Talk of the Nation for six-and-a-half years. The New York Times called Suarez the “thinking man’s talk show host\,” and “a national resource.” Along with years of daily deadline journalism\, Suarez has done extensive work in long-form broadcast storytelling. During his decades as a broadcaster\, Suarez also did extensive work as a writer. He wrote the 2013 companion volume to the PBS documentary series\, Latino Americans. In 2005 he published an examination of the tightening relationship between religion and electoral politics\, The Holy Vote: The Politics of Faith in America. His first book looked at the decades of transition in urban America\, The Old Neighborhood: What We Lost in the Great Suburban Migration (Free Press\, 1999). Over the years many organizations and institutions have recognized and honored Suarez and his work. He was a co-recipient of two DuPont-Columbia Silver Baton awards\, for coverage of the 1994 South African elections\, and the Gingrich Revolution and the 1995 Republican takeover in the House of Representatives. UCLA’s School of Public Policy awarded Suarez its Public Policy Leadership Award for his coverage of urban America\, and his coverage of global public health has won national and international citations\, including four CINE Golden Eagle Awards. The National Council of La Raza gave Suarez its Ruben Salazar Award\, and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists inducted him into the organization’s Hall of Fame in 2010. Suarez holds a BA in African History\, from New York University\, where he won the Parke Honor in History and the K.Y. Daaku Prize in African Studies. He began his studies at the University of Chicago after winning a Benton Fellowship there in 1991\, and later completed an MA in the Social Sciences. In 2005\, NYU named Suarez a Distinguished Alumnus of the College of Arts and Sciences. He holds 14 honorary doctorates from colleges and universities across America. \n\n\nWilliam Baker \nWilliam Franklin Baker is an American broadcaster\, author\, academic\, and explorer. \nBaker directs the Bernard L. Schwartz Center for Media\, Education\, and Public Policy at Fordham University\, where he is a Journalist in Residence and professor in the Graduate School of Education. He is also a Distinguished Professor of Media & Entertainment at IESE Business School\, Barcelona\, Spain\, and Professor President Emeritus of WNET (New York’s public television station). He teaches a business class at the Juilliard School in New York City. \nBaker has received seven Emmy Awards\, including the 1987 Trustees Emmy Award. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has been inducted into the Management Hall of Fame by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS)\, the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame\, and the New York State Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. He received the Mark Schubart award from the Lincoln Center Institute. He has also received two Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Awards and the Gabriel Personal Achievement Award. In 2016\, he was honored by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center for his work in the performing arts.
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/wisdom-keepers/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250611T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250611T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250506T204446Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250611T154511Z
UID:12195-1749672000-1749675600@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:Author Talk: Mac Barnett
DESCRIPTION:Join PBS Books for a joyful\, laugh-out-loud\, and insightful conversation with Mac Barnett\, the 2025–2026 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature\, as we celebrate the power of storytelling to spark curiosity\, build empathy\, and nurture lifelong readers. \nIn this delightful interview\, Mac chats with Heather-Marie Montilla about the magic of picture books and why they deserve a spot on every bookshelf—child and adult alike. With humor\, heart\, and imagination\, Mac reflects on his journey as a beloved children’s book author and shares how young readers often bring the deepest insights to the stories he creates. From Sam and Dave Dig a Hole to President Taft Is Stuck in the Bath\, Mac’s work is filled with wonder\, surprising turns\, and an open invitation to think\, laugh\, and connect. \nThis ambassadorial appointment is made possible through a collaboration between the Library of Congress\, the Children’s Book Council\, and Every Child a Reader. As the 9th National Ambassador\, Mac brings his signature wit and creativity to the role—championing picture books as one of the great\, and often underappreciated\, literary forms. \nDon’t miss this engaging conversation that celebrates reading together\, building community through books\, and the storytelling that shapes thoughtful\, imaginative young minds. \nHost\n\nHeather-Marie Montilla\nHeather-Marie Montilla\, a dynamic integrative leader\, is an educator and nonprofit manager. She has worked in the nonprofit sector and libraries for over two decades\, making a positive impact in arts\, cultural\, educational\, and community-building arenas. \nHaving joined the PBS Books team as their Library Bureau Chief in Fall 2018\, Montilla is now the National Director of PBS Books and has interviewed more than 150 writers. In addition\, she is a faculty member at Michigan State University and Eastern Michigan University for their Arts and Cultural/Entertainment Management Programs. Having been an Executive Director for 8 years\, Heather has a wide range of experience in management\, finance\, strategic planning\, marketing\, and fundraising. Heather holds a MPA From Columbia University\, a MLIS from Wayne State University\, and a bachelor’s from Duke University. She lives in Chicagoland\, and is married with four children\, a dog\, and a bird. \n\n\nGuest \nMac Barnett \nMac Barnett\, the 2025–2026 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature\, is a New York Times best-selling author of stories for children. His work has been translated into more than thirty languages and sold more than five million copies worldwide. Mac Barnett’s books have won many prizes\, including two Caldecott Honors\, three New York Times / New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Book Awards\, three E. B. White Read-Aloud Awards\, the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award\, Germany’s Jugendliteraturpreis\, China’s Chen Bochui International Children’s Literature Award\, the Netherlands’ Zilveren Griffel\, and Italy’s Premio Orbil. He is the cocreator\, with Jon Klassen\, of the Substack Looking at Picture Books\, as well as Shape Island\, a stop-motion animated series on Apple TV+\, based on their best-selling Shapes series of picture books. Mac Barnett lives in Oakland\, California.
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/author-talk-mac-barnett/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250612T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250612T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250612T133542Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250612T140620Z
UID:13134-1749758400-1749762000@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:Gary Graff: 501 Essential Albums of the ‘80s
DESCRIPTION:Reflecting on one of the most vibrant decades in music history\, acclaimed music journalist and author Gary Graff joins host Fred Nahhat to discuss his latest work\, 501 Essential Albums of the ’80s. \nHost \nFred Nahhat\nSr. VP\, Production & Host\, Detroit Public TV | PBS\n \nFred Nahhat is an Emmy Award-winning producer\, host\, and presenter for Detroit’s PBS station\, where he serves as Sr. VP of Production. \nA 30-year broadcast veteran\, Fred has hosted and produced numerous programs for Public TV – including music specials from Il Volo\, Celtic Gold and the New Divas – as well as other series and specials “New Year’s Eve with the DSO”\, “The Detroit Dream Cruise\,” “The PBS Books Readers Club” and “Get Up\, Get Out\,” among others. \nHe is a graduate of Wayne State University and a member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Michigan Chapter\, USA Hockey\, and Leadership Detroit.
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/gary-graff-501-essential-albums-of-the-80s/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250618T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250618T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250611T155352Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260221T210450Z
UID:13117-1750276800-1750280400@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:Filmmaker Talk: Behind the Scenes of Caregiving
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a special PBS Books Filmmaker Talk featuring Director and Senior Producer Chris Durrance as he takes you behind the scenes of the powerful PBS documentary Caregiving. Hosted by PBS Books National Director Heather-Marie Montilla\, this in-depth conversation explores the making of the film and its companion shorts\, sharing the stories and challenges of caregiving across America. \nCaregiving — narrated by award-winning actress Uzo Aduba and executive produced by Bradley Cooper — is a poignant two-hour documentary that premieres nationwide on PBS on June 24\, 2025\, at 9 p.m. ET and is currently available for streaming on the PBS App and website. The film highlights the personal experiences of millions of caregivers — both paid and unpaid — revealing their daily challenges and triumphs while placing caregiving within the broader cultural and economic context of the U.S. care system. \nIn the Filmmaker Talk\, Chris Durrance shares insights on the innovative storytelling approach that includes not only the feature documentary but also 18 short films\, which capture diverse caregiving stories from communities nationwide. Together with Heather-Marie Montilla\, he discusses the importance of recognizing caregiving as a universal act of kindness and community\, and how sharing stories can spark greater empathy and support. \nWhether you are a caregiver or someone who wants to better understand this vital role in our society\, this program offers a meaningful look at caregiving’s many dimensions and encourages viewers to join the conversation. \nWatch the PBS Books Filmmaker Talk stream live on YouTube\, Facebook\, and the PBS App. \nFor more about Caregiving and to share your own story\, visit wellbeings.org/share-your-story and join the national conversation using #ShareYourCaregivingStory. \nHost\n\nHeather-Marie Montilla\nHeather-Marie Montilla\, a dynamic integrative leader\, is an educator and nonprofit manager. She has worked in the nonprofit sector and libraries for over two decades\, making a positive impact in arts\, cultural\, educational\, and community-building arenas. \nHaving joined the PBS Books team as their Library Bureau Chief in Fall 2018\, Montilla is now the National Director of PBS Books and has interviewed more than 150 writers. In addition\, she is a faculty member at Michigan State University and Eastern Michigan University for their Arts and Cultural/Entertainment Management Programs. Having been an Executive Director for 8 years\, Heather has a wide range of experience in management\, finance\, strategic planning\, marketing\, and fundraising. Heather holds a MPA From Columbia University\, a MLIS from Wayne State University\, and a bachelor’s from Duke University. She lives in Chicagoland\, and is married with four children\, a dog\, and a bird. \n\n\nGuest \nChris Durrance\nDirector & Senior Producer Caregiving\, Producer at Ark Media \nChris Durrance is an award-winning documentary filmmaker\, who is director of the forthcoming PBS series\, Caregiving. Durrance worked on more than a dozen films for Frontline\, three presidential biographies and an independent documentary on gerrymandering – Slay the Dragon – which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. He is the winner of a Peabody\, two Emmys\, a duPont-Columbia silver baton and an Overseas Press Club award. Recently\, Durrance directed two major PBS series on science and medicine – Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies and The Gene. He is the founder of Seven One Eight Studios.
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/filmmaker-talk-caregiving/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250625T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250625T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250527T155654Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260302T203924Z
UID:12201-1750881600-1750885200@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:PBS Books Readers Club: Our Favorite Cozy Murder Mysteries
DESCRIPTION:PBS Books Readers Club hosts a special event sharing Our Favorite Cozy Murder Mysteries from Masterpiece and the authors who wrote the amazing novels that inspired them. The episode premieres on June 25th at 8PM ET on Facebook\, YouTube\, and the PBS app. \nFor years\, Masterpiece has been bringing renowned murder mystery novels to life through fantastic adaptations. In this special episode\, we’ll feature interviews like Robert Thorogood (The Marlow Murder Club)\, Anthony Horowitz (Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders)\, and Daisy Coulam (executive producer and writer of Grantchester). Our hosts will explore the key elements of a great cozy mystery novel\, with insights from past interviews on crafting intricate puzzles and developing memorable characters. The hosts also share their favorite cozy murder mystery book recommendations. \n\n“I don’t expect the reader to fail to guess who the killer is. There’s normally only 4 or 5 suspects\, but the game\, and it is a parlor game\, is can I smuggle the killer past you? Because when you’re reading a book and you see the reveal of who the killer is and you didn’t see it or you discounted that person long ago\, the thrill you get is so intoxicating. And I’m sort of chasing that thrill when I try and write a book.” – Robert Thorogood\, The Marlow Murder Club \n\nOur PBS watch-alike this month is the Masterpiece Cozy Mystery PBS pledge program. For over 50 years\, Masterpiece has been home to captivating crime dramas\, with cozy mysteries emerging as fan favorites. These lighthearted stories feature amateur sleuths in tight-knit communities\, focusing on puzzles and characters rather than violence. Shows like Grantchester\, Miss Scarlet\, Magpie Murders\, and The Marlow Murder Club offer a feel-good take on crime\, filled with twists\, humor\, and charm. We’re celebrating these uplifting\, fast-paced mysteries for their unique\, comforting appeal. \n About the Hosts\nPrincess Weekes\nPrincess Weekes is an award winning writer and video essayist who works at breaking down the intersections between race\, gender\, and pop culture. Formally an Assistant Editor at The Mary Sue\, co-host of Netflix’s The Geeked Podcast\, and co-host and co-writer on the PBS Digital Series It’s Lit. On weekends she works as a bookseller at a local bookstore. When not reading or writing she can be found playing TTRPGs of cuddling with her cat\, Lola. \n\n\nLauren Smith\nExecutive Producer and host of national PBS programming at Detroit PBS\, Lauren develops content for PBS and other distributors of public media for broadcast\, streaming\, and other digital channels and has executive-produced and/or produced over 60 national broadcast and programs. Her passion is to develop inspiring\, entertaining\, and educational content alongside the best national and international talent\, and to engage important content with communities across the country. Lauren loves to read and has worked to develop and produce PBS Books content for nearly ten years!
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/readers-club-206/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250709T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250709T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T103919
CREATED:20250630T185509Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250710T174944Z
UID:13280-1752091200-1752094800@www.pbsbooks.org
SUMMARY:America250 Reading List
DESCRIPTION:This Independence Day\, PBS Books is proud to present the America250 Reading List—a curated literary journey that celebrates the path to American freedom and commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4\, 1776. \nAs our nation prepares to mark 250 years of independence\, we invite readers of all ages to reflect on the people\, events\, and ideals that forged the United States. This special reading list brings together compelling titles across three distinct genres—nonfiction\, historical fiction\, and children’s literature—to illuminate the courage\, complexity\, and conviction behind America’s founding. \n???? Nonfiction – Not Just for the History Enthusiast \nDive into meticulously researched works that provide powerful insights into the Revolution and the broader context of American independence that are written in a novelist style. These books reveal untold stories and broaden our understanding of the era—from George Washington’s leadership and the complexities of Indigenous and African American experiences\, to the moral struggles that defined the fight for liberty. \nHighlights include: \n1776 by David McCullough\nFounding Mothers and Ladies of Liberty by Cokie Roberts\nAfrican Founders by David Hackett Fischer\nThe First Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer\nBenjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson \n???? Historical Fiction – For the Story Seekers \nExperience the era of revolution through the eyes of unforgettable characters brought to life by gifted storytellers. These novels blend fact with fiction\, immersing readers in personal dramas set against the backdrop of historical transformation. Whether following the bold disguise of a woman soldier or the trials of Eliza Hamilton\, these stories add human depth to our nation’s founding. \nFeatured titles include: \nA Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon\nMy Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie\nThe Traitor’s Wife by Allison Pataki\nAmerica’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie\nTell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon\nThe Hamilton Affair by Elizabeth Cobbs \n???? Children’s Books – For Young Patriots \nInspire the next generation with accessible\, engaging\, and age-appropriate books that bring the American Revolution to life. These titles are packed with colorful illustrations\, fascinating facts\, and heroic figures—from George Washington and Thomas Jefferson to the everyday kids and families who shaped history. \nPerfect picks include: \nHistory Smashers: The American Revolution by Kate Messner\nGuts & Glory: The American Revolution by Ben Thompson\nWashington\, Adams\, and Jefferson by C.A. Worman\nRebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson\nThe History of the American Revolution by Emma Carlson Berne \nWhether you’re revisiting the founding ideals of our democracy or discovering them for the first time\, the America250 Reading List offers something for every reader. We hope these books spark thoughtful conversation\, deeper understanding\, and a renewed appreciation for the values that continue to shape our great nation. \nExplore the full list below and join us in celebrating 250 years of the American spirit—through the power of books. \n\n            \n          This page contains affiliate links; PBS Books will earn a commission for any purchases made through these links.
URL:https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/america250-reading-list/
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