Library Events for May 2007

Thursday May 10 at 7:00 pm
Pirates & Poetry by Julia Older

Julia Older will read and discuss her new novel This Desired Place
and recent booklength poem Tahirih Unveiled Thursday May 10 at 7:00 p.m. in the Hancock Town Library.

The second of Older's Isles of Shoals Trilogy, This Desired Place is the prequel to The Island Queen about writer Celia Thaxter. In this deeply researched novel set in the 17th century, ship-wrecked Thom Taylor is indentured in the fish trade by the bawdy island constable Phillip Babb. As Thom comes of age, he meets Hampton witch Goody Cole, falls in love with Babb's Barbadoes servant, is forced into Major Walderne's New Hampshire Militia, escapes pirates Kidd and Quelch, is befriended by the famous Judge Samuel Sewall and defends Shoalers from the "hanging" Puritan Cotton Mather.

Tahirih Unveiled is a compelling collection that approaches a novel in verse," says publisher Kevin Waltzer. In Older's booklength poem, the intimate, moving voice of poet/martyr Tahirih (1818-54) opens new perspectives on the Persian culture—yesterday and today. Older will talk about how she came to wear one of her poems photographed on the cover of the book— and will show this masterpiece in gold and silver embroidered by Afghani women in Kabul.

Older's novels and poetry will be available for personal autographs after the presentation, which is free and open to the public.


Friday May 18th 7:00 pm
Third Friday Film: The Gods Must Be Crazy

This 1980 comedy, written and directed by Jamie Uys, has become something of a cult classic. A coke bottle thrown from an airplane lands among a Kalahari bush tribe in southern Africa. Though it is put to many uses, the bottle becomes an item to fight over so the star of the movie,N!xau, decides he must return it to the gods. Plenty of slapstick and silliness. Free admission & popcorn thanks to the Friends of the Library.

Thursday May 31 at 7:00 pm
From Anonymous to Aponovich: New Hampshire History and Art

This presentation by the staff at the Currier Art Gallery in Manchester focuses on the artwork that captures daily life and geography in the Granite State. Not to be missed!