Boston Public Library’s December literary events feature topics such as local history, Marshmallow Fluff, all things culinary, and more. Additionally this month, the Library is offering a variety of festive holiday programs for youth and families throughout the system.
- Prolific Pan-African author S.A. “Sunny” Abakwue discusses his work and his experiences as an author on Saturday, December 2, at 3 p.m. at the Grove Hall Branch, located at 41 Geneva Avenue in Dorchester.
- Local author and historian Anthony Sammarco details the fascinating history of Boston’s first department store in his new book, Jordan Marsh: New England’s Largest Store on Monday, December 4, at 6:30 p.m. at the South Boston Branch, and describes Christmas traditions of Boston historically on Tuesday, December 5, at 6 p.m. in the Commonwealth Salon at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
- Jody Adams, a James Beard award-winning chef and cookbook author, speaks about her career on Tuesday, December 5, at 6 p.m. at the South End Branch, located at 685 Tremont Street.
- Marshmallow Fluff was invented in Somerville and has been manufactured in Lynn since the 1950s. In celebration of Marshmallow Fluff’s centennial, Mimi Graney, author of Fluff: The Sticky Sweet Story of an American Icon, presents a fascinating narrative of Boston’s forgotten candy industry on Wednesday, December 6, at 6 p.m. in the Commonwealth Salon at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
- Jessica Keener discusses her novel Strangers in Budapest on Thursday, December 7, at 6 p.m. in the Commonwealth Salon at the Central Library in Copley Square. The talk will be moderated by author Risa Miller.
- Joe Bagley, City of Boston Archaeologist, shares his findings and discoveries throughout the City on Thursday, December 7, at 6:30 p.m. at the Roslindale Branch, located at 4238 Washington Street.
- Joan M. Blake reads from her book Rise up: How to Overcome Your Battles Utilizing Faith and Belief in God on Saturday, December 9, at 2 p.m. at the Grove Hall Branch, located at 41 Geneva Avenue in Dorchester.
- Boston Globe reporter Emily Sweeney profiles Boston’s notorious criminals in Gangland Boston and discusses her work on Monday, December 11, at 6:30 p.m. at the Adams Street Branch, located at 690 Adams Street in Dorchester.
- Brian Clements, Alexandra Teague, and Dean Rader, editors of Bullets into Bells: Poets & Citizens Respond to Gun Violence discuss the work, which brings together poems by dozens of the country’s best poets, and are joined by contributing poets and citizen responders on Wednesday, December 13, at 6 p.m. in Rabb Hall at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
- Local Jamaica Plain authors Amy Hoffman and Michelle Gabow discuss their works; Hoffman, known for her nonfiction writing, will read from The Off Season, her first novel, and Gabow, a playwright and actor, reads from God is a Dog, a collection of short stories. Thursday, December 14, at 6 p.m. at the Jamaica Plain Branch at 30 South Street.
- Anthony Sammarco gives an intriguing history of Boston’s libraries and how the Brighton Branch came to be on Monday, December 18, at 6:30 p.m. at the Brighton Branch, located at 40 Academy Hill Road.
About BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Boston Public Library has a Central Library, twenty-four branches, map center, business library, and a website filled with digital content and services. Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library has pioneered public library service in America. It was the first large free municipal library in the United States, the first public library to lend books, the first to have a branch library, and the first to have a children’s room. Each year, the Boston Public Library hosts thousands of programs and serves millions of people. All of its programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public. At the Boston Public Library, books are just the beginning. To learn more, visit bpl.org.
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