The Associates of the Boston Public Library is pleased to invite you to the 29th Annual Literary Lights awards dinner.
Join the BPL on Sunday, April 23, 2017, at the Boston Park Plaza for a spectacular black tie (optional) evening honoring distinguished authors from the Northeast for their contributions to literature and the written word. The evening begins with a reception at 6:00 PM, followed by dinner and the awards program at 7:00 PM.
The Associates of the Boston Public Library are honored to recognize the following authors as their 2017 Literary Lights:
Presented by: Hentry Louis Gates, Jr.
Appiah is a philosopher, novelist, professor and cultural theorist. He grew up in Ghana and earned a Ph.D. in Philosophy at Cambridge University in London. Professor Appiah has lectured around the world and taught at Princeton, Yale, Cornell, Duke and Harvard Universities before moving to New York University where he now teaches in the Department of Philosophy. In 2009 Forbes Magazine named him one of the world’s most powerful thinkers, in 2010 he was on the list of Foreign Policy Magazine’s top global thinkers, and he was awarded the National Humanitarian Medal at a White House ceremony in 2012. Appiah, the author of numerous books and articles, has traveled around the world giving lectures on multiculturalism, global citizenship, courage, identity, and religion. One of his early books, In My Father’s House, which explores the role of African American intellectuals in shaping contemporary African life, won the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award and the Herskovits Award for the most important scholarly work on African studies published in English. Appiah is well known for his columns and podcasts as the Ethicist for the New York Times.
Presented by: Christopher Lydon
Faludi is a journalist and author who has written extensively on gender issues. In 1991 she was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Journalism for a piece on the leverage buyout of Safeway Stores, focusing on the “human cost of high finance.” After graduating from Harvard University, where she wrote for The Harvard Crimson, she was a contributor to the New Yorker, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Nation, as well as many other publications. In the 1980s Faludi wrote several pieces on the feminist movement and the resistance to it, resulting in her 1991 book, Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women, for which she won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction. She went on to write Stiffed: The Betrayal of the American Man, The Terror Dream, and, most recently, The Darkroom, which was inspired by her father’s transsexuality. She was a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies in the 2008-2009 academic year and a 2013-2014 Tallman Scholar in the Gender and Women’s Studies Program at Bowdoin College.
Presented by: Andre Dubus III
Lamb is the best-selling author of She’s Come Undone, I know This Much is True, The Hour I First Believed, and Wishin’ and Hopin’. His first two books were selected for Oprah’s Book Club, were New York Times best-sellers, New York Times Notable Books of the Year and, between them, have been translated into 18 languages. His latest novel is We Are Water. Lamb has also edited two volumes of essays: Couldn’t Keep it to Myself and I’ll Fly Away, written by students in his writing workshops at a women’s prison in Connecticut. He has taught creative writing in the English department at the University of Connecticut, was founder and director of the Writing Center at Norwich Free Academy, has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and Connecticut Commission for the Arts, and was honored with the Connecticut Center for the Book’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Presented by: Gregory Maguire
Selznick graduated from RISD where he studied illustration and, while there, took classes in set design at Brown University. After graduation, he worked at a children’s book store in New York City while writing his debut book, The Houdini Box. In 2008 he won the Caldecott Medal from the American Library Association, for The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the first such award for a book this long; 533 pages with 284 illustrations. The book was adapted into a 2011 film, Hugo, directed by Martin Scorsese. He has also been awarded a 2002 Caldecott Honor for his illustrations of Barbara Kerley’s The Dinosaurs of Waterhorse Hawkins. In addition, Mr. Selznick has received the Texas Bluebonnet Award, the Rhode Island Children’s Book Award and the Christopher Award, given to media which “affirm the highest values of the human spirit.”
Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall (Keynote Speaker)
Presented by: David Leonard
Marshall was born in South Africa where, as a student, she led the National Union of South African Students, working to end oppressive minority rule and achieve equality for all South Africans. Marshall first came to the US as a high school exchange student in Wilmington, DL in 1962, as the civil rights battles were beginning to boil over, and later returned to the US for graduate school, where she became involved with the anti-war and the women’s movements. After Yale Law School, she entered private practice, became President of the Boston Bar Association, Vice President & General Counsel for Harvard University, and then went on to the State’s Supreme Court, where she became the first female Chief Justice of the oldest continuously serving appellate court in the Western Hemisphere. Though she has had many accomplishments, Justice Marshall is most renowned for her 2003 opinion which led Massachusetts to become the first state in the nation to outlaw the ban on same-sex marriage. Although she loved her time on the bench, Justice Marshall stepped down in 2010. She now mentors young lawyers at her former law firm, Choate Hall & Stewart, and teaches at Harvard University.
In addition to celebrating the accomplishments of these outstanding writers, proceeds from Literary Lights support the David McCullough Conservation Fund, William O. Taylor Art Preservation Fund, Associates Endowment Fund, and the Associates of the Boston Public Library’s operations. The Associates created the McCullough Fund in 2001 to provide a consistent source of funding for the conservation and preservation of books, manuscripts, works of art and historic documents in the BPL’s Special Collections.
If you would prefer to receive a mailed invitation or for more information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact the Associates office at associates@bpl.org or (617) 536-3886. Thank you.
Chef de cuisine Raphael Lambert
Sommelier Alexandre Sojfer
& Nathan Derri
Menu
Chesnut velouté, truffle oil & parmesan shaving
Pinot gris Grand cru Spiegel 2013 Schlumberger
Pan seared Sea Scallops over a creamy artichokes truffle risotto
Esprit du Chevalier Blanc 2013 Péssac Léognan
Grilled Venison, butternut squash mousseline,
Chanterelles mushrooms, Black truffles, fresh figs, jus naturel
Madiran, 2011 Ch Montus
Brie de Meaux, truffled Mascarpone
Banyuls 2015 Chapoutier
or
Chocolate tart filled in Cappucino creme brûlée
Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blanc NV Mesnil
Rory Caviness Craft Digest Cocktail
4 courses dinner menu $75 per person.
Add wine pairing $39.
For the whole table only.
Chef de cuisine Raphael Lambert
Sommelier Alexandre Sojfer
& Nathan Derri
Menu
Chesnut velouté, truffle oil & parmesan shaving
Pinot gris Grand cru Spiegel 2013 Schlumberger
Pan seared Sea Scallops over a creamy artichokes truffle risotto
Esprit du Chevalier Blanc 2013 Péssac Léognan
Grilled Venison, butternut squash mousseline,
Chanterelles mushrooms, Black truffles, fresh figs, jus naturel
Madiran, 2011 Ch Montus
Brie de Meaux, truffled Mascarpone
Banyuls 2015 Chapoutier
or
Chocolate tart filled in Cappucino creme brûlée
Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blanc NV Mesnil
Rory Caviness Craft Digest Cocktail
4 courses dinner menu $75 per person.
Add wine pairing $39.
For the whole table only.
Chef de cuisine Raphael Lambert
Sommelier Alexandre Sojfer
& Nathan Derri
Menu
Chesnut velouté, truffle oil & parmesan shaving
Pinot gris Grand cru Spiegel 2013 Schlumberger
Pan seared Sea Scallops over a creamy artichokes truffle risotto
Esprit du Chevalier Blanc 2013 Péssac Léognan
Grilled Venison, butternut squash mousseline,
Chanterelles mushrooms, Black truffles, fresh figs, jus naturel
Madiran, 2011 Ch Montus
Brie de Meaux, truffled Mascarpone
Banyuls 2015 Chapoutier
or
Chocolate tart filled in Cappucino creme brûlée
Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blanc NV Mesnil
Rory Caviness Craft Digest Cocktail
4 courses dinner menu $75 per person.
Add wine pairing $39.
For the whole table only.
Women’s Lunch Place Presents Grammy Award-Winner Lori McKenna to Benefit Women Experiencing Homelessness and Poverty
This concert benefitting the Women’s Lunch Place (67 Newbury Street) will be held in the Sanctuary inside the Church of the Covenant.
Lori McKenna is one of Nashville’s most in-demand country songwriters. Her songs have been cut by artists such as Alison Krauss, Reba, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Keith Urban. Like Hunter Hayes’ “I Want Crazy,” Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush,” “Your Side of the Bed” and “Sober”? She’s the powerhouse behind those, as well.
Her credits landed her five Boston Music Awards, as well as featured performances at the Sundance Film Festival and the Newport Folk Festival. Along with her successes as a songwriter, McKenna released eight critically acclaimed studio albums. Her latest album, Numbered Doors was named by Rolling Stone as one of the 40 Best Country Albums of 2014.
About Women’s Lunch Place
Women’s Lunch Place cares for Boston’s most vulnerable women with dignity, fostering their resilience and empowering them to pursue their dreams. Last year, they prepared and served 85,575 meals to over 1,300 individual women. Medical care is provided free by Healthcare Without Walls. Advocates and support staff assist women in crisis, struggling with domestic violence, addiction, mental illness, or the stress of being homeless. Women interested in pursuing employment, housing, and other opportunities use the resource center and library, which provides access to computers and phones, free Wi-Fi, the Internet, and office supplies. The Creative Expression Program offers classes in painting and drawing, photography, sewing and knitting, and writing. Additional classes are offered in yoga, meditation, and wellness to provide women the chance to heal and respite from the stressors of poverty and loneliness.
For more information about Women’s Lunch Place, please click here.
Join the Revere Hotel for an Oktoberfest Celebration on the Rooftop
Not able to make it to Germany this Oktoberfest? No worries. The Revere has you covered with steins of Sam Adams Oktoberfest beer, mini bratwurst, sauerkraut, pretzel bites, and more.
Tickets are going quickly, so reserve yours today!
Celebrating 35 Years of Women’s Lunch Place
The Spaghetti Dinner is Women’s Lunch Place’s annual fall fundraising event. This year will be a celebration of the 35th Anniversary of the shelter. We will honor Anne and David Bromer for their vision and support for the Creative Expressions Program providing guests with the opportunity to explore their talents and interests.
Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston provides a wonderful setting for this lively, family style dinner. Table hosts don chef’s jackets & hats and serve spaghetti, meatballs, and a variety of delicious toppings. An irresistible silent auction and raffle add to the evening’s entertainment. After the dinner program, a dessert reception and dancing is hosted by the WLP Young Professionals.
About Women’s Lunch Place
Women’s Lunch Place (WLP) opened its doors in November of 1982 to serve women a hot lunch in a safe welcoming place. We have grown from serving lunch three times a week into a vibrant and supportive day community that is open six days a week. We serve healthy breakfasts and lunches, and we also provide basic necessities and services that help restore dignity and hope.
Medical care is provided free by Healthcare Without Walls, and advocates and support staff assist women in crisis, struggling with domestic violence, addiction, mental illness, or the stress of being homeless. Women interested in pursuing employment, housing, and other opportunities use our resource center and library, which provides access to computers and phones, free Wi-Fi, the Internet, and office supplies. The Creative Expression Program offers classes in painting and drawing, photography, sewing and knitting, and writing. Additional classes are offered in yoga, meditation, and wellness to provide women the chance to heal and respite from the stressors of poverty and loneliness.
Join the French Cultural Center for a wine tasting and dinner with La Voile.
Epicureans rejoice! To kick-off the French Cultural Center’s season of wine tastings, they will explore the lovely wines of Alsace with a wine tasting, followed by a separate three-course pairing dinner.
Come discover the lesser-known wines of Alsace, presented by Alexandre Sojfer, Resident Sommelier at La Voile and 1855 Bar à Vins. Alex will share his expertise working with vineyards from Alsace and why this region’s grounds are so prolific yet less available to the American market than other varietals.
Event in English. Advance RSVP strongly recommended. The general tasting is a standing event – this is not a sit-down seminar. Please email culture@frenchculturalcenter.org to request a seat/chair, if needed.
The following dinner is a sit-down three-course dinner in the French Cultural Center’s Library.
