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.
The Friends of the Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit invites you to join us May 4th for an evening of hors d’oeuvres & libations to celebrate our equine officers. Taking place at the John Hancock Tower from 6:00-8:00 in the evening, not only will they have some of the best views of Boston, but live entertainment and a hat contest for those attendees dressed in their derby best.
Live auction items include a Duck Tour and stays at the Grayden House of Nantucket as well as the Fairmont Copley Plaza. Mark your calendars now & start hat shopping.
Enjoy a sunset cruise with French flair by Boston’s master chefs while supporting children in need.
The On Board for Kids Sunset Cruise and silent auction support the Cameleon Association, the Sunantha Camila Foundation, and the F.U.S.E School and all proceeds go directly to providing food, shelter, and education for children around the world.
Hors d’oeurves and pastry by
Chef Nick Calais, Brasserie JO
Chef Jerome Berger, La Voile
Chef Sophie Benyamina, Praline Confections
Chef Cyrille Couet, Bistrou Duet
Chef Jacky Robert, Ma Maison
Chef Raymond Ost, Wilson Farms
Boulangerie Paul
Tickets: $125 each, 2 for $240, 5 for $500
Four Courses, One Great Cause
On October 20, Fleming’s will host a special dining experience with a menu inspired by Napa Valley. Some of the most wonderful Napa wines will be paired with dishes in their signature style of cuisine. A portion of the proceeds from this event will go to the United Way of the Wine Country to directly help with the relief efforts.
The Napa Valley Wine Harvest
Pairing Experience
First Course
ROASTED GOLDEN BEETS
Goat cheese, toasted pistachios, fresh microgreens drizzled with a lemon balsamic vinaigrette
Paired with Schramsberg, Blanc de Blancs North Coast
Second Course
SAN FRANCISCO BAY SEAFOOD CIOPPINO
Chilean sea bass and jumbo shrimp over hearty gnocchi and roasted tomato broth
paired with Franciscan Oakville Estate, Chardonnay Napa Valley
Third Course
VINTNER’S FILET
sautéed mushroom medley, Napa herb hollandaise, and merlot salt
Paired with Oberonm Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Join Bauer Wine and Spirits for the Art of Pairing
On Saturday, April 28, Bauer Wine and Spirits will be hosting the Art of Pairing from 4:30-6:30 P.M.
Art is all around us, it just depends on what inspires you. What makes your mouth water on a cold bomb cyclone day in Boston might not be appealing at all on a hot July Sunday on the Cape. Just as weather impacts your appreciation of a meal, your choice of beverage can take a meal from good to great, or even from great to extraordinary. The Art of Pairing is an educational piece where you can learn the key to a successful meal–the passport for a beautiful harmonious marriage between food and drink. We will be serving Tenure Peach Fizz with smokey pulled pork sliders, Garden Punch- a Rosemary Rhubarb Lemonade, with cornbread, and a Coldbrew martini served with Pecan Pie!
For more information about Bauer Wine and Spirits, please click here.
Didn’t get your invite to the Oscars? It’s just as well because the Ellie Fund is hosting their 23rd Annual Red Carpet Gala the same evening with an epic awards watching party and tasting event.
On Sunday, February 24th, head on over to the Fairmont Copley Plaza to join Boston’s top movers & shakers in a celebration of film, philanthropy and food from some of the city’s best chefs. You’ll have the chance to meet Stefano Zimei of Chopps American Bar & Grill, Delio Susi of Sulmona, Patrick McRell of Our Fathers, Tatiana Rosana of Outlook at the Envoy, Sean MacAlpine of City Table, Stan Hilbert owner of Forage, Efe Onoglu of Nahita and Brian Mercury of Oak + Rowan.
In addition to the chef stations, there’ll be a cocktail reception, silent & live auctions, streaming of the awards show straight from Hollywood, dancing and live music. The night is all in support of the nonprofit’s mission to help breast cancer patients with transportation, light housekeeping, grocery assistance and more. Tickets are $300 per person, and you can reserve an entire table if you’ve got a group of eight — get more details and find the tickets this way.
Photos and text from Boston Chefs
Join the French Cultural Center for an intimate dinner and conversation with renowned opera and Broadway star Renée Fleming.
About Renée Fleming
Renée Fleming is one of the most highly-acclaimed singers of our time. Winner of four Grammy® awards, she was presented with the National Medal of Arts by President Obama in 2013. In 2014, she became the first classical artist ever to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl, and she has sung for momentous occasions from the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony to the Diamond Jubilee Concert for Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.
Renée earned a Tony Award nomination for her performance in the 2018 Broadway production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel. Her recent tour schedule has included concerts in New York, London, Vienna, Paris, Madrid, Tokyo, and Beijing. She is heard on the soundtracks of the Best Picture Oscar winner The Shape of Water and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and as the singing voice of Roxane, played by Julianne Moore, in the film of the best-selling novel Bel Canto. As Artistic Advisor to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, she spearheads a collaboration with the National Institutes of Health focused on music, health, and neuroscience.
Renée’s most recent album Renée Fleming: Broadway was released in September by Decca. She has recorded everything from complete operas and song recitals to indie rock, jazz, and the soundtrack of The Lord of the Rings. Among Renée’s awards are the Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Medal, France’s Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, Germany’s Cross of the Order of Merit, and Sweden’s Polar Music Prize.
http://www.reneefleming.com
About Mosaïque
Cultural programs are at the core of the French Cultural Center’s mission to promote the vibrant growth of Francophone cultures and the French language in New England. From art exhibits, concerts, and film screenings to author talks and children’s workshops, we continually seek to welcome experts in various cultural fields to provide a window onto the diverse cultures of the Francophone world.
Support Cultural Programming in Boston
Gifts made in honor of the Mosaïque Award Ceremony are 100% tax-deductible and provide critical support for cultural programming at the French Cultural Center.
Make checks payable to: French Cultural Center
Mail to: French Cultural Center
Attn: Joyce Grippen, Director of Development
53 Marlborough Street
Boston, MA 02116
An evening of remembrance, community, and support.
In light of the recent fire at Notre-Dame de Paris, the French Cultural Center will host an evening to honor and celebrate this iconic landmark.
Professor Antoine Picon of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design will join us for a presentation on the marvelous architecture of Notre-Dame de Paris, including what was lost in the fire, and its significance today.
The 25-minute presentation will be followed by a reception with light refreshments. Guests will have the opportunity to make a donation to support restoration efforts – from $5 to $5,000, every dollar counts!
All donations will benefit the Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris, an organization dedicated to restoring this iconic cathedral.
Click here to RSVP.
May 12, 1669 was the first gathering of Old South.
In the 350 years since, Old South Church has taken bold stances and pursued justice and mercy. The church of Benjamin Franklin and Samuel Adams, of Phillis Wheatley and the Boston Tea Party, they continue to make history in the 21st century. And they think that deserves some celebration! The schedule of events for the day includes:
- 11:00am Festive Anniversary Worship Service
- 12:30pm Ceremony: Heraldic trumpets, dignitaries, an interfaith blessing.
- 1:00pm 350th Birthday Party: Cupcakes & ice cream, magician, games, reenactors, and dance music by Keytar Bear & DJAB Entertainment
- 2:30pm Finale: Pealing of the Tower Bell.
Fresh Paint is Copley Society of Art’s largest and most important fundraiser of the year.
Come score original works of art by over 70 artists in our silent auction, as well as various raffle prizes.
Interested in becoming a Fresh Paint sponsor? Email CoSo at info@copleysociety.org for more information. Individual sponsorship opportunities for Fresh Paint will include your name on the gala program and their website.
