Bethel Public Library Programs

P.T. Barnum: The Man, the Myth, the Legend
Sunday, August 29
2:00-3:30 pm
Library Lobby

Cosponsored by the Bethel Historical Society and the Friends of the Bethel Public Library

To commemorate the 200th birthday of Bethel’s most famous native, we are honored to present Kathleen Maher, the Executive Director and Curator of the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, who will show and tell us about the life of the Prince of Humbug and his amazing introductions in the world of show business. Children from middle grades and up are welcome to join their families for this Barnum bicentennial program. We will also be displaying Barnum and Bailey circus posters and a Barnum themed quilt made by Bethel Seniors.
Registration is required for this program. Register at the Reference Desk or call (203) 794-8756 ex 4 or by email.

Ukuleles at the Library!
Tuesday, September 21
7:00-8:15 pm
Library Lobby

Join us for something different tonight…a "little" ukulele music!
Originated in Hawaii in the 19th century, this small instrument became popular in the United States and worldwide. Yes, ukuleles are small, but our featured ukulele duet, the EduKated Fleas, play the big hits - favoring swing and vintage tunes - as well as a few things you might not expect to hear on uke. Let this wonderful duo delight you with its cheerful and melodic tunes!
This is a program for all ages! Kids, ages 11 and up, are welcome!

Registration is requested for this program. Register at the Reference Desk or call (203) 794-8756 ex 4 or by email.

"Women Who Did"
Friday evening, September 24th
7-8:30 pm

Celebrate Library Founders Day in honor of Maria Parloa by attending Women Who Did, a revival of the playlet originally performed by the costumed Ladies Library Auxiliary in 1915. Includes reception.

Getting Ahead Series:
Get Your Trip-of-a-lifetime Paid For!
Tuesday, October12
6:30-8:00 pm
Library Lobby

Sponsored by the Bethel Public Library Board of Directors.
Travel the World without breaking the bank! Sounds too good to be true, especially in these tough economic times? Our guest speaker Jeff Blumenfeld will share his knowledge and expertise and give some advice on how to achieve it. A member of the Explorer's Club of New York and former chair of the organization's Public Affairs Committee, Mr. Blumenfeld will provide tips on how to generate cash or in-kind support for your next big adventure.

Registration is requested for this program. Register at the Reference Desk or call
(203) 794-8756 ex 4 or by email.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain Monday, October 18, 2010 7:15-8:30 pm

"A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" is Mark Twain's classic tale of Hank Morgan, a resident of 19th century Hartford Connecticut who is inexplicably transported to the early medieval England of King Arthur. A classic satire, "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" pokes fun at the romanticized notions of chivalry and the idealization of the middle ages. This delightful and enchanting tale shows Twain at his satirical best.
          ~ adapted from the Amazon.com editorial review

Garden Spells
by Sarah Addison Allen
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
10:00-11:30 am

Claire Waverley's successful catering business derives its magic from the charms found only in the plants that have always grown behind the Waverley mansion. Claire has accepted her family's mysterious gifts, while her estranged sister, Sydney, did not. But then Sydney returns back home to escape with her young daughter from an abusive relationship to the only place she knows she'll be safe. Spellbindingly charming, Allen's impressively accomplished debut novel will bewitch fans of Alice Hoffman and Laura Esquivel, as her entrancing brand of magic realism nimbly blends the evanescent desires of hopeless romantics with the inherent wariness of those who have been hurt once too often.
          ~ adapted from the Booklist starred review

The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible
by A.J. Jacobs
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
10:00-11:30 am

What would it require for a person to live all the commandments of the Bible for an entire year? That is the question that animates this hilarious, quixotic, thought-provoking memoir. Jacobs didn't just keep the Bible's better-known moral laws (being honest, tithing to charity and trying to curb his lust), but also the obscure and unfathomable ones: not mixing wool with linen in his clothing; calling the days of the week by their ordinal numbers to avoid voicing the names of pagan gods; trying his hand at a 10-string harp; and growing a ZZ Top beard. In his attempts at living the Bible to the letter, Jacobs hits the road in highly entertaining fashion to meet other literalists, including Samaritans in Israel, snake handlers in Appalachia, Amish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and biblical creationists in Kentucky.
          ~ from Publishers Weekly starred review

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain Wednesday, October 27, 2010 10:00-11:30 am

"A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" is Mark Twain's classic tale of Hank Morgan, a resident of 19th century Hartford Connecticut who is inexplicably transported to the early medieval England of King Arthur. A classic satire, "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" pokes fun at the romanticized notions of chivalry and the idealization of the middle ages. This delightful and enchanting tale shows Twain at his satirical best.
          ~adapted from the Amazon.com editorial review