In any ranking system for words that have historically been ascribed the greatest multiplicity of meanings and interpretations, “season” (the noun, not the verb) should surely be near the top.
In season; out of season; high season; low season; the season; off season. Fishing season; baseball season; hunting season; football season; flu season. As might be expected, writers have their own ideas: “A little season of love and laughter/Of light and life, and pleasure and pain …” (Adam Lindsay Gordon). “A convenient season …” (The Bible: Acts; Romans). Youth is “an overpraised season …” (Samuel Butler). “To every thing there is a season …” (The Bible: Proverbs; Ecclesiastes). “‘Tis the season …” (Thomas Oliphant). “Season of the Witch …” (Donovan).
Based on solar astronomy and the waxing and waning of hours of daylight, the calendar divides the year neatly into four seasons of equal length, but it’s safe to say they are never experienced with anything like that kind of precision. Winter is always too long; summer too short. We consult burrow-dwelling rodents in search of omens that spring will come early. In spite of snowdrops and daffodils giving way to forsythia and now lilacs, longtime local residents often share the complaint that “we just don’t get a real spring on the East End: one week it’s winter and the next week it’s summer.”
And even though the calendar tells us that summer 2021 doesn’t begin until the solstice, at 11:32 p.m. on Sunday, June 21, everybody knows that, around here, the opening bell for the season actually rings just three weeks hence, on Memorial Day weekend.
Today, the hundreds of signifiers assigned to help us mark the transition between seasons have all been scrambled. With traditional weather patterns seemingly out the window thanks to climate change, many of the signals from the natural world—first frost; leaves turning; January thaw; ice locking up and then releasing the bays; first buds opening—have become bewilderingly inconsistent.
As if that weren’t enough, the seemingly interminable onslaught of Covid-19—and all the countermeasures and adaptations mustered to take it on—has now thoroughly scrambled the equation. While we continue to make progress in combating this scourge, each day that the pandemic maintains its grip makes it clear that we will likely never return to the way things were in the Before Times. And it’s sadly way too soon to try to anticipate what things will look like in the After Times, if indeed they ever come.
Any formula for combining different indicators we might have had to help us shape our expectations for different seasons has been undone by the ongoing lack of reliable or consistent data. Yet still, lost at sea in this strange and disorienting new world, we continue to look for familiar natural and social cues as aids to navigation as we try to make our way back to the pursuits and activities that have always added color and texture to the fabric of our lives.
That’s why it’s beyond reassuring to see so many instances of local institutions doing whatever it takes, and following whatever protocols are required, to stick to—or return to—their traditional schedules: clear signs that lots of aspects of summer as we once knew it (or a close facsimile thereof) are coming back.
The annual vote on the Quogue School budget and Quogue Library budget is coming up in two weeks, on May 18. The Hampton Theatre Company will at long last mount its production of A.R. Gurney’s “Sylvia,” with limited, physically distanced seating, starting on May 27. Quogue Chamber Music will play host to members of the Manhattan Chamber Players under a tent at the Quogue School on June 12. The library is lining up writers for the Conversations with the Author series, with hopes the program can go live by August.
With vaccine now available to all in this season of vernal rebirth, everyone is working to once again make summer what it’s supposed to be. All that’s needed for them to succeed is your respectful and safe support. ’Tis the season.
And so it goes in the days of the novel coronavirus today.
2021 Quogue Budget Vote
Most residents are aware of the herculean efforts that have been required to keep elementary school education up to the historically high standards of the Quogue School during the pandemic. Equally challenging, although in other ways, has been overcoming all the challenges posed to the Quogue Library’s ambitious—and magnificent—renovation and expansion project while staying on track for a grand opening in June.
The best way to show appreciation for all the hard work and dedication of the Quogue School’s administrators, teachers and staff, and the library’s building committee, board of trustees and tireless staff would be to vote your approval for all their efforts, in person at the school on Tuesday, May 18, from 2 to 8 p.m., or by absentee ballot.
Applications for absentee ballots can be picked up at the school during school hours, or downloaded from the Quogue School website, www.quogueschool.com, clicking on Budget Information on the home page. Once completed, absentee ballot applications must be returned to the District Clerk at the school by May 11 at the latest for in-person. If returning absentee ballot applications by mail (PO Box 957, Quogue, NY 11959), they should be received by the District Clerk by May 10 to allow enough time for the actual ballots to be mailed back and then, once filled out, received back at the school by May 18.
It’s too late for residents who aren’t registered to vote in Quogue to register electronically, but voters can register in person at the polls on May 18 from 2 to 8 p.m. at the Quogue School.
This year’s budget hearing will be held at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 11. Residents can attend the hearing via the Zoom link available at www.quogueschool.com.
Library Project On Track for June Opening
Busy though she is, Quogue Library Director Jenny Bloom still manages to make time to update At Quaquanantuck on the progress of the library’s renovation and expansion project.
“Actually, we have had a number of really good pieces come together,” Ms. Bloom wrote in an email this week, “and, while still jumping through some hoops in order to get our Certificate of Occupancy, the moment seems to be in our favor.
“We are scheduling the return of our collection and the staff to shelve it in our beautiful new space in time for our June opening. And the timing is terrific, as we are feeling hopeful about our ability to imagine some in-person and hybrid outdoor and distanced programs for the summer and fall.
“Service at Midland continues, but we are looking forward to: our Grand Opening in June; our Author Series this summer; Horseshoe Crab fun in August, and a whole season of Summer Learning programs that will knock our kids’ socks off! Spoiler alert: Sammy-the-Seal will be back with friends for another pen-pal program.”
Although there are still too many variables in play to make a precise prediction of when it will be, At Quaquanantuck joins with all Quogue (and East Quogue) residents in offering positive thoughts and full support for a successful grand opening of the beautifully made-over facility in June. Watch this space for details.
Great Decisions Discussion Program Looks at Globalization
The second installment of this year’s Foreign Policy Association Great Decisions Discussion program, hosted virtually by the Quogue Library, is scheduled this weekend on Saturday, May 8, from 5 to 6 p.m. The topic for Saturday’s discussion, following a brief video on the subject, will be “The End of Globalization?”
In the wake of the final stages of Brexit and the America First doctrine of the previous U.S. presidential administration, the merits and drawbacks of globalization and the protectionist policies that threaten it continue to be the subject of debate.
Questions to be addressed in the virtual program moderated by David Rowe and facilitated by Susan Perkins will include: What is globalization, exactly, and how will it be affected by protectionist trade policies? How will the United States and the world be affected by such policies? Is globalization really at an end, or in need of a refresh?
Also, in view of Brexit and the pandemic, are countries that were more inclined to pull away from globalization efforts going to continue to do so? Has there been enough of an emphasis on the economic benefits of globalization on the average person? What are the reasons for opposition to globalization and support for economic nationalism?
The Foreign Policy Association Great Decisions Discussion program provides background information and policy options for the eight most critical issues facing America each year, serving as the focal text for discussion groups across the country. For more information, visit www.fpa.org. To register for Saturday’s program, click here or click on the flyer on the library’s home page.
Quogue Chamber Music Returns June 12 with “Tenting Tonight”
Silenced by the coronavirus pandemic for all of 2020, Quogue Chamber Music will return to beautiful form for the 2021 season, opening on Saturday, June 12, at 7:30 p.m. with members of the Manhattan Chamber Players—piano and strings—performing works by Brahms and Chausson under a tent at the Quogue Elementary School at 10 Edgewood Road.
With an eye to patrons’ safety during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, masks will be required; there will be no reception following the concert; and no tickets will be sold at the box office on the night of the performance.
Tickets are $50, for the concert only; or $5 for students. To purchase tickets, make checks payable to Quogue Chamber Music, Inc. and mail to PO Box 1984, Quogue, NY 11959, or visit the website, www.quoguechambermusic.org.
After the Governor loosened restrictions on Monday this week, At Quaquanantuck received this notification from Quogue Chamber Music: “While we recognize that Covid-19 requirements are subject to changes, in order to maximize our seating capacity within our tent and remain in compliance with current NY State requirements, masks will be required, as will proof of vaccination, either with a CDC vaccination record or a NY State Excelsior Pass.
“We’ve been encouraged by ticket sales to date, and hope to be able to fully accommodate demand. Should we reach capacity we will create a waiting list and notify those on the list if seats become available from ticket holders who let us know they can’t attend.”
For further information about ticket sales or safety protocols, email info@quoguechambermusic.org.
The Manhattan Chamber Players are a chamber music collective of New York-based musicians who share the common aim of performing the greatest works in the chamber repertoire at the highest level. Formed in 2015 by Artistic Director and violist Luke Fleming, MCP is comprised of an impressive roster of musicians who all come from the tradition of great music- making at the Marlboro Music Festival, Steans Institute at Ravinia, Music@Menlo, Yellow Barn Chamber Music Festival and Perlman Music Program, and are former students of the Curtis Institute, Juilliard School, Colburn School, and the New England Conservatory.
MCP has been praised in Strings Magazine for the group’s “fascinating program concept … It felt refreshingly like an auditory version of a vertical wine tasting.” The writer’s praise continued in applause for “an intensely wrought and burnished performance … Overall, I wished I could put them on repeat.”
At the core of MCP’s inspiration is its members’ joy in playing this richly varied repertoire with longtime friends and colleagues, most of whom they have been performing with since they were students. Its roster allows for the programming of the entire core string, wind, and piano chamber music repertoire—from piano duos to clarinet quintets to string octets. While all its members have independent careers as soloists and chamber musicians, they always strive to make room in their schedules for any opportunity to come together and again share in this special collaboration.
The program being performed in Quogue will include the Brahms Piano Quintet in F Minor, Op. 34 and the Chausson Concerto for violin, piano and string quartet in D Major, Op. 21. Performers for the June 12 concert will be Adam Barnett-Hart, Elizabeth Fayette and Brendan Speltz, violins; Luke Fleming, viola; Andrea Casarrubios, cello; and Mika Sasaki, piano.
One Year Later, “Sylvia” by A.R. Gurney Opens May 27 in Quogue
More than a year after it was first scheduled—and ready—to open, “Sylvia” by A.R. Gurney will be the Hampton Theatre Company’s first production at the Quogue Community Hall since all theaters in the state were shuttered on March 12, 2020 by order of Governor Andrew Cuomo in response to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. The romantic comedy about the impact of adopting a stray dog on an empty-nest marriage opens on Thursday, May 27, and runs through June 13.
In accordance with the Governor’s guidance for small theaters, seating capacity will be limited for each performance to approximately 60 ticket holders, who will be required to wear appropriate face coverings while inside the theater. To ensure physical distancing, tickets will only be sold in advance through the company’s website, www.hamptontheatre.org, or by phoning the HTC box office at 1-631-653-8955. A complete list of HTC safety protocols may be found at www.hamptontheatre.org.
In “Sylvia,” a sassy stray dog (played by a human) is brought home from Central Park and becomes a major bone of contention for Greg and Kate. A street-smart mixture of (possibly) Lab and poodle, Sylvia offers Greg an escape from the frustrations of his job and the unknowns of middle age. While Kate considers Sylvia a rival for Greg’s affection, Sylvia sees Kate as clueless about the bond between man and dog. After a series of hilarious and touching complications, all three learn lessons about the importance of compromise and the power of love.
A reviewer for the New York Daily News wrote: “I can only call it one of the most involving, beautiful, funny, touching and profound plays I have ever seen.” Vincent Canby, in his New York Times review of the original 1995 production, wrote: “Dramatic literature is stuffed with memorable love scenes. But none is as immediately delicious and dizzy as the one that begins the redeeming affair in A. R. Gurney’s new comedy, ‘Sylvia’.”
Originally produced Off-Broadway in 1995 with Sarah Jessica Parker as Sylvia and Blythe Danner and Charles Kimbrough as Kate and Greg, “Sylvia” has been widely produced in regional theatre, including by the Hampton Theatre Company in 1998. The play made its Broadway debut in 2015 with Annaleigh Ashford as Sylvia, Matthew Broderick as Greg, and Julie White as Kate.
A.R. (Albert Ramsdell) Gurney Jr. (1930 – 2017) was an American playwright, novelist and academic. Occasionally credited as Pete Gurney, he is known for works including “The Dining Room” (1982), “Sweet Sue” (1986/7), and “The Cocktail Hour” (1988), and for his Pulitzer Prize nominated play “Love Letters.” His series of plays about white upper-class life in contemporary America have been called “penetratingly witty studies of the WASP ascendancy in retreat.”
In addition to “The Dining Room” (in 1990 and 2000) and “Sylvia” (1998) other plays by A.R. Gurney produced by the Hampton Theatre Company include “Love Letters” (1994), “Later Life” (1996) and “Black Tie” (2012).
The cast of the Hampton Theatre Company revival of “Sylvia” features four HTC veterans: Amanda Griemsmann (“A Comedy of Tenors,” “Don’t Dress for Dinner”) as Sylvia; Catherine Maloney (“A Comedy of Tenors,” “The Boys Next Door”) as Kate; and George Loizides (“On Golden Pond,” “Alarms and Excursions”) in three different roles. Adding a touch of mystery, the HTC has so far offered only one clue as to the identity of the actor playing Greg, noting that the role will feature “a familiar HTC face.”
Hampton Theatre Company Artistic Director Diana Marbury directs. Set design is by Sean Marbury; lighting design by Sebastian Paczynski; sound by Seamus Naughton; and costumes by Teresa Lebrun.
Because of limited seating capacity under the Governor’s guidelines, the HTC has added two additional Saturday matinees to the company’s regular production schedule. “Sylvia” runs at the Quogue Community Hall from May 27 to June 13, with performances on Thursdays and Fridays at 7, Saturdays at 2:30 and 8, and Sundays at 2:30. Tickets have been on sale for a week so far, and the limited seating capacity for each performance has already translated into several “sold-out” performances. There are currently a good number of seats available at all three Saturday matinees, as well as some seats for Friday and Saturday night performances.
Discount tickets for “Sylvia” are available for veterans, Native Americans, seniors, patrons under 35, and students. For reservations and information on all available discounts, visit www.hamptontheatre.org or email info@hamptontheatre.org.
To reserve tickets, visit www.hamptontheatre.org, or call the HTC box office at 1-631-653-8955.
Go Native Movement Gaining Momentum
Since the announcement in the April 8 At Quaquanantuck of the establishment of the new Quogue “Go Native” group, a number of readers have expressed an interest in the initiative encouraging the use of native plants and the forswearing of pesticides, but many are unsure what steps to take next. Never fear: Lulie Morrisey and Paula Prentis stand ready to keep you informed and provide practical steps for restoring the biodiversity on properties in our area.
As Ms. Morrisey writes: “For those who haven’t already seen a Doug Tallamy presentation, we urge you to make that your first step in order to really “get” how individual homeowners can make a difference in achieving the balance that nature requires to have a fully functioning ecosystem. Click on or visit the following link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY4aV5hqkxY.
“Another important step in the process is to not choose plants solely for their decorative value; select instead those (typically native) plants that will contribute to a healthy ecosystem.
“It’s also important to think in terms of combinations of native plants, as illustrated by the following helpful anecdote from Paula Prentis:
“‘I was about to add four ‘butterfly bushes’ (Buddleia) to our yard,’ Paula said, ‘when a very kind friend explained that unless I had the corresponding plants to support the butterfly cycle, I wouldn’t be doing the butterflies a favor! Without both a host plant AND a nectar plant, I’d be bumming out the lepidoptera! Host plants include oak, blueberry, aster, milkweed (Monarchs’ favorite), and viola; nectar plants include clethra, echinacea, rudbeckia, liatris, joe-pye weed, goldenrod, hollyhock, monarda, physostegia and ironweed. Baptisia and helianthus are both host and nectar plants.’”
“For those residents who rely on landscapers to take care of their properties,” Ms. Morrisey wrote, “it is time to speak to them about your concerns and begin to have a say on what happens in your individual environments. Find out what chemicals they use and discuss reducing or eliminating them entirely. Your property can be healthy without the use of any of these products. And the danger they pose for birds and beneficial insects is enormous (to say nothing of children or pets).
“For reference, see the Perfect Earth Project website https://perfectearthproject.org/ and read about lawn care and chemical use. A balanced ecosystem will take care of many of the ‘problems’ you may have with your lawn or shrubs. (And while you’re at it, ask your landscaper to eliminate the use of noisy, polluting leaf blowers that just blow grass clippings around!)”
To summarize, Ms. Morrisey’s wrote: “Action Steps to take in May: 1) listen to Doug Tallamy’s presentation; 2) start to come up with a plan for your property using native plants; and 3) talk to your landscaper if you use one.”
By the next At Quaquanantuck column, Ms. Prentis and Ms. Morrisey have promised to submit photos of the native areas they are starting to install on their own properties. For more information, email Ms. Morrisey at lulieinquogue@gmail.com.
Refuge Announces New “Go Native for Wildlife”
Whether or not you’re Golfing with the Owls, all supporters of the Quogue Wildlife Refuge are urged to cash in any favors they might be owed by the weather gods in order to secure fair skies and good playing conditions for the QWR benefit golf outing at Sebonack Golf Club next Tuesday, May 11.
The fine folks at the Quogue Wildlife Refuge are no strangers to promoting pollinator gardens and native plants in the local landscape. Now, building on the momentum of previous programs and this year’s Earth Day celebration, QWR Associate Director Marisa Nelson has announced a new initiative called “Go Native for Wildlife.” (quoguewildliferefuge.org/go-native-for-wildlife)
Under the new initiative, generously sponsored by the Leo S. Walsh Foundation, the Wildlife Refuge will be “working with local Garden Centers and Nurseries in the community so that together we can support our local wildlife with the sale of native plants,” according to the QWR website. “Throughout the 2021 season, participating businesses will offer at least five native plants at a time that support native butterfly, bee, and bird species. We hope YOU join us by shopping at their centers and purchasing native plants for your garden! It’s a fun way to support birds, bees and butterflies!”
The special native plant offer will be available at the following participating, wildlife friendly businesses, which will all be displaying the new Go Native for Wildlife logo: Aspatuck Gardens in Westhampton Beach; Decorative Gardens Nursery in Calverton; Enchanted Gardens in Speonk; Forge River Nursery in Mastic; The Gardens at Beds & Borders in Laurel; Holly’s Garden Center in East Moriches; Talmage Farm Agway in Riverhead; Trimble’s Nursery in Cutchogue; and Verderber’s Garden Center in Aquebogue.
Endorsers/partners for the new initiative include: The Barefoot Gardener; Dragonfly Landscape Design; Dropseed Native Landscaping; Glover Perennials; LINPI (Long Island Native Plant Initiative); New Suffolk Waterfront Fund; Remsenburg Garden Club; SandyGardenGirl; Two Thirds for the Birds; and the Westhampton Garden Club.
Upcoming in-person programs at the Refuge include: Painting in the Pollinator Garden, Celebrate World Turtle Day; a Full Moon Night Hike on May 27 at p.m.; and Earth Yoga Outdoors with Amy Hess.
Offered on two Wednesdays, May 12 and 19, from 3 to 5 p.m., Painting in the Pollinator Garden (for adults and teens 13 and up) will offer instruction in watercolor techniques so that participants can create their own paintings to take home. Beginners are welcome; dress to be outside. Cost is $35 per person; includes all supplies. Payment due at time of registration as space is limited. Register by clicking here or on the QWR website, quoguewildliferefuge.org.
Adults and families are invited to come to the Refuge to Celebrate World Turtle Day on Saturday, May 22, from 11 a.m. to noon. Visitors will learn all about Long Island’s turtles through a short presentation, then meet some turtles find out more about ways to help local species. Bring a blanket to sit on; cost is $5 per person and reservations are required as there is limited space.
Earth Yoga Outdoors with Amy Hess on Wednesday mornings at 9 a.m. is going strong at the Refuge.The one-hour class is held in a large outdoor space on woodchips near the pond, weather permitting. Participants are asked to bring a sheet or blanket and a yoga mat, and dress to be outdoors and consider sunscreen and insect repellant. The cost is $15 per class; early registration is advised (click on Earth Yoga on the Events page at www.quoguewildliferefuge.org) as space is limited.
This month’s Full Moon Night Hike at the Refuge steps off at 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 27. Adults and families with children age 9 and up will enjoy an evening hike through the forest up to North Pond while looking and listening for nocturnal creatures, and enjoying some night vision activities under the light of the moon. Cost is $10 for QWR members or $20 for non-members; reservations required 24 hours prior, as space is limited.
Clockwise from left, Meghan Lemos Dos Santos of Bartlett Tree Experts gave away hundreds of native flowering dogwood trees as part of the Earth Day festivities at the Quogue Wildlife Refuge on April 17; QWR Program Coordinator Cara Fernandes teaching visitors all about screech owls; Claire Beaver, left, helped out Theresa Belkin of Hampton Coffee at Earth Day; a percentage of all sales that day was donated to the QWR.
Full Slate of Virtual Programs Sponsored by Quogue Library
The Quogue Library continues to offer a wide array of virtual programs for all ages and interests.
The current schedule of popular exercise classes continues in May with Pilates on Mondays at 10 a.m. and Sculpting and Cardio Dance for all ages on Tuesdays at 10 a.m., both with instructor Leisa DeCarlo; and Yoga with Jillian for adults and youngsters 8 and up on Fridays at 10 a.m.
Other virtual programs coming up include: the Paint Program with Marie: Poppies on Friday, May 7, at 7 p.m., for artists who already picked up their kits last week; the Foreign Policy Association’s Great Decisions Discussion on “The End of Globalization?” on Saturday, May 8, at 5 p.m.; the Adult Book Club discussing “Shuggie Bain” by Douglas Stuart on Sunday, May 16, at noon; and a Prowler NYC Presents: Walking Tour of Manhattan (via Google Street View) exploring the backdrop of the glorious Twenties, “an era that forever transformed the New York skyline,” led by Deborah Zecler.
Highlights of programs for younger patrons and families include: a Star Wars Trivia Night on Friday, May 7, at 7 p.m.; a Mothers’ Day Story Crafternoon on Saturday, May 8, at 4 p.m.; a BOTS: Walking Robot Dog program for ages 8 to 11 on Saturday, May 15, at 3 p.m.; a Birds of a Feather program for ages 5 and up on Sunday, May 16, at 2 p.m., with participants (each registered individually) creating unique pieces of art as they learn all about local birds; and a Dinosaurs Rock program for ages 5 and up on Thursday, May 27, at 5 p.m. (with fossil pickup on Monday, May 17).
For more information and registration instructions for any of these programs and a host of additional offerings for children, visit the Quogue Library website at quoguelibrary.org and click on the program flier on the home page. Remember that new programs are added regularly, so check the website often to make sure you don’t miss out.
New Show for Claudia Baez in Chelsea
Denise Bibro Fine Art has announced a second solo exhibition for Quogue and New York artist Claudia Doring Baez, “Germaine,” opening May 20 and running through June 5 at the gallery on the fourth floor at 529 West 20th Street in New York.
Ms. Doring Baez’s “Germaine” series is inspired by the work and life of European photographer Germaine Krull, who spent years in Brazil, Thailand, and India. According to the gallery, “Krull’s life and work illustrated, denounced, and dialogued archaic patriarchal structures that still prevail even today. Doring Baez’s ‘Der Akt: Zwanziq’ and ‘Les Amies’ series channel the transgressive potential of Krull’s work and translate it to the present. Her work reaffirms the social change ignited in Krull’s work and keeps the fire burning.”
Ms. Doring Baez has been painting since childhood, after she accompanied her mother, also a painter, to noted artist Robin Bond’s studio in Tacubaya, Mexico. She has lived and painted in New York for the past 30 years. She received her B.A from Columbia University NYC, and her M.A from The New York Studio School, NYC, where she did her thesis work, inspired by Cindy Sherman. Her work has been featured in numerous exhibitions in New York City and Mexico.
Denise Bibro Fine Art is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Masks are mandatory when entering the building and gallery. Hand sanitizer is available. For more information, visit denisebibrofineart.com; email info@denisebibrofineart.com; or call 212-647-7030.
Write America Continues to Amaze
The new Write America weekly program—the brainchild of writer, teacher and Quogue resident Roger Rosenblatt—is maintaining its perfect record of providing wonderful readings and stimulating discussions between gifted writers on Monday evenings at 7 p.m. on the Crowdcast channel hosted by the Huntington independent bookstore Book Revue.
Those readers who have been tuning in already know how great this series is. For those who have yet checked it out, At Quaquanantuck recommends a visit to the Book Revue website, bookrevue.com/write-america-series, where you can access recordings of all the readings and conversations of the series up to now. I wish last Monday’s writers, Carlos Fonseca and Rose Styron, could have been allowed another hour; Mr. Fonseca’s insights and Ms. Styron’s tales of impromptu dinner parties for legendary writers and U.S. Presidents—and dinner invitations (commands) from such notables as Fidel Castro—were absolutely mesmerizing illuminations of cultural and political history.
Coming up next in the “weekly readings and conversation about how books and art might bridge the deep divisions in our nation” are: Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Lloyd Schwartz and journalist and author Priya Jain on May 10; two-time National Book Award finalist Patricia McCormick, award-winning poet and poetry editor Michelle Whittaker, and four-time Tony Award-winning actor Frank Langella on May 17; and prize-winning poet Grace Schulman, award-winning essayist Lance Morrow, and historian and author Nell Painter on May 24.
As noted, Write America runs weekly, every Monday at 7 p.m. EST on Book Revue’s Crowdcast channel. All events are free; registration is required at bookrevue.com/write-america-series. A selection of signed titles will be available for purchase with each Write America episode; Book Revue ships worldwide. For more information, click here or visit bookrevue.com/write-america-series.
Your Comments Welcome
At Quaquanantuck is happy to provide a forum for civil discussion of village issues and initiatives and welcomes all comments. All are encouraged to share observations, ideas and opinions by writing to AtQuaq@gmail.com.
News Items and Photos
At Quaquanantuck encourages readers to send in news and notes and photos of interest to Quogue residents, even if the items are being sent from winter addresses or other parts of the country—or the world. Friends and family who enjoy all things Quogue are encouraged to email AtQuaq@gmail.com and ask to be put on the mailing list.
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