PAST EVENTS

Jim Sciutto and The Madman Theory
Thursday, February 25
6:30pm

Whether you think Donald Trump’s foreign policy was “crazy like a fox” or just plain crazy, it is hard to deny that it will have long-lasting effects. From Syria to Turkey, North Korea to Russia, Iran to Afghanistan, and, especially, China, repercussions of the Trump foreign policy will be with us for some time. Join Jim Sciutto, senior national security correspondent for CNN and author of The Madman Theory, in conversation with Juliette Kayyem, Faculty Director of the Homeland Security Project and Security and Global Health Project at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

If you like CNN, you’ll love this in-depth conversation with two familiar faces from the news.  Bring your burning questions about national security and foreign policy!

Scott Frank and The Queen’s Gambit
Tuesday, March 2
6:30pm

We are beyond excited that The Queen’s Gambit co-creator, executive producer, and director, Scott Frank, joined us for a wide-ranging discussion of creativity, writing across genres and media, and the making of the hit series. Scott’s versatility as a writer is evident—among his screenplays are Minority Report, Little Man Tate, Get Shorty, the X-Men film Logan, and the TV series Godless, as well as a thriller novel, Shaker. The Queen’s Gambit, the brilliant adaptation of the 1983 novel of the same name, has been downloaded by 63 million households since it launched on Netflix in October. What inspires his fertile imagination and what drew him to The Queen’s Gambit? And did he anticipate that this stylish, brainy series about a chess player would be the most talked-about show of the year? Scott was interviewed by New York Times–bestselling author Gregg Hurwitz.

There’s a Book for That: Bibliotherapy with Ella Berthoud
Thursday, March 18
5:30pm

Back by popular demand! Trusted bibliotherapist Ella Berthoud has the unique ability to recommend the perfect book for many of life’s most unexpected predicaments. During this lively online event, Ella, co-author of The Novel Cure: From Abandonment to Zestlessness: 751 Books to Cure What Ails You and author of The Art of Mindful Reading joined us to “prescribe” books based on attendees’ situations or questions, because books are the best medicine!

Adrian Miller and Black Smoke
Thursday, April 15
6:30pm ET

Just in time for the start of barbecue season, we’re eager to sink our teeth into award-winning food historian Adrian Miller‘s new book Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue. In this special pre-publication event, we sat down with Miller—winner of the James Beard Book Award for Soul Food and a consultant on Netflix’s Chef’s Table BBQ—to hear the stories of how Black barbecuers, pitmasters, and restauranteurs helped develop this cornerstone of American foodways and how they’re continuing to influence American cuisine today. And, since Adrian’s book includes more than 20 authentic recipes, we might get some tips on how to make the most of our own adventures with the grill or smoker at home!

Adrian was interviewed by Boston Globe correspondent Peggy Hernández. You can be part of this mouthwatering conversation, too! Special thanks to Frugal Bookstore in Roxbury’s Nubian Square for their support of this event!