Thanks to a grant from CT Humanities (CTH), a new series of eight book discussions featuring local authors has been curated by Friends Of Newtown Seniors (FONS) and C.H. Booth Library.

The award, announced in November, was one of five scholarships of $2,000 each that are intended to fund activities that align with CTH’s mission and strategic goals and objectives.

In applying for the scholarship, FONS President John Boccuzzi Sr noted that Newtown Author Reading Series is “designed to promote discussion of history, philosophy, and literary works and to use these works to create a personal connection between the participant and the discipline the author has chosen to explore.”

The scholarship will help fund the purchase of up to 20 copies of each book, to be given to those planning to attend upon registration. Each registered guest will be asked to read the work prior to attendance, Boccuzzi also noted.

Additional copies of each title are also available to borrow from Booth Library.

The CTH award will also cover seven of the eight planned stipends for the guest authors. FONS will cover one stipend and some of the book purchases.

FONS and Booth Library both “have nondiscrimination policies and assure that all are welcome at these sessions,” Boccuzzi also wrote within the application, which was shared with The Newtown Bee.

FONS promotes the active participation of seniors who have limited mobility and or limited transportation options and will provide accessible transportation to these events, the FONS president also noted.

Titles, Authors & Dates

The Newtown Authors Reading Series will begin in mid-February and continue once-monthly through mid-September. Programs will be held in the meeting room of the library, 25 Main Street.

Each author will lead an interactive book discussion about their book.

FONS President John Boccuzzi said the topics covered will include history, philosophy and literature.

“The authors chosen are storytellers in the tradition of Joseph Campbell who showed us the power of storytelling as a way to preserve culture and foster learning,” he added.

FONS will provide accessible transportation to these events.

Programs are planned for Wednesdays, all running 5-7 pm.

The schedule is as follows:

*February 15: The Peach Quartet by Nancy K. Crevier;

*March 15: The Nail in the Tree by Carol Ann Davis;

*April 19: The Great Danbury State Fair by Andrea Zimmermann;

*May 17: The Smoke of Horses by Charles Rafferty;

*June 21: My Truths, My Triumphs, My God by LaVerne Blackwell;

*July 19: The Slaves of Central Fairfield County by Daniel Cruson, to be presented by his son Ben;

*August 16: Home Front: A Memoir from WWII by C.D. Peterson; and

*September 20: One God One Goal by John Boccuzzi.

Registration is required for each program, and can be done by calling 203-426-4533 or visiting chboothlibrary.org. The events will be hybrid, taking place in person and also broadcast via livestream.

Additional Scholarship Recipients

In addition to the $2,000 scholarship to FONS, CT Humanities also issued equal scholarships to WPKN in Bridgeport for “Words: Born. Spoken. Lived.,” the first dialogue and presentation of Bridgeport-based African American poets and writers at the Bijou Theatre, scheduled for February;

Read to Grow in Branford for “Popcorn and PJs,” a series of virtual family story times with children’s book authors and illustrators that provides families with a safe, fun, and interactive way to celebrate the magic of storytelling from the comfort of their homes, with particular emphasis on providing low-income families the opportunity to participate in the spring series and receive books at no cost;

CT Council of Teachers of English in Hamden, toward its CT Council of Teachers of English Annual Conference scheduled in May, which will serve more than 100 teachers across Connecticut and this year focus for the first time on the untold stories of Black, Brown, and Indigenous peoples; and

Yellow Farmhouse Education Center in Stonington, for “Kojicon 2023: How the Past Feeds Our Future,” an international food conference scheduled virtually for February 20-March 5, to explore and educate about koji, an edible mold used to ferment and preserve foods.

Founded in 1974, Connecticut Humanities is an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. CTH connects people to the humanities through grants, partnerships, and collaborative programs. CTH projects, administration, and program development are supported by state and federal matching funds, community foundations, and gifts from private sources.