Now On View

*The C.H. Booth Library, in collaboration with the Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists, will host an exhibition in the Olga Knoepke Memorial Room at the library. The new collection, called “History In The Making: Faces of Newtown,” offers brand-new portraits of current and former residents of Newtown, each of whom has enhanced the quality of life here.

The show will run during the month of September.

Children’s Activities

*Fall Story Times: Registration for our fall story times for children ages 2-5 has started, and will continue through September 7.

Children must be residents of Newtown and at least 2 years of age on or before September 12 to be eligible to participate. No phone registrations will be accepted.

Events For Young Adults

*Book Discussion: Let’s talk about Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince by J.K. Rowling. Our next young adult book discussion will be on Wednesday, September 14, from 4 to 5 pm, in the Story Room. These monthly discussions are for grades 5-9 and are co-sponsored by Reed Intermediate School.

Call the library or sign up at the main floor circulation desk.

Adult Programs

*Book Discussions: Join us on Tuesday, September 6, at 1 pm, for a discussion of Fred Ikle’s book, Every War Must End.

How are wars brought to an end? Fred Charles Ikli argues that historians, students of military strategy, and experts on foreign affairs have tended to neglect this question. Much attention, by contrast, has been devoted to the question of how wars begin.

Throughout his work, Mr Ikli uses historical examples to discuss the reasoning of strategic analysis. For this revised edition, a new chapter on the Gulf War has been added.

On Monday, September 12, at 1 pm, The Literary Group will meet to discuss The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton.

In this timeless classic Wharton explores the privileged world of New Yorkers during the Gilded Age. The novel focuses on Newland Archer who couldn’t be more pleased with his recent engagement to the beautiful debutante May Welland. However, his world is thrown upside down by the sensational arrival of May’s cousin, Countess Ellen Olenska.

Recently returned to America after separating from her husband, a philandering Polish count, Countess Olenska shocks the staid New York aristocracy with her revealing clothes, carefree manners, and rumors of adultery.

Extra copies of the novel will be available at the circulation desk.

New members are always welcome to join any of the book groups.

*Computer Classes: A computer class for beginners will be offered on Saturday, September 10, from 9 am until noon. There is no charge for this class, which will be taught by Dan Tannenbaum from Newtown Computer Training Center.

On Saturday, September 17, also from 9 am until noon, Dan will return for an intermediate-level computer class. There is a $10 for this class.

For additional information or to sign up for either of these classes call the library.

*A Pakistani Feast: On Wednesday, September 14, at 7 pm, Kanwal Sahki will teach a cooking class featuring delicious Pakistani main courses.

The class size is limited to 15 very hungry students and you will need to pay the $10 supply fee at the time of registration.

*Real Ghost Stories: Authors Cheryl Wicks and Lorraine Warren will be at the library on Thursday, September 15, at 7:30 pm, for an author talk and book signing.

The authors will share stories from their new book, Ghost Tracks: What History, Science, and Fifty Years of Field Research Have Revealed about Ghosts, Evil, and Life After Death, using examples taken from true cases. They will also explain various types of haunting phenomena as well as their causes and triggers.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the time of the talk.

C.H. Booth Library, at 25 Main Street, can be reached at 426-4533.