This week the Weston Public Library, Lincoln Land Conservation Trust and well, life, are bringing you some of the best in author events. Some events are local, and some are very much not, but all may bring you closer to that gift-giving adage “something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read.” Let’s nail down that last this week, shall we? We shall.

Weston Public Library events

The Weston Public Library has a long list of upcoming author talks, with one hugely interesting to me which is the zoom call with Geraldine Brooks, a well-known author most recently of Horse. This book is described on the publisher’s site as follows:: “A discarded painting in a junk pile, a skeleton in an attic, and the greatest racehorse in American history: from these strands, a Pulitzer Prize winner braids a sweeping story of spirit, obsession, and injustice across American history. The Owl put Horse on reserve about three weeks ago and it came in on Saturday so that’s going to be one heck of a lot of reading for me to make the author talk on December 6 at 7 pm. Note: you must pre-register for this event. Also if you are in the First Parish Church Book Club, you are discussing this book on December 8 so this would be a great way to cheat on insights for your club. Just sayin’.

WPL also offers an author talk on Saturday, December 10 at 2 pm with Fredrik Backman about his book The Winners, which sounds really quite fun but then you read the blurb of “the obsession one small town has with its hockey team and then something really violent happens.” Not a huge risk here in Weston, but you never know. Sounds fun and mysterious. You must pre-register for this event.

Many other events including Film Club and AIC classes fill the WPL event calendar in December. Check it out here.

Nature’s Best Hope: Douglas Tallamy presented by Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, December 8

Everyone knows the Owl’s great admiration for Mr. Tallamy and all he says about oaks and nature and what we can do better. On Thursday, December 8 at 7 pm, the author will discuss simple steps that each of us can- and must- take to reverse declining biodiversity and will explain why we, ourselves, are nature’s best hope. The night’s focus will be on how to create backyard biodiversity in Lincoln, connect habitats throughout town, and increase resilience against climate change.  Note that the Owl is aware that Weston has been unsuccessful in annexing Lincoln (those darned Minute Men) but would suggest that Weston is much like our northern neighbor in flora and fauna, though we like to shoot ours more (no hunting in Lincoln). More information and registration information here on the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust page. Support your local land trust.

The Paris Bookseller Book Event on Friday, December 9

Many Westonians know that we have a number of resident authors in town, including me who once wrote a book about my dog. I think it may have hit #3,400,300,022 on the bestseller chart. So let me re-phrase–we have more than a few REAL authors in town, one of whom sent me a book to read a while back and I just haven’t gotten to it. I promise my end-of-year sabbatical will include lots of reading.

In any case, one of my favorite Weston authors is Kerri Maher who will celebrate the paperback launch of her book The Paris Bookseller this week with an event on Friday, December 9 at 6 pm at Silver Unicorn Bookstore in Acton. The book is a “dramatic story of how a humble bookseller fought against incredible odds to bring one of the most important books of the 20th century to the world.” You can read more about the book here and you can find out more about Kerri and the event here.

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So much to read, so little time. Carve out a few minutes for yourself and pick up a new book, or an old favorite!