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The publishing phenomenon of summer reading started in the nineteenth century, as both print culture and tourist culture expanded in the United States. Drawing on publishing records, book reviews, readers’ diaries, and popular novels of the period, Donna Harrington-Lueker explores the beginning of summer reading and the backlash against it. Countering fears about the dangers of leisurely reading—especially for young women—publishers framed summer reading not as a disreputable habit but as a respectable pastime and welcome respite. Harrington-Lueker works to shed new light on an ongoing seasonal publishing tradition.

Please note, this is an online event. Registrants will receive an email with links to join the event. 

Order the book here! Use code S772 to receive 30% off the list price.

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Megan Kate Nelson reveals the fascinating history of the Civil War in the American West.
Exploring the connections among the Civil War, the Indian wars, and western expansion,
Nelson reframes the era as one of national conflict—involving not just the North and
South, but also the West. Against the backdrop of this larger series of battles, Nelson introduces us to nine charismatic individuals who fought for self-determination and control
of the region. Through the personal stories of these figures, Nelson sheds light on an
overlooked chapter of American history.

Please note, this is an online program. Registrants will receive an email with links and instructions on how to join the event.

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Mary Beth Norton will give us a preview of her new book, a narrative history of the “long       
year” of 1774, or the months from December 1773 to April 1775, which have tended to be overlooked by historians who focus instead on the war for independence. But John Adams, who lived through that era, declared that the true revolution took place in the minds of the people before a shot was fired at Lexington. The year 1774, Norton argues, was when that revolution occurred.

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Join us and Clara Silverstein for an online tour of the Jackson Homestead and Museum, a federal-style house built in 1809 for Timothy Jackson and his family. Located in Newton, Massachusetts, the Jackson Homestead and Museum is one of two historic house museums that comprise Historic Newton and is now home to exhibitions on the history of food, farming, and family life; slavery and anti-slavery; and notable people and events in Newton. This tour will focus specifically on the complex legacy of slavery and abolitionism at the homestead, including it's history as a stop on the Underground Railroad. 

Please note, this is an online event. Registrants will receive an email with links and instructions on how to join the program.

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On November 26, 1791, George Washington convened his department secretaries—Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Henry Knox, and Edmund Randolph—for the first cabinet meeting. Faced with diplomatic crises, domestic insurrections, and constitutional challenges, Washington decided he needed a group of advisors he could turn to. He modeled his new cabinet on the councils of war he had led as commander of the Continental Army. Lindsay M. Chervinsky reveals the far-reaching consequences of Washington’s choice to create what has become one of the most powerful bodies in the federal government: the presidential cabinet.

Please note, this is an online event. Registrants will receive an email with links and instructions on how to join the program.

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Emily Dickinson’s interior world was extraordinary. She loved passionately, was hesitant about publication, embraced seclusion, and created 1,789 poems that she tucked into a
dresser drawer.

Martha Ackmann unravels the mysteries of Dickinson’s life through ten decisive episodes that distill her evolution as a poet. Utilizing thousands of archival letters and poems, Ackmann constructs a remarkable map of Emily Dickinson’s inner life. Together, these ten days provide new insights into her wildly original poetry and render a concise and vivid portrait of American literature’s most enigmatic figure. 

Please note, this is an online event. Registrants will receive an email with links to join the program.

Order the book through Porter Square Books and use code FEVERED2020 to receive 20% off the list price.

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Former Boston Globe reporter and best-selling New York Times author Larry Tye discusses his new biography Demagogue: The Life and Long Shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy, and the lessons that McCarthy's reign offer for our times. Tye had first-ever access to McCarthy's personal and professional papers, along with his military and medical records. The author shows how – by recklessly charging treason against everyone from George Marshall to much of the State Department – the Wisconsin senator became the most influential and controversial man in America. But Demagogue is a story not just of a senator, but of America's long-standing love affair with bullies.

Please note, this is an online event. Registrants will receive an email with links and instructions on how to join the program.