A teenager who survived sexual assault at a private school and went on to become an activist and advocate for other victims will give a free talk Tuesday, Mar. 6, at 6 p.m., at R.J. Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Road, Madison.
Chessy Prout, while a freshman at the prestigious St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire, was assaulted by a senior boy as part of a “conquest game.” She testified against him, suffered backlash from the school community and then went public to help other survivors. Her memoir is “I Have the Right To: A High School Survivor’s Story of Sexual Assault, Justice, and Hope.”
Other events at the bookstore include a free talk on Sunday, Mar. 4, at 2 p.m. by psychotherapist Hilary Jacobs Hendel on her book, “It’s Not Always Depression: Working the Change Triangle to Listen to the Body, Discover Core Emotions, and Connect to Your Authentic Self,” which offers advice and exercises to access healing emotions.
On Tuesday, Mar. 6, at 7 p.m., Joel Richard Paul, a professor of constitutional and international law, will discuss his new book, “Without Precedent: Chief Justice John Marshall and His Times,” a biography of the jurist, statesman and diplomat who helped to found the United States. Marshall is credited with establishing the independent judiciary and the supremacy of the federal Constitution and courts.
On Thursday, Mar. 8, at 7 p.m., Valentin Chmerkovskiy, the world championship-winning and popular “Dancing With the Stars” ballroom dancer will greet fans and sign copies of his memoir, “I’ll Never change My Name.” Admission is $26.99, which includes one copy of his book.
All events require registration: 203-245-3959 or rjjulia.com.
At Wesleyan R.J. Julia Bookstore, 413 Main St., Middletown, a Local and Independent Author Event will take place Wednesday, Mar. 7, at 7 p.m. The writers, all from Connecticut, are Dan Blanchard, author of “The Storm,” about a struggling teenager; Michael Milardo, author of “Bobby Stitch,” the story of a boxer; and Jason Romano, author of the memoir, “Live to Forgive.” books@wesleyan.edu or 860-685-3939.
Stowe Prize Winner
Matthew Desmond, Princeton University professor of sociology and recipient of a MacArthur “Genius award,” has won the 2018 Stowe Prize for Writing to Advance Social Justice for his book, “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City.”
He will be honored, with two Student Stowe Prize winners, at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center’s eighth annual fundraising event, the Big Tent Jubilee, on Sept. 5, in Hartford. The event, formerly held in June, also will present a free public program, “A Conversation with Matthew Desmond.” harrietbeecherstowe.org.
Poetry And Song
A Hill-Stead Salon: Poetry & Song, with poet Steve Straight and soprano Marian Maccarone, will be held Thursday, Mar. 8, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. amid the Impressionist art in the drawing room of Hill-Stead Museum, 35 Mountain Road, Farmington.
Tickets are $100; $40 for educators/museum volunteers: hillstead.org/event/live-poets-society-benefit-event.
Shades of Jane
Avon Free Public Library, 281 Country Club Road, Avon, will offer a free Shades of Jane Austen Discussion Series on books inspired by Austen’s classic novels. It will begin Tuesday, Mar. 6, at 7 p.m. with a talk led by library staffer Cyndi Larsen about “Murder at Mansfield Park” by Lynn Shepherd, followed by discussions of “Eligible” by Curtis Sittenfeld on Mar. 20 and “Emma,” a retelling by Alexander McCall Smith, on Apr. 3. 860-673-9712, ext.225 or avonctlibrary.info.
Storyteller’s Cottage
A free program in honor of National Downs Syndrome Awareness Month with Anne Kelleher and David Kelly will take place Friday, Mar. 8, at 7 p.m. at Storyteller’s Cottage, 750 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury.
Kelleher will read from her books that have characters with Down Syndrome, a series written for intellectually or developmentally disabled individuals. Her brother, David Kelly, will sign copies as well. The books are “How David Met Sarah,” about a man with Down Syndrome who falls in love with a woman with autism, and “When David Was Surprised,” about their courtship. Reservations: 860-877-6099 or storytellerscottage.com.
Charter Oak Readings
On Sunday, Mar. 4, at 3 p.m., Connecticut poets Tim Cresswell and Faith Vicinanza will give a free reading at Charter Oak Cultural Center, 21 Charter Oak Ave. Hartford, following an open mic session.
Cresswell, dean of faculty and vice-president for academic affairs at Trinity College, has published two poetry collections, and his work has appeared in American, British, Irish and Canadian magazines. Vicinanza is a poet, artist and teacher and the author of four poetry collections. charteroakreadings.blogspot.com or 860-508-2810.
Riverwood Poetry Series
A “Collaborative Poetry Performance” by The American School for the Deaf and The Greater Hartford Academy of Arts will present 21 students from diverse cultural backgrounds. Students meet monthly to create voiced and American Sign Language (ASL) poetry, with adult mentors and interpreters.
This free Riverwood Poetry Series program will take place Thursday, Mar. 8, from 7 to 9 p.m. at The Universalist Church of West Hartford, 433 Fern St., West Hartford. Donations will be gratefully accepted. riverwoodpoetry.net or 860-655-1467.
Author’s Round Table
The Author’s Round Table at the Hartford Public Library, 500 Main St., Hartford, will host Lisa G. Samia, author of “My Name is John Singer,” a novel inspired by the life of Lincoln’s assassin, John Wilkes Booth, on Saturday Mar. 10, from noon to 3 p.m. In April, Samia will publish a collection of poems and essays, “The Nameless and the Faceless of the Civil War.” lisasamia.com or 860-695-6300.
Roar Reading Series
The Roar Reading Series, presented by Elephant Rocks Books on the first Monday of each month at the UConn Co-op Bookstore, 1 Royce, Circle, 101 Storrs Center, Storrs, will offer a free reading on Monday, Mar. 5, at 7 p.m. Readers will be Claudia McGhee, a poet and author; Lisa C. Taylor, poet and short-story author; and Emily Lyon, a writer, teacher, record shop proprietor and flight attendant. roarreadingseries.com
Bank Square Books
Bank Square Books, 53 W. Main St., Mystic, will present a free reading on Wednesday, Mar. 7, at 6 p.m. by Susanne Davis, whose latest book, “The Appointed Hour,” is a collection of linked short stories about rural life in Connecticut. Davis teaches creative writing at Trinity College and UConn. 860-536-3794 or banksquarebooks.com.
“Quiet”
A free discussion of Susan Cain’s “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking”, will be held at Kent Memorial Library, 61 Ffyler Place, Suffield. Psychologist Charles Zanor will lead the discussion at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 6. Register at the library or 860-668-38996 or suffield-library.org.
New London Authors Fest
The third annual free Local Authors Fest will be held Saturday, Mar. 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at New London Public Library, 63 Huntington St., New London.
Authors from southeastern Connecticut who write fiction, nonfiction, young adult and children’s literature, romance, history and mysteries will talk about their books and sign copies. Information or registration as a participating author: 860-447-1411, ext. 8, or mgupta@plnl.org or plnl.org.
Mystery Book Discussion
Carole Shmurak, of Farmington, who writes the Susan Lombardi mystery novels, will lead a free discussion on Wednesday, Mar. 7, at 3 p.m., for the Wallingford Mystery Group: Native American Sleuths, Part 2, at Wallingford Public Library, 200 N. Main St., Wallingford. The book to be discussed is “Dance for the Dead” by Thomas Perry. 203-265-6754.
