SUMMER SPEAKER SERIES 2008 For the seventh year, it is once again our pleasure to bring a line-up of outstanding literary and artistic talent. As in the past, each author will talk for a while about his or her books and craft, answer questions, and sign books. Proceeds - including a portion of Nonesuch Books sales at the event - go to Union Church and its charitable outreach. Last year’s proceeds enabled Safe Passage’s completion of a school for Guatemala’s poorest children, thanks to our program sponsors and ticket purchasers like you. We hope to see you again. Thursday, July 24—7:30 PM -Novelist Michael C. White. Mr. White’s five novels include A Brother’s Blood, a New York Times Book Review Notable Book and a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers nominee; The Blind Side of the Heart, a Book-of-the-Month Club Alternate selection; and A Dream of Wolves, which received starred reviews from Booklist and Publisher’s Weekly. His new book, Soul Catcher, is a pre-Civil War epic and a “galloping good tale about runaway slaves and a tortured soul who hunts them against his better nature….” Atlanta Journal-Constitution Richard Russo: “The book will be compared to Cold Mountain, of course, but White’s book is a more dramatic narrative and every bit as richly detailed and beautifully written…. Slavery and its effects are clearly and effectively portrayed as the worm in the American apple…. It’s an important book.” Thursday, July 31—7:30 pm - Memoirist Kate Braestrup, When the oldest of Kate Braestrup’s four children was ten years old, her husband, a Maine state trooper, was killed in a car accident. Stunned and grieving, she decided to pursue her husband’s dream of becoming a Unitarian minister, and eventually began working with the Maine Game Warden Service, which conducts the state’s search and rescue operations when people go missing in the wilderness. In Here If You Need Me she recounts her own life and events of her unusual job, sometimes joyful, sometimes heartbreaking, never sentimental. The book, which won her Barnes and Nobles 2007 Discover Great New Writers Award, is funny, frank and a deeply moving story of faith and hope. Thursday, August 7—7:30 pm - Cartoonist & author Patrick McDonnell. Mr. McDonnell is the creator of the beloved comic strip Mutts, promoting an animal and earth friendly philosophy and appearing in over 700 newspapers in 20 countries. Charles Schultz, genius of Peanuts, described Mutts as “one of the best comic strips of all time.” Mr. McDonnell has won the National Cartoonists highest honor, The Reuben, for Cartoon of the Year, and five Harvey Awards for Best Comic Strip, among many others. His children’s books include Hug Time , featuring a kitten named Jules who travels the world hugging endangered species; Just Like Heaven, heralding the joys of simple blessings; The Gift of Nothing, a New York Times bestseller; and award winning Art, about a boy named Art who makes art. Thursday, August 14-- 5:00 pm – Author & photographer Robin Bowman Robin Bowman, (Pheobe Bowman's daughter) is a photographer who has just published her first book entitled It’s Complicated: The American Teenager. She’s received several awards for this very lovely and insightful book. Here is a quote from Elisabeth Biondi, Visual Director, New York Times, “ I am not sure who is more fortunate – we who meet America’s teenagers through Robin Bowman’s engaging portraits or these young adults who have found a deeply compassionate artist.” Eve McPheeters has seen the book and comments: "I am very impressed and excited about the book. It’s well done." Jan has also seen it and comments: "The photographs are amazingly beautiful, profound— eally tell a story, and Robin's interviewing process reveals some very interesting insights into the minds, hearts and dreams of a diverse group of teens from across the country." Robin will share reflections on her book on Thursday, August 14 at 5 pm at Union Church. The event is free. There’ll be some books available for purchase. Thursday, August 21—7:30 pm - Novelist Joe Coomer, Mr. Coomer’s novels include One Vacant Chair, Apologizing to Dogs, Beachcombing for a Shipwrecked God, and The Loop, a New York Times Book of the Year.His Pocketful of Names was a 2005 Book Sense Pick for its drama, compassion and laugh-out-loud humor about inhabitants and visitors to an island off the coast of Maine. “…Characters as rough and as changing as the Maine coast itself … Perfect literary summer reading!” (River Run Bookstore) “Impossible to resist!” The New Yorker “Coomer writes so well, with such freshness and authenticity that we hate to put his book down.” Boston Globe “A marvelously creative comic writer.” The Washington Times For advance tickets, contact Sandy Wolcott (207-284-9807 or mailto:sandywolcott@aol.com). Series ticket purchasers will receive their tickets at the door of the opening event. Advance sale tickets for each event are $12; series tickets are $40.