Mark Twain has been called “The Lincoln of our Literature” for the transformative figure he carved as a storyteller. Retired Indiana University English professor emeritus Dr. David Nordloh will share the breadth and depths of this elemental American personality highlighting Twain’s powerful language skills in revealing the human condition, especially in his classic book “Adventures […]
Eric Melton is a caricature artist – no, NOT a cartoonist. What’s the difference? Learn how this local award-winning phenom from Concord developed his signature style starting in kindergarten. And you could walk away with one of his masterpieces! We’ll draw the names of several attendees and Eric will sketch you on the spot!
You surely know about the Underground Railroad’s land routes, but did you know that thousands of slaves escaped on ships from our NC coastal communities known as the Maritime Underground Railroad? Co-authors Tim Allen and Steve Miller have amazing stories to tell about how slaves did it, their unique communication systems, who helped them, and […]
Michel Picaud, one of the most preeminent experts on the restoration of the Notre Dame cathedral, will regale us on the painstaking efforts to bring this world-renowned gem back to life from a devastating fire five years ago to its joyous reopening in December. Picaud heads the leading international fundraising organization for Notre Dame and […]
We end our season on a high note - literally! Steve Friedman is an internationally recognized Broadway Musical historian, classically trained tenor, and one-time actor himself who will entertain us with a peek inside the Golden Age of Musical Theater of the ‘50s & ‘60s. We’ll hear behind-the-scenes back stories and plenty of our favorite […]
He's the guy you love to hate. But you'll love him in person! Concord resident Dan Truhitte played the young Nazi turncoat in The Sound of Music and will regale us with his journey to the silver screen along with fun behind-the-scenes stories – a fitting presentation on this 60th anniversary of the release of […]
Another memorable anniversary this year is the 80th since the end of WWII in 1945, and author Don Aines has a book-full of forgotten tales from that conflict. We'll hear stories of courage, daring, & downright stupidity, some of which would challenge the imaginations of not only Hollywood scriptwriters but ours as well!
Remember the young missionary who, in 2018, tried to convert indigenous islanders in the Indian Ocean only to be killed by them? Historian & author Adam Goodheart has that story along with plenty of his own & others' from similar trips to the homes of the last hunter-gatherers on earth, and how the modern age […]
Did you know that ages before the dawn of modern medicine, animals have been harnessing the power of nature to heal themselves? Emory University professor Jaap De Roode has the astonishing stories of how everything from ants to apes, bees to bears, & cats to caterpillars treat themselves, and how much we can learn from […]
So what in the world is bitcoin? Or cryptocurrency? Where did they come from? How do you determine their value? Are they wise investments? How do people make money from them? Or lose it? Respected investment advisor Gerald Townsend will have all the answers and promises to provide them in a simple, understandable way!
Get a peek into the international world of spying with one of the most preeminent experts in counterterrorism. Dexter Ingram will share his personal collection of spy gadgets, surprise us with the names of celebrity spies, & trace the history of espionage from using the simplest of tools to today's techno/cyber methods and which countries America […]
Did you ever think how much we owe France for our independence? Who's to say if we'd be celebrating the 250th anniversary this year of the founding of our nation without the Marquis de Lafayette? Colonial Williamsburg's Mark Schneider will share the story of how this man not only fought in the Continental Army but […]
