Boston Public Library announces April author talks, celebration of National Poetry Month

Boston Public Library’s April author talks and events include renowned authors Neil Gaiman, Marjorie Garber, and Colum McCann, and features programs honoring National Poetry Month:

• Bestselling and award-winning author Neil Gaiman visits the Central Library in Copley Square on Tuesday, April 4, at 6 p.m. in Rabb Hall and will be interviewed by Jared Bowen, Executive Arts Editor for WGBH. Part of the Lowell Lecture Series. Please note: this event is at capacity, but can be viewed via Facebook live on the BPL’s Facebook page.
• Steven Kassels, M.D. gives a presentation “Is it Really Methadone Mile? Opioid Addiction: An Equal Opportunity Disease” on Tuesday, April 4, at 6:30 p.m.at the Fields Corner Branch, located at 1520 Dorchester Avenue in Dorchester.
• Marjorie Garber, who has published seventeen books and edited seven collections of essays on topics found in Shakespeare’s work, explores all things Shakespeare and questions about his life on Thursday, April 6, at 6 p.m. in Rabb Hall at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street. Part of the Lowell Lecture Series.
• Kay Redfield Jamison, Ph.D. speaks about the late poet Robert Lowell and how his bipolar disorder affected his creativity in her new book Robert Lowell, Setting the River on Fire on Monday, April 10, at 10 a.m. in Rabb Hall at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
• Award-winning, bestselling author Colum McCann speaks about his works and essay collection Letters to a Young Writer on Wednesday, April 12, at 6 p.m. in Rabb Hall at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
• Vincent Cannato talks about his compelling and widely-praised book American Passage: The History of Ellis Island on Wednesday, April 19, at 6 p.m. in the Commonwealth Salon at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
• Scholar and historian Dr. Gene Kopelson, author of Reagan’s 1968 Dress Rehearsal, delves into the relationship between Reagan and his mentor Dwight Eisenhower and how it not only shaped Reagan’s future campaigns, but his presidency, as well. Wednesday, April 19, at 6 p.m. at the North End Branch, located at 25 Parmenter Street.
• Renowned oncologist, researcher, author, and New Yorker staff writer Dr. Jerome Groopman and his wife and co-author, endocrinologist and educator Dr. Pamela Hartzband, discuss ways both physicians and patients use subconscious biases, misleading statistics, and advertising claims to make crucial medical decisions. Monday, April 24, at 6 p.m. at the West Roxbury Branch, located at 1961 Centre Street. Part of the West Roxbury Reads program, sponsored by the Friends of the West Roxbury Branch Library. A book signing and reception follow.
• Roxbury author Nikey Pasco-Dunston reads selected excerpts from her urban novel Luxury Box and her self-help book 64 Part 2 on Friday, April 28, at 2:30 p.m. at the Dudley Branch, located at 65 Warren Street in Roxbury.

National Poetry Month programs:

• Have fun creating poetry using words and phrases from other sources during Adult Creativity Hour on Saturday, April 1, at 2:30 p.m. in Mezzanine Conference Room 2 at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
• Create a poem using words found in discarded magazines on Saturday, April 1, at 3 p.m. in the Children’s Library at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
• The Living Archive: African American Poetry is the second in a series of panel discussions by poets and writers examining a range of topics that include the importance and significance of African American literature, the ways in which literature has examined and illuminated black identities, the connection between spoken and written word, language, styles and culture in black poetry, and the relationship between writers of the past and the present. Monday, April 3, at 6 p.m. in the Commonwealth Salon at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
• A film series celebrating poets and poetry takes place every Wednesday in April at 3 p.m. at the West End Branch, located at 151 Cambridge Street.
• Stephen Collins performs a dramatic offering of Yeats, Joyce, Heaney, McCourt, and other prominent writers on Thursday, April 6, at 2 p.m. in the Commonwealth Salon at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street. Part of the Never Too Late Group Series.
• Stories and fingerplays that rhyme for children ages 3-5 takes place on Thursday, April 6, at 2 p.m. in the Children’s Library at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
• Stories that celebrate spring, rhymes, jazz, and Earth Day will be read on Saturday, April 8, at 11 a.m. in the Children’s Library at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
• Hip hop poet and actor Marlon Carey and slam poetry champion and educator Regie Gibson team up with musicians to create an energetic literary performance combining poetry, spoken word, story, song, and rap in their Shakespeare to Hip Hop performance on Thursday, April 20, at 6:30 p.m. at the Codman Square Branch at 690 Washington Street in Dorchester.
• Discuss matters of the poetry craft, read your poems, and offer encouragement and suggestions in this poetry workshop with Anastasia Vassos on April 22 and 29 at 12 p.m. at the Roslindale Branch, located at 4238 Washington Street.
• The South Boston Arts Association holds their spring South Boston Neighborhood Poetry Reading, open to adults and high schoolers, who are invited to come and read their own poem, or a favorite poem on Saturday, April 29, at 1:30 p.m. at the South Boston Branch, located at 646 East Broadway.

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Boston Public Library has a Central Library, twenty-four branches, map center, business library, and a website filled with digital content and services. Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library has pioneered public library service in America. It was the first large free municipal library in the United States, the first public library to lend books, the first to have a branch library, and the first to have a children’s room. Each year, the Boston Public Library hosts thousands of programs and serves millions of people. All of its programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public. At the Boston Public Library, books are just the beginning. To learn more, visit bpl.org.