The following are the April events at the Brooklyn Public Library Main Branch at Grand Army Plaza for the Month of April. Note that some of the events are taking place at Congregation Beth Elohim, 274 Garfield Place between 8th Avenue and Prospect Park West. For exact times and locations click the link.
Created in Brooklyn: Design Craft
DATE: 4-7-15
TIME: 7p
LOCATION: Dweck
LINK: http://www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/created-brooklyn-design-c-central-library-dweck-cen-040715
ABOUT: Photographer Randy Duchaine turns his lens on Brooklynites whose commitments to creativity and innovation embody Brooklyn’s expressive spirit. Duchaine discusses the power of storytelling and design with Elliot Schwartz from Studio EIS, Steve Powers of Icy Signs, and Brooklyn Quilt Girl Sylvia Hernandez.
Congressman John Lewis: March trilogy
DATE: 4-8-15
TIME: 7p
LOCATION: Dweck
LINK: http://www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/john-lewis-andrew-aydin-n-central-library-dweck-cen-040815
ABOUT: Congressman John Lewis, an American icon and one of the key figures of the Civil Rights Movement, continues March, his award-winning graphic novel trilogy, with co-writer Andrew Aydin and artist Nate Powell. The authors will discuss the movement, the books, and more at Brooklyn Public Library, and will sign copies of their most recent volume of the trilogy.
Classical Interludes: Ustad Shafaat Khan
DATE: 4-12-15
TIME: 4p
LOCATION: Dweck
LINK: http://www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/classical-interludes-usta-central-library-dweck-cen-041215
ABOUT: Khan performs Indian classical music, featuring the sitar, surbuhar and tabla. Mr. Khan’s musical heritage can be traced back to the 16th century to the court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. He is the son of the legendary maestro Ustad Imrat Khan and the nephew of Ustad Vilayat Khan. He is the foremost tabla disciple of the widely respected Ustad Ibrahim Khan. Children under 6 will not be admitted.
Brooklyn Transitions Film Screening and Discussion: The Domino Effect
DATE: 4-13-15
TIME: 7p
LOCATION: Central Library: Info Commons
LINK: http://www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/brooklyn-transitions-film-central-library-info-comm-041315
ABOUT: The Domino Effect explores the origins and impacts of gentrification and luxury redevelopment in Williamsburg and Greenpoint under the Bloomberg administration. The film follows the rezoning of the Domino Sugar Factory on the East River waterfront and delves into the politics and economics of urban development on the frontier of Brooklyn’s gentrification. Producer and co-director Megan Sperry will be present for a Q&A. The screening is the latest in the Brooklyn Transitions series on gentrification.
Gotham: New York City’s Best Writers: Paul Beatty
DATE: 4-18-15
TIME: 4p
LOCATION: Dweck
ABOUT: Beatty discusses The Sellout, a biting satire about a young man’s isolated upbringing and the race trial that sends him to the Supreme Court. The novel challenges the sacred tenets of the United States Constitution, urban life, the Civil Rights Movement, father-son relationships, and the holy grail of racial equality—the black Chinese restaurant. Beatty is the author of three novels, Slumberland, Tuff, and The White Boy Shuffle, as well as two books of poetry, Big Bank Take Little Bankand Joker, Joker, Deuce. He is the editor of Hokum: An Anthology of African-American Humor.
Kahn Humanities Lecture: The Law of the Land: A Grand Tour of Our Constitutional Republic
DATE: 4-19-15
TIME: 1p
LOCATION: Dweck
LINK: http://www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/kahn-humanities-lecture-l-central-library-dweck-cen-041915
ABOUT: Regional understandings of law and justice have shaped and reshaped our nation throughout history, but America’s Constitution, our founding and unifying document, looks slightly different in California than it does in Kansas. In The Law of the Land, renowned legal scholar Akhil Reed Amar illustrates how geography, federalism, and regionalism have influenced some of the biggest questions in American constitutional law.
Star Trek’s “Inner Light”: Morgan Gendel on Writing Sci-Fi for the Small Screen
DATE: 4-21-15
TIME: 7p
LOCATION: Central Library: Info Commons
ABOUT: Brooklyn Public Library and the Museum of Science Fiction team up to present screenwriter Morgan Gendel. We will screen his Hugo Award-winning episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, “The Inner Light.” Placing USS Enterprise Captain Jean-Luc Picard in an alternate life for what seems to him like 50 years, the “Inner Light” episode was ranked among the ten best of the various Trek series. The tale of Picard’s road not taken—into a life of hearth and home—has resonated with fans for nearly a quarter century. Following the screening, Mr. Gendel will discuss his inspiration for the episode and will share his behind-the-scenes experiences in the Star Trek world. A Q&A session will follow the talk, after which Mr. Gendel will autograph copies of his original draft of the teleplay for “The Inner Light.”
Christopher McDougall on Natural Born Heroes
DATE: 4-22-15
TIME: 7:30p
LOCATION: Congregation Beth Elohim
LINK: http://www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/christopher-mcdougall-nat-congregation-beth-elohim-042215
ABOUT: Author of the national bestseller Born to Run, Christopher McDougall travels in his new book, Natural Born Heroes, to the Mediterranean, where he discovers that the secrets of ancient Greek heroes are still alive and well on the island of Crete and in the muscles and minds of fitness enthusiasts everywhere. While researching Born to Run, McDougall encountered the story of Pheidippides, the legendary ancient Greek “all-day runner.” He discovered that ancestral techniques for extraordinary endurance, natural movement, and nutrition allowed ancient Greek soldiers and Cretan shepherds to race across mountains on all-night missions. Inspired by their heroic acts, McDougall sets off throughout history and across the world to discover the lost art of heroism.
Classical Interludes: Theo Bleckmann
DATE: 4-26-15
TIME: 4p
LOCATION: Dweck
LINK: http://www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/classical-interludes-theo-central-library-dweck-cen-042615
ABOUT: A jazz singer and composer of eclectic tastes and prodigious gifts, Grammy-nominated Theo Bleckmann makes music that is accessibly sophisticated, unsentimentally emotional, and seriously playful. His work provokes the mind to wonder, but connects immediately with the heart. He will be accompanied by Israeli pianist Shia Maestro.
Brooklyn By the Book: Lawrence Wright on Thirteen Days in September
DATE: 4-28-15
TIME: 7:30p
LOCATION: Congregation Beth Elohim
LINK: http://www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/brooklyn-book-lawrence-wr-congregation-beth-elohim-042815
ABOUT: Wright comes to Brooklyn to discuss his gripping day-by-day account of the 1978 Camp David conference, when President Jimmy Carter persuaded Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian president Anwar Sadat to sign the first peace treaty in the modern Middle East, one which endures to this day.
Central Brooklyn Jazz Festival: Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra
DATE: 4-30-15
TIME: 7p
LOCATION: Dweck
LINK: http://www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/central-brooklyn-jazz-fes-central-library-dweck-cen-043015
ABOUT: With an ever-evolving set list that includes songs by Arcade Fire, TV n the Radio, Spoon, and many more, the WSO has infused the traditional salsa form with a completely modern identity. The band’s explosive arrangements have established it as a groundbreaking force in the New York underground, bringing back the big-band salsa sound after decades of absence.
