Calendar
Check here for all of the upcoming events at UCPL. If you have questions about any of them, give us a call at 314-727-3150.
Coined as the “queen of British historical fiction,” Philippa Gregory returns to the infamous Tudor Court with a tale that is both timely and timeless. Join us online for an intriguing conversation with Gregory about her upcoming novel Boleyn Traitor.
Jane Boleyn watches from the shadows of the Tudor Court, where secrets are currency, every choice is dangerous, and even the faintest whisper can seal the fate of queens.
For Jane, survival demands playing every role required of her: a loving wife who conceals her doubts, a devoted sister to Anne Boleyn at the height of her power, and an obedient spy who carefully wields her words. But in a court ruled by ambition and a tyrant’s sword, Jane must rely on her sharp wit and skillful maneuvering to outthink those around her, knowing that one wrong move could cost her everything.
With a rich tapestry of new historical insights and lyrical language honed over decades of writing, Gregory’s return to the Tudors is a new definition of this most fascinating era. As the world becomes more extreme and unpredictable, Jane’s story of survival and ingenuity offers a compelling parallel, serving as both a powerful historical narrative and an echo of the challenges we face. This is a riveting tale of loyalty and betrayal, ambition and love—one that should not be missed by readers this fall.
Register today for this exciting glimpse into the perilous 16th century royal court!
Join us online for a chat with journalist and author Joseph Lee focusing on his stirring memoir, Nothing More of This Land: Community, Power, and the Search for Indigenous Identity. In it, he explores Indigenous identity in proximity to land that serves as an iconic vacationing spot for the wealthy–the “island paradise” Martha’s Vineyard.
Growing up Aquinnah Wampanoag, Joseph Lee grappled with what it means to be an Indigenous person in the world today, especially as tribal land, culture, and community face new threats. Starting with the story of his own tribe, which is from the iconic Martha’s Vineyard, Lee tackles key questions around Indigenous identity and the stubborn legacy of colonialism.
Lee weaves his own story—and that of his family—with conversations with Indigenous leaders, artists, and scholars from around the world about everything from culture and language to climate change and the politics of belonging. As he unpacks the meaning of Indigenous identity, Lee grants us a new understanding of our nation and what a better community might look like.
Join us for a fascinating discussion with St. Louis author Christopher Alan Gordon as he discusses his latest book, Letters Home From World War II: St. Louis.
This nonfiction book captures the experiences of St. Louisans who served in World War II,
sharing their struggles, fears, and hopes through letters sent home. Through their own words, St. Louisans bring history to life, sharing the horrors of war, the pain of separation, and encounters with distant lands. Their letters preserve a deeply personal and powerful perspective on World War II.
Gordon is an American historian and museum professional living in St. Louis, Missouri. His 2018 book, Fire, Pestilence, and Death: St. Louis 1849, was a regional bestseller and won the American Association of State and Local History Award of Excellence in 2019. As a recognized authority on Missouri history, Gordon has appeared on numerous television shows, podcasts, and other media, including the Travel Channel, Fox Business, Atlas Obscura, New York Times, and The Washington Post.
Books will be available for purchase and signing. Recommended for adults. 7 p.m. Auditorium.
Join us in an online conversation with acclaimed writer Amanda Peters as we discuss her instant bestselling novel, The Berry Pickers, as well as her tender short fiction collection, Waiting for the Long Night Moon: Stories.
Influenced by Peters’ own Mi’kmaq heritage, The Berry Pickers is a riveting exploration of family, grief, and the bonds we share.
July 1962. A Mi’kmaq family from Nova Scotia arrives in Maine to pick blueberries for the summer. Weeks later, four-year-old Ruthie, the family’s youngest child, vanishes. She is last seen by her six-year-old brother, Joe, sitting on a favorite rock at the edge of a berry field. Joe will remain distraught by his sister’s disappearance for years to come.
In Maine, a young girl named Norma grows up as the only child of an affluent family. Her father is emotionally distant, her mother frustratingly overprotective. Norma is often troubled by recurring dreams and visions that seem more like memories than imagination. As she grows older, Norma slowly comes to realize there is something her parents aren’t telling her. Unwilling to abandon her intuition, she will spend decades trying to uncover this family secret.
The Berry Pickers is an intimate portrait of race, love, and loneliness–and the power of forgiveness. Register now to take part in the discussion!
Join us for an online conversation you won’t want to miss! Charles Duhigg, author of the bestselling books The Power of Habit and Smarter Faster Better, presents the ultimate guide on how to communicate and connect with anyone at work, home, and in life in his latest work, Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection.
In this groundbreaking book, Duhigg unravels the secrets of the supercommunicators to reveal the art – and the science – of successful communication. He unpacks the different types of everyday conversation and pinpoints why some go smoothly while others swiftly fall apart. He reveals the conversational questions and gambits that bring people together. And he shows how even the most tricky of encounters can be turned around. In the process, he shows why a CIA operative was able to win over a reluctant spy, how a member of a jury got his fellow jurors to view an open-and-shut case differently, and what a doctor found they needed to do to engage with a vaccine skeptic.
Above all, he reveals the techniques we can all master to successfully connect with others, however tricky the circumstances. Packed with fascinating case studies and drawing on cutting-edge research, this book will change the way you think about what you say, and how you say it.
Register now to take part in the online discussion, and learn how to enhance your everyday conversations!
