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SAVE THE DATE
Literary Lights 2010
April 18, 2010
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Literary Lights 2009
April 19, 2009
The 2009 Literary Lights Dinner was held on Sunday, April 19 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel. The evening started with a reception at 6:00 PM and was followed by the formal dinner at 7:00 PM. The Associates is very pleased to announce that David McCullough, the noted historian, gave a riveting keynote address and a great time was had by all. The Associates raised over $200,000 for conservation and special programming at the Library. One conservation project already determined is the repair of a 9-volume set of Moliere’s works – in English and French – that John Adams took with him on his first trip to Paris. He used the volumes to teach himself French.
The Associates honored the following “Literary Lights:”
DAVID MCCULLOUGH has been widely acclaimed as a “master of the art of narrative history,” “a matchless writer.” He is twice winner of the National Book Award, twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize. In December 2006 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award.
His books have been praised for their scholarship, their understanding of American life, their “vibrant prose,” and insight into individual character. Mr. McCullough’s most recent book, 1776, the number one New York Times national bestseller in both hardcover and paperback, has been called, “brilliant…powerful,” “a classic.” There are three million copies in print, while Mr. McCullough’s previous work, John Adams, remains one of the most critically acclaimed and widely read American biographies of all time. It is presently in its sixty-third printing.
John Adams, the seven-part mini-series on HBO, produced by Tom Hanks and starring Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney, was one of the most acclaimed and talked about television events of the year.
In the words of the citation accompanying David McCullough’s honorary degree from Yale, "As an historian, he paints with words, giving us pictures of the American people that live, breathe, and above all, confront the fundamental issues of courage, achievement, and moral character."
Mr. McCullough’s other books include The Johnstown Flood, The Great Bridge, The Path between the Seas, Mornings on Horseback, Brave Companions, and Truman. His work has been published in ten languages and, in all, nearly 9,000,000 copies are in print. As may be said of few writers, none of his books has ever been out of print.
David McCullough is as well twice winner of the prestigious Francis Parkman Prize, and for his work overall he has been honored by the National Book Foundation Distinguished Contribution to American Letters Award and the National Humanities Medal. He has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, as well as the American Academy of Arts and Letters and has received more than forty honorary degrees.
In a crowded, productive career, he has been an editor, essayist, teacher, lecturer, and familiar presence on public television -- as host of Smithsonian World, The American Experience, and narrator of numerous documentaries including The Civil War. His is also the narrator’s voice in the movie Seabiscuit.
A gifted speaker, Mr. McCullough has lectured in all parts of the country and abroad, as well as at the White House. He is also one of the few private citizens to speak before a joint session of Congress.
Born in Pittsburgh, Mr. McCullough was educated there and at Yale, where he was graduated with honors in English literature. He is an avid reader, traveler, and has enjoyed a lifelong interest in art and architecture. He is as well a devoted painter. Mr. McCullough and his wife Rosalee Barnes McCullough have five children and eighteen grandchildren.
His current project is a book about Americans in Paris, from the 1830’s to 1930’s.
Literary Lights Dinner 2008
Sunday, April 20th!
The 2008 Literary Lights Dinner was a gala celebration of its 20th Anniversary of honoring New England authors!! The elegant, black-tie dinner was held at Boston’s Park Plaza Hotel with a reception that started at 6:00 PM and dinner that followed at 7:00 PM. The exciting line-up of authors and presenters this year included 8 Pulitzer Prize winners and 2 National Book Award recipients.
This year’s honorees were:
The Reverend Professor Peter J. Gomes, Minister at Harvard, gave a rousing, poignant and amusing keynote address.
Literary Lights 2009 will take place on Sunday, April 19th - Watch for the names of author honorees for 2009!
Previous Literary Lights
Literary Lights 2007 was held on April 29, 2007
The authors honored as Literary Lights for 2007 included four Pulitzer Prize winners and a recipient of the National Book Award! Each author was introduced by a peer or former “Light.” Over 450 people attended the gala, black-tie evening which made over $110,000, allowing the Associates to make a gift of $100,000 to the David McCullough Conservation Fund.
Roy Blount, Jr. was the keynote speaker. Other honorees were Philip Caputo, Robert Campbell, Patricia Cornwell, Niall Ferguson, Julia Glass, Chet Raymo, Paula Vogel and Franz Wright. The Associates also gave an award to Bernie Margolis, President of the Boston Public Library for being the “guiding literary light of the Library.” |
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Literary Lights 2006 was held on April 30, 2006
The Associates of the Boston Public Library is very pleased to announce that the Literary Lights Dinner of 2006 was the best ever. The dinner was held at The Boston Park Plaza Hotel and honored eleven outstanding authors who call New England their home.
George Colt
Anne Fadiman
Stephen Greenblatt
Galway Kinnell
Robert Jay Lifton
Gregory Maguire
Megan Marshall
Mary McGarry Morris
Haruki Murakami
Simon Winchester
Each Literary Light of 2006 was presented by a peer and former “Light.” This year, the Associates was proud to present these authors who spoke for a few minutes to introduce “their” author:
Roger Kennedy for David Gergen
Bill Martin……George Colt
James Wood……Anne Fadiman
Frank Bidart……Stephen Greenblatt
Erica Funkhouser……Galway Kinnell
John Dower……Robert Jay Lifton
Kathy Lasky……Gregory Maguire
Justin Kaplan……Megan Marshall
Anita Shreve……Mary McGarry Morris
Alan Lightman……Haruki Murakami
Nathaniel Philbrick……Simon Winchester
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David Gergen was the keynote speaker and was positively electrifying. He is currently a professor of public service at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government and director of its Center for Public Leadership. He is also editor-at-large for U.S. News & World Report. In earlier years, he served as a White House advisor to Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton. David Gergen is author of the bestselling Eyewitness to Power in which he said, “leaders of the future must have inner mastery; a central, compelling purpose rooted in moral values; a capacity to persuade; skills in working within the system; a fast start; a strong, effective team; and a passion that inspires others to keep the flame alive.” |
In addition to celebrating the accomplishments of these 11 New England writers, the evening raised money for the David McCullough Conservation Fund and the programs, services and collections of the Boston Public Library. The Associates created the McCullough Fund in 2001 to help preserve the Boston Public Library’s precious treasures.
Associates
of the Boston Public Library
700 Boylston Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02116
Phone: 617-536-3886
Fax: 617-536-3813
e-mail: associates@bpl.org
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