Almanac

Join National Writers Series for an inspiring conversation with #1 New York Times bestselling and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Rick Atkinson. He will talk about his latest book, "The Fate of the Day," with New York Times bestselling author Doug Stanton.

A riveting narrative exploring the pivotal middle years of the American Revolutionary War, the publication of "The Fate of the Day" marks the 250th anniversary of the beginning of the Revolution. Atkinson’s brilliant account of the lethal conflict between the Americans and the British offers not only deeply researched and spectacularly dramatic history, but also a new perspective on the demands that a democracy makes on its citizens. It is the second volume of his American Revolution trilogy.

Atkinson is the author of seven previous works of history, including "The British Are Coming," the first volume of his American Revolution trilogy. He is also the author of "The Long Gray Line," the "Liberation Trilogy" (An Army at Dawn, The Day of Battle, and The Guns at Last Light).

The four public libraries of Leelanau County are pleased to host Nita Prose on Saturday, May 17th at 7pm at the Glen Lake Schools Auditorium. Ms. Prose is the author of the New York Times and IndieBound bestseller The Maid, as well as a sequel and a novella, with a third book in the series having just been released on April 8th 2025. She will be discussing her first book, The Maid. She will be interviewed by guest host Sarah Bearup-Neal of the Glen Arbor Arts Center. Copies of The Maid will be available for purchase at the event thanks to Cottage Book Shop.

This free event is open to all, no pre-registration required. Doors open at 6 p.m. Seats are first come, first serve. Please contact your local Leelanau County library with any questions.

This author event is part of Leelanau Reads community reading program. During the annual Leelanau Reads program, county residents are encouraged to come together in a shared reading experience. This year’s book pick is Ms. Prose’s The Maid, a Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit that explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different—and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart. Copies of the book are available to borrow from your local library and to purchase at your local bookseller.

This event is sponsored by Glen Lake Community Library, Leland Township Library, Leelanau Township Library, and Suttons Bay Bingham District Library with generous support from each library’s Friends of the Library group, Northland Library Cooperative and the Mid-Michigan Library League.

A one-woman play based on the life of poet Emily Dickinson from 1830 to 1886, and set in her Amherst, Mass., home.

Bringing poetry to life, Sara Hartley performs as Emily Dickinson in William Luce’s classic play, making use of Dickinson's work, diaries, and letters to recollect her encounters with the significant people in her life – family, close friends, and acquaintances. The 75-minute monologue feels like a visit with the poet herself, and balances the agony of her seclusion with the brief bright moments when she was able to experience some joy.

Playgoers will be treated to tea or coffee along with a tasting of Emily Dickinson's Black Cake, which features predominantly in the show.

Doors open at 6pm ET with live music and a cash bar. The program begins at 7pm ET and includes a Q&A and author signing event in the lobby.

The National Writers Series is pleased to present Jeanine Cummins, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of American Dirt, in conversation about her powerful new novel, "Speak to Me of Home."

Cummins’ latest work is a deeply moving multigenerational story that spans decades and continents, following three women—Rafaela, her daughter Ruth, and her granddaughter Daisy—as they navigate identity, family, and the meaning of home. From Puerto Rico to the American Midwest and back again, their journeys unfold against the backdrop of shifting cultural landscapes, personal sacrifices, and long-buried family secrets.

At the heart of "Speak to Me of Home" lies an exploration of belonging: How can three women, bound by blood and history, hold such different ideas of where they come from? And when life’s storms—both literal and figurative—push them apart, can they find their way back to each other? With lyrical prose and emotional depth, Cummins crafts a novel that is both intimate and sweeping, resonating with readers who cherish stories of resilience, love, and homecoming.

Book Publication Date: May 13, 2025 –Traverse City locals who’d like to read the book in advance of the event can pick up their copy at Horizon Books, beginning May 13th. You can also choose to have the book shipped directly to you with our livestreaming tickets, additional fees apply. Call Horizon Books at 231-946-7290 to check on availability or if you have questions about receiving your featured book.

Bonnie Jo Campbell will discuss her newest novel, The Waters, a 2025 Michigan Notable Book. She'll be joined by fellow notable author Anne-Marie Oomen. Copies of her book will be available to purchase.

Doors open at 6pm ET with live music and a cash bar. The program begins at 7pm ET and includes a Q&A and author signing event in the lobby. Each ticket includes a trade hardcover copy of "Fever Beach" ($29.99 value).
The National Writers Series is pleased to present Carl Hiaasen, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of "Bad Monkey," in conversation about his new novel, "Fever Beach," which tackles the current chaotic and polarized American culture with two wonderful Hiaasen heroes.

"Fever Beach" begins with an errand that leads—in pure Hiaasen-style—into the depths of Florida at its most Floridian: a sun-soaked bastion of right-wing extremism, white power, greed, and corruption.

The novel begins with Dale Figgo, the only hate-monger ever to be kicked out of the Proud Boys for being too dumb and incompetent. On January 6, 2021, he thought he was defacing a statue of Ulysses S. Grant, but he wound up spreading feces all over a statue of a Civil War Confederate war leader.

Figgo picks up a hitchhiker who needs a ride to the interstate but needs to finish an errand first. His already messy life is about to get more complicated, thanks to two formidable adversaries: Viva Morales, a clever woman recently taken to the cleaners by her ex-husband, and Twilly Spree, who has an anger problem, especially when it comes to those who deface the environment, and way too many inherited millions of dollars.

Viva and Twilly are plunged into a mystery—involving dark money and darker motives—they are determined to solve. They become entangled in a world populated by a billionaire couple with way too much plastic surgery and a secret right-wing agenda and a Congressman who dreams of being America’s most important politician. The only things standing in his way are his love for hookers and young girls, and his total lack of intelligence. Add to the mix a Scandinavian agnostic injured when Figgo thinks he’s a Jewish threat to humanity and runs him over with his car. Hiaasen brilliantly ties them all together and delivers them to their appropriate destiny.

Book Publication Date: May 13, 2025 –Traverse City locals who’d like to read the book in advance of the event can pick up their copy at Horizon Books, beginning May 13th. You can also choose to have the book shipped directly to you with our livestreaming tickets, additional fees apply. Call Horizon Books at 231-946-7290 to check on availability or if you have questions about receiving your featured book.

Date: Thursday, August 7, 2025
Time: 10 am – 2 pm
Registration Deadline: Sunday, August 3, 2024
Location: Thoreson Farm (outside only)
Why is nature writing important? When we understand more about the natural world, we will likely understand new things about ourselves. Join this one-day writing workshop to broaden your innate knowledge and writing repertoire. We’ll start by reading and reflecting on famous nature writing works, including poetry, fiction, and nonfiction.

Then, for inspiration, we’ll read and reflect on nature writing. This year we will explore works from Joy Harjo, Ted Kooser, Mary Oliver Li-Young Lee, Annie Dillard, Willa Cather, and John McPhee. Reconnect to your natural surroundings via writing. First, we will take gentle hikes in the meadow, hills, and woods surrounding Thoreson Farm. Then, using nature as our prompt, our writing will follow in whatever form seems best for you.