Mark Kurlansky, author of the New York Times bestseller Cod, will be the first speaker at the 2012 Maritime Author Series at Mystic Seaport Wednesday, February 1.
The series runs selected Wednesday evenings February through April at Latitude 41° Restaurant from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tickets are $65 ($50 for members) for the series and $20 ($15 for members) for individual programs.
A wine and cheese reception will be hosted at 5:30 p.m., followed by the author’s presentation at 6 p.m. and then a question and answer session. One attendee at each program will also win a free copy of the author’s book.
Tickets are available for purchase online at https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/ or by calling 860.572.5399.
Featured speakers are:
February 1 – Mark Kurlansky and his 12-year-old daughter and fishing companion Talia, talk about the prolific author’s recent book, World Without Fish. Designed for younger readers, the book addresses the environmental crisis in the world’s oceans in an entertaining way, yet adults will find it teeming with history, biology and a thoughtful view of ecology.
February 29 – James L. Nelson, a distinguished authority on George Washington and the author of 15 works of fiction and nonfiction, will discuss George Washington’s Great Gamble, the story of the greatest naval engagement of the American Revolution. In 1781, Washington had to depend on the French to defeat the Royal Navy in a major naval campaign, but they had never before accomplished that feat. Based on his meticulous research, Nelson recounts the saga of the unpredictable circumstances that led to the British surrender at Yorktown.
March 28 – George C. Daughan tells the astounding story of the War of 1812, when a ragtag team of American commanders, seamen, and privateers took on the most powerful navy in the world. In his latest book, 1812: The Navy’s War, Daughan draws on his degrees in history, his military experience during the Vietnam War, and his teaching of international affairs at the U.S. Air Force to tell the thrilling story of how a handful of heroic captains and their stalwart crews overcame spectacular odds to lead the country to victory against the world’s greatest naval power.
April 25 – Paul Hendrickson, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, will discuss Hemingway’s Boat: Everything He Loved in Life, and Lost, 1934-1961. The book traces the life of Ernest Hemingway during the key period from his pinnacle as the reigning monarch of American letters until his suicide. The author, himself an outdoorsman and fisherman, describes his personal visits to the Hemingway finca in Havana and his beloved Pilar, his fishing boat now owned by the Cuban Government. This nonfiction account follows the writer from Key West to Paris, Africa, Cuba and finally Idaho. Throughout these years, Hemingway always returned to Pilar, to find inspiration and relaxation in the sea.
This program is co-sponsored by the Museum’s Library Fellows.
About Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world. For more information, visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.
