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My Account The Lynne and Richard Pasculano Signature Series offers dynamic, exceptional public programming that engages the Greenwich community and region, featuring nationally recognized experts for timely analysis and conversations that promote an exchange of ideas.
Greenwich Library received a transformative $5 million gift to support its acclaimed Signature Series programming. This is the largest gift received by Greenwich Library in more than 30 years, marking a pivotal moment in the Library’s history. The endowment, granted in perpetuity and provided by Greenwich residents Lynne and Richard Pasculano, underscores the enduring commitment to the advancement of culture, education and community enrichment.
Event Photos
Amor Towles
Amy Tan
Melissa Clark & Debra Ponzek
Thomas Friedman
Ami Vitale
Tina Brown
David Leonhardt
Admiral James Stavridis (USN-Ret.)
Mark Bittman
Fareed Zakaria
Indra Nooyi
Past Events
Astronaut Captain Scott Kelly
Captain Scott Kelly, former NASA astronaut, retired U.S. Navy Captain, and U.S. spaceflight record holder delivered a keynote address. A former fighter pilot, Kelly flew the F-14 Tomcat aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. A veteran of four space flights, he piloted Space Shuttle Discovery to the Hubble space telescope in 1999 and subsequently commanded Space Shuttle Endeavour on a mission to the International Space Station in 2007. His yearlong mission, known worldwide as the “Year in Space,” was chronicled in a TIME magazine documentary series and an Emmy Award-winning PBS special. Kelly has traveled more than 200 million miles, which is more than twice the distance to the Sun, and he has orbited the Earth more than 8,300 times. He is the author of the 2016 New York Times bestselling memoir Endurance, a Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery, as well as Infinite Wonder.
Amy Tan
Best-selling author Amy Tan was joined in conversation with Jeffrey Brown, Senior Correspondent and Chief Arts Correspondent for PBS NewsHour to discuss her significant body of work. Tan’s successful career with many books includes The New York Times bestseller list including The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God’s Wife, The Hundred Secret Senses, The Bonesetter’s Daughter, Saving Fish from Drowning, and The Valley of Amazement. Her work has been translated into 35 languages and her latest book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles (Knopf), debuted at #1 on both The New York Times and the Indie bestseller lists.
Ami Vitale
The photographer, filmmaker, and writer discussed Wild Hope: Rethinking our Relationship with Nature, through powerful stories of people learning from wildlife and protecting endangered species, inspiring action and change for a better planet. Vitale is a renowned photographer and filmmaker who highlights the unsung heroes protecting wildlife and fostering harmony with nature. Her award-winning work and leadership of the nonprofit Vital Impacts have earned her global recognition, including honors from Conservation International, World Press Photo, and Instyle’s Badass Women series.
Thomas Friedman
The bestselling author of The World is Flat and New York Times foreign affairs columnist discussed The Big Trends Shaping the World Today: Economics, Technology, and Geopolitics. Friedman is renowned for his direct reporting and accessible analysis of complex issues shaping the world. According to Foreign Policy magazine, “Friedman doesn’t just report on events; he helps shape them.” The winner of three Pulitzer Prizes, he has covered monumental stories from around the globe for The New York Times since 1981.
Amor Towles
Amor Towles, renowned for his critically acclaimed novels Rules of Civility, A Gentleman in Moscow, and The Lincoln Highway, discussed his body of work and the inspirations behind his storytelling. Towles was joined in conversation by Sarah Lyall, writer at large for The New York Times.
Melissa Clark
The best-selling cookbook author and New York Times food columnist was joined in conversation by renowned chef and owner of Aux Délices, Debra Ponzek. The two shared their insights on the impact of home cooking and the evolution of culinary trends. View video here.
Sarah Whiting and Eric Klinenberg
Whiting and Klinenberg presented a fascinating conversation about the role of libraries within the public realm. Klinenberg’s book Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life argues that social infrastructure, “the physical places and organizations that shape the way people interact,” are the key to building a democracy that works for everyone. Whiting’s research and writing is broadly interdisciplinary, with the built environment at its core. An expert in architectural theory and urbanism, she has a particular interest in modern and contemporary architecture’s relationship with politics, economics, and society and how the built environment shapes the nature of public life.
Brian Skerry
Award-winning photographer and film producer Brian Skerry specializes in marine wildlife and underwater environments. Skerry weaves together visual stories, resulting in a gripping portrait of the ocean as a place of beauty and mystery, a place in trouble, and ultimately, a place of hope that will rebound with the proper attention and care.
Jon Meacham
Presidential Historian & Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Jon Meacham joined us to discuss The Art of Leadership: Lessons From the American Presidency, exploring what 21st-century leaders in different fields of endeavor can learn from the greatest moments of our common past.
David Leonhardt
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Leonhardt discussed his book Ours Was the Shining Future: The Story of the American Dream, which was released that week. Leonhardt will be joined in conversation by Jacob Weisberg, co-founder and CEO of Pushkin Industries, and formerly CEO of the Slate Group, co-founder of Megaphone, and editor-in-chief of Slate Magazine. View video here.
Pete McBride
In a world ever more congested and polluted with toxins and noise, award-winning photographer Pete McBride guides the audience on a pole-to-pole quest for peace and quiet. Drawing from his many adventures and expeditions through the Grand Canyon, to the flanks of Mount Everest, to the African Savannah, and the Antarctic Peninsula. Pete takes stock of wild and rarely touched places on Earth and offers insights from vantages where few (if any) photographers have ever stood, showing how everything is connected and making a compelling argument for the value of protecting our lands and waters for future generations.
Fareed Zakaria
Fareed Zakaria, host of Fareed Zakaria GPS on CNN, columnist for The Washington Post, and bestselling author, joined us for a wide-ranging conversation on current geopolitical and international relations issues. Zakaria was joined by Gideon Rose, former editor of Foreign Affairs and member of the Council on Foreign Relations. View video here.
Tina Brown
The legendary Tina Brown has been observing and chronicling the British monarchy for three decades. Her book The Palace Papers is full of powerful revelations, newly reported details, and searing insight gleaned from remarkable access to royal insiders. Brown was joined by author Dr. Amanda Foreman, the royal contributor for CBS News. View video here.
Global Refugee Crisis
Madlin Sadler, Chief Operating Officer of the International Rescue Committee, was joined in conversation by veteran journalist Scott Pelley of CBS News’s 60 Minutes for a wide-ranging conversation on the global refugee crisis in Europe and the US and its impact around the world. View video here.
John Hays
John Hays, Deputy Chairman of Christie’s was joined by art historian and lecturer Page Knox for a discussion about the current state of American Art at Auction. Hays is considered the premier auctioneer of Americana sales. View video here.
Mark Bittman
American food journalist, author, and former columnist for The New York Times Mark Bittman shared an insightful discussion on the present and future of food, focusing on regional solutions. Bittman was joined in conversation with his partner, Kathleen Finlay, a leader in the regenerative agriculture movement. View video here.
Adm. James Stavridis, USN
Retired U.S. Navy Adm. James Stavridis led an insightful and informative discussion on current events. A highly decorated admiral, Stavridis was joined in conversation by journalist and author Gideon Rose of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Indra Nooyi
Indra Nooyi, the trailblazing former CEO of PepsiCo, spoke on her memoir, My Life in Full, the story of an extraordinary leader’s life, a moving tribute to the relationships that created it, and a blueprint for 21st-century prosperity. Nooyi was joined in conversation by journalist and author Joanne Lipman.
Doris Kearns Goodwin
Doris Kearns Goodwin, world-renowned presidential historian, public speaker, Pulitzer Prize-winner, and New York Times bestselling author spoke with Sarah Lyall, noted journalist with The New York Times, around themes in Goodwin’s newly published book, Leadership in Turbulent Times.
The Booksellers Panel
The Booksellers takes viewers inside the small but fascinating world of antiquarian booksellers, populated by an assortment of obsessives, intellects, eccentrics, and dreamers. This panel was moderated by WNPR’s Colin McEnroe, director D.W. Young, producer Dan Wechsler, and rare book dealer Rebecca Romney. View video here.
Peterson Concert: Bill Charlap Trio
Bill Charlap is a Grammy Award-winning pianist who has performed with many leading artists of our time. He is known for his interpretations of American popular songs and has recorded albums featuring the music of Hoagy Carmichael, Leonard Bernstein, and George Gershwin. View video here.
Video
Explore this YouTube playlist featuring insightful conversations and thought-provoking discussions with Fareed Zakaria, Tina Brown, David Leonhardt, Mark Bittman, and more.
This series is made possible by a gift from Lynne and Richard Pasculano.
