Upcoming Events 2023

Join us this fall at the shop for upcoming author talks and signings. If you'd like to get advance notice of those events, make sure you subscribe to our newsletter.

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Recently at LBB

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2023

Tess Gerritsen & Kathryn Miles

On November 2nd, a large and enthusiastic crowd gathered at the bookshop to hear a conversation between Tess Gerritsen and Kathryn Miles, in celebration of the release of Tess's newest book The Spy Coast.

The Spy Coast is the first installment in a brand-new espionage series about retired CIA operative Maggie Bird and her colleagues. This series takes place on the Maine coast, and in The Spy Coast Maggie finds herself and former colleagues in danger as a result of an agency breach that took place sixteen years ago.

Tess is the internationally bestselling writer of thirty novels published in forty countries. She made her New York Times bestseller debut with her first medical thriller Harvest, in 1996. Her series of police procedurals featuring Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles inspired the TNT hit television series Rizzoli & Isles.

Kathryn Miles is an award-winning journalist and author whose most recent book, Trailed, was the 2023 Maine Literary Awards winner for nonfiction. She and Tess discussed writing, the quiet lives of retired spies, research for fiction and journalism, and more. We're looking forward to the next time they can join us at Left Bank Books!

Recently at LBB

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2023

Nick Fuller Googins

On a rainy Sunday afternoon in October, Nick Fuller Googins captivated an enthusiastic audience in the shop with excerpts of his debut novel, The Great Transition. We learned that his initial idea for the book came from time he spent here in mid coast Maine installing solar panels and that this area holds a special place in his heart.

The Great Transition, which was published by Atria Books in August, unfolds against the backdrop of our near future. Emi Vargas, whose parents helped save the world, is devastated when her mother disappears after being named as a suspect in the assassination of a dozen climate criminals. Emi and her father travel from their home in Greenland to New York City, now a lightly populated storm-surge outpost, to look for Kristina.

Alternating between Emi’s search for her mother and a meticulously rendered, heart-stopping account of parents’ experiences fighting climate change, The Great Transition brilliantly shows how our actions today determine our near future.

William Kent Kruger, New York Times bestselling author, writes that Nick’s book is “a magnificent debut novel [that is] electrifyingly relevant. I can’t remember ever being more impressed with a first novel.”

Watch this hilarious video of Nick describing his novel (in 5 seconds)!

Recently at LBB

Sunday, October 15

Meghan Gilliss

Meghan spoke to a rapt audience about her debut novel, Lungfish, generously offering a look into the personal inspirations behind the writing of the book. Meghan also talked about juggling motherhood and a day job while writing a novel in small fragments. Lungfish, which is set on an uninhabited island off the Maine coast, tells the story of a young family - Tuck, her husband, Paul, and their daughter - in crisis. They’ve been forced by circumstance to squat on the island, where they scramble to stay one step ahead of the law. Their difficult situation worsens when Tuck discovers that Paul is addicted to opioids. Scraping a meager existence from the sea, Tuck grapples with the lies she’s been told to arrive at the truth.

Lungfish has received widespread critical acclaim since its publication last year. It was a New York Times Editors’ Choice, a finalist for the Maine Literary Award for Fiction, longlisted for The Center for Fiction 2022 First Novel Prize, and a LitHub Most Anticipated Book of the Year.

Recently at LBB

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

Sy Montgomery & Matt Patterson

A packed audience enjoyed every minute of Sy and Matt’s “turtle talk,” in which they told heartwarming, shocking, happy, and yes, sad, tales of turtles they got to know while working at the Turtle Rescue League in Massachusetts. The event celebrated the recent release of Sy’s latest book, Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell, in which the acclaimed
naturalist and author of more than thirty books, wrote about the turtle rehabilitation experiences she shared with Matt, who rendered the book’s beautiful illustrations.

The evening was a joy from start to finish. We look forward to hosting Sy and Matt again in the future.

Recently at LBB

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

Melanie Brooks

Audience members enjoyed an enthralling talk by Melanie, author of the newly released memoir A Hard Silence. With candor, vulnerability, and passion, Melanie shared the story of how her father received HIV-contaminated blood in the mid-1980s—exactly when the public’s perception of AIDS was widely misunderstood and shaped by fear, prejudice, and homophobia. After reading a moving excerpt from A Hard Silence, in which we learned about the impact her father’s disease—and her parents’ decision to keep it a secret—had on Melanie, she discussed her ten-year journey from the book’s conception to publication. This was an especially warm and heartfelt event, thanks to Melanie’s warmth, interaction with the audience, and compelling story.

Recently at LBB

tuesday, AUGUST 29

Ellyn Gaydos

Ellyn Gaydos and Bennett Konesni shared a conversation with an enthusiastic and engaged audience about Ellyn's memoir, Pig Years, her experiences as a farmhand and a writer, and Bennett's own experiences as a farmer and a scholar of work songs from around the world. (Bennett is the executive director of Bagaduce Music in Blue Hill.)

Ellyn discussed how her book grew from the years of journals she has kept, her observations of the smells, sights, and hands-on experiences of working on a farm, and her deep interest in the topics of farming. She noted that some of her work lingers on the realities of death on farms, and that it's an area of farming she was drawn to examine more closely. She is currently working on writing articles on the topics of the history of quarrying and masonry in New England.

Recently at LBB

THURSDAY, AUGUST 15

Caitlin Shetterly

An enthusiastic audience enjoyed meeting and listening to Caitlin discuss her debut novel, Pete and Alice in Maine. She shared how Alice, the book's main character, came to her "in a flash" while standing at the refrigerator one evening.

Pete and Alice in Maine is one of our favorite set-in-Maine novels this summer. At its heart, it's a story about a troubled marriage, forgiveness, parenthood, and self-doubt. It's about a woman who feels lost in every facet of her life—as a wife, mother, daughter—and how she comes to grips with that reality. Caitlin has created characters that are flawed, honest, funny, and memorable.

We have signed copies of Pete and Alice in Maine. If you can't get into the shop, let us know if you'd like us to ship one to you.

Recently at LBB

THURSDAY, AUGUST 10

Richard Russo

Almost two hundred fans of Richard Russo spent an enjoyable hour hearing Rick read from his new novel, Somebody's Fool, and talk about the creative process that led to his writing this third book in his "fool" trilogy. We learned that the main character who permeates all three novels, Donald "Sully" Sullivan, is modeled after Rick's own father; the character of Peter, Dully's son, is partly autobiographical; and the fictional town of North Bath, New York, was inspired by Rick's hometown of Gloversville.

With humor, insight, and decades of experience writing internationally best-selling books, Rick talked about how he grapples with "difficult" characters and sustaining the narrative arc over the course of three novels.

Rick is a passionate supporter of independent bookstores and we look forward to welcoming him back in 2024 to celebrate the release of a new collection of essays.

Recently at LBB

Thursday, August 3, 2023

Ann Patchett

A near capacity audience of 300 enjoyed a riveting, funny, insightful, and warm talk by internationally acclaimed and beloved writer Ann Patchett. Celebrating her just-released new novel, Tom Lake, Ann captivated her enthusiastic audience with tales of how her story came to be, watching Meryl Streep record the audio version, the perils and pleasures of owning a bookstore, and her creative process.

Tom Lake, Ann explained, was inspired by her love of Thornton Wilder's classic play, Our Town. "I read it once a year," Ann said. It is a moving and touching story within a story about a family that is forced to sequester together on their cherry orchard during the pandemic. Shades of Chekhov weave throughout the story as the family consists of three adult daughters.

A HUGE and HEARTFELT thanks to Ann for giving so generously of her time, talent, humor, and passion for all things literary.

Recently at LBB

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Alex Prud'homme

Food, politics, American presidents, and Julia Child. What was not to like about an event that embraced these timeless subjects?

We knew of no better person to discuss those topics than Alex, who has led an extremely fascinating and varied career. He wrote the New Yorker piece that inspired the classic "Soup Maven" episode on "Seinfeld," covered national affairs for Time, and later covered Martha Stewart's trial on insider trading. As Julia Child's great nephew, he co-wrote her memoir, My Life in France, which inspired the film "Julie & Julia," starring Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci, and Amy Adams.

During Alex's visit, we celebrated the recent release of his newest book, Dinner with the President: Food, Politics, and a History of Breaking Bread at the White House, which traces the central role food has played in American political history. From Washington starving at Valley Forge to FDR's terrapin soup, Reagan's jellybeans, and Trump's burgers, Prud'homme has studied the tastes of twenty-six presidents for this book and shared numerous behind-the-scenes tales uncovered in his research.

Recently at LBB

TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2023

Shannon Bowring

We were delighted to welcome debut novelist Shannon Bowring for an interesting talk and reading to celebrate her widely acclaimed book, The Road to Dalton. An enthusiastic audience enjoyed hearing about her experiences getting an agent and publisher as a new author, and they especially enjoyed hearing excerpts from her book, which is set in Aroostook County (Maine).

Nancy, our shop manager and publicist, regards The Road to Dalton as one of her two favorite set-in-Maine novels this summer. Shannon's book is a captivating series of linked stories featuring multiple characters whose lives intersect with each other in their small, fictional town. Although everyone in Dalton is related, by blood or experience, each has a unique and individual relationship to the town. When tragedy strikes one family, the community is left reeling and private lives become public. When Nancy reached the last page, her first thought was, "What happens next to these people I've grown to love?" Happily, Shannon is hard-at-work on a sequel, which has already been picked up by her publisher, Europa Editions.

Pick up your copy of The Road to Dalton today!

Recently at LBB

SATURDAY, JULY 15, 2023

Author Sy Montgomery & Illustrator Matt Patterson

An enthusiastic crowd turned out to welcome naturalist and best-selling author Sy Montgomery and illustrator Matt Patterson to hear about how they created their wonderful new book, The Book of Turtles. Between the two of them, they've experienced wildlife adventures that few of us can imagine. Sharing their exploits, especially as they shared "turtle stories," captivated the audience.

Sy has been hailed "Equal parts poet and scientist" by The New York Times and "Part Indiana Jones and part Emily Dickinson" by The Boston Globe. She certainly lived up to those plaudits during her presentation. Her insights into the world of turtles were beautifully complemented by Matt's discussions about how he captured this diverse, fascinating, and beloved species.

Recently at LBB

Tuesday, July 11 2023

Chloe Davis

Broadway dancer, actor, choreographer, and author of The Queens’ English, a landmark reference guide to the LGBTQIA+ community’s contributions to the English language, gave a riveting talk on July 11 at our shop. Her engaging personality, talent for drawing the audience into her story, and enthusiasm for her book made for a delightful experience.
The Queens’ English is an inclusive, playfully illustrated glossary featuring more than 800 terms and phrases created by and for queer culture. It comprises a guide to modern gay slang, queer theory terms, and playful colloquialisms. Full-color illustrations and photography complement real-life usage examples, and a series of educational lessons highlights key people and events that shaped queer language—readers will learn the linguistic importance of pronouns, gender identity, Stonewall, the Harlem Renaissance, and more. Visit Chloe's Website

As with all of our authors’ books, we’re happy to put a copy or two (or more!) in the mail. Just send us an email or call and we’ll take care of everything else.

Recently at LBB

Tuesday, June 27 2023

Paul Doiron

A nonstop line of Paul's fans packed our bookshop for a little more than two hours to chat with him and get signed copies of the just-released
Dead Man's Wake, the fourteenth book in Paul's wildly popular "Mike Bowditch" mystery series. This installment takes place in the Belgrade Lakes (Maine) area and opens as Mike and his fiancee Stacey are celebrating their recent engagement. The festivities are interrupted when they witness what seems to be a hit-and-run speedboat crash on a darkened lake. Arriving at the scene, they come across a gruesome sight: a severed arm floating just beneath the water's surface. Mike suspects this was not a senseless accident but a coldly calculated murder. The finale is a tour de force of drama and suspense.

Paul's books have been translated into ten languages and received numerous prestigious regional and national awards. We have copies available at the bookshop. If you can't get in to pick one up, let us know and we'll be happy to ship any of Paul's books to you.

Recently at LBB

Thursday, JUNE 15, 2023

Susan Tobey White, Artist and Author

A packed house greeted Belfast artist Susan to celebrate her just-released book Lobstering Women of Maine: Paintings and Stories of Women and Girls Who Fish the Maine Coast. Susan shared the story of how her book came together over the course of several years, evolving from a single painting into a series of eighteen portraits of women who fish the Maine coast.

Susan's acrylic paintings vividly capture the lives of these hardworking women and girls who juggle family, school, and other jobs while succeeding in a profession dominated by men. The women hail from Wells, Rockport, Stonington, Corea Harbor, Chebeague Island, Sprucehead, Vinalhaven, Little Cranberry Island, Searsport, and Rockland.

Lobstering Women of Maine is available at the shop now. This is an especially terrific book to share with family and friends who visit Maine.

Recently at LBB

TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 2023

Linda Holmes - Author, NPR Cultural Critic, Podcaster

Author of two popular novels set in midcoast Maine—Evvie Drake Starts Over and Flying Solo—Linda captivated her audience with stories about how she came to write her first novel while working full-time at NPR (she's the host of "Pop Culture Happy Hour"). She shared her successes and failures as she struggled to learn the mechanics of structuring a story, understanding point of view, and creating believable characters. Laughter was not in short supply as she told stories about working with an editor for the first time: "When my editor called me out, asking why I'd included a particular scene, and I told her 'because I like it,' I knew the scene was toast."

We were delighted to learn that Linda's at work on her third novel (with a hoped-for summer 2024 release) and we've already invited her to return next summer. Many thanks to Linda for taking a night from her Maine vacation to spend with us, telling stories and generating much-welcome laughter on a dreary, cold, and rainy night!

Recently at LBB

FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 2023

Poet, Editor & Literary Critic John Freeman

We recently welcomed John Freeman to the shop to celebrate the recent publication of his new collection of poetry, Wind, Trees. John Freeman is a renowned writer, editor, and teacher. He has founded and edited several literary publications, including Freeman's, Granta, and LitHub. His work has been translated into more than 20 languages and appears in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Paris Review, and The Nation.

John has edited anthologies such as Tales of Two Americas and Tales of Two Planets, and is currently editing The Penguin Book of the Modern American Short Story (2022). He has taught at NYU, where he was Artist-in-Residence.

Recently at LBB

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2023

In Conversation: Marilyn Rockefeller & Susan Conley 

From growing up in the mountains of West Virginia to the executive suite of a million-dollar company to marrying into America's most famous family, Marilyn's life has been a roller coaster of ups and downs. Her memoir Mountain Girl: From Barefoot to  Boardroom is a moving recollection of her determination to grab the world  with her dynamic combination of guts, luck, charm, grit, and intellect.

Susan Conley is an award-winning writer whose most recent novel, Landslide, was a New York Times Editor's Pick and a "Must Read" from O Magazine. Susan worked closely with Marilyn to edit and shape Mountain Girl into a compelling read.

Recently at LBB

wednesday, SEPTEMBER 7, 2022

Morgan Talty, Talk & Signing

How are these accolades for Morgan's debut Night of the Living Rez, a collection of stories?

  • A New York Times Best Book of Summer 2022
  • A Good Housekeeping Best Book of Summer 2022
  • A Lit Hub Most Anticipated Book of 2022
  • A Publishers Weekly Writer to Watch

Night of the Living Rez is a riveting collection of 12 stories about what it means to be Penobscot in the 21st century and what it means to live, survive, and persevere after tragedy. With searing humor, abiding compassion, and deep insight, Morgan breathes life into tales of family and a community as they struggle with a painful past and an uncertain future. It is a book that examines the consequences and merits of inheritance and is an unforgettable portrayal of an Indigenous community. Night of the Living Rez marks the arrival of a standout talent in contemporary fiction.

Wall of Fame

We are deeply grateful to the hundreds of authors — of local, national and international acclaim — who have taken time to visit our bookshop, meet our faithful customers, speak about their work, and sign their books.
Thank you!

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