The Port Washington Friends of the Library hosted its 49th annual Richard D. Whittemore Book & Author Luncheon at the North Hills Country Club on May 11.
Notoriously well attended, the sold-out event featured two award-winning authors, Alice McDermott and Russell Shorto, who both presented their inspirations for the characters they created in their books.
The luncheon hosted by Friends of the Library began with opening remarks from President Amy Bass, who introduced the board, authors and trustees. News of the Community Goodbye Reception for retiring library director Nancy Curtin will be held on Tuesday, June 19.
Curtin has been the library director for more than 20 years and at the library more than 40 years. Bass introduced Keith Klang, who has been named the new Port Washington Library Director.
“We are rooting for you, Keith,” said Bass.
This year’s event had 56 sponsors, with the event sponsor being Nancy Wadler in memory of her late husband Gary Wadler and Stuart Johnson as luncheon sponsor.
Popular author and Port resident Susan Isaacs moderated the event and hinted that she will be publishing a new book shortly much to the excitement of the crowd.
McDermott spoke to the crowd of her path to creating The Ninth Hour, a powerful story spanning the 20th century of a widow and her daughter and the nuns who serve their Irish-American community in Brooklyn. She spoke of her journey in developing the sisterhood after doing much research and created her own.
Shorto, a journalist by trade, spoke about how he created Revolution Song; A Story of America and how fulfilling and joyful it was to create the different characters in the novel.
After the authors spoke, a brief Q&A ensued with raffles and a book signing to conclude this popular event.
