Support The Norwich Public Library with Dinners Hosted By Generous Neighbors & Avid Readers
Mar 29, 2016 01:15PM ● By Kirsten GehlbachOne Norwich resident said, “The ‘Tables of Content’ dinner event is one of my all-time favorite events of the year.” There’s still time to book your place for April 2 or 30 to support the Norwich Public Library. How does it work? Select and read a book (or at least start reading), go to a neighbor’s home for a lovely dinner, meet wonderful people from town that you might not know, and help the library.
Many have had the pleasure of attending Tables of Content dinners over the years. Dinner might be a fancy sit-down affair or a casual get-together with a buffet. Each dinner gives attendees the chance to talk with people, some of whom they might already know or have seen in the aisles of Dan and Whit’s, and others they’ve never met. Everyone is friendly and excited about the book that is the theme of the dinner. One glowing review by an attendee at several of last year’s dinners noted that the hosts were gracious and welcoming, and the food was delicious.
This year will see 15 dinners, six on April 2 and nine on April 30. The wide range of books include the memoir of a famous novelist, the story of the 1936 US Olympic crew team, a novel of post-apocalyptic survival, a spy thriller, a thought-provoking and moving letter from an African-American father to his 15-year-old son about racism in contemporary America, and more. Each dinner is based on a book the hosts select as the theme for their evening. To add excitement to the event, dinner guests choose their dinner assignment by the book selections—the location and hosts are revealed only after the selected books and guests have been matched. You can see the list of books and dinners, and sign up online at http://tablesofcontent.weebly.com/ or stop by the library and reserve your place at one of the tables in person.
Reading List Chosen by the Dinner Hosts
Saturday, April 2, 6–9pm
The Secret Wisdom of the Earth by Christopher Scotton
The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins
The Time In Between by Maria Duenas
Saturday, April 30, 6–9pm
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
The Heist by Daniel Silva
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Delicious! by Ruth Reichl
The Martian by Andy Weir
The Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
You choose the book, and your host will be revealed!
Tickets are $65 for one diner and $60 each for two or more guests.
The books are selected by the hosts to provide hours of inspired reading no matter what your reading preferences. The Norwich Public Library staff and patrons thank all the hosts for the delicious dinners and their contributions to the reading list and to the library’s bottom line. Bonus: If you choose to purchase your “Tables of Content” book from the Norwich Bookstore, they will donate 20% of the purchase price to the Norwich Public Library. Just mention that your purchase is for the Tables of Content event. This also applies to e-book sales.
Happy reading and happy eating with the added benefit
of sharing with your neighbors.