Nathaniel Philbrick's Blog

When The National Endowment for the Arts selected In the Heart of the Sea to be part of their NEA Big Read program, it created the opportunity for libraries, community groups, and non-profits across the country to apply for grants to build community-wide programming around my book. That’s just what Golden isles Arts & Humanities in Glynn County, GA, did. Their programming kicks off on Thursday, February 6, 2020.

I’ll be visiting the Historic Ritz Theatre in Brunswick, GA, on February 6th to deliver the keynote address to the community about In the Heart of the Sea. The month of Big Read events officially kicks off the next day during the First Friday festivities in downtown Bruswick, GA, with an environmental fair.

The weeks that follow will include discussions, performances, films, art exhibits and school programs that are designed to get everyone in the community reading, discussing and thinking about In the Heart of the Sea and to consider the relationship that we have with the natural world and how we can best protect and nurture it.

Golden Isles Arts & Humanities has partnered with The College of Coastal Georgia, Marshes of Glynn Library System, Three Rivers Regional Library System, The Literary Guild of St Simons Island, Brunswick News Publishing, and hello/Goodbuy to bring a wide variety of cultural activities to the community.

Check out all they have in store:

Companion Children’s Books:

As part of the Middle and Little Big Reads program, they’ve chosen companion books for young and middle grade readers. The Middle Big Read selection is The Wreckers by Iain Lawrence and for The Little Big Read, How I Became A Pirate by Melinda Long. Copies of In the Heart of the Sea and these two children’s books have been distributed to schools in Glynn, Camden and McIntosh counties.

Keynote Address:

I will deliver the keynote address on Thursday February 6th at the Historic Ritz Theatre at 7 pm.  Attendees may make a reservation and a $10/donation is requested per person at the door.  Students with ID are free.

Environmental Fair:

The NEA Big Read will officially kick off on February 7th during the First Friday festivities in downtown Brunswick with an Environmental Fair featuring Green Scene of Coastal Georgia, One Hundred Miles, Keep Golden Isles Beautiful, UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Altamaha Riverkeeper and others along with the opening of the Big Read Art Exhibits, and more.

Lectures:

A wide variety of lectures focusing on the history, inspirations and themes of Philbrick’s book including a talk on Herman Melville and the Legacies of the Essex by Emory University professor Dr. Cody Marrs, The Psychology of Survival by CCGA professors Dr. Aurora Nunez and Dr. Neda Moinolmolki, and panelists from Golden Isles Fund for Trees sharing the historical role of local live oaks in the shipbuilding industry.

Films:

The 8th annual Green Screen Environmental Film Festival presents two short films and a feature film: Living the Change: Inspiring Stories for a Sustainable Future. The festival takes place Saturday February 8 from 2-5 pm at the Historic Ritz Theatre.   Also at the Ritz, Cinema Gourmet screens John Huston’s classic adaptation of Moby Dick on February 13 and the film adaptation of In the Heart of the Sea will screen February 24.

Performances

Whaling and Sailing Songs from the Days of Moby Dick

Performed by Adam Miller

February 18 – 6:30 pm @ The Brunswick Library

How I Became A Pirate

Brunswick High Theatre presents the musical adaptation of the Little Read Book.

February 21 – 23 – Fri & Sat 7:30 pm & Sun @ The Historic Ritz Theatre

Staged Readings of Moby Dick

A 60-minute adaptation of Melville’s classic tale

February 29 – March 1 Sat -7 pm Sun – 3 pm @ The Historic Ritz Theatre

Most activities are free and all are open to the public.  A complete Big Read calendar is available at goldenislesarts.org and an online resource guide is available at libguides.ccga.edu/BigRead2020.

For additional information, contact Golden Isles Arts & Humanities at 912-262-6934 or visit www.goldenislesarts.org

The post Coastal Georgia Reads IN THE HEART OF THE SEA appeared first on Nathaniel Philbrick.

My book In the
Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex was selected for the
National Endowment for the Arts Big Read program.

Through annual grants ranging from $5,000 – $15,000, the NEA
Big Read supports community reading programs across the country, each designed
around a single book.

For 2019-2020, In the Heart of the Sea was chosen as
one of six books to add to the ever-growing list of 32 titles in the NEA Big
Read library for applicants to choose from.

Several communities and nonprofit organizations throughout
the U.S. have applied for and received grants through the NEA to develop events
and cultural programming specifically tied to In the Heart of the Sea.

I’ll be participating in at least two NEA Big Read events
this year, one in Brunswick, GA sponsored by Golden Isles Arts & Humanities,
and one in Snow Hill, MD, sponsored by the Worcester County Library
Foundation. Stay tuned to the Events &
Appearances page on my website for full event details.

Learn more about the NEA Big Read program on the NEA website
and through their partner organization, Arts
Midwest.

Read an interview
with me on NEA’s Art Works Blog.

The post In the Heart of the Sea Chosen for NEA Big Read appeared first on Nathaniel Philbrick.

As 2020 marks the 400th anniversary of Mayflower’s arrival in Plymouth Harbor, it’s shaping up to be a busy year for me and my book Mayflower.

In June Penguin will publish a new edition of Mayflower with a new Preface written by me.

I’ve got speaking engagements planned so far in several
cities in Massachusetts including Falmouth, Nantucket, Hyannis, Boston and
Brewster. Please stay tuned to the Events &
Appearances page on my website for full details.

If your book club plans to join the commemorative festivities
by reading Mayflower this year, check out the discussion
questions and interview
with me on my website.

Meanwhile, learn about the commemorative events planned at Plimoth
Plantation HERE.

Boston.com has a great round-up
of the dozens of events and projects planned throughout New England.

For complete information about the US-based commemoration,
visit Plymouth400 which has initiated
a partnership with Mayflower 400 in the UK, Leiden 2020 in the Netherlands, and
Wampanoag Nation to enhance the understanding of people, places and motivations
that culminated in America’s founding story.

The post 2020 Marks the 400th Anniversary of Mayflower’s Arrival appeared first on Nathaniel Philbrick.

On Tuesday, October 16, 2018, Viking Books will release IN THE HURRICANE’S EYE, the third book in Nat Philbrick’s American Revolution series. Called “a tense, richly detailed narrative of the American Revolution” by Kirkus Reviews, “insightful,” “accessible,” and “thought-provoking” by Publishers Weekly, and “another hit” by Booklist, this book picks up where VALIANT AMBITION left off, telling the tale of the remarkable year leading up to the siege of Yorktown and the thrilling finale to the Revolutionary War. IN THE HURRICANE’S EYE is available for pre-order now. See buy links on the book detail page of this website. Nat has a big book tour planned this fall. Visit the Events & Appearances page for complete details on each event.

The post IN THE HURRICANE’S EYE coming Oct. 16th! appeared first on Nathaniel Philbrick.

On October 6, 2018, in Newport, NH, Nat Philbrick was presented with the Sarah Joseph Hale Award. In a ceremony held at the Newport Opera House, the Trustees of the Richards Free Library honored Nat with the annual award in recognition of a distinguished body of written work in the field of literature and letters that is associated with New England.  The award is named for author, poet, and essayist Sarah Josepha Hale who, as editor of Godey’s Lady’s Magazine, shaped the opinion of nineteenth century American women.  The list of Hale Award winners includes the finest writers of our times, from the first recipient Robert Frost in 1956 to Julia Alvarez in 2017.

The post Nat Philbrick honored with Sarah Josepha Hale Award appeared first on Nathaniel Philbrick.

My memoir, SECOND WIND, is a personal tale of how, as a 36-year-old stay-at-home dad on Nantucket, I launched a comeback as a Sunfish racer, training for the championship I’d won 15 years earlier. Originally published in 1999 by a small New England press, this brand new edition features a new preface. While many of the books I’ve written explore America’s relationship with the sea, SECOND WIND explores my own relationship to the water.

Ben’s Revolution, a children’s adaptation of Bunker Hill with beautiful illustrations by Wendell Minor, will be in stores on May 23, 2017. School Library Journal calls the book “a stirring account of the American Revolution, sure to resonate with elementary students.” In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews calls it a “crisp historical vignette.”

Ben’s Revolution, a children’s adaptation of Bunker Hill with beautiful illustrations by Wendell Minor, will be in stores on May 23, 2017. School Library Journal calls the book “a stirring account of the American Revolution, sure to resonate with elementary students.” In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews calls it a “crisp historical vignette.”