Lunchtime Series – September to December 2019

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Thursday, September 5, 2019 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
Author Susan Doherty discusses her acclaimed new book The Ghost Garden: Inside the lives of schizophrenia’s feared and forgotten.

Thursday, September 12, 2019 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
Sheila Barshay Goldbloom reflects on her life in conversation with journalist Royal Orr. Copies of her recently published memoir, Opening Doors, will be on sale.

Thursday, September 19, 2019 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
Playwright and actor Keir Cutler performs Magnificence, his work based on his relationship with his late mother, May Ebbitt Cutler (1923-2011), former mayor of Westmount, founder of Tundra Books publishing house, and the author of the award-winning memoir set during her childhood summers at Mont-Tremblant during the 1930s, I Once Knew An Indian WomanMagnificence won the award for Best English Text at the 2019 St-Ambroise Montreal FRINGE Festival.

Thursday, September 26, 2019 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
A talk on the outstanding history of The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada: “Montrealers being ‘twice the citizen’ for more than 150 years.” With LCol Bruce Bolton and LCol Bruno Plourde, Commanding Officer, accompanied by serving soldiers.

Thursday, October 3, 2019 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
Fenwick McKelvey, Internet Researcher, Associate Professor, Concordia University, discusses how social media and the Internet are affecting political discourse. With Q&A.

Thursday, October 10, 2019 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
THE COMEDIC FICTION OF COLLEEN CURRAN: The playwright and author entertains from the three novels that make up her Lenore trilogy and introduces her new novel Out for Stars. With songs about the heavens from The Salinas Sisters ukulele players!

Thursday, October 17, 2019 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
Oscar-winning filmmaker Beverly Shaffer screens her documentary short Mr. Mergler’s Gift, about the final chapter in the life of an exceptional Montreal piano teacher. With Q&A. This event is co-sponsored by PROJECTION: A Week of Dialogue.

Thursday, October 24, 2019 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
Christopher Lyons, McGill University’s Head Librarian, Rare Books and Special Collections, gives a talk on “A Trip Through Time: 4,000 years of Accessible History at the McGill Library.” Join him for an overview of the contents of McGill’s valuable and varied holdings.

Thursday, October 31, 2019 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
Joe Schwarcz, PhD, Director of the McGill University Office for Science and Society, gives a presentation on HOUDINI for HALLOWE’EN.

Thursday, November 14, 2019 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
Peter Blaikie, media commentator, retired lawyer and former politician, reflects on current issues: “Impeachment and Beyond – The United States in 2020.”

WEDNESDAY, November 20, 2019 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
Peter McAuslan, Guest of Honour for the 2019 St. Andrew’s Ball, tells his family’s Scottish immigrant story: “Will ye no come back again?” His grandparents arrived in Quebec in 1920, leaving behind a Scotland that was in the grip of rent strikes and workers’ revolts. Escaping the turmoil and civil unrest, they faced tough challenges in Canada but also found opportunities to build a prosperous new life here.
In collaboration with the St. Andrew’s Society of Montreal.

Thursday, November 28, 2019 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
Writer and explorer Adam Shoalts shares stories of his amazing adventures in the Far North and discusses his new book Beyond the Trees: A Journey Alone Across Canada’s Arctic. Copies of the new book as well as his earlier ones will be on sale.

Thursday, December 5, 2019 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
Nathalie M. Cooke, McGill University Professor and Associate Dean and founding editor of CuiZine, conducts a tour of Christmas fare in Canada and discusses food traditions of other celebrations of light during the winter solstice. She will touch on the sweet and savoury pleasures of Chanukah, for example, and linger over the mulled wine and pastries of Saint Lucia’s Day, before musing on what Canadian cooks will serve to their guests in ceremonial winter meals of the next century.

Thursday, December 12, 2019 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
The Orpheus Singers, conducted by Peter Schubert, perform a program of seasonal music, including a couple of Christmas sing-alongs.

Thursday, December 19, 2019 from 12:10 to 1:30 pm
Harpist Meta Epstein plays Christmas carols and celtic tunes from 12:10 to 12:40 pm.
PLEASE NOTE that the music begins 20 minutes before our usual start time.
Then veteran actor Barrie Baldaro gives a dramatic reading of A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas.

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