Canaan Town Library

Join art, Gary Hamel for a guided tour of his art show: Putting the Pieces Back Together.

Monday, July 24, 6:30 pm

The Meetinghouse Readings, Canaan’s grassroots literary series, presents its 34th season of outstanding and emerging voices in fiction, poetry and nonfiction beginning Thursday July 13, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.

The series opens with readings by renowned poet Ellen Bryant Voigt and journalist Jeff Sharlet, whose latest book, The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War, is a bestselling and controversial portrait of our times.

On July 20th, Douglas Bauer returns with a new novel, The Beckoning World, to read in company with novelist and memoirist Joyce Maynard, whose new novel is The Bird Hotel.

Poet Vievee Francis and fiction and nonfiction writer Peter Orner close out the series with readings from Francis’ latest collection, The Shared World, and Orner’s genre-crossing engagement with life on and off the page, Still No Word From You.

Series founder William Craig will moderate the readings in Canaan, NH’s beautiful 1793 Meetinghouse. Admission is free. Homemade refreshments are memorably worthy of generous donations.

All are welcome, but please, no infants, toddler or squirmers.

ALL READINGS BEGIN AT 7:30 P.M.

July 13

Ellen Bryant Voigt

Headwaters, Shadow of Heaven

Jeff Sharlet

The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War

July 20

Douglas Bauer

The Beckoning World, The Book of Famous Iowans

Joyce Maynard

The Bird Hotel, The Influencers, The Best of Us

July 27

Vievee Francis

The Shared World, Forest Primeval

Peter Orner

Still No Word From You, Esther Stories

We hope you will join us for a summer filled with reading fun. We will have crafts, story times, Reading Bingo, Puppet shows, and Ice Cream!

Reading Bingo is split into two groups: Summer Sunshine Reading Bingo for the kiddos, and Beat the Heat Beach Read Bingo for folks aged 12 through adult. Pick up your bingo cards starting Saturday, June 24.

Learn more about our Summer Reading Program, including our schedule of events!

Friday, June 2 11:00 am – 1:00 pm Join us for the opening of Gary Hamel’s art show, Putting the Pieces Back Together.  The show commemorates the Canaan Fire of 1923, and features artifacts from the fire.  The show will run through August 5, 2023, and will be available for viewing during the library’s regular hours.

The Friends of the Library are having a raffle! Tickets for 4 Container Gardens may be purchased at the Library Book Sale, the first Farmer’s Market event, and during the Town Fire Commemoration in June. Drawing will be June 3. Tickets are $5.00 for 1 and $25 for 6. All proceeds benefit the Friends of the Library.