English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

Michael J. Tougias, bestselling author and co-author of 28 books, will be appearing at the Northborough Free Library on April 25th from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. for a dramatic presentation based on his most recent co-authored book So Close to Home (Pegasus Books, May 2016). Tougias will use slides of the attack, the survivors, and the rescue to make this “an edge-of-your seat” visual program.

This two-part program will also feature a talk about Tougias’ other recent bestselling book The Finest Hours, which was turned into a major motion picture film (Disney Motion Pictures) starring Chris Pine and Casey Affleck.  

PART 1: So Close to Home

On May 19, 1942 a German U-boat in the Gulf of Mexico stalked its prey 40 miles off New Orleans. Captained by 29-year-old Erich Wurdemann, the submarine commander had his sights set on the freighter Heredia with 62 souls on board. Most of the crew were merchant seamen, but there were also a handful of civilians including the Downs family.  The family was comprised of the parents, Ray Sr. and Ina, along with their two children, eight-year-old Ray Jr., nick-named “Sonny”, and eleven-year-old Lucille.       

Fast asleep in their berth the Downs family had no warning that two torpedoes were heading their way. When the ship exploded, all four members of the family were separated in the chaotic 2 a.m. event. More than half the crew and passengers aboard the Heredia  perished, but incredibly, after 15 hours in the ocean – facing sharks, hypothermia, drowning, and dehydration—all of the Downs family survived and were reunited. Ray Downs Jr. aka “Sonny” who lives in Massachusetts is now 80 years old but  remembers every detail of the voyage, the attack, and his family’s miraculous survival.  The captain and senior crew members of the Heredia were all Massachusetts natives.       

Tougias also had access to the U-boat commander Erich Wurdemann’s War Diary, and the presentation will include a discussion of the challenges faced aboard the sub, and some of the daring raids the commander made off the coast of America.

So Close to Home is a survival story and history book rolled into one, similar to Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken.  “I enjoy doing these programs,” says Tougias, “ It’s like watching a movie with the author giving behind-the-scenes details.”

PART 2: The Finest Hours

Off the cost of Chatham, Mass., Bernie Webber, a simple guy from Milton, Mass., was sent out into a raging nor'easter on a small rescue boat in February 1952 to find half of a 500-foot tanker ship that had split and was drifting uncontrollably in the storm.

The Coast Guard crew of four young men did the unthinkable: first they survived crossing the treacherous Chatham Bar, where shallow water creates huge waves. Then, without the modern instruments we take for granted -- without even their compass, which was washed off its mount by a giant wave -- Webber and his crew searched in the dark for the floundering wreck of the Pendleton until they found it.

Then they overloaded their small boat and brought all but one of the survivors home.

In the meantime, other Coasties were assisting survivors from the second tanker that split in half in that storm. You don't hear much about it in the movie, but it was called the Fort Mercer and was adrift in two pieces about 10 miles northeast of Nantucket. Half of the ship stayed afloat (you have to read Tougias’ book to learn the unbelievable details of that!) but the CG cutter Yakutat pulled hypothermic survivors from the bow section, many of them blue and unable to move by the time they reached safety.

Newspaper accounts from 1952 called them heroes. The Coast Guard gave them medals. Their Coast Guard cutter that was used to rescue the survivors that night, the CG36500, was restored and is now on view in Rock Harbor, Orleans, Mass. during the summer.

A book signing will follow the program, and the presentation is suitable for all ages.

Tougias, known for his fast paced writing style and character-driven stories, will be on hand to sign copies of his other books, including Rescue of the Bounty, Overboard!, Fatal Forecast, A Storm Too Soon, and Ten Hours Until Dawn. His history titles include King Philip’s War and Until I Have No Country

Visit www.michaeltougias.com for more information about author Michael J. Tougias.

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

Even if you don’t write poetry, you can use its tools to write better!  For National Poetry Month, local poet Jennifer Freed returns to the Northborough Free Library for another writing workshop.  In this workshop you will look at work from Massachusetts poets – including U.S Poet Laureate Stanley Kunitz (born and raised in Worcester) – to discover how they use sound, narration, line breaks, and word choice to make their stories sing. Then apply what you have learned to whatever kind of writing you choose.

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

We are now offering a monthly drop-in nutrition group on Wednesday mornings in the Library’s café located on the second floor. Called The Art of Good Nutrition Drop-In Group, the next session will be on Wednesday, May 9th from 10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. The drop-in sessions are facilitated by Registered Dietitian Judy Palken. Judy has been a registered dietitian for over 30 years. She works in nutrition and health research in the Division of Preventive and Behavioral medicine at UMass Medical School in Worcester, and also teaches nutrition classes in the community.  She has taught a series of classes on nutrition and weight control at the Northborough Free Library over the past two years. In these drop-in groups, there will be a new nutrition or related health topic each month, with time for discussion and questions.

The topic of our May 9th session will be announced at our April 18th session.  

No registration in necessary and all are welcome to attend. The discussions are being funded by the Friends of the Northborough Free Library. Please join us!

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

Sisters in Crime is an international organization made up of authors, readers, publishers, agents, booksellers and librarians bound by an affection for the mystery genre and supporting women who write mysteries.  The Northborough Library is pleased to present three local mystery authors from the New England Chapter of Sisters in Crime.

Join Sharon Healy-Yang, Lisa Lieberman, and Leslie Wheeler as they discuss how they craft mystery stories. Each author will discuss her process: coming up with that first idea, creating characters, doing research, and the daily writing schedule where the job gets done. Whether you’re a fan of mysteries or an aspiring author, you’ll be sure to pick up some clues from these Sisters in Crime! Copies of the authors’ books will be available for signing at the program.

Location: Meeting Room

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

After hitting the road with countless bands as a sideman, songwriter, saxophonist and guitarist Jon Berman picked up a guitar and brought his own music to life.  With influences ranging from the coastal music of Jimmy Buffet and Kenny Chesney, touching upon the country of Dierks Bentley and Willie Nelson, and reaching to the songwriting of Stephen Kellogg and Will Hoge, Jon’s music covers many genres. Jon has performed with acts such as Changes In  Latitudes, Barefoot Truth, Hard Rock Café Ambassador of Rock winners Jackson Wetherbee Band, The Sweet  Remains, Stephen Kellogg, Rick Monroe and the ska band T.I.P. Join us for the third concert in our Spring series!

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

When most Americans think of May Day, they think of tanks parading through the streets of Moscow. May Day, the first of May, is known throughout much of the world as the day for workers. While May Day eventually turned out to be not such a great deal for many workers in Russia, it is none the less celebrated today in over one hundred countries by workers, many of them members of trade unions. And in most countries, the celebrations are not about military parades; rather, they are about highlighting the struggles workers are going through.

The reason it is not celebrated in a number of other countries is because organized workers are severely repressed. It is not a recognized holiday in the US and Canada. Instead, those two countries celebrate Labor Day. The reason for this is that the celebration of May Day was linked to Communism, Socialism, militant workers and other activists who fought for improving the lot of workers. This is not something the people in power in this country wanted to celebrate. The irony of this is that the movement of celebrating May Day as a workers’ holiday began right here in the US.  A national strike was called for May 1, 1886, unless Congress passed legislation shortening the work day to 8 hours. On May 1, 60,000 workers went on strike in Chicago. The strike gained momentum and two days later the police shot several strikers. Following further violence in Chicago, the movement spread worldwide. The struggle for the 8 hour day was realized years later.

People in the Northborough area will have a chance to have a taste of May Day from around the world, with poster exhibits at three libraries during the month of May. Massachusetts Resident Stephen Lewis will be exhibiting his May Day posters at the Northborough, Southborough and Westborough public libraries. Lewis has numerous May Day posters that he has collected from France, Spain, Namibia, Australia, Denmark, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Germany and Liechtenstein, to name a few.

The exhibit is part graphic art, part history, and part culture and political. Artists may appreciate the various ways a theme is depicted by many different artists, hailing from different countries and cultures. Lewis has made the foreign language posters more accessible by including information, including translation of key phrases, to English. Historians can see what social and political changes were being advocated for in different countries at different times. Activists can see some of their favorite causes, including the celebration of May Day itself, agitated for in these posters. One example of interest Lewis describes is the difference between the rather tame writing in the Liechtenstein posters, where workers are generally treated well, and the much more militant language in posters from countries like El Salvador, where union activists have been killed by government forces, and labor unions severely repressed.

Lewis has a collection of 7100 posters which he exhibits regularly around Massachusetts. He can be reached at lewisposters@gmail.com. His collection is also available on Facebook at labor/progressive political posters. The posters/photos were contributed by friends, collected at conferences, visits to some of the organizations, and from connections made through the internet.

The May Day poster exhibit will be on display during all open hours of the library, with the exception of times when library-sponsored programs or meetings are being held in the main meeting room.  For more information call 508-393-5025.  

This project is supported in part by a grant from the Northborough Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, and by Roofers Local 33, Asbestos Workers Local 6, IBEW Local 103, and Painters DC 35.

*The exhibit is running concurrently at the Westborough and Southborough Public Libraries.

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

Legendary Folksinger, Storyteller and Autoharp Virtuoso Adam Miller 

One of the premier autoharpists in the world, Oregon native Adam Miller travels over 70,000 miles each year and has performed in concert halls from the Everglades to the Arctic Circle. This 21st century troubadour is a renowned American folksinger and natural-born story- teller. An accomplished folklorist, historian, and song-collector, he has amassed an impressive repertoire of over 5,000 songs.  A masterful entertainer who never fails to get his audience singing along, he has distinguished himself as one of the great interpreters of American folktales and folksongs, and as a performer who appeals to audiences of all ages. Fellow folksingers and traditional musicians call him “a National Treasure.”  For more info. visit www.folksinging.org.  We are thrilled to welcome Adam back to the Northborough Free Library on June 2nd for the final concert in our Spring Music Series! 

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.

English Conversation Circles are one-hour informal group meetings run by library volunteers for adults who want to improve their conversational English.  In the meeting we practice listening, speaking and pronunciation in English through normal, everyday conversations with people from all over the world.  Join us for lively conversation in a friendly environment with other adults who are also learning.