Phoenix Books offers discussion series by authors and experts on issues relevant to our community, like the environment, universal health care, economic development, and education. Events at Phoenix Books are free, open to the public, and handicapped accessible.

Click on any of the entries in the calendar below for a description. For more information on any of these upcoming events, scroll down.  For information on past events, visit our previous events page.


Wednesday, July 1st from 6:00-8:00 pm
Open Mic Night

Phoenix Books and Café will host what owner Michael DeSanto calls “a breakout opportunity to bring the spirit of American Idol to Essex” with an open mic night, the next event in our Coffeehouse Series.  Come check out the local talent at your local, independent bookstore!

Want to be the local talent?  We are currently seeking poets, musicians, singers, storytellers, and comics for this date. Space is limited, so call 872-7111 and ask for Michael DeSanto to sign up.

Phoenix Open Mic Nights take place on the first Wednesday of each month, from 6-8 p.m.

Wednesday, July 8th from 6:00-8:00 pm
Knit Night (and Crocheters, too!)

Please join us for our monthly Phoenix Books Knit Night (and Crocheters, too!).  All skill levels welcome.  See you there!  Phoenix's Knit Nights take place on every second Wednesday of the month, from 6-8 p.m.

Thursday, July 9 at 6:30 pm
Launch Party with Mary Carty!

Mary Carty will present her new book, PMAT:  The Perfect Marriage Aptitude Test.

While the perfect white dress is a key ingredient to a successful wedding, a healthy marriage depends on so much more. Using 100 multiple-choice questions that gauge each partner's responses to everyday dilemmas, relationship expert Mary Carty provides advice on how to successfully navigate tricky situations. PMAT: The Perfect Marriage Aptitude Test is a self-guided counseling course designed to get loved ones past the small stuff and to an enriching married life.

Mary Carty believes that even small changes can improve and/or possibly save a troubled relationship, or enhance one that is already perfectly good. With an educational background in psychology and counseling, she frequently writes on marriage, parenting, health, communication, and self-esteem. She lives with her husband of twenty-four years in Vermont and Florida.

Wednesday, July 15th at 6:30 pm
Thomas Middleton

Essex's own Thomas Middleton will read from his memoir Saber's Edge:  A Combat Medic in Ramadi, Iraq.

The National Guardsman, the citizen soldier called upon to fight for this nation in a time of war, is one of the least understood — and perhaps one of the most compelling — figures of the Iraq War. Saber’s Edge is the story of a middle-aged Vermont firefighter called upon to be a soldier in the worst place on earth — Ramadi, Iraq. In a few short weeks Thomas A. Middleton went from being a suburban dad to a combat medic traveling between platoons, filling in for other medics and engaging in some of the fiercest and most crucial fighting of the war. This is the war as experienced from the ground level: days of tedium interspersed with the adrenalin of combat; moments of lighthearted laughter broken by the sorrow of loss. Sgt. Middleton’s story chronicles the inner conflict created by his long-time professional role as a healer and his newfound life as a warrior in the urban battlefields of Iraq.

Thomas Middleton is an Assistant Fire Marshall and Public Information Officer with the Burlington Fire Department and was a long-time volunteer firefighter and EMT. He served as a combat medic in Iraq as part of Task Force Saber from 2004 to 2005 and as a member of the Vermont National Guard.

Sunday, July 19th at 3:00 pm
Howard Dean

Howard Dean will discuss and sign copies of his new book, Howard Dean's Prescription for Real Healthcare Reform: How We Can Achieve Affordable Medical Care for Every American and Make Our Jobs Safer.

Americans have pondered how to reform healthcare since the days of Harry Truman. But for most Americans, little has changed—except that healthcare costs have soared, health insurance companies have grown bigger and more oppressive to both doctors and patients, and today even those Americans who pay dearly for health insurance frequently find that their policies don't adequately cover them when they need their coverage most.

Something has got to give. In his bold new book, Howard Dean—the physician and former Vermont governor widely credited for reviving the Democratic Party after the 2004 elections—tells Americans what needs to be done to successfully reform healthcare. Millions of Americans lack health insurance; millions more pay for coverage that doesn't protect them from serious illness; and the status quo leaves Americans at the mercy of corporate interests. This persuasive argument from a passionate political strategist shows Americans how to take back the healthcare reins.

Tuesday, July 21st from 6:00-8:00 pm
Knit Night Too (and Crocheters!)

Please join us for second July Knit Night.  All skill levels welcome.  See you there!

Ongoing
Art Exhibit

Phoenix's cafe is home to a rotating art exhibit featuring approximately two dozen members of the Essex Art League. Come browse beautiful art as well as great books!  And don't forget to check back; the entire exhibit is changed every two months.

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