Phoenix only opened its doors in late 2007, and within our first year we'd hosted a string of authors and artists to be proud of!  Check out our more recent events here, and our upcoming events here.

Bill Schubart read from and autographed his new book, The Lamoille Stories.

“Bill Schubart’s Vermont stories of a mostly-forgotten time and place are fresh, authentic, funny in places and sad in others. He knows his corner of the Green Mountains inside out and writes with honesty and grace about its people.” —Howard Frank Mosher, author of Disappearances, Mary Blythe, and On Kingdom Mountain.

Bill Schubart was born in New York City. His father died in the Philippines before his birth. Soon after, his widowed mother moved them both to Morrisville, Vermont, where she later remarried and had two more children. Schubart attended Exeter Academy, Kenyon College and graduated from UVM with a degree in French. Over the years, he co-founded Philo Records and Resolution, and has been active in various cultural, civic and business organizations throughout his lifetime in Vermont. He has four children and lives and writes in Hinesburg with his wife Kate.  See more of Schubart's work on www.Schubart.com.

December 13th - Paul Madden

Pianist Paul Madden entertained us with a selection of soothing tunes.  Customers came to sip a glass of wine of a pumpkin spice latte in our cafe, or just enjoy the live music as they shopped.

...and... - Melissa Pasanen & Rick Gengarelli

Melissa Pasanen and Rick Gencarelli, authors of Cooking with Shelburne Farms, joined us for an afternoon of festive, holiday-themed recipes and demonstrations.

Cooking with Shelburne Farms celebrates food from the land and the people who bring it to us. With more than 100 recipes featuring Vermont ingredients — milk and cheese, maple syrup, early season greens, lamb, mushrooms, game and fish, pork, root cellar vegetables and apples — the dishes deliver everyday favorites like macaroni and cheese and hot milk sponge cake, as well as recipes for entertaining like smoke-grilled leg of lamb with eggplant salad and apple-cranberry brown butter tart. Woven throughout the book, you will also find historical anecdotes about Shelburne Farms and the stories of farmers, cheesemakers, foragers and others who raise and craft our food.

Melissa Pasanen is chief food and restaurant correspondent and writer for The Burlington Free Press and a staff writer for Edward Behr’s Art of Eating. Her work has appeared in USA Today, Salon.com, and Eating Well. Rick Gencarelli is the head chef at the Inn at Shelburne Farms. He has also worked at Rubicon, One Market, and with Todd English at Olives.

December 10th, November 12th
Knit Night (and Crocheters, too!)

After a wonderfully enthusiastic first ever Phoenix Books Knit Night (and Crocheters, too!) on November 12, the second took place on December 10.  They were so successful, that we now host a Knit Night on the second Wednesday of every month.  All skill levels welcome.

December 5th - Marc Estrin

Marc Estrin read from and autographed his newest book, The Annotated Nose.

Marc Estrin is a writer, cellist, and activist living in Burlington, Vermont. He is the author of four other novels: Insect Dreams: The Half Life of Gregor Samsa, The Education of Arnold Hitler, Golem Song, and The Lamentations of Julius Marantz.

In The Annotated Nose, “Marc Estrin” discovers that another writer’s novel — The Nose — not only has spawned a bizarre cult among the nation’s youth, but is based on the extraordinary life of a real person—an outcast named Alexei Pigov. “Estrin” searches Alexei out and asks him to provide annotations to The Nose. Alexei says that—although the events of the novel might, for the most part, be real—the purported reasons for them are all damnable lies. On the left-hand page of The Annotated Nose we read The Nose itself, and take in its beautifully unsettling illustrations. On the right-hand page we follow Alexei’s complaints – always surprising and often far-reaching. The layers in Estrin’s remarkable comic book are as multiple, eclectic, and outrageous as the sequence of masks Alexei wears to hide his face from the world over the caroming trajectory of his most unlikely life. The Annotated Nose is at once Marc Estrin’s most playful and his most ambitious work to date.

December 3rd, November 5th, October 1st, September 10th, August 13th, July 9th
Open Mic Nights

Our open mic nights were launched with the help of emcee and local singer/songwriter Rachel Hamilton, who also performed at our first Coffeehouse event. "Hosting," she says, "was a wonderful experience! It is always great to meet new people and to share talents."

November 16th - Dan Snow

Dan Snow presented his new book, Listening to Stone.  Attendees also had the opportunity to watch the documentary Stone Rising:  The Work of Dan Snow and to speak with producer/director Camilla Rockwell.  You can see more of Dan's work on his blog, In the Company of Stone. 

For thirty years, Dan Snow has been creating stunning works of dry stone throughout southern Vermont and New Hampshire. Snow offers workshops internationally and is also the author of the book In The Company of Stone, which, like Listening to Stone, features photographs by Peter Mauss. In his most recent book, Snow demonstrates astonishing range as he touches on such subjects as geology, philosophy, and community. In these fast-paced times, Snow's life's work offers an antidote: the luxury of patience, the bounty and quietude of nature, the satisfaction of sweat. "I work with stone," he ultimately tells us, "because stone is so much work."

"I truly admire Mr. Snow's work and artistry, and I was very impressed by the film Stone Rising." says Phoenix owner Michael DeSanto. "I am delighted to host an event for Mr. Snow."

November 8th - Robert Shaw

Art historian and guitar aficionado Robert Shaw presented his newest book, Hand Made, Hand Played: The Art and Craft of Contemporary Guitars.

Robert Shaw is an independent curator and art historian who has written and lectured extensively on American folk arts and contemporary studio crafts. His critically acclaimed books include Great Guitars, America's Traditional Crafts, Classic Guitars, The Art Quilt, and American Baskets. He was curator at the Shelburne Museum in Vermont from 1981-1994, and has curated exhibitions at major museums and expositions in the United States, Europe, and Japan.

In Hand Made, Hand Played, readers are invited to feast their eyes on more than 300 of today's most creative, imaginative, and gorgeous hand-made guitars—all illustrated in full color and featuring information about the innovative artisans who created them. Meet guitar-making legends, such as C.F. Martin, Les Paul, and Leo Fender, who revolutionized the instrument's design. Discover why the past 25 years have seen an explosion of craftspeople who build guitars by hand, employing an attention to detail factories can't afford and using higher quality materials and more technical skill than in any previous era. Explore the various guitar styles used in a range of musical traditions, from blues to classical. Detailed information about each guitar's specifications, plus personal statements and anecdotes from the artisans about their work and techniques, complete each entry.

October 27th - Greg Melville

Greg Melville read from his new book Greasy Rider: Two Dudes, One Fry-Oil-Powered Car, and a Cross-Country Search for a Greener Future. Reminiscent of Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods and Morgan Spurlock's documentary Super Size Me, Greasy Rider manages to be both thought-provoking and a page-turner.  Want to check out the buzz? Read the Greasy Rider blog.

Greg Melville is a freelance journalist and the author of 101 Best Outdoor Towns: Unspoiled Places to Visit, Live and Play. He's written for Men's Journal, Outside, Popular Science, and National Geographic Adventure.

October 25th - Amber deLaurentis & WIlliam Cleary

Our Coffeehouse Series continued with the release of a new CD and book:  Hey Sadie, by Amber deLaurentis and Prayers to an Evolutionary God, by William Cleary.

William Cleary, former assistant editor at the Catholic weekly America, is the author of many books on spirituality.  His first novel, The Jesuit's Escape, is forthcoming.  He is a former Jesuit priest, filmmaker, and composer.  His musical Chun Hyang Song was performed at the Seoul Olympics.  Cleary is married to a Unitarian Universalist minister, and is the father of two musician sons.

Amber deLaurentis' signature piano-pounding style and powerful vocals drive a diverse range of songs, carefully crafted with her long-time lyricist Sarah Blue.  DeLaurentis, both individually and with her band, has compiled a considerable resume, including performances at Philadelphia's Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, a residency at New York City's legendary Bitter End, and repeated invitations to join the intimate New York Songwriter's Circle.  Hey Sadie is her first full-length CD.

October 19th - Linda Peavy and Ursula Smith

Linda Peavy and Ursula Smith read from their new book, Full-Court Quest: The Girls from Fort Shaw Indian School Basketball Champions of the World. Full-Court Quest offers a rare glimpse into American Indian life and into the world of women's basketball before "girls' rules" temporarily shackled the sport. For anyone captivated by Sea Biscuit, A League of Their Own, and other accounts of unlikely champions, this book rates as nothing but net.

Linda Peavy and Ursula Smith began their collaborative work in women’s history and biography in Bozeman, Montana. In the intervening years they have coauthored ten books, including Women in Waiting in the Westward Movement, Pioneer Women, Frontier Children, and Frontier House. Currently residing in Vermont, they have given presentations and workshops across the nation, including at the Library of Congress and the White House.

October 11th - Archer Mayor

Celebrated Vermont author Archer Mayor read from The Catch, the latest addition to his Joe Gunther detective series

In addition to being a novelist, Mayor is also a death investigator for Vermont’s Chief Medical Examiner, a deputy for the Windham County Sheriff’s Department, and has 25 years experience as a volunteer firefighter and EMT.

September 28th - Louella Bryant

Louella Bryant read from her new book, While in Darkness There is Light: Idealism and Tragedy on an Australian Commune. This book follows the friendship of five young American men who become expatriates in Australia during the Vietnam War.  Check out the article at Seven Days.

Louella Bryant has won numerous awards for her short stories and poems. She is the author of two young-adult historical novels - The Black Bonnet, finalist for the Vermont Book Award, and Father By Blood, winner of the Silver Bay Children's Literature Award - as well as a picture book, Two Tracks in the Snow. Louella teaches creative writing in the Spalding University MFA in Writing program in Louisville and mentors young writers at the New England Young Writers Conference at Bread Loaf.

September 19th - Connie Reeves

Connie Reeves read from  her new novel, Hawthorne's Cottage.

Reeves has published numerous articles on women's military history. Retired from the U.S. Army, Reeves served as one of the first female army helicopter pilots, an intelligence officer, and an expert on western Europe. Reeves lives in southern Maryland with her husband, has two grown children, and is an ovarian cancer survivor of one year. Hawthorne's Cottage, her first novel, is written in the tradition of Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher.

September 16th - Martin Galvin

Poet Martin Galvin read from a selection of his work. Galvin has published in The Atlantic Monthly, The New Republic, Commonweal, The Christian Science Monitor, and Poetry, and in the anthologies Poets Against the War and DC Poets Against the War. His book Wild Card won the Columbia Prize in 1989. He has also published three chapbooks: Making Beds, Appetites, and Circling Out. He is currently serving as the Review Editor for Poet Lore, the oldest continuously published poetry magazine in the United States.

"Marty Galvin was my favorite teacher at Walt Whitman High School (Bethesda, Maryland) and beyond," says store owner Renee Reiner. "He taught me to love books and poetry and I credit him with my current affliction. I am so excited that he and his wife, Terry, [visited] our area and...agreed to share his joyous and accessible poetry with us."

July 30th - Stacey Kaye

Stacey Kaye read and signed her two new books, Ready for the Day! and Ready for Bed!  Parents got to pick up techniques designed to help get through the day with less stress and struggle while fostering kids' self-esteem; children got to make and take home a craft project that parents can use as a tool to encourage cooperation!

Stacey R. Kaye, MMR, is the mother of two girls, ages four and seven. As her first daughter grew into a feisty toddler, Stacey searched for a language that would discourage tantrums and meltdowns and still encourage her daughter to explore, grow confidence, and gain emotional intelligence. Dozens of parenting tomes, lectures, and courses provided great theory, but not the language. That’s when Stacey began writing ParentSmart/KidHappy(TM) books. She’s done the research so you don’t have to.

July 17th - Dennis McCullough, M.D.

Vermont's Dennis McCullough, M.D. read from his new book, My Mother, Your Mother:Embracing "Slow Medicine," the Compassionate Approach to Caring for Your Aging Loved Ones. This event was co-sponsored by Armistead Caregiver Services.

In this book, Dr. McCullough focuses on the fastest growing group of elders, those over age 80. At present, this group has more interaction with the medical system and uses more resources per capita than any other age group. It is about to double its numbers, with a spiraling demand for health services. Diseases which once ended lives relatively quickly have been changed into chronic illness, chronic debilitation, and extended years of decline. The pressure of numbers is creating unprecedented family and societal burdens. Geriatric specialists like Dr. McCullough have learned that this particular group of elders has the highest likelihood of benefiting from care that is more measured and reflective, that stands back from rushed, in-hospital interventions and slows down to balance the separate, multiple, and complex issues of late-life.

Dennis McCullough, M.D., has been an "in-the-trenches" family physician and geriatrician for 30 years. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Medical School, and serves as a faculty member in the Department of Community and Family Medicine at Dartmouth Medical School. He is a member of the American Geriatrics Society, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, and the American Medical Directors Association, as well as the coauthor of The Little Black Book of Geriatrics. He lives with his wife, the poet Pamela Harrison, in Norwich, Vermont.

June 24th - Jaed Coffin

Author Jaed Coffin read to a packed house from his new memoir A Chant to Soothe Wild Elephants..

At the age of twenty-one, Jaed Muncharoen Coffin left Vermont's privileged Middlebury College to be ordained as a Buddhist monk in his mother's native village of Panomsarakram, Thailand--thus fulfilling a familial obligation. While addressing the notions of displacement, ethnic identity, and cultural belonging, A Chant to Soothe Wild Elephants chronicles his time at the temple that rain season--receiving alms in the streets in saffron robes; bathing in the canals; learning to meditate in a mountaintop hut; and falling in love with Lek, a beautiful Thai woman who comes to represent the life he can have if he stays. Part armchair travel, part coming-of-age story, this debut work transcends the memoir genre and ushers in a brave new voice in American nonfiction.

Julia Alvarez (author of How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents) says, “Jaed Coffin takes us on the eternal quest which Joseph Campbell described as the journey of the hero in search of enlightenment. But A Chant to Soothe Wild Elephants is also a touching memoir of growing up in dual cultures with a foot in both First and Third Worlds. Coffin takes us inside those worlds and on that quest with such honesty, skill, humor, and intimacy that we can't help but follow.”Publisher’s Weekly says, “In heartfelt prose, Coffin beautifully captures his journey, both geographical and internal.”

June 21st - Steve Delaney

Vermont's Steve Delaney read from his new book, Vermont Seasonings: Reflections on the Rhythms of a Vermont Year.

Vermont Seasonings is an affectionate salute to Recovering Flatlanders, the residents of our state who believe that by living here a long time, they can become Real Vermonters.

Steve Delaney is a fifty-year broadcaster in radio and television, a twenty-year resident of Milton, Vermont, and a ten-year newscaster at Vermont Public Radio, as well as a lifetime Recovering Flatlander.

June 12th - Art After School

Essex Middle School's Art After School Club joined us for an exhibit featuring altered books. These 6th, 7th, and 8th graders impressed us with their creativity and talent. It's a wonder what books can inspire!

May 17th - Rebecca Rupp

Vermont author Rebecca Rupp read from her new book Sarah Simpson's Rules for Living. We also created journals inspired by this middle grade novel.

"Written as witty, off-the-cuff journal entries, this inviting novel takes preadolescent angst and doses it with pure heart.... Rupp delivers a story that both touches and convinces," says Publisher's Weekly.

Rebecca Rupp has a Ph.D. in cell biology, has written for many professional journals and national magazines, and has published several books, including Dragons of Lonely Island and The Complete Home Learning Sourcebook. She lives in Shaftsbury with her husband and three sons, with whom she shares a tractor, a telescope, and a toboggan.

May 13th - Rachel Hamilton

We launched Phoenix's new Coffeehouse Series! Local singer/songwriter Rachel Hamilton performed her show "Me, My Guitar, and the Road." The enthusiastic audience partook of our cheese plates and glasses of wine, and enjoyed the backdrop of fine art by the Essex Art League. The evening was recorded for posterity by LCATV cameras.

Rachel Hamilton is a native Vermonter born in St. Johnsbury, raised in Essex Junction, and currently living in Milton. She performed original work, and even premiered a song entitled Phoenix Rising!

May 2nd- Laban Carrick Hill

Burlington author Laban Carrick Hill read from his new book, America Dreaming: How Youth Changed America in the 60s. What ensued was a friendly yet no-holds-barred discussion that spanned generations and ran the gamut from politics to race-relations to disillusionment among today's youth.

Like Harlem Stomp!, America Dreaming is an educational and visual look into a time of energy and influence. Covering subjects such as the Civil Rights Movement, Black Nationalism, Chicano Power, the Young Lords Party, the American Indian Movement, and feminism, Laban Carrick Hill paints a sprawling picture of life in the midst of social upheaval and political uprising and shows how teenagers spearheaded societal changes that occurred during this grand decade. America Dreaming is a window into the past, filled with vivid colors and exuberant designs, and an extensive collection of songs, pictures, and historical documents that are sure to take you back to a time when American teens stood up and fought for their beliefs, their lives, and most importantly, their dreams.

April 26th - Tracey Medeiros

Local food writer Tracey Medeiros presented her new book, Dishing Up Vermont: 145 Authentic Recipes From the Green Mountain State. We all enjoyed free samples, including some delicious savory muffins.  Check out the article at Seven Days.

In Dishing Up Vermont, Tracey Medeiros has compiled 145 recipes showcasing Vermont cooks and food producers dedicated to sustaining and enriching local culinary traditions. Here are the classically trained chefs, home bakers, farmers, winemakers, comfort-food cooks, beekeepers, orchard and sugar-shack owners, craft brewers, winemakers, and all the other foodies who keep Vermont food folklore alive while developing new flavor contributions that respect the integrity of the raw ingredients.

Tracey Medeiros’ articles and recipes have appeared in Bon Appetit, Cooking Light, Eating Well, and Hampton Roads magazines. She lives in Phoenix’s own Essex, Vermont.

Download the podcast of Medeiros' recent interview with Michael DeSanto, owner of Phoenix books, featured on the Eve1070 Book Club. Check out the review in the Burlington Free Press.

April 24th - Baron Wormser

Local poet Baron Wormser read from his new books, The Poetry Life: Ten Stories and Scattered Chapters: New and Selected Poems.

Baron Wormser is the author of seven books of poetry, a poetry chapbook, a collection of short stories, and a memoir, and is the coauthor of two books about teaching poetry. He directs the Frost Place Conference on Poetry and Teaching and teaches in the Stonecoast MFA Program. He is the recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and served as Poet Laureate of Maine from 2000 to 2005. He lives with his wife in Cabot, Vermont.

April 17th - Nora Mitchell & Emily Skoler

Nora Mitchell and Emily Skoler shared a selection of their work.

Nora Mitchell teaches in and directs the MFA in Writing program at Goddard College. She is the author of Your Skin Is A Country and Proofreading the Histories. Her poetry has appeared in numerous journals including Calyx, Cedar Rock, Dark Horse and Sojourner. Her work has also been anthologized in I Feel a Little Jumpy Around You and Witness and Wait: Thirteen Poets from New England. She received her B.A. in English Literature from Dartmouth College and her M.A. as well as her Ph.D. in English and American Literature from Brandeis University.

Emily Skoler works as a high school tutor and guidance counselor. She was a poetry editor for Sojourner prior to its 2002 suspension of publication. Her work, as well as Nora Mitchell's, appears in the anthology Onion River: Six Vermont Poets. Her poems and essays have been featured in Cimarron, The New England Review, Passages North, and Third Coast. She has a BA in English literature from Harvard University and an MFA in writing from Vermont College.

April 12th - Doug Wilhelm

Vermont author Doug Wilhelm read from his new teen novel Falling.

His previous book, The Revealers has been read and discussed by hundreds of schools across the country, including more than 90 in Vermont, and was nominated by young readers for the "Teens Top Ten" list of the American Library Association, along with a number of state young reader awards.

April 10th - Daniel Lusk

Local poet Daniel Lusk read from a selection of his work.

Daniel Lusk's books include Kissing the Ground, The Cow Wars, Homemade Poems: A Handbook, and the novel O, Rosie. His poems, stories and essays have appeared in dozens of literary journals and anthologies, among them American Poetry Review, New Letters, and North American Review.He has been awarded fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts, Yaddo, and the MacDowell Colony. In 1995 he was winner of the Gertrude B. Claytor Award of the Poetry Society of America. He teaches writing at the University of Vermont.

April 5th - Madeleine M. Kunin

Former three-term Vermont Governor and Ambassador to Switzerland Madeleine M. Kunin read from her new book Pearls, Politics and Power: How Women Can Win and Lead.  Check out the book review at Seven Days.

Pearls, Politics, and Power is a call to action for new political engagement and leadership from the women of America. Informed by conversations with elected women leaders from all levels, Madeleine M. Kunin asks: What difference do women make? What is the worst part of politics, and what is the best part? What inspired these women to run, and how did they prepare themselves for public life? How did they raise money, protect their families' privacy, deal with criticism and attack ads, and work with the good old boys?

Madeleine M. Kunin was the first woman governor of Vermont and at the time was only the fourth woman governor elected. She served as the Deputy Secretary of Education and Ambassador to Switzerland under President Bill Clinton. Governor Kunin is currently a Marsh Scholar Professor-at-Large at the University of Vermont and lectured on history and women's studies. She lives in Burlington.

April 3rd - Leland Kinsey

Poet Leland Kinsey read from his newest work, The Immigrant's Contract.

In this new collection of linked poems, Leland Kinsey offers a new installment of his moving and powerful narrative verse. Arriving by horse-and-carriage as a child, the main character of this sequence embodies the cultural transformation that so many American families have endured, while Kinsey's verse captures the twentieth-century themes of displacement, work, and transformation in bold, crisp detail.

Leland Kinsey is the author of six collections of poetry, including Sledding on Hospital Hill. He lives with his family in the Northeast Kingdom.

March 29th - Madelyn Holmes

Local author Madelyn Holmes read from her book Students and Teachers of the New China: Thirteen Interviews.  Check out the book review at Seven Days.

In this collection of interviews with students and teachers in Hangzhou, China, the reader meets a student majoring in English and studying Japanese and Italian; a teacher who spent his childhood as a "little Red Guard" of the Cultural Revolution and went on to study in England; and more. Ranging in age from 7 to 52, the thirteen interviewees represent a cross-section of Chinese culture and experience, with various levels of social status, education, and economic standing. Their words, supplemented by the author's detailed descriptions of their surroundings and daily activities, offer a fresh perspective on life in present-day China. Check out what Seven Days had to say about this book.

Madelyn Holmes has written for The Christian Science Monitor and The Geographical Magazine and is the author of American Women Conservationists (2004). A recent visiting professor of English at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, she lives in Burlington. 

March 6th - Angela Patton

Poet Angela Patton read from her new book, Reliquaries.  Check out the book review at Seven Days.

Angela Patton is a native of Dublin, Ireland; she moved to Vermont in 1977.  She is the author of two poetry collections, and her poems have appeared in literary journals such as The Literary Review and Prairie Schooner.  She teaches creative writing at the University of Vermont.