Author Talks

Join award-winning CNN anchor Carol Lin, the first network journalist to break the news of the 9/11 attacks, as she discusses her memoir, When News Breaks—a candid look at her groundbreaking career, the personal costs of chasing the news, and the journey to finding herself beyond the headlines. The evening concludes with a live conversation and audience Q&A moderated by Betsy Ronel.

Extra! Extra! Flowers Are Better Therapists, Love Makers and Sages Than Your Shrink. Flower historian Jill Brooke will discuss her new book, The Genius of Flowers: What Life's Most Beautiful Creations Can Teach Us, revealing how flowers have quietly shaped the human experience as connectors, collaborators, and muses—flourishing far beyond the garden to inspire art, fashion, décor, and celebrations since the beginning of time. And as ancient survivors who never suffer in silence, but pivot, problem solve and form alliances, they can teach us and our children lessons in resilience, patience, adaptability and healing in the broken places — all while beautifying our world, improving our mental health and making us more optimistic about the future.

Duston Spear discusses her debut novel Bird Girl in conversation with art historian and critic Judith E. Stein. Set between present-day Western Massachusetts and the 1970s Soho art world, Bird Girl explores authorship, visibility, and the long afterlife of a formative artistic act. When a viral podcast reframes a decades-old incident involving a young artist and her lover, a reclusive painter is thrust into public view and must decide whether to reclaim her narrative.

At a time of profound social and political polarization, Fox News' liberal commentator Jessica Tarlov works every day to argue for her beliefs while remaining respectful and building relationships across lines of difference. Her new book “I Disagree” explains how all Americans can learn from her experiences. She demonstrates that navigating contentious situations is a skill that requires radical honesty, knowing how to engage with numbers and statistics, understanding when to listen and when to talk, and articulating the common threads that unite us all. Speaking with her is Bedford’s own Lauren Leader, founder of the non-partisan women’s leadership organization All In Together. She too has worked for years to help bridge political divides and their conversation promises to be full of heart, honesty and optimism. Following the talk Jessica will sign copies of her new book which will be sold on site by Bedford Books.

Relentless worry is currently the norm for parents. While concern about important issues is certainly beneficial, worrying about them is not. But, worrying can be a hard habit to break, even though it often causes added stress and anxiety in the home. In Base Camp Parenting: Worry Less to Help Your Kids More, Susan Bauerfeld and Chris Parrott give parents the tools necessary to shift away from worrying. They discuss the adverse impact of parental worrying on “Base Camp”--the environment in which children are raised--and show how shifting attention away from worried thinking is crucial to overall health and well-being. In addition, they provide parents with an easy-to-implement four-step process that leaves families calmer, more connected, and better prepared to handle situations as they arise. By following this process, parents model how best to cope with the stress and anxiety of everyday life, leading their children to become more resilient, capable, and healthy. In a culture where worry is often worn like a badge of honor, Base Camp Parenting is a rallying cry for change, delivering a clear, compassionate roadmap for breaking the worry cycle and building a happier, healthier home.

Join acclaimed film historian and author Robert Hofler for a special author talk on his new book, A Star Is Reborn: The Most Filmed Hollywood Story of Love Found and Lost. Discover the fascinating history, real-life inspirations, and behind-the-scenes stories behind A Star Is Born and its iconic remakes spanning nearly a century of Hollywood. Following the discussion, celebrate the film's enduring legacy with a special 50th anniversary screening of the 1976 A Star Is Born, starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson.