April Evening Program
Join us in welcoming Caxtonian Bruce Kennett as he discusses W.A. Dwiggins and his Athalinthia project in person at the Newberry.
Produced entirely in New England, Athalinthia is filled with delights. It comes straight from the imagination and heart of W.A. Dwiggins (WAD), one of the great visual artists of the twentieth century. Wise and witty stories written by Dwiggins, are accompanied by more than a hundred of his fanciful illustrations – many of these never before seen in print.
From 1910 to 1926, Dwiggins created a series of stories about an imaginary place he named Athalinthia, and the people who lived there. A place perhaps akin to Persia a thousand years ago, or Uzbekistan in the nineteenth century … he never said. This is WAD at his most fanciful, his most personal.
In 1928, after nearly twenty years of writing and picture-making, Dwiggins tried valiantly to get his stories published in one volume. He designed the book, made a dummy, and shopped it around to publishing houses. He had no luck. Discouraged, WAD put his Athalinthia project aside. Thankfully, after a delay of nearly a hundred years, Dwiggins biographer Bruce Kennett picked it up and saw it through to the end. This is a remarkable achievement and a pure delight. In these troubling times, stories such as these are a comfort for all of us to have on our bookshelves.
Doors open 5:30 PM, Presentation 6:15 PM, Buffet dinner (vegetarian options available) with wine, beer, or non-alcoholic beverage to follow.
Cost $72.00 inclusive. No program-only option. You must purchase dinner to attend.
Prepayment and registration required via website by 5:30 PM 4/17/23.
Registering for the program will allow you the opportunity to purchase copies of Athalinthia for $62, including tax.
Please forward this notice to anyone who may find it of interest.
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