Celebration of Sonia Pilcer’s ‘The Last Hotel’
Great Barrington — The Berkshire Edge and Lauren Clark Fine Art will celebrate the conclusion of the weekly serialization of ‘The Last Hotel: A Novel in Suites’ by Sonia Pilcer on Sunday, June 28, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Lauren Clark Fine Art, 25 Railroad St.
Over a year ago, author Sonia Pilcer and Edge editor David Scribner started talking. Both were nostalgic for the serialization of novels. They recalled Dickens, Armistead Maupin, and Stephen King. Deep in the darkest November days, the Berkshire Edge began its weekly installments. They started to serialize the book several months before it was actually published. And this past weekend, they’ve just finished serializing all 39 Suites of ‘”The Last Hotel.” This was an experiment and a total first time, certainly in the Berkshires. Sonia and David prepared each chapter on Thursday nights, and then it went live: a new installment appeared every Friday morning.
“It was an amazing experience for me as an author,” Pilcer said. “I could see my book out there, even before it was published. And people would occasionally approach me. One person at the Co-op said I was writing soft-core porn. Really?”
After discovering that many people didn’t feel they needed to buy the book as they were reading it for free on The Edge, Sonia decided that she would suspend the last part of the book. This was announced in The Edge. But there was a public outcry: “You can’t do this!” So they resumed the serialization till the end of the book.
Sonia Pilcer was born the daughter of Holocaust survivors in Augsburg, Germany, She is the author of six novels including “Teen Angel” (the screenplay for which she wrote with Garry Marshall for Universal Studios) and her previous novel “The Holocaust Kid,” which Seth Rogovoy reviewed for The Berkshire Eagle. She teaches creative writing workshops at Berkshire Community College in Great Barrington and at The Writer’s Voice in New York City.
— E.E.
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First annual William Selke Memorial Lecture
Stockbridge — The Stockbridge Library is pleased to announce that Charles L. Cooney, the Robert T. Haslam (1911) Professor of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will deliver the first annual William Selke Memorial Lecture on Sunday, June 28, 2015 at 4 p.m. in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room at the Stockbridge Town Offices, 50 Main St. Dr. Cooney’s topic will be “Translating Ideas to Impact: An Engineer’s Journey through Life.”
Martha Selke established the Annual William Selke Memorial Lecture with the Stockbridge Library to honor the memory of her husband, who enjoyed a distinguished career in engineering research and development. After his retirement, Selke returned to Stockbridge where he was actively engaged in civic life, serving on numerous town boards and committees.
During his talk, Cooney will reflect on his journey in which he has helped build a new industry in biotechnology, summit some of the world’s major mountains, create an innovation center to accelerate commercialization of academic research, and study the lessons learned by Vasco da Gama in the age of discovery.
The lecture is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. For more information please call the Stockbridge Library at (413) 298-5501.
–E.E.
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Live in the Landscape presents pianist Keely Schmerber
Hudson, N.Y. – The Live in the Landscape Concert Series presents pianist Keely Schmerber at the Olana State Historic Site on June 27. A prodigy of classical music, Keely Schmerber, 18, is a student at the renowned Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. She will perform works by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, and Debussy on a magnificent grand piano while the audience also enjoys Olana’s architecture and views.
The performance will take place on the East Lawn starting promptly at 7PM and will last 90 minutes with an intermission. Tickets are $20/person or $50/family (2 adults, up to 3 children under 15). Attendees should plan to pack a cooler and lawn chairs or blankets, and come and spend the evening in this unusual concert hall.
For more information contact Amy Hufnagel, Olana State Historic Site Director of Education, at (518) 828-1872 x 105.
–E.E.
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Vlada Boutique enters 45th year of business
Stockbridge – Designer, sculptress, painter, and entrepreneur Vlada Rousseff started Vlada Boutique in 1970 in the courtyard behind the Red Lion Inn.
Now entering her 45th year in business, Vlada continues to bring intriguing, fun and functional style to her hometown community of Stockbridge. Filled with unique designers on the cutting edge of fashion, Vlada has strived to showcase “Made in USA” companies and puts her support behind many women-owned businesses and designers.
Vlada Boutique celebrates its 45th anniversary during the week of June 22-26 with special events, sales, and a chance to win a “Vlada’s 45!!” celebration basket filled with many great gifts and specialties.
–E.E.
