Pulitzer Prize winners to visit Bangor Public Library

On Wednesday I posted about my love of books and the local bookshop I recently discovered, Pro Libris.

Today I offer you some information about an upcoming event at the book-iest of places: the Bangor Public Library.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Pulitzer Prize, journalism’s most prestigious award. To celebrate, the the University of Maine’s Department of Communication and Journalism and the Bangor Public Library will host three events featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists – an incredible opportunity for those interested in interacting with authors of acclaimed works and from award-winning publications. The event is funded by a grant from the Pulitzer Foundation and administered by the Maine Humanities Council and the University of Maine Humanities Center.

As a new resident of Bangor, I’m always looking for things to do. I moved here about ten months ago from a small town in Aroostook County and I’m trying to make this place feel a bit more like home. I was happily surprised to find that an effort was put forth to bring Pulitzer Prize winners to all of us here in Bangor.

On Thursday, March 24 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Amy Ellis Nutt, Health and Science Reporter for the Washington Post and author of “Becoming Nicole,” a book that chronicles the life and transformation of young Maine resident and trans-woman Nicole Maines, will visit the Bangor Public Library. Nutt was awarded the Pulitzer in feature writing in 2011 for her series “The Wreck of the Lady Mary.” Her presentation will be introduced and moderated by Dan MacLeod of the Bangor Daily News.

In addition to visitors from out of state, Erin Rhoda of the Bangor Daily News will present “Why Journalism Matters: The Garrett Brown Story” on Monday, March 28 from 12:10 to 1 p.m. Make sure to check out her story, “Garrett: Inside the life and fall of a young Maine man addicted to heroin.”

On Tuesday, March 29 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Kathleen Kingsbury, Deputy Managing Editor at the Boston Globe will visit the library. She was awarded a Pulitzer in 2015 for a series of pieces about restaurant labor.

And finally, on Wednesday, March 30 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Jim Sheeler of Case Western Reserve University and author of “Final Salute” will visit the Bangor Public Library. He won a Pulitzer in 2006 for feature writing while he was reporting for the Rocky Mountain News. Anthony Ronzio, Director of News and Audience for the Bangor Daily News, will moderate this event.

Talk about an amazing opportunity for nonfiction lovers and writers alike! Make sure to stop by the Bangor Public Library for one or all of these events – they’re free and open to the public.

Shelby Hartin

About Shelby Hartin

Shelby Hartin was born and raised in southern Aroostook County in a tiny town called Crystal, population 269. After graduating from the University of Maine in May 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism, she relocated to Bangor. She now works at the Bangor Daily News as a customer service representative slash features reporter and is making a new home for herself by discovering what Bangor has to offer. Every week she will do something new and blog about it. It might be attending an art exhibit or checking out a new restaurant. It might be visiting a local museum or going on a tour offered in the area. She’s going to find things that people settling into their home of greater Bangor might enjoy — and she wants your help.