Gray Jacobik

Gray Jacobik is author of three collections of poetry: The Double Task (University of Massachusetts Press), winner of the Juniper Prize, nominated for the James Laughlin Award and The Poet’s Prize; The Surface of Last Scattering (Texas Review Press), winner of the X. J. Kennedy Poetry Prize; and Brave Disguises (University of Pittsburgh Press), winner of the AWP Poetry Series Award for 2001. Gray served as the 2002 Poet-in-Residence at The Frost Place and is a Professor Emeritus at Eastern Connecticut State University. She is also an accomplished painter.

This reading took place in Freeport, Maine, during the winter residency of the Stonecoast MFA program in January, 2009. We welcome your feedback!

Colin Sargent

Colin Sargent is a playwright and author of three books of poetry. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he earned a Stonecoast MFA in creative writing and was awarded the Maine individual artist fellowship in literature. His screenplay “Montebello Ice” is under option at Gideon Films. Sargent is founding editor and publisher of award-winning Portland Magazine, as well as a board member of the literacy organization Maine Reads. As a guest reader for the Stonecoast program, he read from his first novel, Museum of Human Beings. Stonecoast alumnus and faculty member Jaed Coffin introduced the reading.

India and Pakistan

The goal of India and Pakistan: The History Behind the Headlines, a day-long program for Maine teachers that took place on December 4, 2008, in Brunswick, Maine, was to provide an introduction to the complex web of politics, culture, and religion that has made South Asia both a volatile area and an emerging power. Rachel Sturman, Assistant Professor of History and Asian Studies at Bowdoin College, was the featured scholar. The recording is offered here in two parts: an overview from the beginning of the day and a question-and-answer session from the end.

Ying Chang Compestine

Another contender for a Maine Student Book Award in 2008-09 is Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party (Random House, 2007) by Ying Chang Compestine (pictured at right). This novel about life in China during the Cultural Revolution is based on the author’s own experiences. The first chapter from the audiobook, performed by Jodi Long and published by Listening Library (an imprint of the Random House Audio Publishing Group), is excerpted here. South Portland school librarian Connie Burns introduces the excerpt, then previews the rest of the story and explains how you can get involved with the Maine Student Book Awards.

Lynne Jonell

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell, illustrated by Jonathan Bean (Henry Holt, 2007), is intended for children ages 8-12, but its whimsy and wit broaden its appeal. The novel was chosen as one of School Library Journal’s Best Books of 2007, and now it’s a contender for a Maine Student Book Award in 2008-09. Here, school librarian Connie Burns introduces the story and reads the first chapter aloud. You can find the book, or a complete professional recording by Full Cast Audio, at your library.

Fear and Civil Liberties

On October 20, 2008, the Maine Humanities Council hosted a symposium entitled Fear, Civil Liberties, and the Rule of Law. The program began with an overview of the topic by Joel Rosenthal, President of the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, and member of the Maine Humanities Council board. Rosenthal is a frequent lecturer and writer on ethics, U.S. foreign policy, and international relations.

The next speaker in the program was Jeff McCausland, U.S. Army Colonel (Retired) and Carnegie Council Senior Fellow. During his military career, McCausland served in a variety of command and staff positions both in the United States and Europe, including as Director for Defense Policy and Arms Control on the National Security Council Staff during the Kosovo crisis. He has published and lectured broadly on military affairs, European security issues, the Gulf War, and leadership throughout the United States and abroad.

The program concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Joel Rosenthal. Panelists Shenna Bellows (Executive Director of the Maine Civil Liberties Union), Paula Silsby (U.S. Attorney for Maine), and Steve Podgajny (Executive Director, Portland Public Library) explored what the pressure on civil liberties means for Americans.

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Blaine House

The Blaine House is the Governor’s residence in Augusta, Maine. At the 175th anniversary celebration of this historic house on August 16, 2008, historian Jo Radner interviewed some of its former residents and staff.

Do you have a story to tell about the Blaine House? We'd love to hear from you!