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Lecture explores origins of southern cooking
Historian Christopher Hendricks will explore the culinary and cultural impact of Mary Randolph’s 1824 cookbook “The Virginia House-Wife” during a Road Scholar lecture at 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10, at Abbot Public Library. The discussion, led locally by Maeve Hartney of Massachusetts Road Scholar Programs, will examine food, politics and women’s roles in the early republic. Registration is required at tinyurl.com/Southern-Cooking.
Marine biologist to discuss hidden world of plankton
Marine biologist Amanda Hunter will lead a Road Scholar lecture, “The Secret Life of Plankton,” at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, at Abbot Public Library. The program will explore the diversity of plankton and their critical role in the planet’s ecosystems. Registration is limited to 35 participants at tinyurl.com/secret-plankton.
Virtual event offers new book suggestions for winter reading
Former educator and library trustee Ann McGreevy will present “New Book Suggestions for Cozy Winter Reading and Holiday Gift Giving” at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, via Zoom. The event will highlight books from 2024–2025 across fiction, nature, history, spirituality and children’s literature. Registration is required at tinyurl.com/winter-reading.
Artist Siobhan McDonald to give talk on local exhibit
Artist Siobhan McDonald will discuss her exhibit “This is Where I Lived” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, at the Abbot Public Library’s Event Center and Carten Gallery. The exhibit runs from Nov. 10 through Jan. 3, 2026. McDonald, a Marblehead resident and board member of the Massachusetts Art Education Association, works primarily in paint and drawing media.
Lecture to help retirees find their best place to live
Dr. Catherine Frank, director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNC Asheville, will lead “Rethinking Retirement: Creating Your Own ‘Best-Places’ List” at 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, at Abbot Public Library. The session will guide participants in identifying personal criteria for choosing retirement communities. Registration is required at tinyurl.com/Road-Scholar-Retirement.
True crime author to discuss ‘She Kills’ in virtual talk
True crime journalist Skip Hollandsworth will discuss his book “She Kills: The Murderous Socialite, the Cross-Dressing Bank Robber, and Other True Crime Tales” in a virtual event at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, hosted by Ashland Public Library in partnership with Abbot Public Library. Registration is available at tinyurl.com/she-kills.
