Chautauqua Institution

Victoria Christopher Murray and Marie Benedict
2025-03-13 16:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom, Zoom
Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle (CLSC) Unbound Presentation — Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray and The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict
She found the literary voices that would inspire the world…. Harlem Rhapsody (On-sale: February 4, 2025) is the extraordinary story of the woman who ignited the Harlem Renaissance, written by Victoria Christopher Murray, New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Personal Librarian. Most of us have heard of the Harlem Renaissance, and some may even know that this movement began in 1924, one hundred years ago. However, few of us know of the woman who was at the epicenter of the literary awakening that occurred, the woman who discovered the authors synonymous with this time: Jessie Redmon Fauset.
Victoria Christopher Murray is a New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including The Personal Librarian, a Good Morning America book club pick, and The First Ladies, Target’s 2023 Book of the Year, both of which she coauthored with Marie Benedict. She is a NAACP Image Award Winner for Outstanding Literary Work for her novel Stand Your Ground, which was also a Library Journal Best Book of the Year. She holds an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business.
The Queens of Crime (On-sale: February 11, 2025) by beloved and bestselling author Marie Benedict (The Personal Librarian, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie) is a genre-bending novel starring Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie that blends classic mystery, historical fiction, and elements of true crime into a page-turning and unforgettable story. Set in London in the 1930s and starring five of the greatest women crime writers of the interwar period, The Queens of Crime is an homage to the Golden Age of Detective Fiction that celebrates women who buck convention and seek justice for themselves—and others.
Marie Benedict is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Mitford Affair, Her Hidden Genius, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, The Only Woman in the Room, Lady Clementine, Carnegie’s Maid, The Other Einstein, and with Victoria Christopher Murray, the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Personal Librarian and the Target Book of the Year The First Ladies. All have been translated into multiple languages, and many have been selected for the Barnes & Noble Book Club, Target Book Club, Costco Book Club, Indie Next List, and LibraryReads List. She lives in Pittsburgh with her family.
Newly beloved Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle authors, Victoria Christopher Murray and Marie Benedict, will join Kwame Alexander, Michael I. Rudell Artistic Director of Literary Arts, in conversation on Thursday, March 13, 2025, as part of our CLSC Unbound programming to discuss the significance of historical fiction, women in history, and each of their newest novels – and 2025 CLSC selections – Harlem Rhapsody (Penguin Random House) and The Queens of Crime (St. Martin’s Press).
Register for the Zoom Webinar here.

Winter Weekend Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides
2025-02-23 13:00, 2025-02-22 13:00, 2025-02-16 13:00, 2025-02-15 13:00, 2025-02-09 13:00, 2025-02-08 13:00, 2025-02-02 13:00, 2025-02-01 13:00 and 8 more dates | Bestor Plaza, Bestor Plaza
The Stateline Horseman’s Association will provide sleigh and wagon rides around the grounds every weekend starting Saturday, Jan. 4 and continuing every Saturday and Sunday (weather permitting) until Feb. 28. The rides will take place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the Chautauqua Bookstore, with prices as follows: $5 for individuals aged 13 and older, $3 for youth aged 2 to 12, and free for those under 2 years old.
If weather conditions seem adverse, call the Bookstore ahead of your visit at 716-357-2151.

The Philosophies of the American Foundings with David French
2025-02-18 15:00, 2025-02-11 15:00, 2025-02-04 15:00, 2025-01-28 15:00, 2025-01-21 15:00 | Special Studies
Join these five-week online class on Tuesdays as we explore that the story of America is a story of a centuries-long collision between high ideals and grim reality.The words of the Declaration of Independence conflicted with the darkness of slavery. The terror of Jim Crow conflicted with the promises of the Civil War Amendments. This course will examine the philosophies that shaped the two foundings — one born out of revolution, the other out of civil war — and how those philosophies continue to call us to a higher and better version of ourselves today.
David French is an opinion columnist for The New York Times, where he writes about law, culture, religion, and armed conflict. He was previously a senior editor at The Dispatch, a contributing writer at The Atlantic, a columnist at Time and a senior writer at National Review. A frequent on stage at Chautauqua, he currently serves along with Melody Barnes as the Institution’s inaugural Perry Fellows in Democracy.
French is a former constitutional litigator, past president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, and a New York Times bestselling author. His most recent book is Divided We Fall: America’s Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation, in which he warns of the potential dangers to the country — and the world — if we don’t summon the courage to reconcile our political differences.
A graduate of Harvard Law School, French is a former major in the United States Army Reserve and a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he was awarded the Bronze Star.

Bootcamp for Picture Book Writers: A Writers’ Lab Symposium
2025-01-11 10:00 | Zoom, Zoom
Join children’s book author, Ann Marie Stephens, for a one-day boot camp to boost your picture book writing! Whether you’re beginning a new story, finishing a current work-in-progress, or looking ahead to future stories, Ann Marie is ready to support and inspire! From the first line to the last word, explore techniques for out-of-the-box plotting and for creating unique characters. Learn how to leave room for an illustrator and find ways to choose the most irresistible words to bring your manuscript to the next level. You’ll discover quick and painless methods to edit without ruining your masterpiece. You’ll combat mundane middles and everyday endings to equip you with what you need to polish off your picture book. During this exciting bootcamp, Ann Marie will share mentor texts, brainstorming tips, and other valuable advice. Participants will have opportunities to interact and give input on the struggles and successes of everyday literary life, while also gaining golden nuggets of wisdom and new connections. | Flexible.
This is a two session symposium.
Session One: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Session Two: 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. ET
Ann Marie Stephens is the author of numerous picture books including the Arithmechicks series, the CATastrophe! series, and more. Her books have been translated into several languages and have been featured on lists such as Fuse #8, Children’s Book Council, and Hot Off the Press. She is a retired, award-winning elementary teacher with over 30 years in the classroom. Ann Marie’s poetry and literacy work has been featured in Bon Appetit
Magazine and on NPR. She is represented by Emily Mitchell at Wernick & Pratt Agency. Ann Marie lives in Virginia and can be found at https://www.annmariestephensbooks.com/

CHQ Travels: Winter in Yellowstone
2025-01-09 00:00 - 2025-01-15 00:00
Journey deep into Yellowstone over snow-packed roads, stopping often to explore the wilderness. See the icedover Upper Falls and watch Old Faithful’s dramatic eruptions without the crowds. Hike the boardwalks and trails around the Upper Geyser Basin to see colorful thermal pools and steaming fumaroles. Drive through Grand Teton National Park and take a horse-drawn sleigh through the National Elk Refuge in Jackson, where over 7,500 elk spend each winter. Feel at one with nature.
