The mission of the Abiel Smith School on Beacon Hill has evolved over time. Built in 1834 to educate black children, it closed 21 years later when public schools in Boston ended segregation. In the late 1800s, it served as the headquarters for black Civil War veterans. Now it is part of the Museum of African American History.
This winter the school, at 46 Joy St., will host a literary series called "Writing Race: Memory and Imagination." Janet Gillespie, an organizer of the series, views the readings as a way to expose people to history in Boston as well as present-day struggles.
Julian Houston, a retired Middlesex Superior Court judge, will kick off the series at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday with a reading from his book "New Boy" (Houghton Mifflin). The young adult novel, based in part on Houston's own life, centers on the first African-American student at an elite white boarding school. On Feb. 27, Helen Elaine Lee, a professor at MIT, will read from the manuscript of her novel "Life Without," about prison inmates. On March 12, Kim McLarin, the host of "Basic Black" on WGBH, will read from "Jump At the Sun" (Harper Paperback), her novel about three generations of African-American mothers and daughters. The series is co-sponsored by the Boston African American National Historic Site and Community Change Inc.
Vt. man of mystery
The origins of Vermont's Mystery on Main Street bookstore can be traced to a voracious mystery reader fed up with traffic. Late last year David Lampe-Wilson left his job as features editor at The Hour newspaper in Norwalk, Conn., moved north, and opened the shop at 119 Main St. in Brattleboro.
Changes in the industry keep it lively. More mysteries are being translated from other languages, and more writers, including Vermont resident Archer Mayor, are getting into the publishing business. Mayor bought the rights to his first 12 mysteries featuring the fictional Lieutenant Joe Gunther of the Brattleboro Police Department, and they are now back in print.
Looking ahead, Lampe-Wilson recommends "We Disappear," Boston author Scott Heim's tale of murder and recovered memories being published next month by Harper Perennial.
Cultured approach
Gary Hirshberg, president of Stonyfield Farm in Londonderry, N.H., has done well by going green.
His new book, "Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World" (Hyperion), contains not only case studies of Stonyfield and other environmentally responsible companies but coupons for their products. In addition, the estimated gas emissions resulting from production of the book are being offset by an investment in a machine that converts cow manure into energy.
Coming out
"Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism," by Muhammad Yunus (PublicAffairs)
"We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball," by Kadir Nelson (Hyperion/Jump At the Sun)
"Plum Lucky," by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's)
Pick of the week
Kym Havens of Wellesley Booksmith, in Wellesley, recommends "Her Last Death: A Memoir" (Scribner): "Susanna Sonnenberg strikingly writes about her relationship with her narcissistic, controlling, compulsively lying, yet oddly attractive and fun mother. Free of self-pity, she describes her journey to save herself and to create a life and family that are not dependent on her mother's needs and manipulations."
Jan Gardner can be reached at JanLGardner@yahoo.com.
