Reading with Robin, a statewide reading initiative from noted book enthusiast/influencer/promoter Robin Kall is returning to Newport. RWR and Discover Newport Present: A Summer Soiree, a benefit for the Dr. Martin Luther King Community Center, is happening Thursday, July 13, at the Newport Art Museum. Click here for details.
The event features authors of some of the season’s biggest titles – Adrienne Brodeur’s Little Monsters, Megan Collins’ Thicker Than Water, and Wendy Walker’s What Remains. The authors will be speaking and mingling with guests in a casual setting, with audience participation encouraged. We spoke to Kall recently to learn more about the evening program.
“It’s fun, fun, fun,” she explained in our chat. “There’s no pre-reading required. It’s a conversation, unexpected and entertaining; it may veer off in some direction. It’s unscripted; I don’t tell the authors anything ahead of time. Except, I do tell them I might ask when we get to the Q&A, what you are reading. That’s the one question that stumps everybody.”
Kall’s selections are expected to be top sellers this year. “What Remains came out a few weeks ago, Little Monsters, by Adrianne Brodeur, is just out, and Thicker Than Water, by Megan Collins, is out Tuesday, July 11,” she explained. “I always have books when they are brand new, so there is no pre-reading, no book club. This event is about three smart, well-traveled, entertaining people who are writers and will be in conversation talking about their books broadly, no spoilers, nothing specific.”
“There are also thoughtful, heartfelt moments; it’s a feel-good event,” said Kall about her programs. “We’re always raising money for something tied to the event – this one is for the Martin Luther King Center – I like to keep it as local as possible. It’s a 75-person event, with wine and food, and books from Curiosity and Company in Jamestown,” Kall’s partner in the endeavor.
Having a hard time getting to that book gathering dust on your nightstand? Kall assures us there’s no need to feel guilty. She acknowledges it’s not always easy to find the time and space to dedicate to serious reading. “I feel like, because I do this, people see me as this confessional … ‘I should be reading more’.”
Her solution? “Don’t exercise,” she laughed. “For me, reading is pure enjoyment for pleasure; it’s something I do strictly for myself, depending on what people do with their time, just do the math. Some people enjoy listening to books, like Audible, while exercising. Podcasts are good too; any way to get into a story. I always have my book with me in case I am caught somewhere. Usually, I have one in the car.”
“There are so many good things we could be doing for ourselves, reading is just one of them. It was always a passion. Flossing, drinking water, and reading,” she joked.
The soiree begins at 6PM – all tickets include an exclusive VIP reception meet-and-greet with the authors, food and wine by Newport Wine Cellar, and the show. Click here for further information and tickets to the event.
