May 3, 7pm. Diners in Central Kentucky and from around the world have enjoyed the cuisine of local chef and restaurateur Ouita Michel for decades, from the haute cuisine of her flagship Holly Hill Inn to the casual vibe of picnic fare from Wallace Station. They’ll be delighted to read and cook from her new cookbook, Just a Few Miles South. Joseph-Beth presents Chef Ouita in conversation with Lexington-based chef Sam Fore of Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites. Free virtual event via Zoom.
May 11, 7pm. Want to tune in for Chef Ouita, but can’t make it on the third? Carmichael’s Bookstore is hosting her too, again discussing Just a Few Miles South, this time in conversation with Edward Lee, innovative chef at 610 Magnolia in Louisville and author of Buttermilk Graffiti and Smoke & Pickles. Free virtual event via Zoom.
May 7, noon. Due to academic rivalries and sexist assumptions, Dr. Katherine Jackson French’s groundbreaking early-twentieth-century research on Appalachian ballads was never published. Author Elizabeth DiSavino, assistant professor of music at Berea College, tells French’s story and reveals some of her findings in Katherine Jackson French: Kentucky’s Forgotten Ballad Collector. Join the author for discussion of the book through the Kentucky Historical Society. Free event for KHS members, only $5 for nonmembers. Via Zoom.
May 22, 2pm. John Green, bestselling author of books including Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska, and Turtles All the Way Down, will discuss and answer questions on his new book of essays, The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet. Green’s essays cover all manner of aspects of modern life, from the QWERTY keyboard to sunsets to Canada geese to "Penguins of Madagascar." Tickets are $32 and include a signed copy of the book; a portion of the proceeds will go to the charity Partners in Health. Virtual event via Zoom, presented by Joseph-Beth Booksellers.
May 24, 7pm. Louisville’s Brooke Lauren Davis, an indie bookseller, has just published her debut novel, the YA mystery/thriller The Hollow Inside. She’ll discuss the book with Anne Bogel of the popular blog “Modern Mrs. Darcy” at a live and in-person (yes, in-person!) reading hosted by Carmichael’s Bookstore. Masks will be required and seating limited; however, if you’re still not ready for in-person events, the reading will be livestreamed as well. Free event.