By Dave Matlow

The action takes place in a Westport beach cottage. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo
Westport’s literary and artistic reputation has been recognized in multiple ways recently, and now comes another—a New York Times Sunday Book Review front page review of Cathleen Schine’s new novel “The Three Weissmans of Westport.”

The Times calls the work by the 1971 Staples High School graduate ““sparkling, crisp, clever, deft, hilarious and deeply affecting…. her best yet.” Publisher’s Weekly prominently featured it in December. (See WestportNow Dec. 25, 2009)

Schine will speak at the Westport Public Library on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at noon, and at the Westport Country Playhouse on Thursday, March 4 at noon as part of the “First Thursdays” series.

The accolades for the one-time Westport resident follows recent revelations about the late author J.D Salinger, also a one-time Westport resident who died Jan. 27 at age 91. Salinger lived here for a period between 1949 and 1953. (See WestportNow Jan. 28, 2010)

The Westport Arts Center, with the gift of Le Corbusier furniture from Signorello of Westport, has created a new meeting area overlooking the Saugatuck River and launched Friday morning informal discussions there it calls ArtCafe. The weekly 9:30 a.m. meetings, with homemade date scones and coffee, are open to all artists, patrons, and people passionate about the arts. The meetings will be hosted by Helen Klisser During (l) the Center’s new director of visual arts, seen with Danielle Cavanna, director of education. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Alyssa Crouse for WestportNow.com

By Larry Untermeyer

There are booklovers and there are booklovers.
Nina Sankovitch (r) chats with guests at the Booklover’s Bash. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Larry Untermeyer for WestportNow.com

There were plenty of them at the Westport Public Library Friday night for the library’s second annual Booklover’s Bash.

But among all the bibliophiles, Nina Sankovitch stood out.

If her name doesn’t ring a bell, her accomplishment will—she’s the Westporter who read a book a day for a year and was featured last October in The New York Times. (See WestportNow Oct. 9, 2009)

Anne Keefe, artistic advisor at the Westport Country Playhouse, on Monday, Feb. 22, launches the first reading in the Playhouse’s new “The Script in Hand Series” that brings together professional actors to read works by master playwrights.
Geneva Carr: Among the readers. Contributed photo

The inaugural reading at 7 p.m. is the Agatha Christie classic murder mystery “And Then There Were None.”

It will be read by Playhouse actor alumni and audience favorites Geneva Carr, Keir Dullea, Beth Fowler, Charlotte Moore, Ciarán O’Reilly, Joe Paulik, Jay O. Sanders, Mark Shanahan, Mark Silence, Doug Stender and Paxton Whitehead. Tickets to the one-night-only event are $15.

The new play reading series is a continuation of the highly successful “Funny Mondays” and “The Classical Series,” produced by the Playhouse from 2005 through 2008. The series is supported, in part, by the White Barn Program of the Lucille Lortel Foundation and the Newman’s Own Foundation.