There was a special guest tonight at the Westport Library before a talk by Helen Macdonald, author of the best-seller “H is for Hawk.”  Luke Baker, a naturalist at Westport’s Earthplace, brought along Talon, a red-tailed hawk who took up residency at Earthplace in August 2012. Talon has a permanent injury to her right wing, which prevents her release into the wild. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Phyllis Groner for WestportNow.com

By Susan Granger

Joining the “Harry Potter,” “Twilight” and “Hunger Games,” “The Divergent Series: Allegiant,” the adaptation of Veronica Roth’s popular YA series, divides its conclusion into two separate movies.

In the beginning of this installment, a voice-over explains, “We designed your city as an experiment.” So Chicago’s citizens were rigidly divided into behavioral factions, like Amity, Abnegation, Candor, Erudite and Dauntless.

After a revolution abolished these divisions, militant Evelyn (Naomi Watts) takes charge, opposed by Johanna (Octavia Spencer), whose former Amity cohorts become known as Allegiant.

Beatrice “Tris” Prior (Shailene Woodley), accompanied by her brother Caleb (Ansel Elgort), lover Four (Theo James), friend Christina (Zoe Kravitz) and ever-duplicitous Peter (Miles Teller), scales the massive concrete wall that surrounds Chicago to explore the post-apocalyptic world outside.

Was Andy Warhol a hoarder? Did Albert Einstein have autism? Was Frank Lloyd Wright a narcissist?

Claudia Kalb: mind reader. Contributed photo

Health and science journalist Claudia Kalb will offer insights into the idiosyncratic nature of geniuses and larger-than-life personalities as she reads from her new book “Andy Warhol Was a Hoarder: Inside the Minds of History’s Great Personalities” on Sunday, April 3, at 2 p.m. in the Westport Library’s McManus Room.

Books will be available for purchase and signing at the program, which is free and open to the public, library officials say.

From Marilyn Monroe’s borderline personality disorder to Charles Darwin’s anxiety, Kalb uses historical records and interviews with leading mental health experts, biographers, sociologists and other specialists.

A sunset oyster tasting event at the newly opened Pearl at Longshore Restaurant at Westport’s Longshore Club Park today turned into a celebration of Westport being the No. 1 oyster-producing community on the East Coast. That assessment was made in brief remarks to the gathering by Norm Bloom, multi-generation owner of Copps Island Oysters of Norwalk, whose Westport oyster beds supply restaurants and retailers throughout the country. The event supported SoundWaters, the Stamford-based charity whose mission is to protect Long Island Sound through education and action, and was held in honor of publication of “The Beautiful Pond” by Westport author and artist Judith Orseck Katz. The book is about the town’s historic Sherwood Mill Pond, also known as Old Mill Pond. Pictured are (l-r): Robin Tauck, event/book sponsor; Steve Trcka, oyster man; Judith Orseck Katz, author; Leigh Shemitz, SoundWaters; Norm Bloom, Copps Island Oysters; Lois Backon, Antonio Ninivaggi, owners of Pearl at Longshore. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com

The Westport Historical Society (WHS) announced today it received three bronze level certificates from the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) for it participation in the Standards and Excellence Program for History Organizations (StEPs-CT) program.

StEPs is a self-study, two-year training program encouraging national standards for history organizations. WHS received these awards in the areas of management, audience and mission, and vision and governance, according to Barbara Peck, assistant director.

Statewide, there are 23 municipal history organizations in StEPs run under the auspices of the Connecticut League of History Organizations and the Connecticut Humanities.

“This program is a wonderful opportunity for WHS to grow and expand, with access to resources and a team of professionals,” said Susan Gold, WHS executive director.

Hoot 2, a hootenanny-style evening of folk and contemporary music is set to return to the Westport Historical Society (WHS) on Friday, April 8 at 6 p.m.

Suzanne Sheridan will be joined by recording artist Griffon Anthony and singer-humorist Bob Stanhope. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

The brainchild of Westport singer-songwriter Suzanne Sheridan, who launched the first Hoot at the WHS in October, the upcoming event will feature recording artist Griffon Anthony and singer-humorist Bob Stanhope.

According to WHS officials, Hoot 2 follows the tradition of 1950 and 1960s jams, when musicians got together in their homes to share songs and to welcome the audience to sing along.

Sheridan is best known for her performances of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen songs, which she has performed locally and on the road as far away as Canada and Australia.

UPDATE Winners of the 2016 Toy Makers Competition were announced today at the Westport Arts Center’s Family Art Day. Finalists in the competition presented their toy designs to judges Lindsay Heffernan (l), WAC education director, and Dave Yearwood (r), general manager of Westport’s Shake Shack, who awarded first and second place prizes to the young designers. Winners included (age 5-6): First place, Rose Porosoff, “Steery Wheely;”  second place, Morgan Bernard, “Make Your Own Snowman/3D Princess Plates;” (age 7-9:):  first place, Jonathan Stekloff, “Magical Maze;” second place, Benjamin Porosoff, “Dot by Dot ABC;” (age 10-12): first Place, Jessica Stekloff, “Stem Journal.” The competition was sponsored by Shake Shack and Learning Express Toys of Westport. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Marina White for WestportNow.com

Westport artist Miggs Burroughs Friday night attended the New York City premiere at the Cinema Village Theater of the new documentary, “The Brainwashing of My Dad,” which explores the effect of right-wing radio and Fox News on director and writer Jen Senko’s father, and the country. A clip of Burroughs’s 1988 cable show interview with Rush Limbaugh appears in the movie as an introduction to Limbaugh’s emergence on the scene. The movie, which was reviewed in Thursday’s New York Times, is now available for viewing on demand here. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Lenore Riegel for WestportNow.com

Westport artist Miggs Burroughs Friday night takes part in a question and answer session at the Cinema Village Theater in New York following the New York City premiere of the new documentary “The Brainwashing of My Dad.” The film explores the effect of right-wing radio and Fox News on the father of writer and director Jen Senko (wearing beret), and the country. A 1988 cable interview Burroughs did with Rush Limbaugh appears in the film. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Lenore Riegel for WestportNow.com