Westporter Sybil Steinberg, contributing editor and former book review section editor for Publishers Weekly, Friday addressed about 80 attendees at the Suzuki Music School, 246 Post Road East, with her review of books for spring/summer reading. Among her review of 23 fiction, 14 nonfiction she said her favorite fiction books are “Disappearing Earth,” by Julia Phillips. She referred to it as “an astonishing debut novel, a real thriller,” and “Lost and Found,” by Nell Freudenberger, which she describes it as “intellectually challenging and heart-breaking.”  Among nonfiction recommendation Steinberg identified her favorite as “Madame Fourcade’s Secret War,” by Lynne Olson,  “a riveting suspense of a literary thriller about the woman who led the largest espionage network in France during World WarI II.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Scenes from Thursday night’s NicaPhoto 10th gala anniversary celebration and art show at Westport’s Earthplace. NicaPhoto is a nonprofit organization in Nagarote, Nicaragua, a sister city of Norwalk. The goal is to assist disadvantaged children and their families in one of the poorest communities in reaching their fullest potential and in doing so, to break the cycle of poverty.  NicaPhoto is supported by many Westport residents, including the Westport Rotary Club. Sam Carpenter, a Westport resident, is president of the board and leads a team of workers to Nicaragua every year to work on the construction of a new permanent school space. Lynn U. Miller for WestportNow.com

Scenes from tonight’s Westport Downtown Merchants Association’s “Fashionably Westport“ fashion show celebrating fashion and beauty retailers and salons downtown and in Playhouse Square. There were drinks, food, and a performance by comedienne Leah Bonemma. Dave Matlow and J.C. Martin for WestportNow.com

Fashions for young Westporters were on display tonight at the Westport Downtown Merchants Association’s “Fashionably Westport“ fashion show celebrating fashion and beauty retailers and salons downtown and in Playhouse Square. It was held at Branson Hall at Christ & Holy Trinity Church. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Scenes from Wednesday night’s “Woodstock: 50 Years Down the Road” presented by the Westport Library at the Westport Woman’s Club. The event was organized and moderated by Roger Kaufman and included a rousing performance of Jimi Hendrix’s rendition of the “National Anthem” as he had performed it at Woodstock. Among those appearing: Ira and Maxine Stone, Dodie Pettit and her husband, Rex Fowler (of Aztec Two-Step), both of Westport, Joe Meo (flute, sax), Frank Barrese (guitar), Bob Cooper (keyboard), Peter Hohmeister (drums), Fred Scerbo (sax, played with Joe Cocker), Bill Nelson (singer), and Lena Hammerling (singer) See videos HERE. Lynn U. Miller for WestportNow.com

The Westport Library Wednesday night presented a look back at the iconic Woodstock music festival called “Woodstock: 50 Years Down the Road” at the Westport Woman’s Club. Maxine Stone, who performed at Woodstock with husband Ira, showed off the dress she wore at the festival. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Lynn U. Miller for WestportNow.com

Ben Roland (r), a Staples High School senior, won the 2019 Tracy Sugarman Award in the Westport Arts Center’s High School Student Exhibition. Roland was chosen for his ink landscape drawing titled “Suicide Cliffs, Sydney Australia.”  The Arts Center presents this award annually in memory of Tracy Sugarman, the Westport artist and illustrator, writer and civil rights activist who died in 2013 at age 91. Pictured (l-r):  Jurors Keith Miller of Gallatin Gallery, NYC and Lauren Walsh of NYU, WAC Executive Director Amanda Inness, Staples HS Art Teacher and professional artist Camille Eskell and Roland. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Longtime Westport resident Larry Aasen, 96, has released his fourth book, “North Dakotans Never Give Up,” completing a quartet of memoirs of his early life in North Dakota.  Aasen said it took him almost a year to complete this final edition. “Writing is fun … My research connected me with some people I had not talked to in 70 years.” He said he has no plans for a fifth book. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com