(Searsport, ME) Bestselling local author Kate Braestrup will be signing her new book Marriage and Other Acts of Charity at Left Bank Books in Searsport on Friday evening, January 29th from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. The event is free, and the public is invited.

As Chaplain for the Maine Warden Service, Braestrup chronicled her fascinating work in her first award-winning memoir Here If You Need Me. Now, with her inimitable voice and generous spirit, she turns her attention to the topics of love, commitment and marriage.

Braestrup is eminently qualified to reflect on the topic from many perspectives. At 44, she has been married twice and widowed once. As an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister, she regularly counsels the starry-eyed affianced as they plan their fantasy nuptials, performs marriages, and later on works with couples, whose innocent and optimistic marriages are now floundering or conflicted. In Marriage and Other Acts of Charity, her insights into marriage and family life are so natural and contagiously engaging, the reader feels inspired to try harder, live more generously (and even, if so inclined, to write better!). From helping a newlywed couple make amends after their first fight to preparing herself for her second marriage, Braestrup offers her insights and experiences on what it truly means to share your life with someone, from the first kiss to the last straw, for better or for worse.

With her first book, Kate earned high marks and a loyal following for her refreshingly honest style, humility, and irrepressible sense of fun. She is a fascinating speaker, with seemingly endless, compelling anecdotes at her disposal and a humorous touch that uplifts even the most difficult subject matter. Part memoir, part observation of modern marriage, and part meditation on the roles of God and love in our everyday lives, Marriage and Other Acts of Charity is a unique and unforgettable look into why, and how, we love each other, and proves yet again why Kate Braestrup's writing is "inspirational in the best sense" (New York Daily News).

Don't miss this chance to meet Kate and hear her perspective on all aspects of love and commitment. To reserve a copy, or for more information, please call 548-6400.

>link to Left Bank Books website

On Saturday, January 30th at 7:30 pm at the Olin Arts Center Concert Hall.

(Lewiston, ME) The Auryn Quartet from Germany returns for two nights to continue the complete cycle of Beethoven string quartets that it began last year. The event is sponsored by the Bates Concerts Committee.

Tickets are $10 for general admission and $4 for students and seniors. For more information, please visit the Bates College events calendar.

February 5th through February 7th.

(Photo Credit: Caroline George ascending Storm Mountain Falls. Copyright: Andrew Bur)

(Ellsworth, ME) Journey to exotic locations, paddle the wildest waters, and climb the highest peaks. Get your tickets today and be taken away to the most captivating places on earth. The 2009/2010 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour brings films from the 34th annual Banff Mountain Film Festival to about 285 communities around the world.

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour will exhilarate you with amazing big-screen stories and ignite your passion for adventure, action, and travel!

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit the Grand website.

At the Johnson Hall Performing Arts Center in Gardiner on January 20th at 5:30 pm.

(Gardiner, ME) Nonprofit groups and artists will each have about 6 1/2 minutes to present 20 slide images of their work and activities (20 seconds per slide, 20 slides) and talk briefly about themselves.

This is a great opportunity to network, share ideas, meet new people.

For more information, please visit the Johnson Hall Performing Arts Center website.