Lunchtime Series

The Atwater Library Lunchtime Series features once-a-week presentations by leading writers, musicians, intellectuals, scientists, and many more people sharing their knowledge and experience with the Atwater Library community. Lunchtime Series events usually take place on Thursdays (but sometimes are on other days), from 12:30 to 1:30 pm. Admission is free though we do appreciate donations! Everyone is welcome.

Upcoming Events

Thursday, April 16, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
IN PERSON AND BY ZOOM: READING WITH JANE AUSTEN – Elaine Bander, Jane Austen scholar and enthusiast, launches her long-awaited book Reading with Jane Austen.
To REGISTER and get the Zoom link, click here.

Thursday, April 23, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
IN PERSON AND BY ZOOM: ARTIST WILLIAM RAPHAEL – Author Pierre-Olivier Ouellet gives an illustrated presentation on his new book William Raphael: Life & Work about the first Jewish painter to establish a professional practice in Canada. He will discuss Raphael’s early life in Prussia, training in art in Berlin and his prolific artistic output following his arrival in Montreal in 1857.
The event will include remarks by Raphael’s great-great-grandson Jonathan Wener and art historian Clarence Epstein.
To REGISTER and get the Zoom link, click here.

Thursday, April 30, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
IN PERSON AND BY ZOOM: WRITER MARILYN BOWERING – Award-winning novelist and poet Marilyn Bowering discusses her new novel The Unfinished World and chats about her writing career with Linda Leith.
To REGISTER and get the Zoom link, click here.

Thursday, May 7, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
IN PERSON AND BY ZOOM: GABRIEL SAFDIE on CHINA – Photographer and writer Gabriel Safdie gives an illustrated presentation on his new book of photographs and reminiscences of his many years doing business in China.
To REGISTER and get the Zoom link, click here.

Thursday, May 14, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
IN PERSON AND BY ZOOM: STORIES OF QUEBEC ANGLOS – Filmmaker and author Guy Rex Rodgers gives a presentation on his new book What We Choose To Forget. The book explores stories of English-speaking Quebecers across the province and challenges familiar narratives.
To REGISTER and get the Zoom link, click here.

Thursday, May 21, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
IN PERSON AND BY ZOOM: ESSAYS on AGING – Janet Torge discusses and reads from her new book of essays on aging, I Can’t Believe I’m Old, written “with a wink and a smile” to quote Josh Freed.
To REGISTER and get the Zoom link, click here.

Past 2026 Events

Thursday, January 8, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
VISITING EGYPT – Traveller and photographer Muslim Harji gives an illustrated presentation on his visits to Egypt.

Thursday, January 15, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
COFFEE – Historian, author and podcaster Jonathan Morris, aka The Coffee Historian, traces the history of coffee.

Thursday, January 22, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
AUTHOR TALK – Journalist Roxana Spicer discusses her memoir The Traitor’s Daughter recounting her quest to find out the truth about her beloved mother’s early life in WWII Russia.

Thursday, January 29, 2025 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
STEAMBOATS on LAKE MEMPHREMAGOG – Filmmaker and photographer Louise Abbott presents her latest documentary film “Dreamers and Steamers: The Steamboat Era on Lake Memphremagog.” The film traces the way a few “dreamers” transformed a swath of the Eastern Townships with steamboat navigation on Lake Memphremagog, enabling the development of tourism and the growth of commerce and industry.

Thursday, February 5, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 101 – Remi Duquette gives a general overview of AI and how it’s likely to affect our lives.

Thursday, February 12, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
CELEBRITIES in MOUNT ROYAL CEMETERY – Myriam Cloutier, Director of Heritage Programs with Mount Royal Cemetery, gives a presentation on “50 Mount Royal Cemetery Celebrities in 50 Minutes.”

Thursday, February 19, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
20TH-CENTURY WOMEN WRITERS in PARIS – Writer Lisa Pasold chats about the Paris café habits of some of her favourite 20th-century women writers, including New Yorker writer Janet Flanner, Café de Flore regular Simone de Beauvoir, eccentric creative Djuna Barnes, and diarist Anaïs Nin.

Thursday, February 26, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
MONTREAL’S CHINATOWN – City planning professional Jessica Chen and documentary filmmaker Karen Cho trace the history of Montreal’s Chinatown and discuss efforts underway to protect and promote its cultural heritage.

Thursday, March 5, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
PHOTOGRAPHER LIDA MOSER’S PORTRAYAL of QUEBEC in 1950 – Celebrated filmmaker Joyce Borenstein presents her animated documentary Lida Moser Photographer: Odyssey in Black and White. The film is about New York photographer Lida Moser’s 1950 travels around Quebec and the 1,000+ photographs she took of people and communities.

Tuesday, March 17, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
ST. PATRICK’S CONCERT – Festival Bloomsday Montréal presents IN PATRICK’S TRACES, a concert of music and words with musicians Stuart Jackson, Rebecca Bain, Quinn Dooley and Rylan Allen.

Thursday, March 19, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
AISLIN on the 1976 MONTRÉAL OLYMPICS – Beloved cartoonist Terry Mosher gives a presentation on his new book, Aislin’s 1976 Montréal Olympic Scrapbook, with material from his archives plus work of fellow cartoonists about one of the most riveting periods in Montrreal’s history.

Thursday, March 26, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
WAYNE LARSEN’S MEMOIR – Wayne Larsen discusses his memoir Behind the Lines: A Dubious Apprenticeship in Maximum Security, detailing with humour and illustrations how one of his first jobs prepared him for his career in journalism, academia and art.

Thursday, April 9, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
AGING IN PLACE and TRANSITION TRENDS – Matt Del Vecchio discusses the pros and cons of aging at home versus transitioning to a retirement home. He will outline options for public and private home care as well as the process to get into public and private residences. He is a Certified Professional Consultant on Aging and host of the CJAD Radio show Life Unrehearsed.

Please click here to view the events list for January-December 2025.
Please click here to view the events list for January-December 2024.
Please click here to view the events list for January-December 2023.
Please click here to view the events list for January-December 2022.
Please click here to view the events list for January-December 2021.
Please click here to view the events list for January-December 2020.
Please click here to view the events list for September-December 2019.
Please click here to view the events list for January-June 2019.
Please click here to view the events list for September-December 2018.
Please click here to view the events list for January-June 2018.
Please click here to view the events list for August-December 2017.
Please click here to view the events list for January-June 2017.
Please click here to view the events list for September-December 2016.
Please click here to view the events list for January-June 2016.
Please click here to view the events list for September-December 2015.
Please click here to view the events list for January-June 2015.
Please click here to view the events list for September-December 2014.
Please click here to view the events list for January-June 2014.
Please click here to view the events list for September-December 2013.
Please click here to view the events list for January-June 2013.
Please click here to view the events list for September-December 2012.
Please click here to view the events list for January-June 2012.
Please click here to view the events list for September-December 2011.
Please click here to view the events list for January-June 2011.
Please click here to view the events list for September-December 2010.
Please click here to view the events list for January-June 2010.
Please click here to view the events list for September-December 2009.
Please click here to view the events list for January-June 2009.