Clive Cussler, Judy Blume, Joan Didion Speak to Benefit Mark Twain House

Cussler at the Museum June 14; Blume at UHart June 21; Didion at Hartford Stage June 28

Three famed American writers -- the top-notch adventure writer Clive Cussler; the beloved chronicler of adolescence Judy Blume; and journalist, novelist and memoirist Joan Didion -- will make appearances in June to benefit The Mark Twain House & Museum.

Clive Cussler. Photo:Rob Greer

Clive Cussler
Thursday, June 14 at 7:30 pm
Mark Twain House & Museum

The grand master of adventure comes to the home of Mark Twain. New York Times bestselling author Clive Cussler is the author or coauthor of more than 40 previous books, including 21 Dirk Pitt tales, eight NUMA Files adventures, eight Oregon Files books, the Isaac Bell historical thrillers, and the Fargo adventures. He is also the founder of the real NUMA, which, led by Cussler, searches for shipwrecks of historic significance.

Tickets are $45 ($40 for Mark Twain House & Museum members). A VIP ticket, which includes a reception with Clive Cussler at 6 pm, is $85. Call 860-280-3130.

Judy Blume
Thursday, June 21 at 7:30 pm
The Clemens Lecture
Lincoln Theater, University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford

Judy Blume

One of the best-loved writers for children, young adults and grown-ups, Judy Blume has more than 80 million books in print including "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing," "Superfudge," "Blubber," "Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great," and "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret."
Finding herself at the center of an organized book banning campaign in the 1980s, she began to reach out to writers, teachers and librarians who were under fire. Since then, she has worked with the National Coalition Against Censorship to protect the freedom to read.

Tickets: $25 and $40. A VIP ticket, which includes VIP seating and pre-event reception with Judy Blume, is $85. For tickets call 860-768-4228 or go to www.hartford.edu/hartt.

Joan Didion

Joan Didion
Thursday, June 28 at 7 pm
Hartford Stage, 50 Church St.

The Friends of The Mark Twain House present An Evening with Joan Didion. Journalist, novelist, screenwriter, essayist and memoirist Didion won the National Book Award for her stark "The Year of Magical Thinking," a look at her grief in the year after the death of her husband, Hartford's own John Gregory Dunne.  She followed with "Blue Nights" about her complicated relationship with her daughter, Quintana Roo.

Followed by a dessert reception and book signing.
Tickets are $40, $30 for Mark Twain House & Museum members and Hartford Stage subscribers. Call 860-527-5151, or go to www.hartfordstage.org.