Words, Jazz, Words, Party!

Much to do this week and it all starts tonight (Monday February 9.)

The Center for the Humanities at Wesleyan continues its weekly Lecture Series tonight at 8 p.m. in The Russell House, 350 High Street, with Gretchen Bakke. Ms. Bakke, Andrew Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center, will deliver at talk titled "Self in Sloven Society", a critical look at how the changes in the core politics of Slovenia have affected its populace. The talk is free and open to the public.

On Tuesday, Jazz at Public, 337 Main Street, presents an all-star quintet led by Rob "The Drummer" Gottfried, from 5:30 - 9 p.m. Joining him will be one of the busiest musicians in the Hartford area, Don DePalma (piano), as well as Burt Teague (guitar), Bob Laramie (bass) and Jose Goico (percussion.) For more information, call 343-8850.

The Distinguished Writers Series at The Russell House, sponsored by the Wesleyan Writing Program and the Center for the Arts, welcomes Rebecca Brown for an 8 p.m. reading. Ms. Brown, author of "The Gifts of the Body", "The Last Time I Saw You" and 1o other books of prose, has won the Lambda Literary Prize and a Washington State Governor's Award. The reading, followed by a reception, is free and open to the public. For more information, go to www.wesleyan.edu/writing/distinguished_writers/.

The Middlesex County Historical Society, 151 Main Street, is having a party on Lincoln's Birthday. It is the 200th anniversary of our 16th President's birth and the Society will be serving his favorite foods and a variety of libations. In addition to the fine Civil War exhibition currently on display in the General Mansfield House, there will be a special exhibit of Lincolm memorablia from the Society's collection and items on loan from several private collectors. The party takes place from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. For more information, call 346-0746.

The MCHS is also proud to announce the appointment of Deborah Shapiro, Middletown attorney, as its new Executive Director. Attorney Shapiro, a long-time member of the Society's Board of Director (as well as the Chair of the Russell Library board), was a history major at Connecticut College and has continued her love for the subject throughout her distinguished law career. The Society is quite thrilled by her appointment - she replaces Donna Baron, who will continue her association with the MCHS by volunteering as Program Chair.