Lenox Library to Host Author James B. Conroy

Print Story | Email Story
LENOX, Mass. — Lenox Library will continue its Distinguished Lecture Series on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. when award-winning author James B. Conroy will discuss his new book "The Devils Will Get No Rest: FDR, Churchill, and the Plan That Won the War."
 
Books will be available for purchase and signing following the lecture.
 
"The Devils Will Get No Rest" is a character-driven account of the Casablanca Conference of January 1943, an Anglo-American clash over military strategy that produced a winning plan when World War II could have gone either way. Churchill called it the most important Allied conclave of the war. Until now, it has never been explored in a full-length book.
 
In a secret, no-holds-barred, ten-day debate in a Moroccan warzone, protected by British marines and elite American troops, Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Charles de Gaulle, George C. Marshall, Dwight D. Eisenhower, George S. Patton Jr., Sir Alan Brooke, Lord Louis Mountbatten, Sir Harold Alexander, and their military peers questioned each other's competence, doubted each other's vision, and argued their way through choices that could win or lose the war. You will be treated to a master class in strategy by the legendary statesmen, generals, and admirals who overcame their differences, transformed their alliance from a necessity to a bond, forged a war-winning plan, and glimpsed the postwar world.
 
James B. Conroy is an award-winning author and an Honorary Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Having worked on Capitol Hill as a Senate press secretary and a congressman's chief of staff and served for six years in the Naval Air Reserve, Conroy graduated magna cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center and practiced law in Boston until 2020. His first book, Our One Common Country, was a finalist for the prestigious Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize. His second, Lincoln's White House, shared the Lincoln Prize and won the Abraham Lincoln Institute's annual book award. He and his wife, Lynn, divide their time between Hingham, Massachusetts, and Martha's Vineyard.
 
The lecture is free and open to the public. Visit https://lenoxlib.org or the Library's Facebook page for more information.

Tags: lenox library,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Morris Elementary's Odyssey of the Mind Team Earns Spot at World Finals

LENOX, Mass. — Superintendent Dr. William Collins and Principal Brenda Kelley shared that Morris Elementary School's Odyssey of the Mind team recently competed in regional competition, securing first place in their division and a spot in the World Finals.

Grade 5 students at Morris Elementary School are using their minds to solve complex, open-ended problems through Odyssey of the Mind.

Odyssey of the Mind is an educational program that challenges students to solve open-ended problems imaginatively and theatrically while working as a team. 

Students who participate in Odyssey of the Mind begin preparing for the workforce early, developing their skills in engineering, innovation and creative problem-solving. 

The team is comprised of Grade 5 students Les Freeman, Johnson Green, Anna Kennedy, Raquel Levin, Zachary Streeter, Levi Stern and Ethan Winger and is coached by Josh Levin, Kim Winger and Seth Lipkin.

They traveled to Edward Little High School in Auburn, Maine, on Saturday, April 5, for the regional competition, where they competed against 99 teams.

The Morris team solved the problem "AstronOMical Odyssey," in which teams were tasked to create a humorous performance set in a team-created "historical" civilization that explains constellations and presents original stories. The performance also included a humorous astronomer character with a "stellar" costume, a lighting effect and a shooting star.

The team's performance can be viewed here.

"These students have put in countless hours designing their own solution, building their own props, and bringing their ideas to life," said Coach Josh Levin. "What’s amazing is that the work these kids are doing will set them up to be successful at problem-solving using both engineering and creative skills. This is what it’s all about! They did absolutely everything themselves. That’s the really amazing thing. No parent help, just encouragement."

Their win at the regional competition earned them an invite to attend the World Finals at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI, from May 20-24, where they will compete against more than 800 teams from around the world. 

The PTO is seeking donations to help send the small but mighty team of students to the World Finals. To contribute to the PTO's fundraising efforts, contact Ashley Turczak at ashley.turczak@gmail.com.

"Our Odyssey of the Mind team is a perfect example of the creativity and persistence that our student body possesses," said Principal Kelley. "These students worked incredibly hard to come out on top at the regional competition, and we hope to see them move on to display their innovative talents at the World Finals. Congratulations, and good luck!"

View Full Story

More Lenox Stories