North of Boston

Multi-date event: PEM Reads: Moby-Dick Read-a-Thon
2024-10-09 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual, MA, United States
Know before you go
Virtual event hosted on Zoom
Free
This event series is a part of PEM Reads.
Content warning: This book depicts violence, gore, animal killing, cannibalism, racism, xenophobia and death.
Join us on select Wednesday evenings over Zoom for an amazing, year-long PEM Reads journey through Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick! Set sail with Dan Lipcan, the Ann C. Pingree Director of the Phillips Library and curator of our current exhibition Draw Me Ishmael: The Book Arts of Moby Dick, and David Snider, Director of Learning and Community Engagement.
Each session of our voyage will feature a brief special presentation by Dan on the day’s reading and its connections to the exhibition, followed by a lively discussion facilitated by David. By June 18, 2025, we will finish the book together, exhausted but invigorated with new perspectives on this classic tale — and with the bragging rights that we have completed a Moby-Dick marathon! Participants who complete the book and attend all five sessions will win a special Moby-Dick-related prize from PEM. Join us for this free, fun, public event!
We will be using the Norton Critical Edition (3rd edition, 2018) of Moby-Dick, edited by Hershel Parker. Attendees are welcome to use their own copy or a library copy to participate in the reading, but please be advised that the page numbers will not match.
Series schedule:
Wednesday evenings, 6:30–8:00 pm ET
July 24, 2024 | Session 1: Introduction to the book, process and exhibition
October 9, 2024 | Session 2: Chapters 1–28, p. 1–104
January 15, 2025 | Session 3: Chapters 29–54, p. 104–204
March 12, 2025 | Session 4: Chapters 55–96, p. 205–314
June 18, 2025 | Session 5: Chapters 97–Epilogue, p. 314–410
Curious about the tradition of Moby-Dick marathons? Read about the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s annual event.

Story-Time & Craft Wednesday
2024-10-09 10:00 - 12:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, 1 Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
NEW PROGRAM ALERT!! Summer is the PERFECT time for outdoor story time and craft making! This BRAND NEW family event is an extension of our Newburyport Arts and Culture Shanties Program and will take place each Wednesday in the Pop Up Park on Merrimac Street – where the Shanties are currently located. Come join the fun this Wednesday and see what it’s all about!
Running each Wednesday until August 21st from 10 AM-12 PM
Free of charge, but donations are welcome
