Books news—the devil gets no rest in Wellesley; Barbie bops into town; king captures readers; mangia!
Wellesley is fortunate enough to draw multiple authors to town each month who write across a wide range of genres, and who visit to connect with readers and promote their work. Attending an author’s talk—whether you’ve read the book, or just want to learn more about the topic at hand—is a great way to meet the current stars of the literary scene. Here are a couple author events happening soon.
It’s a Barbie world, we’re all just living in it
EVENT: Arnold Lecture Series, Renee Rosen
DATE: Thursday, Nov. 13
TIME: 6:30pm, doors open; 7pm, author lecture
LOCATION: Wellesley Free Library, 530 Washington St.
SPONSOR: Friends of the Wellesley Free Libraries
COST: Free and open to the public
Register online
DESCRIPTION: Come meet Renée Rosen, author of Let’s Call Her Barbie, who has extensively researched historical fiction explores Barbie’s creator, Mattel, the company behind the brand, and the ups and downs of this extraordinary success story. Ruth Handler, the youngest of ten children, noticed that the only dolls available to girls were babies, encouraging them to pretend to be mothers. In 1956 she envisioned a doll shaped like a grown woman, someone girls could imagine becoming. Since then, Barbie has embodied more than 180 careers, from astronaut and pilot to president and rock stars. More than one billion dolls have been sold worldwide, generating billions in revenue.
Ain’t no rest for the wicked
EVENT: Wellesley Historical Society Speaker Series, The Devils will Get No Rest, with James B. Conroy
DATE: Nov. 16
TIME: 2pm-4pm
LOCATION:
DESCRIPTION: Join the Wellesley Historical Society for a conversation with author James B. Conroy, who will discuss his latest book, The Devils Will Get No Rest, an account of American leadership and strategy during World War II.
Conroy is an honorary fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society and an historian. Our One Common Country was a finalist for the Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize, while Lincoln’s White House shared the Lincoln Prize and won the Abraham Lincoln Institute’s annual book award.
A former Senate press secretary and congressman’s chief of staff, Conroy also served six years in the Naval Air Reserve. He practiced law in Boston for decades before turning to writing full-time.
Not too early to start holiday shopping
EVENT: Holiday book sale for children and tweens
DATE: Saturday, Dec. 6
TIME: noon-4pm
LOCATION: Morse Institute Library, 14 E. Central St., Natick, MA
SPONSOR: Friends of the Morse Institute Library
DESCRIPTION: Looking for something special for the young reader in your life? The holidays are coming early at the Morse Institute Library at the Friends’ holiday book sale for children and tweens. All books for children and tweens are $0.50.
Play it safe, or risk it all?
EVENT: Author Event: Sonia Purnell, Kingmaker, with Elizabeth Gonzalez James
DATE: Tuesday, Dec. 12
TIME: 7pm – 8pm
LOCATION: Wellesley Books, 82 Central St
TICKETED EVENT: $5
DESCRIPTION: Sonia Purnell, NYT bestselling author of A Woman of No Importance, joins us to celebrate the paperback release of her 2024 bestseller, Kingmaker: Pamela Harriman’s Astonishing Life of Power, Seduction, and Intrigue. Sonia will be in conversation with Elizabeth Gonzalez James, bestselling author of The Bullet Swallower.
Local author wins award for gluten-free Italian cookbook
Senza Glutine: Timeless Italian Dishes for the Gluten-Free Palate, co-authored by Wellesley’s own Cynthia Delia Coddington, has received the Silver Medal in the 2025 Living Now Book Awards. The Living Now Awards honor books that enrich lives, promote healthy living, and inspire innovation.
“Being recognized among such inspiring titles is a true honor. Senza Glutine was created to show that authentic Italian cuisine can be both delicious and completely gluten-free. This award is a meaningful acknowledgment of our goal to make traditional cooking more accessible to everyone,” Cynthia says.