January Library Talks Bring Middle East Expertise to Maine

From Gaza peace prospects to Turkish populism to Iranian literature, January’s lineup of free Camden Conference community events brings remarkable expertise to Maine libraries. Experts formerly with the U.S. Foreign Service and Air Force Intelligence, along with scholars from Bates, Harvard and the University of Maine, will share insights on the region ahead of our February weekend conference.

Diplomacy and Geopolitics

On Jan. 8, Norman Olsen, who served as a senior U.S. Diplomat for 9 years in Israel, will explore Prospects for Middle East Peace at Rockland Public Library at 6 p.m.

At Falmouth Library on Jan. 10 at 11 a.m., Bill Hall brings his long experience in Eastern Europe and the Middle East with U.S. Air Force Intelligence to bear on Turkey: A View from the Middle between Europe and Asia. Turkey is now a party to talks on the Gaza cease-fire as it enters a more complex phase of negotiations.

On Jan. 13 at Auburn Library at 4:30 p.m., Bates political science professor Senem Aslan illustrates current populism in her native Turkey. The Q&A may explore parallels and contrasts with what we experience today in the U.S.

On Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. on Zoom from York Public Library, UMO Philosophy, Religion and Judaic Studies Chair Derek Michaud will transport us to Israel to enlarge our understanding of how Jews, Christians and Muslims perceive this disputed land.

Culture, Food, and Literature

On Jan. 10 at Scarborough Public Library at 1 p.m., food historian and former caterer Sandy Garson guides us on a lively tour of Middle Eastern Cooking, much of which appears regularly on our tables today. Attendees will enjoy a free lunch of her specialties.

On Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. at Merrill Memorial Library in Yarmouth, the Readers’ Circle will discuss Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad about Sonia Nasir, a British-Palestinian actress who returns to her roots with involvement in a politically-charged production of “Hamlet” in the West Bank.

That same day, Afarin Bellisario will discuss her recent novel set in early 20th-century Iran at Portland Public Library at 5:30 p.m. The novel sets the stage for Iran’s series of revolutions in the decades to come.

Rivers, Film, and Reflection

Harvard geologist and historian Mark Van Baalen on Jan. 17 at Rockport Public Library at 12:00 p.m. will navigate some of the greatest Rivers of the Middle East — their storied past and contentious present in a drought-plagued region.

On Jan. 27 at Auburn Public Library at 4 p.m., the acclaimed new documentary Erdoğan: The Making of a Sultan will be screened.

On Jan. 28, York Library presents Inside the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Reflections from a US Foreign Service Officer in person at 4 p.m. with Norman Olsen, about his nine years of service largely in Gaza.

Closing out the month on Jan. 31 at 6 p.m., Patten Free Library in Bath will present Reading the Camden Conference: Notes on a Foreign Country. The discussion will focus on author Suzy Hansen’s account of “An American Abroad in a Post-American World” based on her time living in the Middle East. Hansen will be a speaker at the 2026 Camden Conference.

Please join us for some of these fascinating programs.