2020 - Rising
In Rising, Dispatches from the New American Shore, author Elizabeth Rush demonstrates how rising seas are transforming the coastline of the United States in irrevocable ways. She personally guides readers through some of the places where change has been most dramatic, highlighting the impact on plants, animals and humans across seven states, including Oregon. She weaves firsthand testimonials from those facing change with profiles of wildlife biologists, activists and other members of vulnerable communities.
Come celebrate the 14th annual Lake Oswego Reads!
Elizabeth Rush will speak on March 4 at Lakeridge High School. Admission is free, but tickets are required. Get yours January 25th at the library.
View displays and participate in an eco-challenge related to the 14th annual Lake Oswego Reads program for the entire month of February.
Do you wonder how one person can make a change? Come to the fair to learn where your small changes can make a difference!
Repair Fairs are free community events that bring volunteers with fixing skills and people with broken household items together. Styrofoam recycling will also be available.
Join 20 artists for a memorable evening as they explain the art they created after reading Rising. Light refreshments will be served. Wine will be provided by Pacific West Bank.
You are invited to join the conversation and share your experience reading this year's book. Meet with other community members and a facilitator from the Lake Oswego Library.
Portland's own Bayou Boyz promise to "swampify your world" with Louisiana-style music that will evoke some of the coastal areas featured in our 2020 LO Reads title.
U.S. environmental history from Teddy Roosevelt to today with Dr. Craig Shinn of PSU.
Elizabeth Rush mentions the film Beasts of the Southern Wild in her book. Here’s an opportunity to see it in a theater and discuss it afterwards.
Wildlife ecologist Sarah Frey, featured in Rising, will talk about studying 50 species of birds in the Oregon Cascades.
Dr. David Pollack is a retired psychiatrist who now devotes all of his professional time to working on the mental health and public health impacts of the climate crisis.
Hear a panel of Lake Oswego and Lakeridge High School students explain how kids are feeling about climate change and learn about what more and more young people are doing in the name of climate justice.
Can we live our Lake Oswego lifestyle and still be environmentally responsible citizens?
Are we as self-sufficient as we can be? As we should be? What are the pleasures and pitfalls of doing it yourself?
Join us to hear the acclaimed poet, performer, traditional storyteller and lecturer on Northwest tribal culture, Ed Edmo, tell stories of Native American Legends including the story of the 1957 flooding of Celilo Falls.
Talking about wine should always be a fun conversation! Certified Sommelier Joseph Shaughnessy will discuss how wine and growing regions are altering and what this means for the industry.
Join this popular Portland State University scientist for a first-hand view of the impact of rising sea levels on life in Southern Louisiana as he experienced it while teaching there for eight years.
You are invited to join the conversation and share your experience reading this year's book. Meet with other community members and a facilitator from the Lake Oswego Library.
Dr. Stephen Dow Beckham will examine the impact of Euro-American settlement in Oregon in this illustrated lecture that connects directly with Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore
Ruby McConnell is a writer, geologist, and adventuress whose work focuses on nature, the environment, and the relationships between landscape and the human experience.
Hear site technician, master gardener and master naturalist Cindy Ellison explain the Backyard Habitat Certification Program, which is managed by a partnership between The Portland Audubon Society and The Columbia Land Trust.
In this special presentation, 350PDX’s Anissa Pemberton will explore how racial injustice and climate injustice intersect and what climate justice activists can do to push forward a just transition away from fossil fuels.
Jenny Slepian, the City of Lake Oswego’s sustainability manager, will help with this discussion about what can be recycled and what can’t; she’ll also offer fun, easy and creative ways to replace those plastics with more durable alternatives.
In Rising, Dispatches from the New American Shore, author Elizabeth Rush explores different ways we interpret, understand and respond to the current changes on the American shore.
You are invited to join the conversation and share your experience reading this year's book. Meet with other community members and a facilitator from the Lake Oswego Library.
Hear Hatfield Marine Science Center research assistant Samantha Zeman talk about scientists have found, including creatures called Pyrosomes featured on an episode of Oregon Field Guide.
Join in a hands-on activity with SCRAP, whose mission is to inspire creative reuse and environmentally sustainable behavior by providing educational programs and affordable materials to the community.
Lake Oswego City Floodplain Manager Rob Amsberry and Christine Shirley from the Oregon Department of Land and Conservation Development will present a special two-part program on flooding in Lake Oswego.
When Superstorm Sandy devastated the East Coast, it was a wake-up call to a new reality. Discussion to follow screening.
Join Dr. Jackie Dingfelder for a discussion of some of Oregon’s recent landmark environmental policy reforms and learn about what works and what doesn’t.
Liz Yurkov of the Sunrise Movement will deconstruct some of the misconceptions surrounding the Green New Deal and explain how its principles can empower and revitalize our society.
Katherine Deumling of Cook with What You Have will demonstrate delicious plant-based dishes and lead a conversation about the relationship between food and climate change.
Join Dr. Jack Miller for an examination of how the U.S. electoral system and interest-group competition have created roadblocks for environmental activists and sidetracked progress on policies intended to address the threat of climate change.
The 14th annual Lake Oswego Reads author, Elizabeth Rush, is canceling her visit to Lake Oswego due to current travel guidelines. We apologize for the disappointment this causes to our patrons.
Events Brochure
Suggested Reading List
Books considered for 2020