What Are the Ties That Bind? A Community Conversation with Henriette Lazaridis

SALEM — Henriette Lazaridis, author of the acclaimed debut novel, “The Clover House,” will delve into immigration-related themes of exile and nostalgia, belonging and identity at The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association’s next Community Conversation on Immigration. The discussion in The Gables’ Visitor Center is Wednesday, June 15, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The Community Conversation is free of charge. Refreshments will be served and parking is available. Reflecting on every immigrant’s rite of passage as he or she transitions into a new country, Lazaridis will engage those in attendance in a thought-provoking discussion: “What Are the Ties That Bind?” All are invited to share their thoughts in what promises to be a stimulating conversation. Lazaridis’s parents left Greece for the United States in 1958 and she grew up in a Boston suburb. Her immersion in Greek culture and language was, nonetheless, comprehensive. Greek was her first language and the bedtime stories her father told her came from the “Odyssey.” She went on to obtain degrees in English literature from Middlebury College, Oxford University, where she was a Rhodes Scholar, and the University of Pennsylvania. She taught at Harvard for ten years where, for four years, she served as an academic dean. She has published widely, including Salamander, the New England Review, The Millions, The New York Times online and Narrative Magazine. She has been awarded a Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist's Grant. “The Clover House” was a Boston Globe bestseller and a Target Emerging Authors selection for April 2013. Jenna Blum, of The New York Times, wrote of “The Clover House” — “A rare treat: an elegantly written debut about a family mystery set during wartime, the slipperiness of memory, and the challenges of forgiveness. Plus, we get to go to Greece! What more could you want from a novel? Read it, read it!” Lazaridis will sign copies of her book, now in paperback, after the Community Conversation that is sponsored by Mass Humanities. For additional information, those interested may contact Ana Nuncio, manager of Settlement Partnerships at anuncio@7gables.org or 978-744-0991, ext. 105. About The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association The mission of The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association is to preserve its National Historic Landmark and leverage its power as an icon of American culture to engage diverse audiences and provide educational opportunities for the local immigrant community. For more information visit www.7gables.org.