Amateur Hour, the Institute Library's new monthly series curated by Joshua Foer and Jack Hitt, explores the passions and pursuits of Connecticut's most inspiring fanatics, obsessives, tinkerers, and collectors. Join us on June 13th at 7pm, as Josh and Jack kick off the series with a conversation about Jack's new book, Bunch of Amateurs: A Search for the American Character, which chronicles his travels among the garages, dorm rooms, and kitchens of this generation's self-motivated thinkers, and a peek inside the current doings of the American amateur.

Following the conversation, audience members will have an opportunity to purchase Jack's Bunch of Amateurs and Josh's Moonwalking with Einstein and have their books signed by the authors.  Coffee, light pastries, and books are courtesy of Atticus Bookstore and Café.

Tickets are $5 for Institute Library members and $10 for non-members.  To become a member of the Institute Library for the modest annual fee of $25, please visit http://institutelibrary.org/join.html, and to learn more about the library, please visit our web site, blog, or facebook page today.

Jack Hitt is the author of a new book, Bunch of Amateurs: A Search for the American Character. Most days, he’s a contributing writer to the New York Times Magazine. He occasionally contributes to the public radio program, This American Life. He is currently touring a one-man show, “Making Up the Truth” – a series of his slightly incredible real-life stories woven in with the contemporary brain science that nearly answers the question, “Is any of this true?”

Joshua Foer is the author of the New York Times best seller Moonwalking With Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything. His writing has appeared in National Geographic, Esquire, Slate, Outside, the New York Times, and other publications. He is also the co-founder of the online guide to the world’s wonders & curiosities, Atlas Obscura, and of the design competition Sukkah City.