In the fraught 1990s, Newport News’ Christopher Phillips started a movement: He created Socrates Cafe, a group and a model for people to meet and discuss life’s big questions respectfully and thoughtfully. A bestselling book, “Socrates Cafe,” followed, as did hundreds of groups worldwide. Other initiatives ensued — Democracy Cafe, Constitution Cafe, Philosophers’ Club, Declaration Project.
So did other books. His newest is “Soul of Goodness: Transform Grievous Hurt, Betrayal, and Setback into Love, Joy, and Compassion” (Prometheus, 232 pp.). It stems from the unexpected and devastating death of Phillips’ father, and the aftermath.
On March 7, Phillips and mentor Cornel West — the professor, philosopher and activist, who wrote a foreword to the book — will discuss it in a livestreamed event about 6 p.m. D.C.’s Busboys and Poets bookstore is the host. Free; for a Zoom link, sign up at tinyurl.com/CPgoodness. Other options: busboysandpoets.com
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Mark your calendar: Earl Swift, March 29, discussing “Chesapeake Requiem: A Year with the Watermen of Vanishing Tangier Island” — a talk postponed two years ago, early in the pandemic. “Requiem” was on several “best of 2018? lists, including Smithsonian’s. 5:30 p.m., Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. Groups working on sea level rise will have booths. Free. Register: suffolkcenter.org. Masks required. 757-923-0003.
Events for kids, grades three through eight: Through the Virginia Beach Central Library. Free; registration required. 4100 Virginia Beach Blvd., 757-385-0150: In person, Lev Grossman, author of the Magicians trilogy, discussing “The Silver Arrow.” 2 to 3 p.m. March 5. Register: tinyurl.com/VBLev. … Virtual: Sci-fi/fantasy writer Greg van Eekhout (“COG”), 6:30 p.m. March 2. tinyurl.com/VBGreg … DC Comics’ Kate Karyus Quinn and Demitria Lunetta (“Anti/Hero”), 6:30 p.m. March 3. tinyurl.com/VBAnti
Doris Kearns Goodwin, Ina Garten: The Norfolk Forum has individual tickets for the presidential historian and the cookbook author. Goodwin: 7:30 p.m. March 15, Chrysler Hall; $50 plus fees. Garten, May 24, $75 plus fees. thenorfolkforum.org.
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Explaining Ukraine/Russia: Seven books, chosen by The Wall Street Journal:
“Red Famine: Stalin’s War on Ukraine,” Anne Applebaum
“Who Lost Russia? How the World Entered a New Cold War,” Peter Conradi (how Russia went from potential partner in the mid-1990s to adversary)
“In Wartime: Stories From Ukraine,” Tim Judah
“The Border: A Journey Around Russia Through North Korea, China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Norway and the Northeast Passage,” Erika Fatland (translator Kari Dickson)
“War in 140 Characters: How Social Media Is Reshaping Conflict in the Twenty-First Century,” David Patrikarakos
“The Return of the Russian Leviathan,” Sergei Medvedev (translator Stephen Dalziel)
“Lost Kingdom: The Quest for Empire and the Making of the Russian Nation,” Serhii Plokhy
You Saw It Coming Dept.: Britney Spears. Book deal. Tell-all. $15 million-ish. Good grief.
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New and recent
Arthur C. Brooks, “From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life.” The social scientist and writer for The Atlantic: If you “have worked hard to be exceptional at what you do, you will almost certainly face … decline and disappointment — and it will come much, much sooner than you think.” He told NPR: “We can find a new kind of success if we’re willing to make some jumps and some changes and show some humility and have an adventure that’s better than the first half.” (Portfolio, 272 pp.)
— Erica Smith, erica.smith@pilotonline.com
