CALENDAR, April 3+: Pulitzer Prize-winning author Berg to speak April 19

Staff reports  |   Scott Berg, author of best-selling biographies of Charles Lindbergh, Max Perkins and Woodrow Wilson, will speak 5:30 p.m. April 19 at the Charleston Museum. Berg is appearing Charleston at the invitation of the Princeton Club of Charleston.

Berg

After graduating from Princeton in 1971, Berg expanded his senior thesis on editor Maxwell Perkins into a full-length biography, Max Perkins: Editor of Genius (1978), which won a National Book Award and was the source for last year’s movie “Genius,” starring Colin Firth and Jude Law. His second book, Goldwyn: A Biography, was published in 1989.

Berg’s third book, Lindbergh, a highly-anticipated biography of aviator Charles Lindbergh, was published in 1998 and won the Pulitzer Prize. In 2003, Berg published Kate Remembered, a biographical memoir about his friendship with actress Katharine Hepburn. His celebrated biography of Woodrow Wilson was published in 2013; and World War I and America: Told by the Americans Who Lived It, which he edited for the Library of America, came out this February.

Berg’s presentation in Charleston is entitled “Woodrow Wilson and World War I: A Century Later”. There will be a reception and book-signing at the event, with light refreshments served. Berg’s books can be purchased at Buxton Books, 2A Cumberland Street, Charleston. They will also be available for purchase at the event.

• Tickets are $35 with reduced prices for students and faculty. Click here for reservations and more.

In other area events:

Wine Down Wednesdays.  The afternoon wine social continues April 5, April 19 and May 3 at the not-open Old Town Creek County Park off Old Towne Road in West Ashley.  Included are music and wine for $15 for county residents; a food truck will be on hand.  More info here.

Free shredding:  11 a.m. to 1 p.m., April 6, Charleston County Public Services Building, 4045 Bridge View Drive, North Charleston.  You can shred documents for free here to avoid having your personal information being compromised.

(NEW) Gospel and Frogmore stew:  5 p.m. to 8 p.m., April 7, McLeod Plantation, James Island.  The Friends of McLeod will hold its first 2017 event, the Friends of McLeod Celebration, which will feature the Anointed “Voices of Praise” from Mount Zion AME Church in Goose Creek.  Frogmore stew and barbecue will also be on hand at the county park.  More about tickets and the event: friendsofmcleod.org

Charleston Bluegrass Festival:  April 7-8, Middleton Place, 4279 Ashley River Road, across from the Middleton Equestrian Center.  The festival is a combined event by Middleton Place Woodlands, Awendaw Green and other organizations with campaign and limited RV hook-ups.  Advance tickets and more info.

(NEW) Books for Beer:  5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., April 11, Bay Street Biergarten, East Bay St., Charleston.  The Charleston Friends of the Library and the biergarten will give you a free beer with the donation of a gently-used book in this clever, fun event.  (Children who donate will get a free root beer).  One beverage per person.  The organization also will send books and have some silent auction items.  More.

Lawrence exhibit:  Through April 30, Gibbes Museum of Art, 135 Meeting St., Charleston.  The museum will offer a comprehensive overview of influential American artist Jacob Lawrence featuring prints made from 1663 to 2000.  His prints explore African-American culture and experiences and highlight themes of history, labor and life.  More:  GibbesMuseum.org.  NOTE:  See our 2010 story on Lawrence.

Slightly Askew: Through May 7, City Gallery, 24 Prioleau St., Charleston.  The City of Charleston’s Office of Cultural Affairs will feature the works of artists Rebecca Davenport and Cabelle Heyward that offers perspectives on reality that are slightly askew from consensus views.  More info.

Early morning bird walks at Caw Caw:  8:30 a.m. every Wednesday and Saturday, Caw Caw Interpretive Center, Ravenel.  You can learn about habitats and birds, butterflies and other organisms in this two-hour session.  Registration not required, but participants are to be 15 and up.  $10 per person or free to Gold Pass holders.  More:  http://www.CharlestonCountyParks.com.

If you have an event to list on our calendar, please send it to editor@charlestoncurrents.com for consideration.  The calendar is updated weekly on Mondays.