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Rare Reads

⌂ / Rare Reads / Author Talks

Rare Reads Author Talks are virtual conversations featuring thought-provoking authors whose work explores the intersections of people, culture, and the natural world. Through these discussions, we dive into compelling narratives that illuminate the challenges and opportunities of conservation, sustainability, and community resilience. This series is part of Rare Reads, Rare's monthly book club dedicated to engaging, solutions-based storytelling around conservation and climate change.

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Previous talks

Author talk with Earl Swift

April 2025

Twelve miles off the coast of Virginia lies Tangier Island, a centuries-old fishing community known for supplying the world with the famous Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab. But climate change may make Tangier Island known for something else; scientists believe that by 2050, Tangier will have lost all of its habitable landmass to sea level rise, the first area within the United States to be completely eradicated by climate change.

Join us for an engaging author talk with Earl Swift on his 2018 book, Chesapeake Requiem: A Year with the Watermen of Vanishing Tangier Island. We’ll walk alongside Swift as he details his time with the folks who, for generations, have called Tangier Island home. We’ll explore a community whose skepticism about the science of climate change and their connection to a more traditional way of life does not diminish their desire to save their home. Chesapeake Requiem is a portrait of a community caught in between the past and the present, doubt and hope, and courage and despair.

Moderated by Kristi Marciano, Manager of Marketing & Communications, Rare

Discussion questions
  1. How does Swift present the community of Tangier? Does he offer the reader a fair and unbiased perspective of their situation?
  2. How does the outside world view Tangier Island? Are outsiders sympathetic to Tangier’s situation?
  3. The people of Tangier, by and large, do not believe in climate change. Regardless, they still face challenges brought on by a changing world. Find some specific examples in the book where the community of Tangier face such challenges. How do they describe those challenges? How do they feel about them?
  4. Watch The BE.Center’s BE.Hour training series Part 3: “Understanding your audience.” How can you use empathy and other behavioral tools to reach the people of Tangier?
  5. Refer back to the 8 Principles of Effective and Inviting Climate Communication. How would you describe the climate change situation to the people of Tangier? What words would you use, and which might you refrain from? How can language reinforce a sense of trust when working with a community?

 

Author talk with Ben Goldfarb

August 2024

Forty million miles of roads slash through Earth’s landscape. By 2050, an estimated 25 million more will be built globally in what some ecologists have dubbed a “concrete tsunami.”

Join us for an engaging author talk with Ben Goldfarb on his latest book, Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet. Discover how extensive road networks impact wildlife and ecosystems, and explore potential solutions to these challenges. Ben’s journey across the globe reveals the unseen effects of our “concrete tsunami” and highlights how we can mitigate the damage.

Moderated by Kristi Marciano, Manager of Marketing & Communications, Rare

Watch the talk

Discussion questions
  • Reflect on your own community or region. Are there road ecology issues present, and how could the solutions from the book be applied locally? What steps could be taken to raise awareness and initiate change?
  • What are some of the innovative solutions to road ecology problems presented in the book? Which do you think have the most potential for widespread adoption, and why?
  • Goldfarb often uses personal anecdotes and case studies throughout the book. How did these storytelling techniques affect your engagement with the material? Do you think they were effective in conveying the importance of road ecology?
  • Consider the role of public policy in shaping road ecology outcomes. Based on Goldfarb’s analysis, what policy changes do you believe are most critical for improving road ecology, and how can citizens advocate for these changes?

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