Local literary celebrity Simon Winchester was honored by the Sandisfield Arts Center at the end of November with a public interview concerning his latest book, The Breath of the Gods: The History and Future of Wind.

Arts Center co-president Suzanne OConnell, herself an environmental scientist, shared an on-stage conversation with the author about topics ranging from the genesis of Winchester's interest in the wind to his various experiences with it and how he had assembled a cohesive and entertaining narrative about such a broad topic.

As Simon describes in his book:

Wind must have been truly inexplicable to those who first felt and experienced it. Not least, of course, because it couldn't be seen ... But the unseen force - how to explain and understand this invisible, mysterious, and, in its power, often frightening entity.

The event attracted a diverse audience of townspeople and residents of surrounding communities, all of whom wished to hear about Winchester's new, critically acclaimed exploration of one of the most powerful and complex forces of Nature. Judging from the many questions contributed by audience members, interest levels were high. Certainly, the sales of signed copies of the book at the end of the event were brisk. A 25-year resident of Sandisfield, Simon was the founder and first editor of The Sandisfield Times in 2010.

This year the Arts Center reinforced its commitment to making its events available to all residents of Sandisfield by instituting a policy of low-cost community tickets for most of its events. In this instance, no admission was charged at all. Generous donors in the audience, however, made sure that the Arts Center didn't lose by its inclusiveness, contributing $500 in cash contributions at the event.

Residents may look forward to a rich series of programs in 2026. When the schedule is finalized, it will be posted on the Sandisfield Arts Center's website at sandisfieldartscenter.org and in a report in The Sandisfield Times.