The Roundtable

This week's Book Picks comes from Jacqueline Kellachan from The Golden Notebook in Woodstock, NY and Lily Bartels from Open Door Bookstore in Schenectady, NY for our selections this week. Welcome All.

'UnCaged Festival: A Toy Piano Festival' comes to the Hudson Valley later this week - Three days of miniature keys, maximum sound — chamber music, new works, and experimental performance built entirely around the humble toy piano.Described by the 'New York Times' as “meticulously whimsical,” the festival brings together musicians for a weekend celebrating one of music's smallest — and strangest — instruments.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are: Jackie Berry - Lecturer of Cognitive Sciences at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and former Fulbright US Scholar to Egypt.Fatimah Gilliam - an author, lawyer, consultant, public speaker, and entrepreneur. Her most recent book is: Race Rules: What Your Black Friend Won't Tell You.Larissa Phillips - the founder and director of the Volunteer Literacy Project. She is also a columnist for The Free Press and a Greene County resident.Kathy Sheehan -Former Mayor of the City of Albany.

Tom Brady's extraordinary football career is often measured in Super Bowl rings, records, and of course longevity. But what does that kind of greatness cost? In the new book 'Brady: An American Story and the Price of Greatness,' journalist and best-selling author Lars Anderson looks beyond the statistics to explore the man behind the legend, drawing on more than 350 interviews.Anderson traces Brady's rise from an overlooked college quarterback to one of the most accomplished athletes in the history of sports, while also examining his relentless drive, discipline, and the impact of that obsession on his personal life.

'field,' a dynamic, new ideas festival is coming to Lenox October 23-25th. At a time when meaningful dialogue often feels increasingly difficult, 'field,' a festival of ideas, entertainment, learning and discovery offers a different platform - one grounded in curiosity, intellectual rigor, and respect.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are: Chris Koetzle - Executive Director of the NY Association of Towns.Libby Post - Political Consultant.Warren Whitlock - a former federal senior executive having served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Diversity & Leadership, and, Associate Administrator for Civil Rights at the Federal Highway Administration.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are: Theresa Bourgeois - Public policy and communications expert.Judith Enck - a senior fellow and faculty member in the Center for the Advancement of Public Action at Bennington College. She is the President of Beyond Plastics and former EPA Regional Administrator. Judith is co-author of the book The Problem with Plastic.March Gallagher - The Ulster County Comptroller and the former president and CEO of the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley.

Anthony Tommasini, the former chief classical music critic for 'The New York Times,' turns his attention to one of the most important American singers of the twentieth century in his new book, 'Voice of a Century: The Life and Artistry of Marian Anderson.'

For ten days each fall, Columbia County becomes a destination for movie lovers. FilmColumbia returns October 16th through the 25th, bringing audiences some of the most anticipated new American and international films. Over the years, the festival has earned a reputation for spotting terrific movies early - often well before they reach theaters or become part of the awards conversation.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are: Bill Hammond - a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute whose work focuses primarily on health-care policy.Chris Koetzle - Executive Director of the NY Association of Towns.Justin Patch - Associate Professor of Music at Vassar College. He studies music in American politics; sound studies; East Asian art music; and music in the African diaspora. Catherine Tan - an Associate Professor in the department of sociology at Vassar College. Her research is on health, wellness, and medical knowledge.