Third Thursday Presentation Charles Monagan

Author Charles Monagan gave a talk on his latest book Connecticut Icons on Thursday, January 17, 2019, at the Connecticut State Library. In his book, with a collection of photos, anecdotes, and little-known facts, Monagan presented fifty of his favorite icons—from the hot lobster roll to the Yale Bowl, the U.S.S. Nautilus to the Merritt Parkway, and many others.

As editor of Connecticut Magazine from 1989-2013, Charles Monagan spent years discovering and describing the people, places and things that make up the character of his home state. In 2000, he began writing a “Connecticut Icons” page every month in the magazine, and in 2006, the collection was published by Globe Pequot and sold out three printings.

In 2017, Connecticut Icons has been reissued, with updates and additional icons. Monagan’s talk is part of the State Library and Museum of Connecticut History’s Third Thursday Brown bag Lunchtime Speaker series. This series features a variety of speakers on various aspects of Connecticut history.  All programs are free and open to the public and attendees should feel free to bring their lunch. 

About the Speaker: Charles Monagan has been a writer and editor since 1972, when he graduated from Dartmouth College. His work has appeared in many magazines and newspapers, and from 1989 to 2013 he was the editor of Connecticut Magazine. In 1997, he won the Gold Medal for Reporting from the National City and Regional Magazine Association. In 2012, he received the Connecticut Press Club’s Mark Twain Award for Distinguished Journalism, a lifetime award. Monagan is the author of 10 books, including The Neurotic’s Handbook, The Reluctant Naturalist, and How to Get a Monkey into Harvard. Additionally, he wrote the book and lyrics for the musical Mad Bomber, which was produced in 2011 and won first place in the Academy for New Musical Theatre’s 2012 international Search for New Musicals. His novel, Carrie Welton (2016), was awarded an Editors’ Choice from the Society of Historical Novels and was a finalist for the coveted JJ Bennett Award for Historical Fiction. His most recent book is a 2017 reissue of Connecticut Icons.