J.R. McDowell Speaker: Kelly Corrigan

Kelly Corrigan, host of the PBS series Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan, will be the Transylvania County Library Foundation’s Spring 2023 J.R. McDowell Speaker. The speaker series is designed to present a wide array of viewpoints on challenging and thought-provoking topics.

Her talk, Glitter & Glue: The Family Ties That Bind Us Together, will be held on Thursday, April 6th beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Porter Center at Brevard College. Free general admission tickets will be available at the Transylvania County Library beginning Tuesday, March 14th. Highland Books will be on site with copies of her most recent books for sale and signing following the program. The program is made possible by the Transylvania County Library Foundation in partnership with Brevard College.

Kelly Corrigan’s mother often describes their family as: “Your father’s the glitter, but I’m the glue.” In her presentation based on her memoir Glitter and Glue, Corrigan examines why we choose the people we admire and how that changes over time. She looks at the bond between mothers and daughters –sometimes nourishing, sometimes exasperating, occasionally divine but always loving. In her heartfelt presentation, she will strip away the complexities and emotionally connect who we are, men and women alike, with who our parents are and how this history continues to shape us. Acknowledged as an exceptional storyteller, Corrigan takes audiences on a moving and humorous journey on finding role models through personal growth.

In addition to hosting PBS’ Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan, Corrigan also hosts her own podcast Kelly Corrigan Wonders, which she describes as a “place for people who like to laugh while they think.” On the podcast, she tackles a different question every month in a series of weekly conversations with some of her favorite thinkers. In addition to her TV series and podcast, Corrigan is the author of four New York Times bestselling memoirs, including Tell Me More, Glitter and Glue, The Middle Place and Lift. In the spring of 2021, she published her first children’s book, Hello World, and is in the process of writing another one. She is also an accomplished columnist, appearing in O Magazine, Glamour and Good Housekeeping, and a dedicated volunteer and activist for healthcare and its specific impact on low-income children.

Constantly inspirational words elevate the experiences of everyday life and uplift our darkest moments with humor, humanity and unforgettable eloquence. And Corrigan has had plenty of adversity of her own. In 2004, she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. Her children were both still in diapers at the time. Three months after her diagnosis, she learned her father had late-stage cancer. From undergoing her own treatments, while ensuring that her father received proper care, Corrigan learned how anyone can make a difference and motivates audiences to do the same.

The Library Foundation enhances the Library and the community through five additional areas of support including funds for the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room collection; underwriting special events for children; exploring new technologies in library services; providing continuing education and career enhancement for library staff with the Elizabeth R. Kapp Tyson Professional Development Fund; and memorial gifts and collections.

The Transylvania County Library is a hub for learning, gathering and growing, together. Discover a welcoming space, friendly staff, engaging programs, and the vital resources needed to explore every corner of the imagination, whether visiting the library in person, greeting the bookmobile while “on the road,” or accessing online resources from home. To learn more, visit library.transylvaniacounty.org or call 884-3151.