Stern Lecture Series

Attend the Post-Lecture Community Conversation

David Grann, bestselling author and staff writer at The New Yorker, delivered the 2024 Stern Lecture on September 25 at the Aronoff Center for the Arts.

Join a community conversation exploring what we learned from Grann’s lecture Tuesday, Oct. 1, at the Downtown Main Library. Share your experiences and perspectives where all voices are heard in a safe and inclusive environment.

Community Conversation Details

Join a Book Club or Start Your Own

Read and discuss David Grann's book Killers of the Flower Moon.

About the Mary S. Stern Lecture Series

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Lecture Series

The late Mary S. Stern endowed an annual lecture series for the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library through The Library Foundation, opens a new window to support bringing internationally renowned thought leaders to our community. The Stern Lecture selection committee was formed in 2018 to select and invite lecturers who can honor Stern’s legacy by advancing the Library’s mission to connect our community with a world of ideas and information. The committee is committed to making the topic and speaker accessible to the community physically and financially.

The views and opinions expressed by the Mary S. Stern lecturer are solely those of the lecturer and do not represent those of the Library Foundation, the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library, staff, and partner organizations.

Previous Speakers

2024

The 5th Mary S. Stern lecturer was David Grann, author of Killers of the Flower Moon.

2023

The 4th Mary S. Stern lecturer was Isabel Wilkerson, author of The Warmth of Other Suns.

2022

The 3rd Mary S. Stern lecturer was Walter Isaacson, author of The Code Breaker.

2021

The 2nd Mary S. Stern lecturer was Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of Leadership in Turbulent Times.

2019

The inaugural Mary S. Stern lecturer was Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption.

Program Funding: The Library Foundation

Stern Lecture Selection Committee

About David Grann

David Grann is a Bestselling Author and Staff Writer at The New Yorker. Grann is the author of award-winning titles including Killers of the Flower Moon and The Wager. Grann is revered for nonfiction that jumps off the page.