Southington Library To Celebrate World War II Nurses In March

SOUTHINGTON, CT — The Southington Public Library is going back to the 1940s in March, with a series of events honoring female nurses who served in the Pacific during World War II.

The events are part of the library's biggest annual celebration, called "Southington Reads."

Registration is now open for one of the Southington Public Library's biggest and most popular reading events — "Southington Reads 2023."

This year's event is on Tuesday, March 21, from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Aqua Turf, 556 Mulberry St., Plantsville.

Every year, the library hosts a best-selling author to discuss his or her work with library guests at a special event, with several events prior to "Southington Reads" falling in line with the authors and their work.

And, this year, historical fiction author Elise Hooper, of Seattle, Wash., will be in town for "Southington Reads 2023" to talk about her career and her latest novel, "Angels of the Pacific," a World War II period novel about the nurses serving in the Pacific theater as the allies battled Japan.

The event is co-sponsored by the Aqua Turf Club, the Cavanese Foundation and the Friends of the Southington Public Library.

The library has information on how people can read "Angels of the Pacific," either by borrowing it, listening to it or purchasing it.

To register for the "Southington Reads 2023" program featuring Hooper, click on this link.

Leading up to the big celebration March 21 are multiple events at the Southington Public Library, which is located at 255 Main St., with themes along the same line as Hooper's book.

They include:

• A noontime showing Friday, March 3, of the 1943 film "So Proudly We Hail!" about nurses in World War II serving in the Pacific. Snacks and coffee provided, no registration required.

• On Friday, March 10, the Southington Public Library's historical fiction book club will discuss Hooper's "Angels of the Pacific" book.

This event is Friday, March 10, in the library's café at 10 a.m.

For more information on the book discussion, click on this link.

• On Monday, March 13, a virtual program will take place with the U.S. Army Women's Museum, which is hosting a program called "The Angels of Bataan."

That will take place at 6 p.m. with viewing available to the public at the library or folks can watch from home via Zoom.

To register for this event, go to library's event calendar at southingtonlibrary.org, stop by the library, or call 860-628-0947, ext. 5.

For more information on the museum program, click on this link.

For more information on the Southington Public Library, click on this link.