Coffee Talk
The Des Plaines History Center will host its July Coffee Talk program at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 12, with “Jules Verne & H.G. Wells, and the Birth of Sci-Fi.”
These two men, Jules Verne and Herbert George (H.G.) Wells, largely thought to be the creators of science fiction, are largely unknown quantities beyond their names and a few of their most well-known imaginative tales. While there is no doubt that they deserve lasting fame for their amazing accomplishments, there were other contributors to what was then termed “scienti-fiction.” And those select few, who were able to imagine the world we now inhabit and beyond, live on in their stories.
In this new edu-tainment adventure, singer/songwriter/historian Barry Cloyd celebrates the men, the women, and the incredible journey into our consciousness of a new form of literature and what it has spawned — both the triumphant and the tragic. Through story and song — some original, some you might remember, and some just plain strange — Cloyd brings to life the world created by the minds behind what we now just call sci-fi.
Cloyd will bring along some of his unusual instruments and include a few songs to encourage the audience to step outside gravity’s pull and suspend disbelief. Songs such as “A Space Oddity,” “In the Year 2525,” and Barry Cloyd originals “Virtual Stage” and “The Dangers of Star Trek Travel” and more will be teleported into the ether for the audience to enjoy.
“Early science-fiction stories are a fascinating look into the imagination and optimism of the past,” Interpretive Curator Emma Marston says. “Barry Cloyd has been a History Center favorite since his last performance here as folk singer Woody Guthrie, and I’m looking forward to his music just as much as the topic!”
Registration is required to attend “Jules Verne & H.G. Wells, and the Birth of Sci-Fi” and for all Coffee Talks moving forward. To register, call (847) 391-5399 or email contact@desplaineshistory.org. Any day-of availability will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
All members of the public are welcome to attend “Jules Verne & H.G. Wells, and the Birth of Sci-Fi.” This program is free thanks to generous sponsors: Village Bank & Trust and Kiwanis Club of Des Plaines.
The History Center’s Coffee Talks are a series of adult programs meant to invite public participation and discussion on a broad range of historical topics per the History Center’s mission. Donations are appreciated. The next Coffee Talk will be “Hidden Messages in Negro Spirituals on the Underground Railroad” on Aug. 8.