Plans are moving forward for Novel Night, Volume 3. (For a report and pictures of Novel Night, Volume 2, please click here.)

This year’s event will take place on Saturday, October 16. Proceeds from the event will be used to support the preservation of fragile and valuable materials in the Hoboken Public Library’s historical collection. We invite those interested in hosting a dinner for Novel Night guests to contact us at novelnight@gmail.com. (Hosts are asked to accommodate 8 or more guests at a dinner that focuses on a book-related theme of their choice.)

If you are interested in attending the event, please let us know by writing novelnight@gmail.com. You will receive a “save the date” card this summer and an invitation after Labor Day. An invitation and reply form will also be available at this website.

We also welcome those interested in sponsoring this event! If you are interested in making a contribution, large or small, please contact us at novelnight@gmail.com

The Friends are delighted to report the success of Novel Night, Volume Two, a literary dining event to benefit the Hoboken Public Library held in 2008. The funds raised by Novel Night are supporting the preservation of fragile and valuable materials in the Hoboken Public Library’s historical collection.

Twenty Hoboken hosts opened their homes to more than 200 dinner guests. Each host chose a book that inspired their menu, with titles ranging from A Room with a View to Zorba the Greek. After dinner, guests gathered at the Library for coffee and dessert.

Boundless thanks go to the event hosts for their culinary creativity and generous hospitality: Alyse and Brian Battaglia and Pat Kelly and Anthony Lefeber; Ruth Charnes and David Hansen and Jan and Phil Huling; Marita and Peter Cammarano; J.R. Cassidy and Keith Rauschenbach; Theresa and Robert Castellano; Nardyne and Dick Cattani; Joan and Kyle Enger; Juliane and Matthew Epstein; Rehanna Gallagher and Bob Ferry; Thomas and Roopa Foley; Ann Graham and Rick Kamber; Diana and Larry Henriques; Leah Holton; Sue and Buz Keenan; Sarah and David Kreidler; Beth and Ricky Mason; Susan and Hugh Moore; Valerie Pels and Richard Pasquarelli; Rose and Jim Perry; and Lori and Howard Turoff.

Generous sponsors also played a crucial role in Novel Night’s success. The Friends are exceedingly grateful to Applied Development Company, Haven Savings Bank, The Hoboken Reporter, The John & Wendy Neu Family Foundation, The Pegasus Group, LLC, and John Wiley & Sons. Also appreciated is the financial support provided by Fast Frame, Inserra Supermarkets/Shop-Rite of Hoboken, Kings Super Markets, Symposia Bookstore, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and many individuals, too numerous to mention here.

We also want to thank the Library’s Board of Trustees and Library Director Lina Podles for opening Hoboken’s wonderful Library for the dessert course, which was made possible by Amanda’s Restaurant, A&P, Garden of Eden, Garden’s Bloom, Giorgio Pasticcerie, Lepore’s Home Made Chocolates and Starbucks. Assisting with this portion of the event were Jean Callan, Mike Evers, Marilyn and Joel Freiser, Dawn Raffel, Heather Gibbons, Linda Mallan, and the Hoboken Police Department.

There were too many dinner guests to name individually, but we thank each and every one for being an essential ingredient in this successful evening. We also thank those who could not attend but nevertheless made gifts to support the Library’s preservation efforts.

Thanks also go to the Novel Night Dinner Committee—Co-Chairs Ruth Charnes and Jane Klueger, committee members Melanie Best, Monique Haas, Jan and Phil Huling, Karen Jurman, Jeannie Lubin, Margaret Mallan, Penny Metsch, Susan Moore, Diane Price, Roseann Rana, Pamela Strell and Jane Zeff—who devoted many hours over many months to produce this event. Additional gratitude goes to Phil Huling, designer extraordinaire, who created the Novel Night invitations and posters and supervised their printing. Thanks also go to Myrna Kasser for assistance with information technology and to Dave Miyake for creating the event website (click here for event photos). Last but hardly least, we salute Joyce Flinn, who inspired the inaugural event and continued to provide assistance this year! .