Upcoming Programs & Classes
My participants are eager to deepen their knowledge and expand their perspective on a range of topics.
Author Mimi Zieman, MD and Lori (front row, left) with the guests at the recent book talk for Tap Dancing on Everest held at J. Anderson’s Books in Larchmont
Whether I’m browsing in a bookstore, visiting a museum, or scrolling on the internet, I’m always searching for new books, films, exhibitions, podcasts, and other works to inspire ideas for classes and live conversations with authors and experts. My programs are interactive and designed to encourage critical thinking and lively discussion about significant themes in literature, history, social issues, film, and the arts.
Please scroll down below to see a complete list of my upcoming classes & programs, both online & in-person. I participate in several Continuing Education programs, including the Scarsdale Adult School, the 92NY Roundtable, & the Center for Continuing Education in Larchmont / Mamaroneck. I also teach private classes and facilitate programs for non-profits, clubs, and other groups online, in NYC, Westchester County and beyond.
2026 Calendar year
CLASSES and PROGRAMS
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Private Class, NYC / Upper East Side: Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy
Tuesday, March 10 1:30 to 3 pm
Location: Upper East Side, NYC
Sold out
In this unsparing, darkly funny memoir, award-winning novelist Arundhati Roy captures her complex relationship with her fierce, formidable mother who shaped Roy’s life as a writer and activist yet left her emotionally bruised. Named one of the top ten books of 2025 by the New York Times Book Review, Roy’s raw, sometimes disturbing narrative takes its title from the Beatles song “Let It Be” and attempts to make sense of her complicated feelings in the aftermath of her mother Mary’s death. Themes from this intellectually stimulating and emotionally riveting book include family relationships, intergenerational violence, colonialism's legacy, religious persecution, environmental sustainability, free speech; and more.
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Private Guided Museum Tour: NYC Location to be announced
Tuesday, April 7 1:30 or 2:00 pm
Location:
Fee: ___
Private Group Museum Tour. Please contact me for details
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Online Book Discussion: Mother Mary Comes to Me, by Arundhati Roy
Thursday, March 12 11 am to 12:30 pm
Location: ONLINE / Zoom
Fee: $ 35 payable to Scarsdale Adult School
In this unsparing, darkly funny memoir, award-winning novelist Arundhati Roy captures her complex relationship with her fierce and formidable mother who shaped Roy’s life as a writer and activist yet left her emotionally bruised. Named one of the top ten books of 2025 by the New York Times Book Review, Roy’s raw, sometimes disturbing narrative takes its title from the Beatles song “Let It Be” and attempts to make sense of her complicated feelings in the aftermath of her mother Mary’s death. Themes from this intellectually stimulating and emotionally riveting book include family relationships, intergenerational violence, colonialism's legacy, religious persecution, environmental sustainability, free speech; and more.
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Food for Thought: A Culinary Soiree in Larchmont at J. Anderson's Books
Wednesday, April 8, 7:00 to 8:45 pm
Location: J. Anderson’s Books in Larchmont NY
Fee: $ 45 payable to the Center for Continuing Ed. Larchmont/Mamaroneck
Join us for a “culinary soiree” including light bites, drinks & a program featuring culinary experts and literary suggestions for book and food lovers. From farmer’s market to fridge, from food trucks to four-star eateries, explore the literary and professional landscape of cuisine. I will present a selection of books that focus food & its connection to family, identity & culture. Genres include memoirs, fiction, biography, art history, and more.
Also, two special guests will share expertise & behind-the-scenes insights:
Lisa Nicklin is a recipe tester for the New York Times food section and the New York Times Cooking App, as well as a professional tester for cookbook authors. Hear how she navigates the grocery store, stocks her fridge & sautés her way through thousands of recipes. Learn new tips for commanding your own kitchen.
Renee Cohen, chef and founder of Cuisine Arts, will share ideas for spring menu planning and delights she’s discovered while leading innovative food tours in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens.
Includes Q & A and informal group discussion. Enjoy refreshments; browse the bookstore shelves; and mingle with other participants. A 10% discount will be honored on all store merchandise.
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Private Class, NYC / Upper East Side: Bad, Bad Girl by Gish Jen
Discussion will focus on the recent acclaimed book, Bad, Bad Girl by Gish Jen. This “hybrid” literary offering is the latest publication by Gish Jen, combining fiction and memoir in a profoundly innovative way.
Tuesday, April 14 1:30 to 3 pm
Location: Upper East Side, NYC
Sold out
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Literary Lunch: A Conversation with Belle Burden, Author of "Strangers: A Memoir"
Friday, April 17 11:30 am to 1:15 pm
Location: Beach Point Club, Mamaroneck NY
Fee: TBA, payable to Scarsdale Adult School
Lori Rotskoff will appear in conversation with debut author Belle Burden, whose acclaimed new book, Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage, is a New York Times bestseller. During the Covid pandemic, Belle Burden was safe and secure with her family at their house on Martha’s Vineyard, until—with no warning or explanation—her husband of 20 years announced that he was leaving her and their three children. In Strangers, Burden revisits this shocking incident and its aftermath: reexamining her marriage through a new lens and reckoning with her own family history and the lessons she learned about how women are expected to behave in the face of marital callousness and betrayal. With honesty and grace, she charts a path through heartbreak to reclaim her story and offers a measured, empathetic response to domestic rupture .
Belle Burden is an attorney specializing in juvenile immigration cases, She attended Harvard College and received her JD from NYU School of Law. She lives in New York City with her three children.
Time will be devoted to Audience Q&A .
Registration includes the literary program in a beautiful setting overlooking Long Island Sound; a choice of lunch entree including coffee, tea and cookies; and a signed copy of the book.
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Online Book Discussion: Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage, by Belle Burden
Tuesday, April 28 1:30 to 3:00 pm (ET)
Location: ONLINE / Zoom
Fee: $35 payable to Scarsdale Adult School
Discuss the best-selling new memoir by Belle Burden, Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage, a New York Times # 1 bestseller. During the Covid pandemic, Burden was safe and secure with her family at their house on Martha’s Vineyard, until—with no warning or explanation—her husband of 20 years announced that he was leaving her and their three children. In Strangers, Burden revisits this shocking incident and its aftermath: reexamining her marriage through a new lens and reckoning with her own family history and the lessons she learned about how women are expected to behave in the face of marital callousness and betrayal. With honesty and grace, she charts a path through heartbreak to reclaim her story and offers a measured, empathetic response to domestic rupture .
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Private Class, NYC / Upper East Side: Book selection TBA
Book selection to be announced.
Tuesday, May 5 1:30 to 3 pm
Location: Upper East Side, NYC
Sold out
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More To Come...Save the Dates!
Past course offerings:
Growing Up: Reading Contemporary Memoirs of Childhood and Youth
Family Secrets in Contemporary Memoirs
Deep Connections: Narratives of Friendship in Memoirs and Non-Fiction
The Poet’s Memoir: Personal Prose by Acclaimed American Poets
Contemporary Narratives by Asian-American Writers
Portraits of the Artist: Creative Lives on the Page and Screen
We Are What We Read: Contemporary Memoirs on Literature and Learning
We Are What We Eat: Food and Culture in Contemporary Memoirs and Documentary Films
Family Mysteries in Personal Documentary Films
Women Behind the Lens: 20th Century American Photographers
Racism and Resistance in the U.S. from Civil Rights to Black Lives Matter
Screening Stories for Kids: Children’s Literature in Documentary Film