1800 and Froze to Death: The Cold Year of 1816
1816 has long been known as the year without summer. This talk by Howard Coffin includes scores of anecdotes about the dark year of failed crops, scarce food, and religious revival.
Our Speakers Bureau provides informative and thought-provoking presentations by scholars and experts on diverse humanities topics. These rich experiences are accessible for Vermont non-profit organizations to present in their community for a small fee.
We are offering each Vermont Reads host organization up to two free Speakers Bureau talks related to the themes in Charity and Sylvia each year.
We plan to add more Vermont Reads-related Speakers Bureau talks in the coming months.
Booking a Talk
- Browse the catalog of topics, and review our Speakers Bureau Guidelines and FAQs.
- Contact a speaker to set a tentative date and time, and discuss any special arrangements.
- Request the program using our online form at least six weeks in advance. We’ll respond within two weeks.
We are currently only booking Speakers Bureau programs for Vermont Reads 2026: Charity and Sylvia and America 250th related programs. In September, we plan to re-open the entire Speakers Bureau catalog for bookings in 2027.
After Requesting a Program
- Publicize the event once it’s been approved. Contact the speaker to confirm.
- Host the event: provide a comfortable space, introduce the speaker, and encourage attendees to sign in and share feedback.
- Submit our online Host Survey, and mail the program fee and paperwork to Vermont Humanities.
Questions?
Contact Jacob Pelletier at jpelletier@vermonthumanities.org.
Please note that we are limiting organizations to three Speakers Bureau presentations per organization per year.
