Neither southern nor northern, Baltimore has charted its own course through the American experience.

Veteran Baltimore journalists Brennen Jensen and Tom Chalkley will walk us through their fun and illuminating look at Baltimore’s colorful history, culture, and characters. Their book examines our city’s life and times—it’s origins, wars, religion, industry, architecture, and evolution—through twelve topical chapters including Baltimore Town, The Rocket’s Red Glare, The Legacy of Wealth, The African American Experience, Smokestacks and Locomotives, and The Green Escape.

Brennen Jensen has written about Baltimore for more than thirty years, seven of those on staff at the Baltimore City Paper. A former senior writer for the Chronical of Philanthropy, he has also written for National Public Radio, CityLab, Residential Architect, Urbanite and national lifestyle publications such as Garden & Gun and the Local Palate. Tom Chalkley is an illustrator and writer, as well as a lifelong Marylander and Baltimorean since 1979. He contributed to the Baltimore City Paper from 1978 to 2008 and co-wrote, with Jensen and Charles Cohen, the paper’s “Charmed Life” column.

Our program will include archival slides and video, plus the opportunity to ask the authors questions and to share your own Baltimore stories. Light refreshments provided.