# Event Details - **Event Name**: Caitlin Shetterly & Scott Simon in Conversation w/ Richard Russo - **Event Start and End Date**: Wed, 20 May, 2026 at 06:00 pm – Wed, 20 May, 2026 at 07:30 pm (-04:00) - **Event Description**: A discussion on the authors' latest: Shetterly's 'Gulf of Lions' & Simon's 'Ulysses S. Cat'About this EventTwo writers and old friends, Caitlin Shetterly and Scott Simon, will come together for an unusual evening of celebrating family, forgiveness, and the art of telling stories. Caitlin Shetterly’s latest novel The Gulf of Lions, is set in France and explores motherhood, cancer, daughters, love, and the ways the stories we tell become the fabric of our lives. She’ll be joined by NPR Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon, whose forthcoming book, Ulysses S. Cat and Other Animals I Have Known, is a charming and poignant collection of vignettes about the animals who have shaped his life and the deep, often surprising bonds between humans and animals.Together, and in conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Richard Russo, they’ll explore such themes as living in France, memory, storytelling, and the relationships, human and animal alike, that accompany us through our lives. This promises to be the kind of evening we all need so badly right now: A warm, life-affirming, and lively discussion about writing, friendship, and the experiences that not only shape a story but make us better people along the way. ABOUT THE AUTHORS is the author of Pete and Alice in Maine, which was reviewed by Allegra Goodman for The New York Times this way: “Shetterly’s debut achieves a subtle grace, a quality of light and shadow worthy of a Bergman film.” The standalone sequel is The Gulf of Lions.Shetterly is also the author of three previous books: Modified, Made for You and Me, and the bestselling Fault Lines: Stories of Divorce. Modified won the Maine Literary Award in 2017 and was named one of the “Best Books of 2016” by both Publishers’ Weekly and Goop. Made for You and Me was based on a series of audio diaries that were featured on Weekend Edition on NPR and went viral. Fault Lines was an Indie Next pick and became a bestseller after being featured by Scott Simon on Weekend Edition.Shetterly’s work has been featured in The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, Orion, Elle, Self, The Boston Globe, LitHub, Romper, and on Oprah.com, as well as on This American Life, Hidden Brain, Studio 360, Weekend Edition, and various other public radio shows.She is an editor at large for Frenchly, a French arts and culture online news magazine, for which she created the popular Le Weekend newsletter.A Maine native, she graduated with Honors from Brown University and lives with her two sons and husband in her home state. She and her family travel to France regularly, where Shetterly reports for The New York Times, Frenchly, and public radio. is one of America’s most admired writers and broadcasters. He has reported from all fifty states, five continents, and ten wars, from El Salvador to Sarajevo to Afghanistan and Iraq. His books have chronicled character and characters, in war and peace, sports and art, tragedy and comedy. Simon is a native of Chicago and the son of comedian Ernie Simon and Patricia Lyons Simon. He is married to Caroline Richard Simon, and their daughters are Elise and Paulina. His hobbies are books, theater, ballet, British comedy, and Mexican cooking and “bleeding for the Chicago Cubs.”Richard Russo is the author of ten novels, most recently Somebody’s Fool, Chances Are..., Everybody’s Fool, and That Old Cape Magic; two collections of stories; and the memoir Elsewhere. In 2002, he received the Pulitzer Prize for Empire Falls, which, like Nobody’s Fool, won multiple awards for its screen adaptation, and in 2023 his novel Straight Man was adapted into the television series Lucky Hank. In 2017 he received France’s Grand Prix de Littérature Américaine. He lives in Port­land, ME.PARKING & TRANSPORTATIONThe Greater Portland Metro’s Congress & Casco Street Stop is directly in front of our building, served by routes 1, 7, 8, and 9B.Street Parking: Available on Congress, Casco, Cumberland, Free Street, and nearby streets. Pay by meter or the Passport Parking App. Free after 6pm, on Sundays, and between Parris and Alder Street. Some blocks may vary — look for posted signs.Garages: The Arts District Garage (41 Brown St) has 250+ spaces, is open 24/7, and accepts credit card only, with entrances on Brown, Cumberland, and Casco. The Elm Street Garage (21 Elm St) is conveniently near the Portland Library. The Spring Street Garage is three blocks away at 45 Spring St.ACCESSIBILITYTo enter our building, patrons will need to navigate a single step or use a modular ramp. There is a wheelchair-accessible elevator.If you have a wheelchair or need accessibility accommodations/questions, please contact us at programming@mainemechanics.org or 207-773-8396. - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/portland/caitlin-shetterly-and-scott-simon-in-conversation-w-richard-russo/100001987004984397 - **Event Categories**: art, literary-art, comedy, entertainment, sports, theatre, storytelling - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 12.51, currency: USD ## Event venue details - **city**: Portland - **state**: ME - **country**: United States - **location**: Mechanics' Hall - **lat**: 43.6562436 - **long**: -70.2611664 - **full address**: Mechanics' Hall, 519 Congress Street, Portland, United States ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Caitlin Shetterly & Scott Simon in Conversation w/ Richard Russo - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events5/banners/c725dc10ddddfcb4b9cb60466516d5b15de7df6bfd1c6e76874324f6ee1e1176-rimg-w1200-h600-dc0387a6-gmir.jpg?v=1776224177 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Caitlin Shetterly & Scott Simon in Conversation w/ Richard Russo being held? - **A:** Caitlin Shetterly & Scott Simon in Conversation w/ Richard Russo takes place on Wed, 20 May, 2026 at 06:00 pm to Wed, 20 May, 2026 at 07:30 pm at Mechanics' Hall, 519 Congress Street, Portland, United States. - **Q**: How much do tickets cost for Caitlin Shetterly & Scott Simon in Conversation w/ Richard Russo? - **A:** Tickets for Caitlin Shetterly & Scott Simon in Conversation w/ Richard Russo are priced at USD 13 per person. Here's a full breakdown of available ticket types:Ticket TypePriceAvailabilityMechanics' Hall Member AdmissionUSD 9 + USD 2 feeAvailableGeneral AdmissionUSD 13 + USD 3 feeAvailableDonate to support Mechanics' HallFreeAvailable - **Q**: Who is organizing Caitlin Shetterly & Scott Simon in Conversation w/ Richard Russo? - **A:** Caitlin Shetterly & Scott Simon in Conversation w/ Richard Russo is organized by Mechanics' Hall (Maine). - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Caitlin Shetterly & Scott Simon in Conversation w/ Richard Russo is ideal for art lovers, collectors, creatives, and anyone inspired by visual arts, installations, and exhibitions. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Portland, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. 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