He may be needed now more than ever. Ralph Waldo Emerson, that is: essayist, abolitionist, free thinker, transcendentalist, nonconformist, philosopher of Concord, Mass.
He's the subject of Mark Matousek's "Lessons From an American Stoic: How Emerson Can Change Your Life," out this summer from HarperOne, and the Springs resident will explore just how to enact that change, through self-reliance, self-examination, and otherwise, on Friday at 6 p.m. at The Church in Sag Harbor for the arts center's monthly Knowledge Fridays series.
Admission is $10, or free for members who make a reservation. Mr. Matousek's previous books include "Sex Death Enlightenment: A True Story."