Celebrating 20 Years of Page to The Podium
In 2005, Pauline Towers-Dykeman and the Library Foundation's Executive Director, Missy Falcey, shared a vision: bring renowned authors to Jackson Hole to highlight the incredible value of the library. In an era before social media, when the community already felt a bit divided and "hard to wrangle," Pauline wanted to create a space for connection.
Pauline, who later succeeded Missy as Executive Director of the Library Foundation, had a simple goal: bring people together to hear from authors who could spark reflection and invite deep, thoughtful attention to shared human values.
Fast forward 20 years. As Pauline introduced two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead, she reflected on the journey and zeroed in on the word: attention.
The stage for this milestone event was perfectly set, as Pauline shared Mary Oliver’s poem, Sometimes:
Instructions for living a life
Pay attention
Be astonished
Tell about it
From the moment he took the stage, Colson Whitehead effortlessly captured the audience's attention—not with intense gravity, but with warmth and humor. Mapping his journey from a self-described "shut-in kid" who loved Stephen King to his first post-college job at The Village Voice, he took the audience on a deeply relatable ride. The evening even featured an unexpected group sing-along, a dramatic reading of the Law & Order intro, and a hilarious reimagining of Star Wars if R2-D2 had a human voice box.
Whitehead also touched on timely topics, including Artificial Intelligence. While he noted AI has its place in daily life—like assisting with online shopping—he firmly believes it has no business in the creative act of writing or artmaking. The audience agreed with many rounds of applause.
One attendee perfectly captured the night's energy, noting Whitehead's “ability to make us all belly laugh while still acknowledging the importance of meaningful, relevant content.”
What the Community Had to Say:
“He is raw and edgy but also so relatable. He gives his perspective in a way that you just appreciate hearing.”
“His intelligence, wit, global perspective… and the fact that the WHOLE TOWN turned out for him!”
“What an incredible presenter! He was engaging, funny, and vulnerable. I appreciated his perspective and how open he is to exploring different ideas, genres, and characters very different from himself.”
“Keep the good speakers coming!”
Over the last two decades, Page to the Podium has enriched our community by bringing nationally recognized and award-winning writers to Jackson Hole, inspiring curiosity, conversation, and new perspectives. Whitehead joins an illustrious roster of past speakers, including:
Frank McCourt, 2006
Billy Collins, 2007
Michael Chabon, 2007
Mary Oliver, 2008
Amy Tan, 2008
Alexander McCall Smith, 2009
Barry Lopez, 2009
Azar Nafisi, 2010
Wendell Berry, 2010
Michael Cunningham, 2011
Robert Pinsky, 2011
Gary Snyder, 2012
Jennifer Egan, 2012
Cheryl Strayed, 2013
Jess Walter, 2015
David McCullough, 2015
Sherman Alexie, 2017
Susan Orlean, 2019
Temple Grandin, 2020
Roxane Gay, 2021
Ta-Nehisi Coates, 2022
Ada Limon, 2023
Jason Reynolds, 2024 (Our 1st Teen Page to Podium)
Page to the Podium programs remain free and open to the public, entirely funded by your generous donations—large and small—to the Teton County Library Foundation & Friends.
Stay tuned for the announcement of our 2027 Page to the Podium speaker.