Jonathan Bayliss Society upcoming events

Gloucesterbook (20 Oct 2026)

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 20:00:00 GMT

JB Reading Group on Zoom

GLOUCESTERBOOK

Usually 3rd Tuesday of each month, 4:00-5:00 pm Eastern

All are welcome!

Gloucesterbook is the first of Jonathan Bayliss's Gloucester novels. It begins in 1960 with Rafe Opsimath, a West Coast businessman, visiting "Dogtown" (a fictional city that closely resembles Gloucester, Massachusetts) for the first time.

Rafe hires a young analyst, Caleb Karcist, for a statistical job. Through Rafe and Caleb, we are introduced to the unique features of "Cape Gloucester" - its people (some of whom are loosely based on Bayliss's friends and colleagues), history, economics, politics, neighborhoods, and institutions. We also learn about Caleb's love life, his work, and his "Viking Shepherd" dog, Ibi-Roi.

The format is usually a brief summary of the chapter by a volunteer followed by several participants reading assigned passages aloud. You don't need to read the chapter in advance.

If you'd like to read aloud at one of the sessions, please email Catherine at president@jonathanbayliss.org.

You're welcome to join this friendly group whenever time permits. Once you register, you'll receive a reminder ahead of each session with the Zoom link.

History of Cape Ann Rail (14 Nov 2026)

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 20:00:00 GMT

History of Cape Ann Rail

Presented by the Jonathan Bayliss Society and the Sawyer Free Library

Saturday, November 14, 2026, 3:00-4:00 pm
Sawyer Free Library, Dale Avenue, Gloucester

Free and open to the public; advance registration required

Join us for an fascinating program about the development of rail on Cape Ann. Retired locomotive engineer Alan MacMillan – famous for reading poetry and providing weather updates to his passengers on the Rockport-North Station line – will illustrate his talk about the local history of freight and passenger service with slides from his extensive photograph collection.

MacMillan, who was introduced to locomotives as a young boy by his railroad-construction-engineer father, worked for 44 years on six New England railroads and currently serves on the Board of Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts.

Gloucester writer Ken Riaf – whose plays include My Station in Life, Think of Me Tuesday, and Copy and Acknowledge - will read brief passages about rail from the Gloucesterman novels of Jonathan Bayliss (1926-2009), who in the early 1930s lived near the Rockport train station and was treated by an engineer to a locomotive ride on the turnaround loop.

Gloucesterbook (17 Nov 2026)

Tue, 17 Nov 2026 21:00:00 GMT

JB Reading Group on Zoom

GLOUCESTERBOOK

Usually 3rd Tuesday of each month, 4:00-5:00 pm Eastern

All are welcome!

The format is usually a brief summary of the chapter by a volunteer followed by several participants reading assigned passages aloud. You don't need to read the chapter in advance.

If you'd like to read aloud at one of the sessions, please email Catherine at president@jonathanbayliss.org.

You're welcome to join this friendly group whenever time permits. Once you register, you'll receive a reminder ahead of each session with the Zoom link.

Gloucesterbook (15 Dec 2026)

Tue, 15 Dec 2026 21:00:00 GMT

JB Reading Group on Zoom

GLOUCESTERBOOK

Usually 3rd Tuesday of each month, 4:00-5:00 pm Eastern

All are welcome!

The format is usually a brief summary of the chapter by a volunteer followed by several participants reading assigned passages aloud. You don't need to read the chapter in advance.

If you'd like to read aloud at one of the sessions, please email Catherine at president@jonathanbayliss.org.

You're welcome to join this friendly group whenever time permits. Once you register, you'll receive a reminder ahead of each session with the Zoom link.

Gloucesterbook (19 Jan 2027)

Tue, 19 Jan 2027 21:00:00 GMT

JB Reading Group on Zoom

GLOUCESTERBOOK

Usually 3rd Tuesday of each month, 4:00-5:00 pm Eastern

All are welcome!

The format is usually a brief summary of the chapter by a volunteer followed by several participants reading assigned passages aloud. You don't need to read the chapter in advance.

If you'd like to read aloud at one of the sessions, please email Catherine at president@jonathanbayliss.org.

You're welcome to join this friendly group whenever time permits. Once you register, you'll receive a reminder ahead of each session with the Zoom link.

Gloucesterbook (16 Feb 2027)

Tue, 16 Feb 2027 21:00:00 GMT

JB Reading Group on Zoom

GLOUCESTERBOOK

Usually 3rd Tuesday of each month, 4:00-5:00 pm Eastern

All are welcome!

The format is usually a brief summary of the chapter by a volunteer followed by several participants reading assigned passages aloud. You don't need to read the chapter in advance.

If you'd like to read aloud at one of the sessions, please email Catherine at president@jonathanbayliss.org.

You're welcome to join this friendly group whenever time permits. Once you register, you'll receive a reminder ahead of each session with the Zoom link.

Gloucesterbook (16 Mar 2027)

Tue, 16 Mar 2027 20:00:00 GMT

JB Reading Group on Zoom

GLOUCESTERBOOK

Usually 3rd Tuesday of each month, 4:00-5:00 pm Eastern

All are welcome!

The format is usually a brief summary of the chapter by a volunteer followed by several participants reading assigned passages aloud. You don't need to read the chapter in advance.

If you'd like to read aloud at one of the sessions, please email Catherine at president@jonathanbayliss.org.

You're welcome to join this friendly group whenever time permits. Once you register, you'll receive a reminder ahead of each session with the Zoom link.

Gloucesterbook (20 Apr 2027)

Tue, 20 Apr 2027 20:00:00 GMT

JB Reading Group on Zoom

GLOUCESTERBOOK

Usually 3rd Tuesday of each month, 4:00-5:00 pm Eastern

All are welcome!

The format is usually a brief summary of the chapter by a volunteer followed by several participants reading assigned passages aloud. You don't need to read the chapter in advance.

If you'd like to read aloud at one of the sessions, please email Catherine at president@jonathanbayliss.org.

You're welcome to join this friendly group whenever time permits. Once you register, you'll receive a reminder ahead of each session with the Zoom link.

Gloucesterbook (18 May 2027)

Tue, 18 May 2027 20:00:00 GMT

JB Reading Group on Zoom

GLOUCESTERBOOK

Usually 3rd Tuesday of each month, 4:00-5:00 pm Eastern

All are welcome!

The format is usually a brief summary of the chapter by a volunteer followed by several participants reading assigned passages aloud. You don't need to read the chapter in advance.

If you'd like to read aloud at one of the sessions, please email Catherine at president@jonathanbayliss.org.

You're welcome to join this friendly group whenever time permits. Once you register, you'll receive a reminder ahead of each session with the Zoom link.