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Image for event: Explore: Why We Seek Challenges, New Flavors, and New Places

Explore: Why We Seek Challenges, New Flavors, and New Places

A Friends Speaker Series Virtual Author Talk

2026-04-16 14:00:00 2026-04-16 15:00:00 America/New_York Explore: Why We Seek Challenges, New Flavors, and New Places Exploration is a fundamental part of what makes us human. We're wired to go off the beaten path for new places, experiences, and ideas. What's the impact of this on our life? Alex Hutchinson explains. Reading Public Library -

Thursday, April 16
2:00pm - 3:00pm

Add to Calendar 2026-04-16 14:00:00 2026-04-16 15:00:00 America/New_York Explore: Why We Seek Challenges, New Flavors, and New Places Exploration is a fundamental part of what makes us human. We're wired to go off the beaten path for new places, experiences, and ideas. What's the impact of this on our life? Alex Hutchinson explains. Reading Public Library -

Exploration is a fundamental part of what makes us human. We're wired to go off the beaten path for new places, experiences, and ideas. What's the impact of this on our life? Alex Hutchinson explains.

How Exploration, Uncertainty, and Risk Help Us Find Meaning with Author Alex Hutchinson

Register now to participate and ask the author questions!

In The Explorer’s Gene: Why We Seek Big Challenges, New Flavors, and the Blank Spots on the Map, Alex Hutchinson dives headfirst into a fascinating and provocative new field of research, examining how exploration is a fundamental part of what makes us human.

Off the beaten path, on unmarked trails, we are wired to explore. More than just a need to get outside, the search for the unknown is a primal urge that has shaped our species and continues to mold our behavior in ways we are just beginning to understand.

How does the digital world interfere with our motivation to explore what's out there? 

From paddling the lost rivers of the northern Canadian wilderness to the ocean-spanning voyages of the Polynesians, The Explorer’s Gene combines riveting stories of exploration with cutting-edge insights from behavioral psychology and neuroscience. Here we find meaning in our past struggles, embracing the possibility of failure in our future, and recognizing good enough.

About the Author: Alex Hutchinson is a National Magazine Award-winning science journalist with a big-picture focus on human performance and particular interests in fitness, endurance sports, and the outdoors. He is Outside magazine’s longtime Sweat Science columnist, and his writing also appears in The Atlantic, The New Yorker, and elsewhere. Before journalism, he was a postdoctoral physicist at the National Security Agency and a long-distance runner for the Canadian national team. He lives in Toronto with his wife and daughters.

This program is brought to you through the generosity of the Friends of the Reading Public Library. Thank you, Friends!


Check out more upcoming virtual author talks and enjoy recordings from past events by exploring our Friends Speaker Series page.

Reading Public Library

rdg@noblenet.org
Phone: 781-944-0840

Hours
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Mon, Apr 13 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Tue, Apr 14 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Wed, Apr 15 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Thu, Apr 16 1:00PM to 9:00PM
Fri, Apr 17 9:00AM to 5:00PM
Sat, Apr 18 9:00AM to 5:00PM
Sun, Apr 19 1:00PM to 5:00PM


About the Library

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. To ask questions about accessibility or request accommodations, please contact the library at rdgadmin@noblenet.org.

If the Reading Public schools are closed due to snow, all Children's programming will be canceled.

Upcoming Events

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Wed, Apr 15, 9:00am - 2:00pm
Reading Public Library - Conference Room

Wed, Apr 15, 10:00am - 10:30am
Reading Public Library - Children's Program Room

Wed, Apr 15, 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Reading Public Library - Studio

Wed, Apr 15, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Wed, Apr 15, 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)
Registration is now closed

Wed, Apr 15, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Reading Public Library
Registration is now closed

Thu, Apr 16, 3:30pm - 4:15pm
Reading Public Library - Children's Program Room

Thu, Apr 16, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Reading Public Library - Studio

Thu, Apr 16, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Fri, Apr 17, 10:00am - 10:45am
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)
This event is full

Sat, Apr 18, 10:00am - 10:30am
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Tue, Apr 21, 5:00pm - 7:30pm
Reading Public Library - Studio

Tue, Apr 21, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Tue, Apr 21, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Reading Public Library - Conference Room

Wed, Apr 22, 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Wed, Apr 22, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Thu, Apr 23, 5:00pm - 8:45pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B),Conference Room

Thu, Apr 23, 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Reading Public Library - Studio

Fri, Apr 24, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Reading Public Library - Studio

Fri, Apr 24, 12:00pm - 3:00pm
Reading Public Library - Teen Space

Sat, Apr 25, 9:00am - 11:00am
Reading Public Library

Sat, Apr 25, 11:00am - 1:00pm
Reading Public Library

Sat, Apr 25, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Sat, Apr 25, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Reading Public Library

Mon, Apr 27, 9:15am - 9:30am
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Mon, Apr 27, 10:00am - 11:30am
Reading Public Library - Studio

Mon, Apr 27, 10:00am - 10:45am
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Mon, Apr 27, 11:15am - 12:15pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Mon, Apr 27, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Reading Public Library - Local History Room

Mon, Apr 27, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Reading Public Library - Health Nook

Mon, Apr 27, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Reading Public Library - Conference Room

Tue, Apr 28, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Reading Public Library - Conference Room

Tue, Apr 28, 3:30pm - 4:00pm
Reading Public Library - Children's Program Room
Registration is now closed

Tue, Apr 28, 4:00pm - 4:30pm
Reading Public Library - Children's Program Room
Registration is now closed

Tue, Apr 28, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Reading Public Library - Conference Room
This event is full

Tue, Apr 28, 6:30pm - 7:00pm
Reading Public Library - Library Lawn

Wed, Apr 29, 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Wed, Apr 29, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Reading Public Library - Conference Room

Wed, Apr 29, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Reading Public Library - Children's Program Room

Wed, Apr 29, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Thu, Apr 30, 10:00am - 10:30am
Reading Public Library - Library Lawn

Thu, Apr 30, 3:30pm - 4:15pm
Reading Public Library - Children's Program Room

Thu, Apr 30, 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Reading Public Library - Studio

Fri, May 01, 10:00am - 10:35am
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Fri, May 01, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Reading Public Library - Local History Room

Sat, May 02, 10:00am - 11:00am
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B),Library Lawn

Sat, May 02, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Reading Public Library - Library Parking Lot

Sat, May 02, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Mon, May 04, 9:15am - 9:30am
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Mon, May 04, 10:00am - 10:30am
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Mon, May 04, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Mon, May 04, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B),Library Lawn

Tue, May 05, 10:00am - 11:30am
Reading Public Library - Studio

Tue, May 05, 3:30pm - 4:00pm
Reading Public Library - Children's Program Room
Registration is now closed

Tue, May 05, 4:00pm - 4:30pm
Reading Public Library - Children's Program Room
Registration is now closed

Tue, May 05, 6:30pm - 7:00pm
Reading Public Library - Library Lawn

Tue, May 05, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Reading Public Library - Studio

Wed, May 06, 10:00am - 11:00am
Reading Public Library - Conference Room

Wed, May 06, 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Wed, May 06, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Reading Public Library - Conference Room

Wed, May 06, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B),Library Lawn

Thu, May 07, 10:00am - 10:30am
Reading Public Library - Library Lawn

Thu, May 07, 3:30pm - 4:15pm
Reading Public Library - Children's Program Room

Thu, May 07, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Reading Public Library - Studio

Thu, May 07, 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Reading Public Library - Studio

Fri, May 08, 10:00am - 11:00am
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B),Library Lawn

Sat, May 09, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Mon, May 11, 9:15am - 9:30am
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Mon, May 11, 10:00am - 10:30am
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Mon, May 11, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Mon, May 11, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Reading Public Library - Children's Program Room

Mon, May 11, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Reading Public Library

Mon, May 11, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Reading Public Library - Conference Room

Mon, May 11, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Tue, May 12, 10:00am - 11:30am
Reading Public Library - Studio

Tue, May 12, 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Reading Public Library - Conference Room

Tue, May 12, 3:30pm - 4:00pm
Reading Public Library - Children's Program Room
Registration is now closed

Tue, May 12, 4:00pm - 4:30pm
Reading Public Library - Children's Program Room
Registration is now closed

Tue, May 12, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Tue, May 12, 6:30pm - 7:00pm
Reading Public Library - Library Lawn

Wed, May 13, 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Wed, May 13, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Reading Public Library - Teen Space

Wed, May 13, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Reading Public Library - Studio

Thu, May 14, 10:00am - 10:30am
Reading Public Library - Library Lawn

Thu, May 14, 3:30pm - 4:15pm
Reading Public Library - Children's Program Room

Thu, May 14, 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Reading Public Library - Studio

Thu, May 14, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Reading Public Library - Local History Room

Thu, May 14, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Fri, May 15, 10:00am - 10:35am
Reading Public Library - Community Room (A & B)

Fri, May 15, 12:00pm - 3:00pm
Reading Public Library - Teen Space