Historian and pastor John Sharp will return to Newton Public Library for a follow-up talk focusing on the Mennonite experience in Central Asia, Tuesday, Nov. 21, at 7 PM.

Sharp's presentation will begin with excerpts from Sofia Samatar's highly-acclaimed "The White Mosque," which was the focus of a community book discussion that Sharp led at Newton Public Library earlier this fall. Shortly after that discussion, Sharp led a group of travelers on an educational tour in Uzbekistan, revisiting the regions discussed in the book.

"Uzbeks cherish their history but also plan for the future, as was abundantly clear on our September tour," Sharp said. "Uzbekistan is promoting tourism with its new and upgraded hotels and restaurants. With photos and commentary, I will highlight the ways this is changing the sites related to the Mennonite story."

This is a hybrid program: Attend in person at the library; register to join via Zoom Webinars; or head to the NPL Facebook page at the time of the event for a livestream.