Town Hall Theater to Welcome Eileen Rockefeller for Book Reading, 6/10

Eileen Rockefeller reads from her latest book, Being a Rockefeller, Becoming Myself, followed by a question and answer session, at Town Hall Theater on Tuesday, June 10th. "Eileen is a wonderful supporter of the theater, an amazing and talented woman, and we are delighted to have her here. She has a fascinating story to share," says Douglas Anderson, Executive Director of Town Hall Theater.

A pioneering philanthropist and daughter of American royalty, Eileen reveals what it was like to grow up in one of the world's most famous families. The great-granddaughter of John D. Rockefeller, Eileen Rockefeller learned in childhood that while wealth and fame could open any door, they could not buy a feeling of personal worth.

The privileges of having servants and lavish summer homes were offset by her parents' thoughtful yet firm lessons in social obligation, at times by her mother's dark depressions and mercurial moods, and the competition for attention among her siblings. In adulthood, Rockefeller has yearned to be seen not as an icon but as a woman and mother with a normal life, and like all of us, she had to learn to find her own way. Being a Rockefeller, Becoming Myself is an affirmation of how family shapes our identity and the ways we contribute to the larger family of life, regardless of our origins.

The first Rockefeller woman to write a personal family memoir, Eileen reveals her family's wholesome values that contrast with those often held by the rich and famous. Her intimate stories affirm how self- understanding helps make us whole, whatever the circumstances of our birth. About writing Being a Rockefeller, Becoming Myself , Eileen says: "I learned how much family shapes our identity and the ways we contribute to the larger family of life."

The reading and Q & A takes place at Town Hall Theater on Tuesday, June 10th at 7pm. Admission is free. Information at 802-382-9222 or www.towntheater.org.