Satirist Buckley returns to Sharon for reunion, fundraiser

SHARON — Christopher Buckley, who is the author of 11 books, many of them national bestsellers, some of them made into movies, will be coming home to Sharon on Sunday, Oct. 7, to host a benefit for the Hotchkiss Library at Great Elm, the Buckley family homestead.

He will read from his new novel, "Boomsday," which the New York Times describes as one of his "fizziest satires."

The event will help support the library’s lectures and other free programs for adults and children.

Buckley is looking forward to making the trip up here.

"I miss Sharon the way an immigrant misses the home country," he said in a phone interview this week. When asked about the event, he simply explained that, "Whatever my Aunt Pitts asks, I do."

Aunt Pitts is better known in Sharon as Great Elm resident Priscilla Buckley, a former managing editor of National Review, which was founded by her brother, William F. (who will also be at the Oct. 7 fundraiser at his family’s home). She is also the author of "Living It Up With National Review: A Memoir," published in 2005.

With only two exceptions, Buckley, who is now 55, says he has spent every Thanksgiving since he was born in Sharon. And though he grew up in Stamford, he explains that Sharon is almost home.

He remembers spending the Fourth of July here as a boy with his cousins, of which he has exactly 49. They would take turns piling into a miniature fire engine that his grandfather had bought and would follow the real fire engine through town, waving the American flag with their dalmatian, Spot, riding alongside.

"It was a real Norman Rockwell moment," he said, "with the taste of lemonade and the sound of bottle rockets popping everywhere."

Buckley attributes much of the family’s literary success to his grandfather.

"He was the son of a Texas sheriff who worshiped learning," said Buckley. "He had a rule that if anyone was reading a book, they could not be disturbed for any reason."

The children would often use this rule to their own advantage, though, running to grab a book whenever they got in trouble.

Buckley says that he has been making the trip to Sharon less often than he would like these days. But he still manages to come every Thanksgiving. The gatherings have grown smaller and smaller, though.

"That’s life I guess," he lamented. But then he corrected himself, and with a laugh said, "no, actually, that’s death."

Buckley, founder and editor-in-chief of Forbes Life (formerly Forbes FYI), recently moved from Washington, D.C., to New York City.

The fundraiser on Oct. 7 will run from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Great Elm, the stately Buckley estate in Sharon, near the clock tower. Held under a white lawn tent, there will be alfresco wines and hors d’oeuvres.

Five Buckley family writers will read from their books. In addition to Christopher, the readers will be Carol Buckley, former U.S. Sen. James L. Buckley, William F. Buckley Jr. and of course Aunt Pitts.

Admission to the Benefit at Great Elm is $75 per person, and seating is limited. For information and reservations, contact the Hotchkiss Library at 860-364-5041.