In honor of Noah Webster’s legacy of civic engagement, the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society strives to encourage people to be active in their community and come together to discuss complicated issues. An issue that touches all communities yet is often neglected in discussion is youth mental illness.

On Wednesday, January 23 at 6 p.m., the museum will host author Julia Tannenbaum to discuss her debut novel, Changing Ways. The novel tackles the issue of youth mental illness from a very personal point-of-view: Tannenbaum herself has been battling mental illness since she was thirteen years old. Her book follows Grace, a high school junior, who spirals into mental illness and must travel the tough road to recovery with the help of friends, family, and those she meets along the way. At times heart-warming and humorous, at other times painful to read, Changing Ways portrays the hardships of adolescence thoughtfully, authentically, and realistically.

Tannenbaum is currently an eighteen-year-old senior at Hall High School, but she began writing when she was in eighth grade. “Writing saved me,” she says. “If I didn’t have writing, I honestly don’t know if I would have found the strength to recover.”

In addition to writing, Tannenbaum is also an advocate for mental illness. She plans to share her novel, as well as her own personal journey, with her community because she knows young adults will relate whether they have struggled with mental disorders or not. “It’s more than a story of tragedy,” Tannenbaum says when asked about her book’s overarching message. “It’s also a story of hope.”

The author talk with Julia Tannenbaum will take place on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 at 6 p.m. at the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society, 227 South Main Street, West Hartford, CT 06107. Ms. Tannenbaum will be selling and signing books at the event.

This is event is free and open to the public. No registration is required.