Durham County Library Author Visit with Bridget Bell

In recognition of May being National Maternal Health Month Durham County Library is hosting a reading from local author Bridget Bell. Bell’s poetry collection All That We Ask of You Is to Always Be Happy is described as “a medically accurate and well-researched portrait of postpartum and perinatal mood disorders” by poet Joellen Craft. This reading will touch on subjects such as pregnancy loss, physiological changes, maternal mental health, and personal transition. Bell’s work is deeply sentimental, heart tugging, and mentally stimulating as her work weaves scholarly research with personal narratives.

About the Author: Bridget Bell’s poetry collection–All That We Ask of You Is to Always Be Happy (CavanKerry, 2025)—was called an “urgent, cleareyed debut” by the New York Times Book Review. The collection explores maternal mental health based on personal experience with postpartum depression and academic research. She’s the recipient of a North Carolina Arts Council Artist Support Grant and teaches English at Durham Technical Community College. You can find her online at bridgetbellpoetry.com.

Childcare: This is an adult first event (due to subject matter) but we don’t want childcare to prevent you from attending the event. We will have toys out for little ones to play with during the program. Please use your own judgement if deciding to attend with your small children.

Registration: Please register in advance on the Durham County Library website.