- Events
- Lecture
Join us on a journey to learn about the most prolific of America’s songwriters, Irving Berlin. Learn about his dramatic move, fleeing the pogroms against Jews in imperial Russia to his arrival in the bustling immigrant communities of the Lower East Side. We’ll look at his beginnings as a street performer and his rise as a Tin Pan Alley composer.
We’ll explore the business of music song sheets and why they once were a very popular purchase, and will follow Berlin’s ascendancy to Broadway and eventually Hollywood. This talk will use original recordings and film clips, and show many rarely seen historic photos. We’ll also look at how Berlin’s songs have changed over time, like God Bless America. This talk will use original recordings and film clips, and show many rarely seen historic photos.

Paul Kaplan’s writing focuses on various themes, including Architectural Preservation, Showbiz Personalities, Social Reform & Progressive Era (1890-1920), Jewish History & Culture, and Business Marketing. He has eight published books from History Press, Pelican, and Quill Driver Books. He has given over ninety-five talks globally for venues including the clubs of Harvard, Yale, Nassau Club of Princeton, Union League, Society for Mechanics & Tradesmen, Village Preservation, Montauk Club, historic libraries and associations, schools, businesses, and private events. He has been featured on CBS Miami, PBS, New York Press, Amsterdam New York, Princeton Magazine, and numerous radio shows, including Writer’s Voice and America’s Dining and Travel. He also writes book reviews and essays, some of which have been published in Harvard Review.
He earned a BA in Ethics, Politics, and Economics from Yale College and an MBA from Yale School of Management. He enjoys traveling, having visited six continents and all 50 US states. Kaplan has worked in Marketing for over 20 years, focused on content marketing/thought leadership, digital media, and product strategy for publishing, financial, and technology companies, including Reader’s Digest, Barnes & Noble, American Express, and Broadridge Financial Solutions. Visit http://paulkaplanauthor.com to learn more.
- Date
- Tuesday, December 2, 2025
- Time
- 6:00 pm
- Details
Zoom Webinar
Pre-registration required
Free