FARMINGTON — The Shiretown Bookers, in cooperation with the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, announce the upcoming exhibition “Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature,” running from Aug. 27 through Oct. 6, in the Bookers’ display area in Mantor Library at 116 South St.

On a dark and stormy night in 1816, Mary Shelley began writing a story that posed profound questions about individual and societal responsibility for other people. To make her point, the young novelist used the scientific advances of her era and the controversies surrounding them as a metaphor for issues of unchecked power and self-serving ambition, and their effect on the human community. Since that time, “Frankenstein” has become one of the Western world’s most enduring myths. It provides a framework for discussions of scientific advances that challenge our traditional understanding of what it means to be human.

Mary Shelley’s novel is a story of loneliness, rejection and a sympathetic monster. At the same time, it is a cautionary tale of technology gone haywire and causing unforeseen consequences. 

There will be an opening reception at the exhibition space from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 27.

The Shiretown Bookers, an affiliate of the University of Maine at Farmington, is a group of book lovers and collectors who support the relationship of the university library with the community. The group produces exhibitions, lectures and roundtables on books and collecting throughout the year.

For information, or to join, visit shiretownbookers.org.

Boris Karloff as the Monster (photo courtesy Universal Studios Licensing, LLC)