Former Peace Corps volunteer and author speaks at library on Jan. 26

Posted on January 21, 2026

The Friends of the Taylor County Public Library welcomes former Peace Corps volunteer and author David J. Mather as special guest speaker Monday, Jan. 26.

He will discuss his ninth novel, “When the Land Belonged to God, a Virtual Journey with Lewis and Clark,” which is inspired “by the pristine world of the beauty of the American West as found by Lewis and Clark on their historic journey.”

Mather grew up in Sarasota before attending school in New England where he graduated from Deerfield Academy (1964) and Bowdoin College (1968).

He then served in southern Chile with the Peace Corps from 1968-70.

He was the most isolated volunteer in his program, and the two years in the Peace Corps strongly influenced him.

Upon his return, he bought land in Lyme, N.H., and built a cabin in the woods.

He has lived off-grid for more than 50 years.

Self-educated in forestry, he founded a successful specialty lumber business that sold rare domestic woods nationwide. He has traveled extensively, especially throughout Latin America, and returned three times to Chile to do research for his first two novels.

He and his wife now split their time between Lyme and a small fishing village on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

The meeting will be held at the Taylor County Public Library (403 North Washington Street), beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The free program will also be livestreamed on the group’s Facebook page.