Richard Powers (1)

Why I Read: The Serious Pleasure of Books Wendy Lesser A writer of “intelligence, humor, and grace,” Wendy Lesser possesses a “contagious love of reading” (Library Journal), which is wholly apparent in her many essays, works of fiction, and attentive editing. Founder of the acclaimed Three Penny Review, she is the author of six previous books. She has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, the New York Public Library's Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers, and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. “Enabling the reader to grasp the deeper workings of art forms, both high and low” (The New York Times Book Review), Why I Read draws upon Lesser’s decades as an editor and a lifetime spent celebrating the transcendent power of the written word. Orfeo Richard Powers Since his 1985 debut, Three Farmers on Their Way to a Dance, novelist Richard Powers has tackled an astonishing range of themes and techniques in his work. From his exploration of the intersections of art, technology, science, and literature, we “can no longer be surprised about whatever he dares to think in ink about” (Harper’s Magazine). Among his plethora of awards are a MacArthur Fellowship, the Lannan Literary Award, and two Pushcart prizes. He is the author of 11 novels, including The Echo Maker, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and winner of the National Book Award. In Orfeo, the “lucid, fiercely entertaining” (The Washington Post Book World) Powers tells the story of a falsely accused amateur scientist who hatches a plan to turn his persecution into a work of soaring beauty. Parkway Central Library 1901 Vine Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 (between 19th and 20th Streets on the Parkway) This is a FREE event; no tickets or reservations are required. For more information, please call 215-567-4341, or click here

Location: Street: Free Library of Philadelphia Additional: 1901 Vine Street City: Philadelphia, Province: Pennsylvania Postal Code: 19103-5207 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Tuesday, April 17, 7:30 PM Greenlight Fiction Book Group discusses The Echo Maker by Richard Powers

Led by former Greenlight staffer Natalie, this group discusses paperback fiction; in 2012, the group will focus on award winners and under-the-radar gems. For April, the Fiction Book Group discusses Richard Powers’ novel The Echo Maker. On a remote Nebraska road, 27-year-old Mark Schluter flips his truck in a near-fatal accident. His older sister Karin returns reluctantly to their hometown to nurse Mark back from a traumatic head injury. When he emerges from a protracted coma, Mark believes that this woman--who looks, acts, and sounds just like his sister--is really an identical impostor.

Location: Street: 686 Fulton Street City: Brooklyn, Province: New York Postal Code: 11217 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)