Author to participate via Skype
Greene County Reads, the annual county-wide book discussion, will be held Thursday, April 20. This year’s selection is “Fates and Traitors” by Jennifer Chiaverini.
“Fates and Traitors” is a historical novel about the man who committed one of the most notorious acts in American history – the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. John Wilkes Booth, the son of an acclaimed British stage actor, is often portrayed as a shadowy figure, a violent loner whose single murderous act made him the most hated man in America.
This is the story of the four women whom he loved and who loved him in return: Mary Ann, the steadfast matriarch of the Booth family; Asia, his loyal sister and confidante; Lucy Lambert Hale, the senator’s daughter who adored Booth yet misunderstood the intensity of his wrath; and Mary Surratt, the Confederate widow entrusted with the secrets of his vengeful plot. Chiaverini portrays not just a soul in turmoil, but a country on the precipice of immense change.
Chiaverini is the bestselling author of several acclaimed historical novels and the Elm Creek Quilts series, as well as six collections of quilt patterns inspired by her books. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Chicago. She lives in Madison, WI.
As a special treat for book discussion participants, Chiaverini will participate in the discussions via Skype.
Anyone who would like to participate is encouraged to check out a copy of the book from any of the six public libraries in Greene County and then attend one of the book discussions on Thursday, April 20 at the place and time that is most convenient.
Discussions will be held at the Churdan public library at 9 am; the Rippey public library at 2:00 p.m., and Marchant Memorial Library in Scranton at 7 pm. All discussions will be led by Jan Scharingson, retired East Greene high school English teacher.
“As a quilter I first read Chiaverini’s Elm Creek Quilters series. When she began to write her historical fiction books set in the Civil War era, I became a fan of these books, also. She is an extensive researcher, her character development is fascinating and in this book she makes John Wilkes Booth an empathetic person. It will be an honor to have her Skype with us and we should have a wonderful discussion of her portrayal of this historic individual,” said Scharingson.
The annual book discussions are free and open to the public. They are a cooperative project of the Greene County libraries, made possible by funding support from the Greene County board of supervisors. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call your local public library.
