Susi Q’s October “Evening with an Author” will feature acclaimed novelist Jonathan Lethem
Susi Q is beyond thrilled to feature author Jonathan Lethem, one of New York’s literary elite and an acclaimed best-selling novelist, now a professor at Pomona College, at their October “Evening with an Author” event.
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Courtesy of Susi Q
Jonathan Lethem
The internationally renowned author of seven novels including mega-best-selling Motherless Brooklyn and The Fortress of Solitude, Lethem will be in lively conversation with Marrie Stone on Monday Oct. 7 at 5 p.m. He is also a prolific essayist and short story writer.
Lethem’s most recent book, Brooklyn Crime Novel, is described as “an intricately excavated, breathtaking tale of imperiled childhood in a fitfully gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhood…[his] virtuoso, many-faceted novel is trenchant, hilarious, wrenching, and tender.”
Stone can’t wait to chat to Lethem.
“I first interviewed Jonathan Lethem in 2009 for his novel, Chronic City, and again in 2017 for an essay collection called More Alive and Less Lonely: On Books and Writers,” Stone said.
“What I love about Lethem is his ability to bend and play with genre. Detective novels are their own kinda thing – until they meet Lethem. Maybe because he grew up on these Brooklyn streets in the ‘70s, maybe because he has an innate understanding of human psychology, or maybe because he’s written so many different types of things, Lethem creates something bigger, richer and deeper than the typical crime novel,” said Stone.
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Courtesy of Susi Q
Lethem will discuss his new novel on October 7
Stone is thrilled that the Evening series, which has featured authors as diverse as Susan Straight, Lisa See and Hector Tobar, will now venture into crime fiction territory.
“We haven’t covered crime fiction yet in our Susi Q series. If ever there was an author to introduce our audience to this form, it’s Jonathan. He’s the master of this game,” said Stone.
Lethem recently described his writing process, such that it is, on the website Literary Hub.
“If anyone really visualizes my routine…I suspect the surprise would be how little I’m glued to my chair. The process is typically one of brief outbursts of writing in the course of long spells of reading, cooking, housecleaning, playing computer chess, watching Mets games, and so forth,” said Lethem.
“Then again, sometimes time inverts like a sock, and I discover that it was light out and now it is dark, and seven innings of the Mets game have gone by without my registering what happened, because I was writing. Or there’s nothing to eat because I didn’t cook, or the laundry rotted in the washer for three days,” said Lethem.
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Photo by Jeff Rovner
(L-R) Chris Quilter, Marrie Stone, author Michelle Huneven and Amy Dechary from the last “Evening with an Author” on June 3
Lethem will sign books after chatting with Stone.
“It’s an honor to host this highly acclaimed author at the Susi Q,” said Executive Director Nadia Babayi. “Thanks to Marrie, we’ve been able to showcase some of the finest authors in the country at our event. Jonathan Lethem is another literary star we’re pleased to welcome.”
The event takes place on Monday, Oct. 7 at 5 p.m. for a fee of $40, which includes the book, light bites and beverages. Register here.
Susi Q is located at 380 Third St., Laguna Beach.
