Get Lit May Book Club: Tom Perrotta with Musical Guests They Might Be Giants

Join WNYC's Alison Stewart and Tom Perrotta for a live conversation about his newest book Ghost Town, followed by a special musical performance from They Might Be Giants.

The New York Public Library and WNYC—two indispensable New York institutions—are partnering to host a book club that brings New Yorkers together and fosters community.

The May title is Tom Perrotta's Ghost Town, a gripping and darkly nostalgic tale about a tumultuous summer in 1970s suburban New Jersey, from the perspective of a middle-aged writer looking back on a series of events that changed his life—and the story he finally has the courage to tell.

Jimmy Perrini lives in 1970s suburban New Jersey, a few miles from Manhattan, but a world apart. At the end of eighth grade, after tragedy strikes, Jimmy finds himself lost in a fog of grief that alienates him from friends and family, drifting instead into troubling friendships with two older teenagers: one a notorious local burnout with a fast car, an endless supply of weed, and a shaky grasp of reality; the other a smart, eccentric girl, whom Jimmy finds himself drawn to as they become entranced by her Ouija board, which may just offer the only salve to their grief.

As a fateful public drama unfolds, Jimmy is torn between the occult beyond and the cold realities of the place he has called home. Narrated by a much older Jimmy, a literary-turned-commercial novelist, Ghost Town reveals how the past haunts the present—the way our ghosts are always with us, even when we think we’ve left them behind.

Join Stewart, the author, and readers everywhere for a live conversation, in-person or online, on Wednesday, May 27 at 6 PM. The conversation will be followed by a special musical performance from They Might Be Giants.

To join in person | Please be sure to register for an In-Person Ticket. Doors will open 30 minutes before the program. For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. If you register for multiple tickets, please provide the name of each person who will be attending the event or arrive with your entire party present. Seats cannot be saved for late arrivals. Only registered patrons will be granted initial entry into the event space. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program for any seats that may become available prior to showtime.

To join the livestream | A livestream of this event will be available on the NYPL event page. To receive an email reminder shortly in advance of the event, please be sure to register!

GET THE BOOK

• Borrow: NYPL Catalog


• E-Books: Check out this title—and even more NYPL e-books—on your favorite device. Learn more: nypl.org/ebookhelp

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To see all of our previous WNYC Get Lit titles check out our book club page here!

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ACCESSIBILITY

In-Person | Assistive listening devices and/or hearing loops are available at the venue. ASL interpretation and real-time captioning (CART) are available upon request. Please submit your request via this form or contact the hosting library at least two weeks in advance.

Livestream | Captions and a transcript will be provided. Please submit your request via this form or contact the hosting library at least two weeks in advance to equest a free ASL (American Sign Language).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Perrotta is the author of eleven works of fiction, including Election and Little Children, both of which were made into Oscar-nominated films, and The Leftovers and Mrs. Fletcher, which were adapted into acclaimed HBO series. His new novel is Ghost Town.

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS

A band doesn’t tour for 40 years if the people don’t come back for more. Brooklyn originals They Might Be Giants is a beloved perpetual motion machine. The band’s melodic, upbeat, energetic, spontaneous, and often virtuosic show delivers in a way most live acts can’t. As they enter their fifth decade of music-making, the band continues to burnish their legendary status by actively recording their original songs and touring internationally. They’ve made 24 studio albums, sold more than a few million, and won a couple of Grammys.

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For all other questions and inquiries, please email [email protected] or use this Gmail template.

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