Get Lit January Book Club: Richard Price

Join WNYC's Alison Stewart and Richard Price for a live conversation about his newest book, Lazarus Man.

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 January title is Richard Price's Lazarus Man, a bravura portrait of a community on the edge of disintegration. Rich with indelible characters and high drama, Lazarus Man is a riveting work of suspense and social vision by one of our greatest writers.

East Harlem, 2008. In an instant, a five-story tenement collapses into a fuming hill of rubble, pancaking the cars parked in front and coating the street with a thick layer of ash. As the city’s rescue services and media outlets respond, the surrounding neighborhood descends into chaos. By day’s end, six bodies have been recovered but many of the other tenants are missing.

It's here we find intertwining portraits of a group of compelling and singular characters whose lives are permanently affected by the disaster. Anthony Carter—whose miraculous survival transforms him into a man with a message and a passionate sense of mission. Felix Pearl—a young transplant to the city whose photography and film work that day provoke in this previously unformed soul a sharp sense of personal destiny. Royal Davis—the owner of a failing Harlem funeral home whose desperate trolling of the scene for potential customers triggers a change of heart and a quest to find another path in life. And Mary Roe—a veteran city detective, driven in part by her own family’s brutal history, who becomes obsessed with finding one of the building’s missing.

Throughout the month, All of It host Alison Stewart and the Library will accompany readers, providing touchpoints on-air and on social media at @allofitwnyc and @nypl. Borrow the book (and more than 300,000 others) for free through the Library’s e-reader app SimplyE, available for iOS and Android devices.

Join Stewart, the author, and readers everywhere for a live conversation, in-person or online, on Tuesday, January 28 at 6 PM.

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. 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.

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!

COVID PROTOCOLS FOR IN-PERSON PROGRAMS

The New York Public Library no longer mandates proof of vaccination at large-scale public events.

If you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or suspect you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, please stay home.

ACCESSIBILITY

In-Person | Assistive listening devices and/or hearing loops are available at the venue. You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) captioning service by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org or use this Gmail template. This venue is fully accessible to wheelchairs.

Livestream | Captions and a transcript will be provided. You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.

GET THE BOOK

• Borrow: NYPL Catalog


• E-Book app: SimplyE, soon available on iOS and Android

Don't have a New York Public Library card? Get one here!

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Price is the author of nine previous novels—including Clockers, Freedomland, The Whites, and Lush Life—all of which have won widespread praise for their vividly etched portrayals of urban America. His award-winning writing for television includes The Wire, The Night Of, The Deuce, and The Outsider. His feature film screenplays include Sea of Love, New York Stories, and The Color of Money. He lives in Manhattan with his wife, the novelist Lorraine Adams.

CONNECT

Please submit press inquiries at least 48 hours before the event: email press@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.

For all other questions and inquiries, please email adultprogramming@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.

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