With construction underway at the St. Louis County Library’s new headquarters, SLCL’s author series will continue at the St. Louis Jewish Community Center beginning this month. Thanks to a partnership with the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival, literary enthusiasts can listen and interact with their favorite writers and other nationally renowned authors at the J’s Staenberg Family Complex in the Mirowitz Performing Arts and Banquet Center. The SLCL Authors @ the J will be free and open to the public unless stated otherwise on the library’s website.
Director of Jewish Engagement and Adult Programs at the St. Louis Jewish Community Center Rabbi Brad Horwitz hopes the J provides a space where people can break down stereotypes and connect through well-crafted books. “We’re so happy that we can play a part in bringing all these people to town. We hope they’ll check out the J,” he says.
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Kristen Sorth, director and CEO of the St. Louis County Library, is excited to collaborate and cross-promote the series to library patrons and the J’s constituents. “We look forward to combining our enthusiastic audiences and connecting the readers of St. Louis with many more nationally-renowned, popular authors.”
Jeff Nussbaum, senior speechwriter for President Biden and author of Undelivered: The Never-Heard Speeches that Would Have Re-Written History will open the event on June 1. Other notable guests include Michael Loynd in conversation with Olympic icon and East St. Louis native Jackie Joyner-Kersee and New York Times bestselling author B.A. Shapiro.
A highlight among the planned events for SLCL Authors @ the J will be Loynd’s conversation with Joyner-Kersee on June 15. Joyner-Kersee will moderate the discussion with Loynd about his newest book, The Watermen: The Birth of American Swimming and One Young Man’s Fight to Capture Olympic Gold, which follows the underdog story and remarkable life of Charles Daniels, the first American swimmer to capture Olympic gold. Daniels’ perseverance in the face of adversity sets the stage for the struggle to establish the modern Olympics and the birth of competitive swimming in the United States.
A St. Louis native himself, Loynd attended past talks presented by the SLCL’s author series. In part, he attributes his growth as a writer from listening to authors speak about their craft. “Anytime you get to interact with another writer,” Loynd says, “you always learn something. I hope I can impart some wisdom.”
More authors will continue to be announced throughout the year, and one, Daniel Silva, author of Portrait of an Unknown Woman, has already been scheduled for July 21. Tickets for Silva’s talk go on sale June 17 at 9 a.m. and can be purchased through Eventbrite. Seating will be offered on a first come, first served basis. For the full June schedule, see below.
SLCL Authors @ the J
Wednesday, June 1, 7 p.m.: Jeff Nussbaum, author of Undelivered: The Never-Heard Speeches that Would Have Re-Written History
Tuesday, June 7, 7 p.m.: Chris Pavone, author of Two Nights in Lisbon
Monday, June 13, 7 p.m.: B.A. Shapiro, author of Metropolis
Wednesday, June 15, 7 p.m.: Michael Loynd, author of The Watermen: The Birth of American Swimming and One Young Man’s Fight to Capture Olympic Gold in conversation with Olympic legend Jackie Joyner Kersee
Thursday, June 23, 7 p.m.: Lynne Cox, author of Tales of Al: The Water Rescue Dog
Wednesday, June 29, 7 p.m.: Louis Bayard, author of Jackie & Me
