It's rare that I get to read a book and then get to hear the author speak, but the planets aligned in just the right way and last night I attended an event at my public library, which was organized as part of this year's Omaha Reads line up. Isn't the cover of The Age of Desire gorgeous? I'm a sucker for a good cover design--it will at least make me look twice and pick up a book. And if I'm lucky what's inside will be equally as pleasing (and happily in this case it was).
It was a nicely organized and well attended author reading. Not having gone to one in a very long time (not since I worked in an independent bookstore and worked at our own signings), I wasn't sure what to expect. Author Jennie Fields spoke a bit about Edith Wharton and her world. It's obvious she has a great love for Edith Wharton and had spent a great deal of time researching her subject. She said her book was based closely on Wharton's life, and the bits that were fictionalized were the obvious parts like dialogue and description. She was lucky as Wharton was an inveterate letter writer (writing as many as seven letters a day!) and many of them have survived and are in collections, a number of which have been digitized. Quite a few letters are woven into the story.
Fields shared some interesting stories, and I wish now I had taken notes and could share more. I'm always curious how an author gets the inspiration to write a book. Fields said there were several things that happened before and while she was writing her book and once it had been finished that came about by chance. She was in Paris (and sorry, am drawing on memory, so I hope I get this right) for her job and had been ready for a new writing project so was looking for something to capture her interest. She was on the rue de Varenne, which plays a part in the story. Then, letters between Edith Wharton and her governess, Anna Bahlmann came up for auction at Sotheby's. She asked for permission to read the letters, which they granted--so it was a stroke of good luck. They have since been published as My Dear Governess: The Letters of Edith Wharton to Anna Bahlmann, edited by Irene Goldman-Price (Yale University bought the letters by the way). And lastly, she began her signing tour at Wharton's home, The Mount. She had not visited there, but one of the rooms (rather the room in its original state as shown in a painting on the wall) was exactly as she had described it in one of the scenes in her book. A moment of the uncanny!
In the novel Morton Fullerton brings Edith macarons from Ladurée twice. Since I am all for authenticity I had to try one myself. And yes, it was as delicious as it looks. I must lead a very sheltered life as it is only very recently that I even tried my first macaron. They are my new favorite when it comes to sweets!
And yes, the author kindly signed my book. It was a nice evening, the author was very gracious and the audience asked some really interesting questions. I'm envious of people who live in cities where there are lots of events like this to attend. However, I do still have Francesca Segal's visit to look forward to next week. I'm afraid I had to return her book, The Innocents, to the library unread (and with a fine as well, as I didn't realize I was late . . .), which gives me an excuse to buy my own copy so I can have it signed, too. Hopefully more on that next week.
You can check out Jennie Fields's website here (do go take a peek if you want to see photos of Edith Wharton and Morton Fullerton). There is an interesting Q&A with her here.