Join The History Project and author Patrick E. Horrigan for a reading from his new novel, American Scholar.

AMERICAN SCHOLAR tells the story of writer and professor James Fitzgerald whose life takes on uncanny parallels with the subject of his new book, F.O. Matthiessen, the well-known gay Harvard Professor and scholar of American literature whose life came to a tragic end in 1950.

James Fitzgerald likes his life the way it is. He has a stable academic career teaching American literature; a comfortable townhouse in Brooklyn; a satisfying, open marriage with his partner of fifteen years; a sweet and playful young boyfriend; and a recently-published, well-received novel about a famous early-twentieth-century Harvard professor. But his poise is shattered when a woman appears at a book signing bearing a surprise gift: an unsent letter from her brother Gregory, James’ first boyfriend and—ever since Gregory’s sudden death twenty-five years ago—the dark gravitational center of James’ intellectual and emotional life. What follows is a near hallucinatory night of soul-questioning as James, wandering the streets of New York, re-examines his stormy, life-altering relationship with Gregory, a charismatic, self-destructive activist and writer and the real impetus behind James’ new novel. 

Patrick will talk about the inspiration for the novel, read a few passages, and take questions and comments.

This event is free and open to the public.

RSVP on Eventbrite, link to the Zoom will be sent out the day of the event. Email info@historyproject.org with any questions. For security purposes, Zoom meetings require an authenticated Zoom account, so please be sure to register with Zoom prior to the event.

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