Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018 | 7 - 8:30 p.m. History Center | Library & Archives Reading Room. Senator John Heinz History Center - 1212 Smallman Street. Pittsburgh, PA,15222. FREE (does not include access to museum exhibitions). 

As part of the Books in the 'Burgh literary series, join the History Center for a reading, discussion, and book signing with Joseph Bathanti, author of the novel "East Liberty." This program will also feature respondents Fred Gardaphé, Sam Patti, and Joseph Tumolo. Copies of "East Liberty" will be available for purchase. Registration: Visit the event page to register. Admission to this event is free, but does not include access to museum exhibitions. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For more information about, please contact Haley VanWagenen at [email protected] or 412-454-6373.

About "East Liberty"

"East Liberty" is a poetic, passionate coming-of-age novel spanning 1955 to 1963, set in an Italian American neighborhood in Pittsburgh. Roberto "Bobby" Renzo, the novel's fatherless narrator and main character, lives with Francene Renzo, his beautiful, mysterious, and unconventional mother who gave birth to him out of wedlock. Together the two habitually watch vintage Hollywood movies on TV. Orbiting Bobby and Francene are the Catholic Church; Francene's gothic, judgmental, Neapolitan parents; and the dramatically shifting culture at large hurtling toward them.

While urged by the nuns at his school to pursue the priesthood - though his dream is to be a big-league baseball player - Bobby is drawn toward the temptations of the secular world and finds himself involved in petty crimes and seduced by his awakening sexuality. As he emerges from his childhood cloud of innocence, his desire to know about his father becomes acute, and he is forced to confront the confusion and contradictions that rule his life.

About Joseph Bathanti

Joseph Bathanti, born and raised in Pittsburgh, is a professor of creative writing at Appalachian State University as well as the former poet laureate of North Carolina. He is the author of eight books of poetry and three novels, including "Coventry," winner of the 2006 Novello Literary Award, and his collection of personal essays, "Half of What I Say Is Meaningless," earned the 2012 Will D. Campbell Award for Creative Nonfiction. His newest novel, "The Life of the World to Come," was published in 2014 by the University of South Carolina Press.