Marquette hosts Pulitzer Prize winner, Wisconsin authors

The 2008 Milwaukee Book Festival will start with a reading by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Russo at 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, at Marquette University’s Tony and Lucille Weasler Auditorium, 1506 W. Wisconsin Ave. The reading, like all festival events, is free and open to the public.

Prior to the reading, Marquette will host a private reception with Russo at 4:30 p.m. For $20, guests will receive a signed paperback copy of his latest novel, The Bridge of Sighs. For more information or to register for the event call (800) 344-7544 by Tuesday, Sept. 12.     

Russo’s earlier novel Empire Falls won the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It was later made into an HBO movie starring Paul Newman; Russo received an Emmy nomination for his screen adaptation. His other best-selling novels—The Risk Pool, Straight Man, Mohawk and Nobody’s Fool—and the story collection The Whore’s Child have established him as one of the preeminent voices in American literature.  

Marquette will also host Wisconsin Authors Night, Monday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m., in the Weasler Auditorium. Marquette faculty authors appearing that night include Paul Salsini (The Cielo), Dr. Angela Sorby (Bird Skin Coat), Dr. Larry Watson (Sundown, Yellow Moon) and C.J. Hribal (The Company Car). The featured authors are Sandra Kring (Thank You for All Things and The Book of Bright Ideas) and Lesley Kagen (Land of a Hundred Wonders and Whistling in the Dark). Joining them are Isabel Sharpe (As Good As It Got), Liam Callanan (All Saints), Brenda Cárdenas (Boomerang) and Valerie Laken (Dream House). All the authors will read from their works, with a reception and book signing to follow.

The book festival runs from Sunday, Oct. 5, through Tuesday, Oct. 15. A complete schedule of events is available at the festival’s Web site. 

Media wishing to speak to Richard Russo or other authors should contact Andy Brodzeller in the Office of Marketing and Communication at (414) 288-0286.