1455’s Author Series continues with Ben Purkert, who will read from The Men Can’t Be Saved.
EVENT DETAILS
AUGUST 15 | 7:00 PM EST | FREE VIRTUAL EVENT
1455’s Founding Director Sean Murphy will speak with Ben about this book and the craft of fiction, followed by a Q&A.
Tune into 1455 on Facebook at the event time to watch the live stream!
ABOUT The Men Can’t Be Saved
“In The Men Can’t Be Saved, Purkert takes aim at toxic masculinity in the context of a New York City branding agency. The book stars Seth Taranoff, a junior copywriter whose latest tagline just went viral. But while Seth’s busy drooling over his future corner office, the walls crumble around him – and his identity is rocked when he’s told to pack up his desk. He tries to rediscover his spiritual self by day while popping illegal prescription pills by night. THE MEN CAN’T BE SAVED peels back the layers of the male ego, revealing what’s rotten and what might be redeemed. It’s a startlingly original examination of work, sex, addiction, branding, and ourselves.
Over a decade ago Ben Purkert asked his college advisor what he should do with his life, hoping she’d tell him to be an author. “Be a copywriter,” she said. And that’s what he did. Ben remembers the advertising world vividly. “I miss the characters and the excitement. I miss creative directors who carried themselves like golden gods, graphic designers who tore each other to shreds, copywriters who lived and breathed every comma. It was a wildly colorful place, and yet I’d seen its darker side too.” He captures that excitement – and darkness – in this masterful debut.
“THE MEN CAN’T BE SAVED is an experience that transcends the act of reading fiction…Purkert’s writing is a gift, and it shines through these pages.” —Hanif Abdurraqib
Purchase The Men Can’t Be Saved
at our independent bookselling partner The Potter’s House.
Ben Purkert
Ben Purkert’s writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The Nation, Poetry, Ploughshares, Kenyon Review, Tin House, and elsewhere. His poetry collection, For the Love of Endings, was named one of Adroit’s Best Poetry Books of the Year. He holds degrees from Harvard and NYU, where he was a New York Times Fellow. He teaches creative writing at Rutgers. Connect with him on Twitter: @BenPurkert
Website: benpurkert.com
Twitter: @benpurkert
Instagram: @benpurkert
ABOUT 1455
At 1455, storytellers are sacred, and we’re dedicated to showcasing the written word and other forms of creative expression. Curating community through year-round free programming, 1455 connects art and audience via intimate conversations and the promotion of diverse voices. Taking our name from the year Gutenberg’s printing press helped democratize content on a global scale, 1455 continues the tradition of using technology to advance an understanding and appreciation of impactful storytelling. 1455 exists to serve anyone who appreciates the arts and is interested in the sort of community commonly found only in academia or online book clubs. Every day, 1455 will augment the passion for the literary and creative arts in adults and young people through programs that sponsor expression, education, and sharing of stories.
Website: 1455litarts.org
Twitter: @1455litarts
Instagram: @1455litarts
Facebook: facebook.com/1455litarts
ABOUT THE POTTER’S HOUSE
1455 is thrilled to partner with The Potter’s House bookshop.
The Potter’s House is a nonprofit café, bookstore, and event space in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, DC. Since opening our doors in 1960 we have been a key place for deeper conversation, creative expression, and community transformation. After closing in 2013 for major renovations, The Potter’s House re-opened in spring 2015 with a renewed space and revitalized offerings. In our rapidly changing city – one in which development so often means displacement – The Potter’s House is a deeply rooted space where we can build relationships across our differences, envision just alternatives, and grow the movements that will make them possible.
Website: pottershousedc.org
Twitter: @pottershousedc
Instagram: @pottershousedc
Facebook: facebook.com/pottershousedc
