1455’s Author Series continues with Stephen Kiernan, who will read from The Glass Chateau.
EVENT DETAILS
DECEMBER 12 | 6:00 PM EST | FREE VIRTUAL EVENT
1455’s Founding Director Sean Murphy will speak with Stephen 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 GLASS CHATEAU
One month after the end of World War II, amid the jubilation in the streets of France, there are throngs of people stunned by the recovery work ahead. Every bridge, road, and rail line, every church and school and hospital, has been destroyed. Disparate factions—from Communists, to Resistance fighters, to federalists, to those who supported appeasement of the Nazis—must somehow unite and rebuild their devastated country.
Asher lost his family during the war, and in revenge served as an assassin in the Resistance. Burdened by grief and guilt, he wanders through the blasted countryside, stunned by what has become of his life. When he arrives at le Chateau Guerin, all he seeks is a decent meal. Instead he finds a sanctuary, an oasis despite being filled with people every bit as damaged as him. But they are calming themselves, and recovering inch by inch, by turning sand into glass, and glass into windows for the bombed cathedrals of France.
It’s a volatile place, and these former warriors manage their trauma in different ways. But they are helped by women of courage and affection. Asher turns out to have a gift for making windows, and decides to hide the fact that he is Jewish so the devout Catholics who own the chateau will not expel him. As the secrets of the chateau’s residents become known one by one, they experience more heated conflict and greater challenges. And as Asher kindles his talents for glasswork, his recovery will lead the way for them all.
ABOUT STEPHEN KIERNAN
As a journalist and novelist, Stephen P. Kiernan has published nearly five million words. His newspaper work garnered dozens of awards — including the George Polk Award for medical reporting, the Scripps Howard National Journalism Award, and the Freedom of Information Award from the Joseph Brechner Center for Freedom of Information at the University of Florida.. Stephen has twice received the Denis Didierot writer-in-residence fellowship to the Chateau d’Orquevaux artists’ colony in eastern France, as well as a New York Newspaper Foundation residency at the Yaddo artists’ colony in Saratoga, NY. Stephen spent many years on the staff of the Breadloaf Writers Conference, and one year on the staff of the Breadloaf School of English. A performer on the guitar since he was ten years old, Stephen has recorded 3 CDs of solo instrumentals, and composed music for dance, the stage and documentary films. He lives in Vermont.
Website: stephenpkiernan.com
Twitter: @StephenPKiernan
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stephen-kiernan-8189bb12
Facebook: facebook.com/StephenPKiernan
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
