Bestselling author and humorist Michael Perry, whose collection of genre-spanning works encapsulates the experiences—and the magic—of rural town communities, will host a virtual chat on Wednesday, March 4 at 2:00pm.
In Perry’s memoir, Population: 485, the local vigilante is a farmer's wife armed with a pistol and a Bible, the most senior member of the volunteer fire department is a cross-eyed butcher with one kidney and two ex-wives, and the back roads are haunted by the ghosts of children and farmers. Against a backdrop of fires and tangled wrecks, bar fights and smelt feeds, Perry tells a frequently comic tale leavened with moments of heartbreaking delicacy and searing tragedy.
Additionally, Jesus Cow, Perry’s fiction debut, is a hilarious yet sincere exploration of faith and the foibles of modern life. Low-key Harley Jackson finds himself entangled in drama from all corners: A woman in a big red pickup has stolen his bachelor’s heart, a Hummer-driving predatory developer is threatening to pave the last vestiges of his family farm, and inside his barn is a calf bearing the image of Jesus Christ—a secret he wants to keep quiet, until the truth slips right through the barn door.
A lifelong resident of the rural Midwest, Perry’s “reflective roughneck” takes on life in Middle America have left hundreds of thousands of readers and live audiences laughing, nodding, and sometimes misty. Register today to learn more about his expansive collection of stories and to submit questions to the author. |
