Some Columbia readers may suffer literary disappointment with this year’s conclusion Free Book Festival. Don’t worry because Larkthe festival’s local bookstore, presents a few events at the beginning of May – one in person, one virtual – to satisfy lovers of history and fiction.
Historian Andrew Roberts holds court over George III
Tuesday, May 3, Skylark teams up with the University of Missouri Kinder Institute to welcome Andrew Roberthistorian and, most recently, author of “America’s Last King: The Misunderstood Reign of George III”.
“Most Americans view George III as a buffoon – a heartless, terrible monarch with few or no redeeming qualities,” notes Roberts’ website, promising that his book offers a “more nuanced and compelling” portrayal.
The book is “at its best when Roberts analyzes how George III handled issues with personal and political implications”, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune ratings.
Roberts also wrote books on Napoleon and Winston Churchill, among others.
Tuesday’s event takes place at 7 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Missouri. Admission is free, but registration is required.
Novelists Sarah McCoy and Jane Green in conversation
Skylark joins rank of independent bookstores hosting online event honoring by Sarah McCoy new novel, “Mustique Island”.
The May 9 event features McCoy in conversation with his peer Jeanne Green (“Sister Stardust”, “The Sisters of the Sun”).
“Mustique Island” sets its gaze on a former Texas beauty queen and her two daughters, as they dock in the titular paradise in search of a fresh start.
Upon arrival, the family discovers that “beneath its veneer of decadence, Mustique has a dark side, and like sand caught in the surf, their mother-daughter story will change and re-settle in ways they never would have.” never could have imagined”, according to the author. website.
McCoy’s other books include “Marilla of Green Gables”, “The Mapmaker’s Children”, and “The Baker’s Daughter”.
Green’s ‘Sister Stardust’ was released last month and is a ‘shimmering’ look ‘at the short life of true Dutch socialite Talitha Getty, through the perspective of a woman who met her in the 60s’ , according to Publishers Weekly.
Admission to the online event comes with a pre-order of “Mustique Island” through the bookstore. Learn more about both events at https://www.skylarkbookshop.com/new-events.
Aarik Danielsen is the Features and Culture Editor for Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. Find him on Twitter @aarikdanielsen.