Author of “The Chaperone” to read at PSU

  Friday, February 21, 2020 2:00 PM
  News, People and Society, Arts & Entertainment

Pittsburg, KS

 

Author Laura Moriarty, whose book “The Chaperone” is particularly relevant to Kansans, will be reading from her work at 8 p.m. Feb. 27 in the Governors Room in the Overman Student Center.  

The event is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by the Distinguished Visiting Writers Series and the Student Fee Council. A reception will follow. 

“The Chaperone” tells the fictional account of real-life Louise Brooks, the famous actress and Jazz Age icon, as she makes her way from Wichita to New York to make it big. The narrative is told from the perspective of her chaperone, who shares five life-changing weeks with the star as they make their way across the country.  

According to Library Journal, “Moriarty is a wonderful storyteller; it’s hard to put this engaging novel down. Fans of the Jazz Age and sweeping historical fiction will likely feel the same way.”  

The novel was adapted into a feature film by PBS’s Masterpiece Films in 2019.  

Lori Martin, professor of creative writing, is excited about the visit.  

“Laura Moriarty’s writing is distinct and full of energy,” she said. “Her writing, like ‘The Chaperone,’ is often set in the past, yet her characters are vividly alive, complex, and completely human.” 

Moriarty is also the author of “American Heart,” “While I’m Falling,” “The Rest of Her Life,” and “The Center of Everything.” She earned a degree in social work before returning for her Master of Arts in Creative Writing at the University of Kansas. She was the recipient of the George Bennett Fellowship for Creative Writing at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire and is now a professor of Creative Writing at the University of Kansas. She lives in Lawrence, Kansas, and is at work on her next novel.