Author Jonathan Rosen Comes Home to New Rochelle

On Thursday, June 22nd author Jonathan Rosen returned to his hometown 25 years after the tragic event he recalls in his new book "The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions." In his book Rosen tells the true story behind the shocking headlines: His childhood best friend, Michael Laudor -- a young man who had grown up in New Rochelle and overcome the challenge of being diagnosed with schizophrenia, graduating from Yale Law School and selling his life story to Hollywood – was found guilty of murdering his pregnant fiancée.

The Cocktails & Conversation event, which benefitted the New Rochelle Public Library Foundation, had a bit of a “full circle” feeling: Rosen recalled that his mother had first met the writer Cynthia Ozick when she did a reading at the New Rochelle Public Library, and “that’s how they became friends,” which led to Rosen’s family moving to New Rochelle.

The crowd at Alvin & Friends Restaurant sipped wine, beer and soft drinks and enjoyed appetizers before the talk, then listened raptly as Rosen shared his memories of growing up in New Rochelle. (The Best Minds begins when Jonathan and Michael Laudor meet as 10-year-olds.)

When moderator Amy Bass asked the author “Where does New Rochelle live in your head?” Rosen admitted that he felt “overwhelmed” to be back in his hometown. Rosen said that his friend’s story “had been written about so luridly” that he wanted to go back in his own mind to re-inhabit the experience and allow the readers to experience it as well, acknowledging “the awkwardness of being competitive with someone whose life took such a turn.”

After a 45-minute discussion Rosen took questions from the sell-out crowd; afterward he greeted audience members who lined up to purchase copies of his book (provided by Bronx River Books) for him to sign. Among them were some of his former teachers, including retired Superintendent Linda Kelly Fauci, Rita Bernabei, Lucy Krupenye and Cheryl Passavanti. Also in the audience were Mayor Noam Bramson and his wife Catie Stern; NRPL Library Trustees Fela Cortes, Tatiana Infante and Rhiannon Navin; NRPL Library Director Tom Geoffino; and former School Board member Deirdre Polow.

Cocktails & Conversation is one of the NRPL Foundation’s signature events, designed to bring book lovers together. The evenings, organized by NRPL Foundation Board members Amy Bass, Lynn Green and Theresa Kump Leghorn, feature authors in a discussion moderated by Prof. Bass, Ph.D., who is herself an acclaimed author (One Goal: A Coach, A Team and the Game That Brought A Divided Town Together).

The New Rochelle Public Library Foundation is a nonprofit organization that raises resources and provides advocacy to keep the library vibrant, up-to-date, and able to serve the diverse needs of the New Rochelle community. For more information about the NRPL Foundation visit the website at nrplfoundation.org