The Seaford Public Library is thrilled to welcome American novelist and short story writer Ann Hood to discuss and sign copies of The Obituary Writer, her latest fiction novel. This most recent novel takes place on the day John F. Kennedy is inaugurated, where Claire, a young wife and mother who is obsessed with the glamour of Jackie, struggles over the decision of whether to stay in a loveless but secure marriage or to follow the man she loves and whose baby she may be carrying. Part literary mystery and part love story, The Obituary Writer examines expectations of marriage and love, the roles of wives and mothers, and the emotions of grief, regret, and hope.
Ann Hood is an author of thirteen books, her essays and short stories have appeared in many journals and magazines, including Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Ladies Home Journal, and The Paris Review. She is a regular contributor to The New York Times' Op-Ed page and Home Economics column. Also, Ann is a faculty member in the MFA in Creative Writing program at The New School in New York City.
Her most moving work is Comfort, a remarkable memoir about the sudden death of a daughter, surviving grief, and learning to love again. In 2002, Ann Hood's five-year-old daughter Grace died suddenly from a virulent form of strep throat. Stunned and devastated, the family searched for comfort in a time when none seemed possible. Ann Hood--an accomplished novelist--was unable to read or write. She could only reflect on her lost daughter. One day, a friend suggested she learn to knit. Knitting soothed her and gave her something to do. Eventually, she began to read and write again. Ann Hood traces her descent into grief and reveals how she found comfort and hope again--a journey to recovery that culminates with a newly adopted daughter. Barnes and Noble will be on hand for those who are eager to purchase a copy of one of Ann’s novels for her to sign.
