Author Laurie Halse Anderson to Speak in Fairfield

Bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson is known for the unflinching way she writes about, and advocates for, survivors of sexual assault. In 1999, her groundbreaking, award-winning novel Speak opened the door for a national dialogue about rape culture and consent. Now, twenty years later, she reveals her personal history as a rape survivor in a searing new poetic memoir, SHOUT (on sale March 12, 2019).

Anderson will kick off her nationwide book tour for SHOUT at the Fairfield University Bookstore Downtown, 1499 Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06824 (203) 255-7756 on Monday, March 11, 2019 at 7:00pm. This event is ticketed; for details, please visit www.fairfieldbookstore.com. Discounted rates are available for students with a current ID. This event is for mature audiences only; children under 13 will not be admitted.

Joining Laurie Halse Anderson in conversation will be special guest Meg Wolitzer, NY Times bestselling author of numerous books for adults including; The Interestings, The Wife, The Ten-Year Nap and The Female Persuasion.

An iconic and seminal work of literature, Speak garnered countless awards and accolades, including a National Book Award finalist citation and a Printz Honor. It was later adapted into a movie starring Kristen Stewart. It remains revered and controversial, appearing on high school curriculums across the country and on the American Library Association’s most-banned-books list.

In SHOUT, Anderson shares reflections, rants, and calls to action woven between deeply personal stories from her life that she’s never written about before, including her own experience with sexual assault and her steps to healing.

“I lost my voice for a very long time after I was raped,” says Anderson. “I lost my self, too. SHOUT is a poetry tapestry that shares the darkness of my silent years and shows how writing helped me speak up. It’s a declaration of war against rape culture and a celebration of survival.”

Searing and soul-searching, devastating and triumphant, SHOUT is a denouncement of our society’s failures and a love letter to all the people with the courage to say #MeToo and #TimesUp, whether aloud, online, or only in their own hearts.

★ “A captivating, powerful read about clawing your way out of trauma, reclaiming your body, and undoing lifetimes of lessons in order to use your voice as the weapon it is. Fervent and deafening.”—Booklist, starred review

★ “Powerful . . . Alternately raw and lyrical.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “An important book for the #MeToo movement.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Laurie Halse Anderson is a New York Times bestselling author whose writing spans young readers, teens, and new adults. Combined, her books have sold more than 8 million copies. She has been nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award three times. Two of her books, Speak and Chains, were National Book Award finalists, and Chains was short-listed for the prestigious Carnegie medal. Laurie was selected by the American Library Association for the 2009 Margaret A. Edwards Award and has been honored for her battles for intellectual freedom by the National Coalition Against Censorship and the National Council of Teachers of English.

In addition to combating censorship, Laurie regularly speaks about the need for diversity in publishing and is a member of RAINN’s National Leadership Council. She lives in Philadelphia, where she enjoys cheesesteaks while she writes. Find out more about Laurie by following her on Twitter and Instagram at @halseanderson or by visiting her website, madwomanintheforest.com.

The Fairfield University Bookstore, located in the heart of downtown Fairfield, is operated by the Follett Higher Education Group and proudly serves the Fairfield Community, Fairfield University and beyond. For more Bookstore events please visit us at www.fairfieldbookstore.com, www.facebook.com/FairfieldUBookstore and on Instagram & Twitter at @FairfieldUBooks.