So pleased that more than 40 people from as near as Linnaean Street in Cambridge and as far away as Paris, France, came to the hybrid October 1 launch event for The View From Third Street at the Lincoln Mass. Public Library. Attendees included the daughter of the judge who oversaw the Trial of the Harrisburg Seven; Harrisburg Independent Press (HIP) co-founder Ed Zuckerman and various former HIP staffers; several of my journalism friends, family and friends. Wonderful research librarian Robin Rappaport handled the zoom portion; Marc Kessler and Susan Osgood helped with book sales; Joe Wrinn and Paul Hayre took pictures; friends KBS and others–some from my great writers group The Write Stuff–brought refreshments.
I spoke for about half an hour–folks asked great (tough) questions (like: is this creative nonfiction or a historical fiction? Are you discouraged at the world’s seeming return to times we thought (hoped) we’d never have to live through again? What would you be your advice to a young journalist starting out?). And they graciously laughed at my jokes.
In case you’re learning of The View From Third Street for the first time, here’s the brief cover copy;
The View From Third Street tells the story of a young journalist’s search for love and truth as she navigates social injustice, a major political trial, and a devastating flood at a tumultuous time of change.
This unconventional memoir draws on the experiences of national journalist Anita M. Harris, who, with college friends, founded a weekly alternative newspaper to cover the Trial of the Harrisburg 7. In that iconic 1972 Pennsylvania trial, nuns and priests stood accused of conspiring to kidnap Presidential Advisor Henry Kissinger and blow up underground heating tunnels in Washington, DC.
By showing how individuals dealt with the clashing forces of history at an earlier time, Harris hopes to support and inspire a renewed quest for freedom and equality, today.
Here’s a link to the video replay of my talk on You Tube; you can learn more at AnitaMHarris.com… and BUY THE BOOK ON AMAZON!!!
Here are a few of the photos–the first is by Paul Hayre, and the others are by Joe Wrinn.
