Literary double feature with Stuart Nadler and Chad Harbach

Aspiring writers dream of having a book published, hoping people will appreciate their literary efforts. So it’s a truly special thing when a writer’s debut garners rave reviews from both notable publications as well as famous authors. Now, two of these highly praised new authors, Stuart Nadler and Chad Harbach, will visit Milwaukee’s very own Boswell Book Company on Thursday, Oct. 20.

Stuart Nadler has written fiction for the Atlantic magazine and is a graduate of the Iowa Writer’s Workshop. His newest effort, The Book of Life, is a collection of seven short stories covering topics from extramarital affairs to family estrangement. Even hair loss causes some major angst for the Jewish men in Nadler’s stories. The book has garnered praise from authors like Darin Strauss and Frederick Reiken. The Kirkus Review called Nadler a “writer’s writer, a fine observer of the nuances and idiosyncrasies of character.” Boswell’s proprietor, Daniel Goldin, raved, “Nadler’s guy heroes seem to have no end of problems in this really smart and powerful collection of stories.”

Stuart Nadler, author of "The Book of Life"

Boswell Book Company is also very excited to have Chad Harbach, the author of The Art Fielding. Harbach is a Racine, Wisconsin native who now makes his home in Brooklyn. He was educated at Harvard University and the University of Virginia, and is also the co-founder and the executive editor of n+1, a thrice-yearly publication covering politics, literature and culture.

Harbach’s debut novel, The Art of Fielding, has created a buzz, now in its fifth week on the New York Times Best Seller list (Hardcover Fiction). The novel is about Henry Skrimshander, a baseball star at Westish College on Lake Michigan, who’s seemingly charmed life goes off course when a routine throw goes horribly awry, harming several people. Henry and the other characters in Harbach’s novel deal with secrets, fall in love, and forge new paths to contentment.

The Art of Fielding has received raves from the likes of John Irving and Jonathan Franzen. The New York Times claimed, “Mr. Harbach has the rare abilities to write with earnest, deeply felt emotion without ever veering into sentimentality, and to create quirky, vulnerable and fully imagined characters who instantly take up residence in our hearts and minds.”

Boswell is proud to present two talented authors to the Milwaukee public. According to Boswell Events Assistant Stacie Williams, Stuart Nadler was already set to speak when they decided to pursue Chad Harbach, who shares a publishing industry connection with Nadler. Williams said dual author events are very successful because the authors engage in conversation and discussions can diverge into interesting paths.

Chad Harbach, of Racine, author of New York Times Best Seller, "The Art of Fielding"

Williams mentioned you don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy Nadler’s The Book of Life and you don’t have to be a sports fan to enjoy The Art of Fielding. Both books examine the human condition in ways readers can easily relate.

Both Stuart Nadler and Chad Harbach will read from their respective books and field questions from the audience. After the discussion, they will be available to autograph copies of their books, available for purchase at Boswell.

The discussion with Stuart Nadler, author of The Book of Life, and Chad Harbach, author of The Art of Fielding is on Oct. 20, 7 p.m. at Boswell Book Company, located at 2559 N. Downer Avenue