RAGDALE’S 13th ANNUAL NOVEL AFFAIR – A LITERARY HAPPENING

Description

Ragdale’s 13^th Annual Novel Affair brings together acclaimed authors for a two-day celebration of arts education and engagement in support of Ragdale, the historic artists’ retreat in Lake Forest.  
 
For the third year, featured writers will offer presentations in schools from Chicago to Zion on Friday, April 26, as part of the Ragdale in Schools program.  Discounted tickets will be offered to local educators to attend Novel Affair’s Saturday reception.
 
The Saturday, April 27, cocktail reception will be held at Shoreacres, the historic golf club offering stunning views of Lake Michigan from its elegant David Adler-designed clubhouse. All celebrated writers will attend and their books will be available for signing. The reception will be followed by intimate dinners in distinctive North Shore homes, each dinner featuring a pair of writers.
 
The reception at Shoreacres begins at 4PM, followed by dinners at 6:45PM. Shoreacres is located at 1601 Shoreacres Road, Lake Bluff IL 60044 http://shoreacres1916.com/  Ticketed guests will be advised of dinner locations in North Shore homes.
 
The 2019 lineup includes twelve celebrated authors:
-Rumaan Alam, fiction, novels Rich and Pretty, That Kind of Mother https://rumaanalam.com
-Melanie Benjamin, historical fiction, The Swans of Fifth Avenue, The Aviator’s Wife, Mistress of the Ritz (May 2019)
http://www.melaniebenjamin.com
-Jamel Brinkley, short fiction, A Lucky Man https://www.jamelbrinkley.com
-Benjamin Dreyer, non-fiction, Dreyers English https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/182489/benjamin-dreyer
-Carmen Gimenez Smith, poetry and memoir, Milk and Filth, Cruel Futures https://www.carmengimenezsmith.com
-Julie Klam, fiction, The Stars in Our Eyes, Friendkeeping, You Had Me at Woof https://www.julieklam.com
-Jean Kwok, fiction, Girl in Translation, Searching for Sylvie Lee (June, 2019) https://www.jeankwok.com
-Laura Lippman, crime fiction, Wilde Lake, Sunburn, The Lady in the Lake, (July, 2019) http://www.lauralippman.net/
-Rebecca Makkai, fiction, The Great Believers, The Hundred-Year House, Music for Wartime http://rebeccamakkai.com/
-Faisal Mohyuddin, poetry and creative writing, The Displaced Children of Displaced Children http://www.faisalmohyuddin.com
-Kathleen Rooney, poetry and fiction, Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk, The Listening Room: A Novel of Georgette and Loulou Magritte http://kathleenrooney.com/
-Mona Simpson, fiction, Steps, Casebook, The Lost Father http://monasimpson.com/
 
Tickets can be purchased online at http://ragdale.org or by phone at 847.234.1063.
$500/person for dinner and reception; $150/person for Reception only; $125/person for teachers and book clubs (5 minimum) – Reception only
 
Proceeds from Novel Affair support the Ragdale in Schools program which brings distinctive arts-based learning and artists to 50 area schools, primarily in underserved communities. Ragdale provides exceptional artists and scholars from around the world with supportive residencies of up to 25 days and then taps their expertise to advance local teachers and their students.
 
Novel Affair 2019 is coordinated by Ragdale’s Program and Events Committee and the Novel Affair Curatorial
committee.
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Ragdale is a nonprofit artists’ residency, located in Arts and Crafts architect Howard Van Doren Shaw’s Lake Forest country estate.  Ragdale hosts nearly 200 writers, artists, and composers each year making it one of the largest interdisciplinary artist communities in the country. For more information, visit www.ragdale.org