Amanda Stern's Happy Ending Reading Series (Season Finale) June 27, 2007

In a rare appearance (her first time in New York since 1999, when she was nominated for the National Book Award for her last collection) Jean Thompson reads from her widely praised new collection of short stories, THROW LIKE A GIRL (Simon & Schuster, June 5) at the season finale of Amanda Stern's wildly popular Happy Ending reading series, along with Alison Bechdel, author of the bestselling memoir/graphic novel, FUN HOME: A FAMILY TRAGICOMIC (Time Magazine's #1 Best Book of 2006), Eliza Griswold, recipient of the first Robert I. Friedman Prize in Investigative Journalism, whose first book of poetry, Wideawake Field, was published by FSG in May. With music from One Ring Zero. Doors open at 7, show at 8 sharp, FREE.

PRAISE FOR THROW LIKE A GIRL:

“If there are ‘Jean Thompson characters,’ they’re us, and never have we been so articulate and worthy of compassion. These stories confirm that no one is beneath her interest, or beyond her sure and seemingly limitless reach.” —David Sedaris

“In stirring prose and masterfully funny repartee, Thompson writes from somewhere inside her characters, filling them with urges and ambitions that bubble up and set off ripples of longing. These stories are insistent that children aren’t unwise and that we often gain vitality as we age. Most of all, they remind you of people in your own life—and make you feel like you know them just a little better.”—Elle magazine

“Twelve stories trace the arc of womanhood from pubescent gloom to end-of-life regrets in this moody but compassionate collection… Thompson packs a gallon’s worth of wisdom into each quart-size gem.” —People magazine

“Some of the collection’s biggest satisfactions happen line by line, thanks to Thompson’s effortless ability to tip her prose into the universal....It’s a testament to Thompson’s writing that she’s able to wrest so much variety and entertainment from a …literary landscape.” —New York Times Book Review

“The 12 stories in THROW LIKE A GIRL…plumb the recesses of the female heart with the assurance and finesse of a skilled cardiologist.” —Heller McAlpin, San Francisco Chronicle

“These are potent, thrilling stories, and this is one of the best collections to come along this year.” —Miami Herald

Official Website: http://www.amandastern.com