Henry Winkler, Anderson Cooper among big names at Columbus author events this year
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Millions of people who came of age between 1974 and 1984 invited The Fonz into their living rooms each week, admiring the leather-jacketed tough guy with a heart of gold, who embodied a level of cool to which they could only aspire.
Many of those millions, now of a certain age, have shifted their focus to programming with a bit more gravitas — world news, for instance — and instead of Arthur Fonzarelli, their prime-time visitors run more along the lines of Anderson Cooper.
On the surface, The Fonz — or more precisely, "Happy Days" actor Henry Winkler — and Cooper seemingly have little in common. However, both are household names and both are bestselling authors who'll appear before Columbus residents in a format other than television.
Read on for a list of the most prominent author visits happening in the city this year.
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Henry Winkler
Henry Winkler will be in conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and USA Today columnist Connie Schultz at 7 p.m. on Nov. 8 at the Ohio State University Mershon Auditorium, 1871 N. High St.
Presented by Thurber House, the discussion will touch on topics including Winkler's memoir, "Being Henry: The Fonz … and Beyond," due out on Oct. 31 — the day after the Emmy-winning actor's birthday. The book spans Winkler's 50-year career, from grappling with dyslexia that went undiagnosed until he was 31, to the pressures of being the breakout star of "Happy Days," to his struggle to develop a sense of self and become whole.
"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be onstage to welcome Henry and the conversation's moderator ... Connie Shultz," said Laurie Lathan, executive director of Thurber House.
"Connie is tickled to be participating in this event ... we know it's going to be a great evening for the audience."
After the conversation, guests will have the chance to ask Winkler questions, take a photo with him, and get books signed by him and Schultz.
"Thurber House is ecstatic to be bringing Mr. Winkler to Columbus with his new book," Lathan said. "It's been great working with his team to ensure an engaging onstage, in-conversation, book-signing experience for all who plan to attend. I would advise to get tickets early since this event will likely sell out."
Tickets are $75 for the general public at thurberhouse.org; To order tickets by phone, call the Wexner Center for the Arts at 614-292-3535.
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When founder and owner Linda Kass envisioned Gramercy Books, which opened in 2016, she said it was her intention "to host robust author programs, connecting the community to a range of authors and books and genres, and serving as a community gathering place for readers to engage with books."
The roster of writers who have passed through Gramercy's doors, as well as those appearing in the next three months, is proof that Kass has succeeded in achieving her goal.
The Bexley bookstore will present James McBride at 7 p.m. on Aug. 28 at the King Arts Complex, Nicholson Auditorium, 867 Mount Vernon Ave.
McBride, who has visited Columbus before, is the New York Times bestselling author of "Deacon King Kong;" the National Book Award-winning "The Good Lord Bird;" and numerous other books. His visit coincides with the 60th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s "I Have a Dream" speech. Kass is hopeful for a maximum-capacity turnout.
Tickets are $32.50, which includes McBride's new novel, "The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store." Register at eventbrite.com.
Anderson Cooper
Cooper will be in conversation with Katherine Howe at 8 p.m. on Sept. 21 via Zoom.
Following the success of their bestselling collaboration "Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of An American Dynasty," Cooper and novelist/historian Howe have teamed up again to co-author "Astor," the fascinating history of a legendary American family, which describes how they built their fortune.
The event will be hosted by Gramercy Books in conjunction with several other booksellers across the country.
Kass is optimistic about public interest in the program. "Getting back to live events in the past 18 months, we’ve seen virtual event attendance wane, but we have high hopes," she said.
Tickets are $35-$39, which includes a copy of "Astor." A Zoom link to the three-hour program will be sent to registrants the day of the event. Register at eventbrite.com.
V.E. Schwab
V.E. Schwab will be in conversation with science fiction author John Scalzi at 7 p.m. on Oct. 6 at Bexley High School, Schottenstein Theatre, 326 S. Cassingham Road. The event is presented by Gramercy Books.
Schwab, who penned the international bestseller "The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue," along with more than 20 other books, will launch her new fantasy, "The Fragile Threads of Power." Scalzi is a Bradford resident and also a New York Times bestselling author whose next novel, "Starter Villain," will officially be released on Sept. 19, and will be available for sale at this event. Kass said she anticipates this event filling the venue's 740 seats.
Tickets, which are $32, include a copy of Schwab's new book. Register at eventbrite.com.
R.L. Stine
The "Goosebumps" series author will appear at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 22 at Gramercy Books, 2424 E Main St.
Meet Bexley’s own literary legend, who has delighted generations of young readers, during a signing of his new titles: "Stinetinglers #2: 10 More Stories by the Master of Scary Tales," set for release on Aug. 29; "Slime Doesn’t Pay," coming out Sept. 26; and the launch of a new "Goosebumps" series, "Goosebumps House of Shivers #1," due out on Sept. 19.
This is a free, first-come, first-served event, with store capacity limited to 70 people at a time.
"I suspect R.L. Stine will have a line of fans, middle grade (readers) and their parents, out the door on Main Street and around Cassady ... so I’m hoping the weather will be agreeable that day!" Kass said.
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Linda Kass
Speaking of Kass, the Gramercy Books owner will be in conversation with novelist Lee Martin at 7 p.m. on Sept. 13 at Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus, 1125 College Ave.
Kass will launch her third historical novel, "Bessie," at this event moderated by novelist Lee Martin, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, three-time memoirist, and Ohio State University professor.
One of the most anticipated historical fiction titles for 2023 on last November's Hasty Book List, "Bessie" is a reimagining of the early life of Bess Myerson, the daughter of poor Russian Jewish immigrants, who rose above the bigotry of the mid-1940s to become Miss America. Kass' other novels are "Tasa’s Song," and "A Ritchie Boy," the 2021 Independent Publisher Book Award (IPPY) gold medal winner in historical fiction.
Tickets are $10-$30 at eventbrite. The admission fee is waived with the purchase of "Bessie."
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Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The writer will appear at 2 p.m. on Sept. 24 at the Columbus Metropolitan Library's Main Branch, 96 S. Grant Ave.
Moreno-Garcia is the author of several New York Times bestselling novels blending her Mexican roots with fantasy and gothic genres, including "The Daughter of Doctor Moreau," "Mexican Gothic," and "Untamed Shore." Her latest offering, "Silver Nitrate," combines Mexican horror movies and Nazi occultism in a dark thriller about the curse that haunts a legendary lost film. The event is free.
Jason Mott
Also appearing at the Main Library is Jason Mott, who will visit at 2 p.m. on Dec. 10.
Mott's 2013 debut novel, "The Returned," detailing the return of the dead to the living world and their impact on the lives of the people around them, was the inspiration for the television series "Resurrection," which aired on ABC in 2014 and 2015. The event is free.
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Other noteworthy events
Ohio History Connections
800 E. 17th Ave.
Admission to the following author events is included with admission to the Ohio History Center. The cost is $16 for adults; $14 for seniors 60+ and college students; $10 for ages 4-12; children 3 and younger get in free.
Timothy Anderson and Brian Schoen, Oct. 21, 1 p.m.
The editors will discuss their book about early Ohio history, "Settling Ohio: First Peoples and Beyond," written in reaction to Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough's "The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West," as an effort to reframe that period with a more diverse point of view.
Anderson is an associate professor of geography at Ohio University. Schoen is the Hamilton, Baker, & Hostetler Professor of Humanities and Chair of the History department at Ohio University, author or co-editor of several other books, and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in early U.S. history and Capitalism and its Critics.
Samantha Tucker and Amy Spears, Nov. 5, 1 p.m.
Ohio Roller Derby teammates and Columbus residents Tucker and Spears will talk about their book, "Collective Chaos: A Roller Derby Team Memoir," and share poignant, often hilarious stories during an insider's look at the addictive sport.
Cover to Cover Children's Books
2116 Arlington Ave.
The independent bookseller, which has served children in the Columbus area for 43 years, regularly hosts visits by Ohio writers. Upcoming appearances at the store include:
Erik Jon Slangerup, Aug. 26, 1 p.m. - Reviews of the award-winning Columbus author's "Molly and the Machine" describe the '80s sci-fi novel as "a delightful adventure with a nostalgic twist" (Kirkus), "like a roller coaster … hurtling headlong into action” (Booklist), and compare it to the Netflix hit "Stranger Things." Slangerup also co-created the read-aloud app StorySnacker, ranked in the top five apps in the world for family and kids by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences.
Two Dollar Radio Headquarters
1124 Parsons Ave.
Alina Pleskova, "Toska" Tour, Oct. 12, 8 p.m.
Poet, editor and Russian immigrant-turned-Philadelphian Pleskova will visit Columbus with her first full-length poetry collection, "Toska." Pleskova, whose work has been featured in publications including American Poetry Review, is co-editor of bedfellows magazine, and a founding member of the Cheburashka Collective, a group of women and nonbinary writers who are emigres/refugees from the Soviet diaspora.
The evening also will feature Columbus author Hanif Abdurraqib, plus fellow poets Stephanie Cawley, Raena Shirali, and Kelly Xio. The event is free.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus library and bookstores to host visits by well-known authors
