In its second year, Books Beneath the Bridge is among Brooklyn’s most comprehensive literary programs, in which independent bookstores across the borough partner with the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy to present scenic evenings featuring acclaimed authors.
Brooklyn Eagle recently reported that this Monday, July 22, powerHouse Arena will host an evening with award-winning author Colum McCann, who will read from his latest novel, “TransAtlantic”. Novelist Bill Cheng, who recently published his debut novel “Southern Cross the Dog”, will join McCann in conversation.
“TransAtlantic” is comprised of three distinct stories that intersect through the lives of the women tied to their history. One story brings to life Newfoundland in 1919, when two aviators venture to Ireland in an attempt to pilot the first nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Another of the stories, which takes place in 1845-’46 Dublin, portrays Frederick Douglass as he tours to promote his autobiography. The third story, set in 1998 New York, follows Senator George Mitchell as he leaves behind his wife and newborn to travel to Belfast.
Spanning from the Irish Potato Famine to 2011, when President Obama arrives in Ireland, “TransAtlantic” is a captivating mix of history and fiction.
The July 22 event will begin at 7 p.m. at Pier 1’s Granite Prospect in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The Books Beneath the Bridge series is a partnership between the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy and local bookstores in Red Hook, Fort Greene, DUMBO, Greenpoint, Park Slope, and Cobble Hill.