Name: Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures: Leif Enger
Start: 2025-04-07T19:30:00-04:00
End: 2025-04-07T20:30:00-04:00
Location: Carnegie Library Lecture Hall

“A career defining tour-de-force from New York Times bestselling, award-winning and “formidably gifted” (Chicago Tribune) novelist Leif Enger. A rollicking narrative in the most evocative of settings, this latest novel is a symphony against despair and a rallying cry for the future.

A story-teller “of great humanity and huge heart” (Minneapolis Star Tribune), Leif Enger debuted in the literary world with Peace Like a River which sold over a million copies and captured readers’ hearts around the globe. Now comes a new milestone in this boldly imaginative author’s accomplished, resonant body of work. Set in a not-too-distant America, I Cheerfully Refuse is the tale of a bereaved and pursued musician embarking under sail on a sentient Lake Superior in search of his departed, deeply beloved, bookselling wife. Rainy, an endearing bear of an Orphean narrator, seeks refuge in the harbors, fogs and remote islands of the inland sea. Encountering lunatic storms and rising corpses from the warming depths, Rainy finds on land an increasingly desperate and illiterate people, a malignant billionaire ruling class, crumbled infrastructure and a lawless society. Amidst the Gulliver-like challenges of life at sea and no safe landings, Rainy is lifted by physical beauty, surprising humor, generous strangers, and an unexpected companion in a young girl who comes aboard. And as his innate guileless nature begins to make an inadvertent rebel of him, Rainy’s private quest for the love of his life grows into something wider and wilder, sweeping up friends and foes alike in his strengthening wake. I Cheerfully Refuse epitomizes the “musical, sometimes magical and deeply satisfying kind of storytelling” (Los Angeles Times) for which Leif Enger is cherished.

Leif Enger grew up in Osakis, Minnesota, and worked as a reporter for Minnesota Public Radio before writing his bestselling debut novel Peace Like a River, which won the Booksense Award for Fiction and was named one of the Year’s Best Books by Time Magazine and the Los Angeles Times. His second novel, So Brave, Young, and Handsome, was also a national bestseller. It was a Midwest Booksellers Honor Book, and won the High Plains Book Award for Fiction. His third novel Virgil Wander was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, and was named a best book of the year by Amazon, Library Journal, Bookpage, and Chicago Public Library. He lives with his wife in Duluth, MN.“

More info: https://pittsburghlectures.org/lectures/leif-enger/

Support Littsburgh!

Littsburgh™ is the online destination for the writers, publishing professionals, organizers, institutions, and readers who make Pittsburgh one of the world’s most literary cities.

Founded by three publishing professionals in 2015, Littsburgh showcases Pittsburgh as a hub of literary talent and activity while serving as a resource to foster further collaboration and connection within Pittsburgh’s vibrant literary community.

Littsburgh is a passion project and has been since inception.

Because we’re self-powered, we’ve been able to continue promoting literary Pittsburgh without having to compromise our vision or our mission — and without having to close up shop because of lack of funding. Our goal is for Littsburgh to be here for the long haul… and we’re only getting bigger and better every year!

As our audience has grown, however, so have our operating costs: hosting is increasingly expensive, spreading the word about literary Pittsburgh to our readers via social media channels requires paid “boosts,” and we’re investing literally hundreds of volunteer hours into the site every year.

With a small donation, one time or (even better!) recurring, you can help ensure that Littsburgh continues to grow and thrive.

Donate!

Help us spread the word about literary Pittsburgh!

Eeeek! Creative Company: Book Fair!

"Come join us at Lolev Beer (Lawrenceville) on Saturday, May 10th from 4-7pm for a FREE community event. We are Read more

Rachel Gillig – A Book Launch and Author Talk!

"Riverstone Books is thrilled to host Rachel Gillig, author of The Shepherd King duology, for the release of her anticipated Read more

An Afternoon with Author Jonathan Auxier!

"We are happy to welcome local author Jonathan Auxier back to our store to talk about the third installment in Read more

Poetry Reading: Jennifer Chang “An Authentic Life”, Rosalie Moffet “Making a Living”

"We are so excited to Jennifer Chang and Rosalie Moffett to Pittsburgh (and White Whale!) to share their work with our Read more

Reading & Conversation: Sarah Schulman, “The Fantasy and Necessity of Solidarity”

"We are ecstatic to welcome novelist, playwright, screenwriter, AIDS historian, and activist, Sarah Schulman to Pittsburgh for a Reading & Conversation Read more

Ocean Vuong, “The Emperor of Gladness” Reading and Conversation

"White Whale Bookstore is thrilled to welcome bestselling author, award-winning poet, and MacArthur Genius Ocean Vuong back to Pittsburgh in Read more

Featured – kids event: Max Brallier, “The Last Comics on Earth”!

"Tuesday April 29th, 2025 @ 5:00PM - 6:00PM The perfect after-school weeknight activity? Bringing the kids to meet the creator Read more

Cookbook Club at Stay Gold Books: Flavorama by Arielle Johnson!

More info: https://www.staygoldbooks.com/events

The Vanished Kingdom Book Launch with Jonathan Auxier @ Mystery Lovers

"Monday, April 28, 2025 - 7:00pm Mystery Lovers Bookshop & The Oakmont Carnegie Library are excited to announce the book Read more

Arab Voices in Exile

"Join us for readings by five City of Asylum and ICORN residents highlighting their respective and collective journeys and resilience. Read more

Colum McCann: An Interview with Bassam Aramin & Rami Elhanan

"In 2021, award-winning author Colum McCann released his novel, Apeirogon, which was in part based on the real lives of two fathers, Read more

Guantánamo: Mohamedou Ould Slahi & Larry Siems in Conversation with Adriana E. Ramirez

"In 2015, when Mohamedou Ould Slahi was in his 13th year of detention in Guantánamo, City of Asylum hosted journalist and Read more

The 2025 HEMINGWAY’S SUMMER POETRY SERIES: Sean Enright, Celeste Gainey, Rich Gegick, Gwendolyn Mitchell, Jesse Welch