-
Add a gift card to your order!
Samuel Shem
discusses
At the Heart of the Universe:
A Novel
in conversation with
ADAM PERTMAN
with
KATIE SURREY-BERGMAN and
JANET SURREY
This event includes a book signing
DateMay
12
Thursday
May 12, 2016 6:30 PM ET (Doors at 6:00) |
LocationCambridge Public Library
449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138 |
Tickets
This event is free; no tickets are required.
|
Harvard Book Store, National Center on Adoption and Permanency, and Families with Children from China welcome bestselling author SAMUEL SHEM for a discussion of his latest novel, At the Heart of the Universe, inspired by his experiences as a parent of an adopted child. The author will be joined in conversation by ADAM PERTMAN, President of the National Center on Adoption and Permanency, as well as his daughter KATIE SURREY-BERGMAN and partner JANET SURREY.
About At the Heart of the Universe
The story of two mothers and a father in love with the same daughter, Samuel Shem's At the Heart of the Universe is an epic novel set deep in rural China against the backdrop of an ancient mountain monastery during the time of the one-child-per-family policy. The novel describes the drama of adoption and the journey of loss and rebirth that can happen when a daughter brings together her adopted mother and father with her birth mother high on a mountaintop.
Set in 1991 in Changsha, capital of Hunan province, as a Chinese woman abandons her one-month-old daughter in a pile of celery in a busy market, and then shifting to Changsha ten years later as the daughter returns with her adopted American parents, the story moves across southern China until, high atop Emei San, one of China's "sacred mountains" with a Buddhist temple, the four are brought together in the wilderness—a perilous and explosive time that unleashes their heartbreak and suffering and, remarkably, transcends it to shared compassion, and new beginnings.
Praise
"At the Heart of the Universe tells a moving story that is full of understanding and psychological intensity. In the context of a harrowing adventure in contemporary China, this large-hearted novel reaffirms the necessity of empathy, self-discovery, love." —Ha Jin, author of A Map of Betrayal
“A powerful, gripping tour de force. A story that will stay with you forever, unforgettable characters, and vivid writing that brings China alive from Changsha City to the sacred Mount Emei. One of the very best books I've ever read and fallen in love with.” —Frances Moore Lappé, author of Diet for a Small Planet and EcoMind
"This is both a gorgeous novel of particulars set against the fascinating backdrop of the Chinese mountains, and a hauntingly universal account of loss, gain, and new beginnings." —Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature
Unable to attend a Harvard Book Store author event? You can still pre-order a signed book by one of our visiting authors.
While we can't guarantee fulfillment of a signed book pre-order, our authors are almost always able to sign extra books to fulfill such orders.
Ordering a signed book on harvard.com:
- Add the book to your shopping cart and then click Checkout.
- Specify in Order Comments that you want a signed copy of the book.
- Please note: online orders for signed copies must be placed at least one business day before the event. If you are ordering the day of, please call us instead.
Ordering a signed book by phone:
- Call us at (617) 661-1515 and one of our booksellers will take your order. Specify you'd like a signed copy.
- If you are requesting a personalized inscription and/or requesting your book be shipped, we'll need to take down credit card information. If you are planning to pick up the signed book in the store, you can pay on pick-up.
FAQ:
Can I request a personalized inscription?
Unless otherwise noted, we are happy to take requests for the author to sign your book to a specific person, but we can't guarantee it. If you do get a personalized inscription, the book will be non-returnable. We will require credit card information when you place the order.
Do signed books cost more?
There is no extra fee for a signed book!
Do I have to pick it up in the store, or can you deliver my signed book?
As with all web or phone orders, we can hold your book for in-store pickup, or ship it anywhere in the country.
I am planning to attend an author event. Do I need to pre-order a book?
No need. We'll be selling books at the event, and nearly all of our events include a signing at the end of the talk.
More questions? Give us a call!
National Center on Adoption and Permanency: http://www.nationalcenteronadoptionandpermanency.net/
Families with Children from China—New England: http://www.fccne.org/
Featured event books will be for sale at the event for 20% off. Thank you for supporting this author series with your purchases.
(617) 661-1515
info@harvard.com
Media Inquiries
mediainquiries@harvard.com
Accessibility Inquiries
access@harvard.com
Classic Totes
Tote bags and pouches
in a variety of styles,
sizes, and designs, plus mugs, bookmarks, and more!
Shipping & Pickup
We ship anywhere in the U.S. and orders of $75+ ship free via media mail!
Learn More »Noteworthy Signed Books: Join the Club!
Join our Signed First Edition Club (or give a gift subscription) for a signed book of great literary merit, delivered to you monthly.
Learn More »
