Author to speak for humanities council
COEUR d'ALENE - Sara Paretsky, the creator of one of the most popular characters in American modern crime fiction, is coming to Coeur d'Alene this fall to present the Idaho Humanities Council's annual Northern Idaho Distinguished Humanities Lecture, and tickets are now on sale.
Paretsky, best-selling author of a series of novels featuring female private detective V.I. Warshawski, will speak at the Oct. 15 dinner and book-signing at The Coeur d'Alene Resort.
She will explore the theme of her best-selling 2007 memoir, "Writing in an Age of Silence." Part autobiography, part political commentary, the collection of essays explores Paretsky's journey to finding her voice as an American writer while coming of age in the shadows of the Cold War and civil rights movements, and then maintaining that voice since 9-11 and the Patriot Act.
When she introduced V.I Warshawski in 1982 in "Indemnity Only," Paretsky was hailed by critics and readers for creating a strong female gumshoe with both brains and beauty.
V.I. Warshawski is part of Paretsky's personal journey from silence to speech, and is frequently mentioned in "Writing in an Age of Silence."
The character embodies many of Paretsky's own life lessons in her journey from a childhood in rural Kansas to become a social activist in Chicago in the 1960s.
In her talk in Coeur d'Alene, Paretsky will discuss issues regarding freedom of speech, the Patriot Act, historical limitations on speech and their controversial results, as well as those who defend freedom of speech, such as librarians, teachers, and supporters of civil discourse.
Born in Iowa in 1947 and raised in Kansas, Paretsky went to Chicago in 1968 to do community service work under the direction of Dr. Martin Luther King. She holds both a Ph.D. in history and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Paretsky's books will be available for sale at the event.
Tickets are available now for purchase online at www.idahohumanities.org under "IHC Events," or by calling the Idaho Humanities Council at (888) 345-5346. General tickets are $45.
Benefactor tickets are $100, offering an invitation to a pre-dinner reception with Paretsky in a private home and close-up seating at the dinner and lecture. Early ticket reservations are recommended.