Author Walter coming to library

Spokane author Jess Walter will be the first author to participate in a new series of special programs to be sponsored by the Coeur d’Alene Public Library Foundation.

“The Coeur d’Alene Public Library Foundation is excited to launch our new series: 'Reading for the Library,'" said Ben Drake, current president of the foundation. “We are reaching out to people in the community who love reading — book clubs, library patrons, students, and educators — to share books and gather at the library to discuss what we have read.”

Drake said that, whenever possible, the author will be invited to come to the library to read his or her work and to lead the discussions. It the author is not available, qualified discussion leaders will be involved.

For the first of this series, Walter will discuss his book “We Live in Water” at 6 p.m. Sunday, June 12, in the library Community Room, 702 E. Front Ave. The doors will open at 5 p.m. and the evening will include wine and appetizers.

Tickets for the evening are $30 per person and are available online at: brownpapertickets.com/event/2540084. Individuals and book clubs can purchase “We Live in Water” at the Well Read Moose to receive 20 percent off the purchase price.

A former National Book Award finalist and winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award, Walter is the author of six novels, one book of short stories and one nonfiction book. His work has been translated into 30 languages, and his essays, short fiction, criticism and journalism have been widely published, in Best American Short Stories, Best American Nonrequired Reading, Harper’s, Esquire, McSweeney’s, Byliner, Playboy, ESPN the Magazine, Details and many others.

His other books include:

• “Beautiful Ruins” (2012), No. 1 New York Times bestseller, New York Times Notable Book of 2012, Esquire’s Book of the Year and NPR Fresh Air’s Novel of the Year.

• “The Financial Times of Poets” (2009), Time magazine’s No. 2 novel of the year.

• “The Zero” (2006), finalist for the 2006 National Book Award, the 2007 PEN Center Literary Award and the 2007 LA Times Book Prize and winner of the 2007 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award.

• “Citizen Vince” (2005), winner of the 2005 Edgar Allan Poe Award for best novel.

• “Land of the Blind” (2003).

• “Over Tumbled Graves” (2001), a New York Times notable book.

• “Every Knee Shall Bow” (1995) (rereleased as "RUBY RIDGE"), a finalist for the PEN USA literary nonfiction award in 1996.

Walter lives with his wife, Anne, and children — Brooklyn, Ava and Alec — in his childhood home of Spokane.