Leah Hager Cohen, critically acclaimed nonfiction writer and novelist and the Jenks Chair of Contemporary American Letters at the College of the Holy Cross, will give a reading from her new novel “No Book but the World” on Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m. in Rehm Library. The event, free and open to the public, will be followed by a book signing and reception.
Released by Riverhead on April 3, the book has received rave reviews from People Magazine, Kirkus Review, BookPage, Vogue, and Apple iBooks named it one of 10 best novels for April. The New York Times praises, “perceptive, empathetic and often emotionally gripping...prose that both convinces and sings.”
“No Book but the World” is a powerful exploration of familial love and responsibility. Ava and Fred are siblings, raised in a “free” environment by their progressive parents, who gave little guidance and overlooked Fred’s serious developmental and social impairments. Now adults, Fred is accused of a horrific crime and Ava feels impelled to try to piece together the story of what actually happened. As she is drawn deeper into the unsettling details of the crime, she becomes obsessed with learning the truth, convinced that she and she alone will be able to explain her brother in a way that allows the rest of the world to regard him with sympathy.
Cohen is the author of five novels, including “The Grief of Others,” which was long-listed for the Orange Prize; selected as a New York Times Notable Book; and named one of the best books of the year by The San Francisco Chronicle, Kirkus Reviews, and Globe and Mail. She is also the author of five nonfiction titles, including “Train Go Sorry” and “I Don’t Know.” She is a frequent contributor to The New York Times Book Review.
Her book “The Grief of Others” (Riverhead, 2011) will soon hit the big screen. The movie is currently filming in Nyack, N.Y., and the cast includes Rachel Dratch (“Saturday Night Live”), Wendy Moniz and Trevor St. John (“One Life to Live”); and is directed by Patrick Wang, whose first film, “In the Family,” was nominated for the 2012 Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature.
In March, Cohen was appointed Distinguished Writer in Residence at Holy Cross. She will assume the three year position on July 1, 2014, and her responsibilities include teaching two classes per year, advising and mentoring students in the Creative Writing Concentration, and contributing to the overall literary life of the College.
Related information
Media Coverage
- Telegram & Gazette, April 22: Holy Cross teacher publishes fifth novel
- Minneapolis Star Tribune, April 20: Review: No Book but the World
- New York Times, April 18: Innocence Project
- San Francisco Chronicle, April 18: 'No Book But the World,' by Leah Hager Cohen
- Boston Globe, April 16: A local group works on ‘The Grief of Others’
- People Magazine, April 3: “No Book but the World” receives four stars and raves “Cohen demonstrates a masterful talent, creating richly drawn characters and settings and supplying a satisfyingly shocking yet believable denouement.”
- Vogue, April 1: 14 Novels to Add to Your Spring Fiction Checklist
- Apple iBooks, April 1: “No Book but the World” is one of 10 best novels for of April
