NYC Book Launch: Jonathan Wells presents The Skinny
In conversation with Adrienne Brodeur at Greenlight Bookstore at 7:30pm ET
Critically acclaimed poet Jonathan Wells launches his first book of prose, The Skinny! At age fourteen, Wells weighs just sixty-seven pounds, triggering a scrutinizing persecution of his body that will follow him into adulthood. His father, reading his weight as a clear and deeply concerning deficit of masculinity, creates a workout regimen meant to bulk him up. When that doesn’t help, he has Wells seen by a slew of specialists, all claiming he is in perfect health, and yet the problem cannot be denied: the boy is simply too skinny. At boarding school in Switzerland, Wells manages to establish an identity of his own among the child exiles and outcasts that make up the student body. And yet, his father’s obsession follows him to Europe, threatening to destroy the space he has painstakingly won for himself. Candid, powerful, and quietly humorous, The Skinny is a memoir about the universal exploration of adolescence and self-image, the frailty of masculinity, and all the places we seek comfort in a world that tries to define us. Adrienne Brodeur, author of the bestselling memoir Wild Game, joins Wells in conversation for this virtual NYC launch!
Back to All Events