Dinner with Author Drew Magary

Joseph Fialkowski
Copy Editor

On Tuesday, November 4, Drew Magary will speak in ESU’s Abeloff Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30 PM.

He is the author to the novel that has been assigned as this semester’s One Book One Campus read, “The Postmortal.”

The One Book One Campus Program (OBOCP) has held six discussions throughout the semester about the book, each from a different perspective by a different professor at ESU.

Now, it is time for the author to join in on the talk.

As far as the story goes—it is written in the form of blog posts. The year is 2019 when the protagonist John takes a newly discovered “cure” for aging.

The cure modifies the genes of the host, in his case permanently halting his aging at 29.

As the cure becomes more readily available, great social changes ensue across the globe.

The book raises many ethical, moral, and environmental questions associated with a preapocalyptic society stricken by over-population, inequality, and corrupt political organizations.

During the summer orientation sessions, all incoming students were given a copy of the text to read before arriving on campus for the start of the semester.

They were encouraged to read the novel and gather into groups to discuss the story, as well as participate in the several discussions held throughout the semester.

Several professors even assigned the novel as a required read in their curriculums, to try to get students involved in a commonality aside from their individual fields of study.

The discussions covered miscellaneous aspects of the story from various perspectives, but none focused too explicitly on the author of the novel.

Magary lives in Maryland with his wife and three children.

He’s an Australian-American columnist, interviewer, blogger, and author of two published books.

He’s a correspondent for GQ magazine and has been published in The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, The Wire, and New York magazines. Furthermore, he has written for ESPN, NBC, and Comedy Central.

“The Postmortal” was his first novel, but it is his second book.

In 2011 it was nominated for a Philip K. Dick award, and under another publication title in the United Kingdom the book was nominated for an Arthur C. Clarke award.

Everyone is welcome to the event, and students involved in the OBOCP are especially encouraged to go.

Be sure to bring a copy of the novel for an autograph from the author!

Again, the event will be held in the Abeloff Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, November 4 at 7:30 PM.

Email Joseph at:
jfialkowsk@live.esu.edu