Author Talk: Debra Spark

04/06/2024 - 10:00am
Fiction
Talk

How does art mirror and shape our lives? Can it transcend the boundaries of time, wealth, and circumstance? Debra Spark—whose previous work the Washington Post described as "richly imaginative" and "real world magic"— explores these themes in her new novel Discipline.

Discipline is a propulsive literary mystery about family strife and devotion, ambition and authorship, and the abiding and mysterious power of art. Inspired by the life and family of Walt Kuhn (the painter responsible for the 1913 Armory Show that introduced Americans to modernism) and the scandal-ridden Elan boarding school that was forced to shut down in 2011, this richly drawn, suspenseful novel shows Spark at her most masterful.

She'll talk about her experiences researching and writing this deeply engaging novel and read excerpts from the book.

Prince Memorial Library
266 Main Street
Cumberland, ME 04021