Paul Lisicky / Later: My Life at the Edge of the World with Ryan Van Meter

Booksmith welcomes Paul Lisicky back to the store for his new book, Later: My Life at the Edge of the World. Please join us!

When Paul Lisicky arrived in Provincetown in the early 1990s, he was leaving behind a history of family trauma to live in a place outside of time, known for its values of inclusion, acceptance, and art. In this idyllic haven, Lisicky searches for love and connection and comes into his own as he finds a sense of belonging. At the same time, the center of this community is consumed by the AIDS crisis, and the very structure of town life is being rewired out of necessity: What might this utopia look like during a time of dystopia?

Later dramatizes a spectacular yet ravaged place and a unique era when more fully becoming one’s self collided with the realization that ongoingness couldn’t be taken for granted, and staying alive from moment to moment exacted absolute attention. Following the success of his acclaimed memoir, The Narrow Door, Lisicky fearlessly explores the body, queerness, love, illness, and belonging in this masterful, ingenious new book.

Paul Lisicky is the author of five books, including The Narrow Door (a New York Times Editors’ Choice selection). He has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment of the Arts, among others. He teaches in the MFA program at Rutgers University-Camden and lives in Brooklyn.

Ryan Van Meter is the author of If You Knew Then What I Know Now, as well as other essays published in magazines and selected for anthologies including The Best American Essays. He is an associate professor of creative writing at the University of San Francisco. Author photo by Bennett Honson.

This event is free and all ages.

RSVP appreciated but not required.

As with all of our events, seating may be limited; you can guarantee a seat by pre-purchasing the book here — when checking out, just be sure to include a note that you’d like to attend the event. If you cannot attend the event but would like to request a signed copy of Later, order below and be sure to put your request in the comments field.

Accessibility is important to us! If you have special needs please let us know and we’ll do our absolute best to accommodate you: events@booksmith.com.