Join us for a one-of-a-kind conversation w ith National Book Award-winner Colum McCann as he is joined by Diane Foley \, the inspiration behind the heartrending book \;American Mother.
\nAmerican Mother \;is the story of a mother who\ , in the course of confronting her son&rsquo\;s killer\, gets to the eleme ntal heart of violence and forgiveness. Diane Foley is the mother of Jim\, a freelance journalist captured and beheaded by ISIS in 2014\, an image t hat became one of the most iconic of the 21st century. Seven years later\, Diane gets the chance to spend three days with the murderer of her son in a Virginia courthouse\, inspiring her to tell her life story. What unfold s is one of the most compelling narratives in recent literary history\, ch anneled into searing reality by \;New York Times \;bestse lling author Colum McCann\, who brings us on a journey of strength\, resil ience\, and radical empathy. You are sure to be moved by McCann's writing and Foley&rsquo\;s uncompromising love\, register now! \;
\nColum McCann \;is the author of seven novels\, three collections of stories\, and two works of non-fiction. Born and raised in Dublin\, Ireland\, he has been the recipient of many intern ational honors\, including the U.S National Book Award\, the International Dublin Literary Prize\, a Chevalier des Arts et Lettres from the French g overnment\, election to the Irish Arts Academy\, several European awards\, the 2010 Best Foreign Novel Award in China\, and an Oscar nomination. In 2017 he was elected to the American Academy of Arts. \; His work has b een published in over 40 languages. \; He is the President and co-foun der of the non-profit global story exchange organization\, Narrative 4. He is the Thomas Hunter Writer in Residence in Hunter College\, in New York\ , where he lives with his wife Allison and their family. \; His most r ecent novel\, \;Apeirogon\, became an immediate New York Times best-se ller and won several major international awards. \; His first major no n-fiction book\, \;American Mother\, will be published in Mar ch 2024.
\nDiane M. Foley \;is the mother of fi ve children\, including American freelance conflict journalist James W. Fo ley. She founded the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation in September 2014\, less than a month after his public execution. Diane is currently serving a s the President and Executive Director of JWFLF. Since 2014\, she has led JWFLF efforts to fund the start of Hostage US and the International Allian ce for a Culture of Safety\, ACOS. In 2015\, she actively participated in the National Counterterrorism Center hostage review which culminated in th e Presidential Policy Directive-30. This directive re-organized US efforts on behalf of Americans taken hostage abroad into an interagency Hostage R ecovery Fusion Cell\, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs and a Hostage Recovery Group at the White House. Previously\, Diane worked firs t as a community health nurse and then as a family nurse practitioner for 18 years. She received both her undergraduate and master&rsquo\;s degrees from the University of New Hampshire in Durham\, NH.
\nhttps://edisonpu bliclibrary.libnet.info/event/10373207 URL;VALUE=URI:https://edisonpubliclibrary.libnet.info/event/10373207 ATTACH:https://static.libnet.info/images/events/edisonpubliclibrary/Foley- McCann.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR