Dennis Lehane

The girl and I went to a book signing last night with bestselling local guy Dennis Lehane. 

At this point, most people know him as the guy who wrote Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone. I got to know him a couple years ago, flying back from Florida after a visit to family down there. I stopped in the airport bookstore and picked up Sacred, which features the same characters from Gone Baby Gone. It was a great read, one that I very nearly finished on the plane trip from Florida to Maine, but I didn’t think too much of it after that. 

Flash forward a few years later, and my current girlfriend sort of reintroduced me to Lehane, because she and her father both love his books. The Kenzie-Gennaro detective novels are great – they are really great portraits of Boston, both in description and attitude. Getting to hear Lehane talk about those characters, however briefly, was a real treat. 

He was promoting his new book, The Given Day, which revolves around the 1919 Boston Police union strike, walkoff and riots, along with the events that led up to them. I haven’t yet read the book (still working through Michael Chabon’s The Yiddish Policemen’s Union), but after the reading last night, my interest is certainly piqued. After reading a short chapter, Lehane took about a dozen questions from the audience, mostly revolving around his writing process and the experience of watching his work get translated to the big screen. It was a fun talk, and if he’s coming anywhere near you, it’s worth it. (Dennis Lehane’s tour schedule)

After the talk at the Coolidge Corner Theater, we all went across the street and got in line for the signing. I had picked up the book before the talk, so we jumped right in line. It was actually the perfect wait – the line was definitely moving, so he was getting through people, but it was moving at such a pace that made it clear that he was taking a minute to talk to everyone when they got to the table. When we reached the front, I had the opportunity to ask him about the film rights to the new book, which I had seen a report on. It’s a particularly perfect storm for me, because not only is Lehane a favorite of mine, but the director currently attached to the project is Sam Raimi, hands down my favorite. Lehane said that was the current situation, which he was pleased with, because he loved A Simple Plan (as do I… sadly underrated, somewhat forgotten movie of Raimi’s. Surprising since it picked up two Oscar noms). Sadly, Lehane said he didn’t have an awful lot of input on the director besides standing off to the side and giving the thumbs up. We’ll see how it goes. 

All in all, a good night. If you like Lehane, or you’re a historical fiction junkie (as I am becoming), he’s definitely worth a listen.