Mary Riley Styles Public Library

Charlottesville author Bruce Holsinger discusses his acclaimed 2025 novel Culpability
Join the Bards Alley booksellers at Mary Riley Styles Public Library in Falls Church for a presentation by local author Bruce Holsinger!
In addition to being named an Oprah's Book Club pick, his latest novel Culpability was included on "best of 2025" lists by NPR, the Washington Post, and the New Yorker. It follows the Cassidy-Shaw family in the aftermath of a car crash that exposes their deepest secrets and most tragic flaws.
A book signing will follow Holsinger's talk. Culpability can be purchased at the event along with paperback copies of backlist titles, such as The Displacements and The Gifted School.
RSVP for free through Mary Riley Styles here: <a href="https://www.mrspl.org/event/draft-author-talk-30600" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.mrspl.org/event/draft-author-talk-30600</a>
ABOUT THE BOOK
When the Cassidy-Shaws’ autonomous minivan collides with an oncoming car, seventeen-year-old Charlie is in the driver’s seat, with his father, Noah, riding shotgun. In the back seat, tweens Alice and Izzy are on their phones, while their mother, Lorelei, a world leader in the field of artificial intelligence, is absorbed in her work. Yet each family member harbors a secret, implicating them all in the tragic accident.
During a weeklong recuperation on the Chesapeake Bay, the family confronts the excruciating moral dilemmas triggered by the crash. Noah tries to hold the family together as a seemingly routine police investigation jeopardizes Charlie’s future. Alice and Izzy turn strangely furtive. And Lorelei’s odd behavior tugs at Noah’s suspicions that there is a darker truth behind the incident—suspicions heightened by the sudden intrusion of Daniel Monet, a tech mogul whose mysterious history with Lorelei hints at betrayal. When Charlie falls for Monet’s teenaged daughter, the stakes are raised even higher in this propulsive family drama that is also a fascinating exploration of the moral responsibility and ethical consequences of AI.
Culpability&nbsp;explores a world newly shaped by chatbots, autonomous cars, drones, and other nonhuman forces in ways that are thrilling, challenging, and unimaginably provocative.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bruce Holsinger&nbsp;is the author of&nbsp;Culpability, the 116th selection of Oprah’s Book Club and hailed by Oprah Winfrey as “a must-read for all generations.” His four previous novels include&nbsp;The Gifted School, which won the Colorado Book Award, and&nbsp;The Displacements, the inaugural title in the United Nations Read for Action Book Club. He has also written many works of nonfiction, most recently&nbsp;On Parchment: Animals, Archives, and the Making of Culture from Herodotus to the Digital Age. His essays and reviews have appeared in&nbsp;The New York Times,&nbsp;Vanity Fair, and many other publications, and he has been profiled on NPR’s&nbsp;Weekend Edition,&nbsp;Here &amp; Now, and&nbsp;Marketplace. He teaches English at the University of Virginia and is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship.

Local Event: Author Talk: Bruce Holsinger on "Culpability"

Fairfax County

Falls Church

Virginia

Author Talk: Bruce Holsinger on "Culpability"

Charlottesville author Bruce Holsinger discusses his acclaimed 2025 novel Culpability
Join the Bards Alley booksellers at Mary...

Bards Alley Bookshop

Ring in the Lunar New Year with a story full of Zodiac animals and savory mischiefBards Alley is delighted to welcome local author Patricia Tanumihardja for our first story time event of 2026!
Ahead of Lunar New Year celebrations in February, Tanumihardja will read her latest picture book "Monkey's Sweet Surprise: A Lunar New Year Mix-Up," whose characters are inspired by Vietnamese, Gurung, and Malay zodiac traditions. The book is as chaotic and sweet as a family gathering, boasting colorful illustrations by artist Bonnie Lui.&nbsp;Her reading will be followed by a signing, with copies of "Monkey's Sweet Surprise" available for purchase at Bards Alley. While ideal for kids ages 3 to 8, this event is open to all. No registration is required.
ABOUT&nbsp;THE&nbsp;BOOKMonkey's Sweet Surprise: A Lunar New Year Mix-Up whisks young readers away to the Jade Empress’s grand banquet, where a charming cast of zodiac animals—including Mouse Deer (from the Malay zodiac) and Cat (from the Vietnamese Zodiac)—prepare their finest festive dishes. Determined to redeem himself after last year’s kooky catastrophe, Monkey sets out to make the Empress’s favorite dessert: pineapple tarts. But along the way, he discovers that the sweetest surprises come from helping friends and working together.
Set in a whimsical world inspired by these rich zodiac traditions, this beautifully illustrated picture book blends Southeast Asian cultural heritage, imaginative storytelling, and a deep love of food. Perfect for ages 4–8, it celebrates the spirit of Lunar New Year while sharing timeless lessons in friendship, teamwork, and forgiveness.ABOUT&nbsp;THE&nbsp;AUTHORPatricia (Pat) Tanumihardja grew up a third culture kid, forever curious about the world around her and her place in it. Born in Jakarta and raised in Singapore, her Indonesian Chinese parents encouraged her appetites for both delicious foods and good books. As a writer, Pat’s work explores food, culture, and self. Her fun, heartwarming stories often echo her lived experiences buoyed by universal themes. Her debut children's book Ramen for Everyone was a JLG Gold Selection, and was soon followed by Jimmy’s Shoes and The Sugar Plum Bakers. Today, Pat writes both children’s books and cookbooks from her home in Northern Virginia where she lives with her husband and son. Don’t be shy to hit her up for some favorite recipes!

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