lit out loud
Local author Owen Egerton celebrates The Book of Harold at BookPeople
From stage to page, Owen Egerton is one of Austin’s favorite funny men. Tomorrow night you’ll have a chance to see why as BookPeople celebrates the paperback release of his novel The Book of Harold, out now from Soft Skull Press.
A decade in the making, Egerton’s novel is fully titled The Book of Harold: The Illegitimate Son of God. It’s a satisfying satire set in modern-day Houston, focused on a meek man named Harold Peeks. Dissatisfied with his stereotypically suburban existence, one day Harold makes an announcement to his coworkers: He’s the Son of God.
Egerton will be appearing at BookPeople on Thursday, May 24 at 7 p.m., where you’ll have a chance to hear the tale of Harold in the author’s own voice.
"In no way was I trying to write a book that dismisses a faith … or that makes proclamations about Jesus, Christianity, Buddhism," Egerton tells the Statesman. "This is a work of fiction - and fiction shouldn't give answers. Fiction should expand the mystery. It should wrestle with the questions."
And wrestle it does, both lyrically and philosophically, blending on-point humor with true heart while managing to tackle a divisive topic as respectfully as possible.
Egerton has also authored short story collection How Best to Avoid Dyingand acclaimed one-man show The Other Side of Sleep (which went up on the Zach Scott stage in 2010).
The three-time “Austin’s favorite author” isn’t just a writer; he also produces shows at the Alamo (like the “Best of” series, composed of clips, on themes like Sex and God, curated and narrated by Egerton), and is a co-founding member of Master Pancake.
He’s a triple-threat for sure, with a dynamic personality makes his live events especially compelling; Egerton will be appearing at BookPeople on Thursday, May 24 at 7 p.m., where you’ll have a chance to hear the tale of Harold in the author’s own voice.
Take a look at the book trailer:
Preview what to expect at tomorrow’s event with this clip of Egerton reading from a section of the book wherein “a live Nativity play goes horribly wrong”:
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