John will read from his new book, discuss the book in conversation with author Irina Reyn, and take questions from the audience.

The Martin Chronicles is John Fried’s debut novel, a powerful and heartfelt story that follows one boy as he grows up in 1980s Manhattan, bringing the magic of first experiences and the brutal truth of hard lessons to life on the page.

This moving debut novel perfectly captures the intense emotion, humor and earnestness of young adulthood as the eponymous Marty ages from eleven to seventeen and navigates a series of life-changing firsts: first kiss, first enemy, first loss, and ultimately, his first awareness that the world is not as simple or safe a place as he had once imagined. The Martin Chronicles provides a way for readers to see New York City through the eyes of a boy as he deals with all the growing pains that come with fumbling toward adulthood while trying to make the right decisions in life.

John Fried teaches creative writing at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. He received his MFA from Warren Wilson College’s Program for Writers. His short fiction has appeared in numerous journals, including Gettysburg Review, North American Review and Columbia Journal. Prior to teaching, he was a magazine writer and editor in New York, and his work appeared in various publications, including the New York Times Magazine, Rolling Stone, New York, Time and Real Simple.