George Pelecanos, award winning author, essayist and producer will be coming to Thacker Mountain Radio today to read from his most recent novel, “The Double.”
“There is no finer American crime writer working today,” proclaimed the Chicago Sun Times. Such reviews are a regular occurrence for his multiple works.
Before he became famous, however, Pelecanos worked as a dishwasher, bartender, line cook and shoe salesman. He has since been recognized for his talent for storytelling through his multiple publications and work in television.
“I always wanted to tell stories in some form. I thought I would be a filmmaker but I got sidetracked by a professor in college who turned me on to books,” Pelecanos said. “It wasn’t until my first novel was published that I actually thought of myself as a writer.”
He has published eighteen novels and has been featured in The New York Times, GQ, Sight and Sound and The Washington Post among many other periodicals. He has also had numerous short thrillers published in various collections over the years.
“I was a movie freak originally and not much of a book person,” Pelecanos said. “That changed for me in college, but before that, I was deeply influenced by films.”
Though he started off writing, he soon tracked back to his initial dream and began to work in the film industry. He produced two films in the mid-nineties and has worked on multiple other projects, including writing for the successful World War II era mini-series “The Pacific.”
Pelecanos also became the producer, story editor and writer of HBO’s drama “The Wire.” “The Wire” has won the Peabody Award and the AFI Award, along with an Emmy nomination for his writing in it in 2005. He currently works as the writer and executive producer for the HBO series “Treme.”
Tonight at 6 p.m., Pelecanos will be at Thacker Mountain Radio to read excerpts from “The Double,” and answer questions from fans. The book will be available for purchase and there will be a book signing and a meet-and-greet following the show.
“Thacker Mountain is excited to have George Pelecanos as a guest on our show this Thursday night at Off Square Books,” Thacker Mountain Radio producer Kathryn McGaw said. “When we had the opportunity to have a talent such as Mr. Pelecanos on the show, of course we jumped at the chance. He’ll be reading from his newest novel, “The Double,” which is getting rave reviews.”
“The Double” has received praise from The New York Times, USA Today and the Associated Press among a multitude of others.
“It’s astonishing all the good stuff Pelecanos can pack into one unpretentious book,” wrote Marilyn Stasio with The New York Times. Stasio said it’s the “meaty substance, multiple story lines, vital characters, choice dialogue and all those descriptive details (about what people are wearing, driving and listening to on their car radios) that make the story so rich.”
The reading will be broadcasted on Rebel Radio 92.1 FM and on myrebelradio.com. However, meeting George Pelecanos tonight at Off Square Books is an opportunity not to be missed.
