Author Events

Did you know we have the biggest, number one author event series in the country? Each month the St. Louis County Library Foundation brings bestselling and award-winning authors from a variety of genres to the library, offering readers exclusive opportunities to meet and engage with their favorite writers.

Unless otherwise noted, all events are free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Seating is limited; early arrival is highly recommended. Books for signing will be available for purchase at the events. For more information, please call 314-994-3300.

Ticketed Events   October Events   November Events   December Events

By Audience
By Date
“How Do You Feel?: One Doctor’s Search for Healthcare in Humanity” book cover and color author photo

Jessi Gold, MD

As an assistant professor, practicing psychiatrist, and dedicated friend and family member, Dr. Jessi Gold was used to being constantly busy. But when Jessi is so mentally overwhelmed that she commits an unthinkable error during a patient session, she’s forced to reevaluate everything that the medical system has taught her. As she considers burnout, perfectionism, empathy, and the emotional burden of working in health care, Jessi recognizes that she is not alone in struggling to maintain her humanity, in a field that she chose because of its humanity in the first place. At once deeply personal, but also utterly universal, “How Do You Feel?” demonstrates the unbridled capacity that we as humans have for connecting, learning, and growing.

Tuesday, October 22, 2024
7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Clark Family Branch
"Classical Crossroads" book cover and black and white photo of Leonard Slatkin conducting

Ticketed Event: Leonard Slatkin

Internationally acclaimed American conductor, composer, and author, Leonard Slatkin, Conductor Laureate of the SLSO, celebrates his 80th birthday by reflecting on a nearly 60-year career that has seen him conduct the world’s leading orchestras. This special event offers a rare and intimate glimpse into Leonard’s extraordinary journey. From his early inspirations and challenges as an emerging conductor to his numerous accolades, including the prestigious National Medal of Arts and the rank of Chevalier in the French Legion of Honor, Leonard’s story is one of passion, dedication, and profound influence on the world of classical music. This conversation promises to be an inspiring tribute to a life devoted to the arts.

Friday, October 25, 2024
7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Clark Family Branch
“Bandit Heaven: The Hole-in-the-Wall Gangs and the Final Chapter of the Wild West” book cover and color author photo

Tom Clavin

Bestselling historian Tom Clavin shares the thrilling true story of the most infamous hangout for bandits, thieves and murderers of all time—and the lawmen tasked with rooting them out. Robbers Roost, Brown’s Hole, and Hole-in-the-Wall were three remote Wyoming and Utah hideouts that collectively were known to outlaws throughout the 1880s and ‘90s as “Bandit Heaven.” Clavin’s deeply-researched history is a portrait of these tumultuous times and colorful characters, including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the cold-blooded Kid Curry, and “Black Jack” Ketchum. “Bandit Heaven” is a thrilling read, filled with action and poignance for the true end of the Wild West outlaw.

Monday, October 28, 2024
7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Clark Family Branch
4 block color author photos of Jennifer J. Chow, Ellie Alexander, Gigi Pandian, and Lee Hollis

Cozy Con 2024

Join us for a night of sleuthing, fun and cozy mysteries. SLCL’s second annual event celebrating the light, humorous subgenre of suspense fiction, Cozy Con 2024 will feature popular authors: Jennifer J. Chow- “Ill-Fated Fortune” A Magical Fortune Cookie Mystery, Ellie Alexander- “Sticks and Scones” A Bakeshop Mystery, Gigi Pandian- “A Midnight Puzzle” A Secret Staircase Mystery, and Lee Hollis- “Death of a Gingerbread Man” A Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery.

Friday, November 8, 2024
6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Clark Family Branch
“The Lost World of the Dinosaurs: Uncovering the Secrets of the Prehistoric Age” book cover and color author photo of Armin Schmitt

Armin Schmitt

Dinosaurs. No other class of animals captures the hearts of both children and adults alike. Paleontologist Armin Schmitt brings us a firsthand account of the latest research on dinosaurs and their lives millions of years ago, including his spectacular global excavations and fascinating discoveries in the field. “The Lost World of the Dinosaurs” is an all-encompassing exploration traveling back in time into the world of the primeval giants, tracing their earliest origins, their astounding two-hundred-million-year reign and their infamous demise.

Monday, November 11, 2024
7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Clark Family Branch
"Eden Undone: A True Story of Sex, Murder, and Utopia at the Dawn of World War II" book cover and color author photo

Abbott Kahler

Bestselling true crime writer Abbott Kahler weaves a chilling, stranger-than-fiction tale worthy of Agatha Christie about European exiles hoping to create a utopian paradise in the Galápagos Islands, but descending into outrageous chaos and ultimately murder. With a mystery as alluring and curious as the Galápagos itself, “Eden Undone” explores the universal and timeless desire to seek utopia—and lays bare the human fallibility that, inevitably, renders such a quest doomed.

Tuesday, November 12, 2024
7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Clark Family Branch