Writer, theatre professor, and Northsider Kathleen George makes her City of Asylum debut to celebrate the launch of her new novel, Mirth.

Mirth introduces us to Liz, the third wife of Harrison Mirth. Harrison is an upbeat man who writes about love but doesn’t share much about his past. And so, Liz is forced to ask: who is Harrison, really?

Like a deft quilt maker, Liz gathers the scraps Harrison has shared over the years—a handful of thoughtful comments, tidbits about his past two marriages, a funny story here and there—and creates the story of her husband’s life. She imagines him as a boy, then as a man sheltering a secret lake of sadness. But through it all, her husband is somehow cheerful, forever innocent, and a willful optimist—and to Liz, that is irresistible.

Snag your own copy of Mirth at City of Asylum Bookstore.

Kathleen George is the author of ten novels: a series of thrillers set in Pittsburgh; a novel about the Johnstown Flood, The Johnstown Girls; a novel about Lena Horne and jazz, The Blues Walked In; and most recently, Mirth. Kathy has also written a collection of short stories (The Man in the Buick), edited a collection of short fiction (Pittsburgh Noir), and contributed to many scholarly theatrical books and articles. She is a professor of theatre and writing at the University of Pittsburgh.

Kathleen George: Mirth