Glenview Public Library is excited to welcome bestselling author Nickolas Butler for an engaging discussion about his novel A Forty Year Kiss, the featured selection for this year’s Glenview Reads Together, the Library’s annual community-wide reading program.
On Thursday, April 30, at 7 PM in the Lakeview Room at Glenview Park Center, Butler will be in conversation with journalist Heidi Stevens, Director of External Affairs at the University of Chicago’s TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health. Together, they will explore the book’s themes of love, second chances, and small-town life.
Set in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, A Forty Year Kiss is a small-town love story about Charlie and Vivian, a couple whose brief marriage ended in divorce. Decades later, they reconnect unexpectedly and begin piecing together the past they left behind. As they confront old regrets, mistakes, and secrets, they discover forgiveness, humor, and the possibility of a second chance at love. A Forty Year Kiss explores how love can survive time, change, and a lifetime of missed opportunities.
“We selected A Forty Year Kiss for Glenview Reads Together for its moving exploration of love, memory, and second chances. The novel’s thoughtful take on aging and relationships invites meaningful reflection and conversation across our community,” said Glenview Public Library Outreach Manager Janet McIntyre. “With his signature Midwestern voice, Nickolas Butler delivers a heartfelt, authentic story that resonates across generations and makes for a powerful shared reading experience.”
Nickolas Butler was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and raised in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, he is the author of Shotgun Lovesongs, Beneath the Bonfire, The Hearts of Men, Little Faith, and Godspeed.
Glenview Reads Together encourages community members to read the same book, connect with neighbors, and engage in thought-provoking conversations about society, culture, and identity. Visit glenviewpl.org/grt26/ to learn more and register for the event. Copies of A Forty Year Kiss are available at the Library, with eBook and audiobook editions also available.