Lunch for Libraries - Carl Hiaasen

Presented by BMO Harris Bank, this year's Lunch for Libraries event will feature novelist and longtime Miami Herald columnist Carl Hiaasen. Carl will appear live on Crowdcast to discuss his newest book, Squeeze Me, with Wisconsin thriller writer, Nick Petrie. Join us for this annual fundraiser on May 25th at 12:00 PM. 

Squeeze Me is a novel of social and political intrigues, set against the glittering backdrop of Florida’s gold coast. It's the height of the Palm Beach charity ball season: for every disease or cause, there's a reason for the local luminaries to eat (minimally), drink (maximally), and be seen. But when a prominent high-society dowager suddenly vanishes during a swank gala, and is later found dead in a concrete grave, panic and chaos erupt. Kiki Pew was notable not just for her wealth and her jewels--she was an ardent fan of the Winter White House resident just down the road, and a founding member of the POTUSSIES, a group of women dedicated to supporting their President. Never one to miss an opportunity to play to his base, the President immediately declares that Kiki was the victim of rampaging immigrant hordes. This, it turns out, is far from the truth. The truth might just lie in the middle of the highway, where a bizarre discovery brings the First Lady's motorcade to a grinding halt (followed by some grinding between the First Lady and a love-struck Secret Service agent). Enter Angie Armstrong, wildlife wrangler extraordinaire, who arrives at her own conclusions after she is summoned to the posh island to deal with a mysterious and impolite influx of huge, hungry pythons . . . Carl Hiaasen can brighten even the darkest of days and Squeeze Me is pure, unadulterated Hiaasen. Irreverent, ingenious, and highly entertaining, Squeeze Me perfectly captures the absurdity of our times.

Purchase your tickets today for Madison Public Library Foundation’s annual Lunch for Libraries virtual fundraiser! Individual tickets are $125, including a Wisconsin Book Festival membership to support free, year-round author programming ($100 without the membership). Every guest will receive a mailed paperback copy of Squeeze Me. Please purchase your tickets by May 5 to receive the book before the event. Lunch for Libraries proceeds fuel year-round author programming of the Wisconsin Book Festival, presented by Madison Public Library in partnership with Madison Public Library Foundation. The festival presents acclaimed diverse authors on important topics like social justice and antiracism, including recent events with Heather McGhee and Ibram X. Kendi. Lunch for Libraries proceeds also go toward Madison Public Library youth literacy efforts, including outreach to home-based daycare centers to help them build book collections, and summer reading programs for kids.