Join us for a book discussion (including complimentary circus-themed snacks) on “The Circus Fire: A True Story of An American Tragedy” by Stewart O’Nan, the acclaimed author of “Emily, Alone” and “Henry, Himself.”

Register must be completed in advance online. Space is limited to 17. A book will be made available for the 17 participants who are registered online in advance. You will receive a call when your book is ready for pick up.

It was a midsummer afternoon, halfway through a Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus performance, when the big top caught fire. The tent had been waterproofed with a mixture of paraffin and gasoline; in seconds it was burning out of control. More than 8,000 people were trapped inside, and the ensuing disaster would eventually take 167 lives.

Stewart O’Nan brings all his narrative gifts to bear on this gripping account of the great Hartford circus fire of 1944. Drawing on interviews with hundreds of survivors, O’Nan skillfully re-creates the horrific events and illuminates the psychological oddities of human behavior under stress: the mad scramble for the exits; the perilous effort to maneuver animals out of danger; the hero who tossed dozens of children to safety before being trampled to death. Brilliantly constructed and exceptionally moving, “The Circus Fire” is history at its most compelling.

Registration Required.