Robert B. Parker a hit at Manchester City Library Fund-Raiser

by Arlene Letourneau
Reference Librarian
Manchester City Library

On May 17th, fans of Robert B. Parker, enjoyed an evening of quick-witted banter as well as a window into the working life of one of New England's best known authors. Fans of Parker's Spencer novels turned out in force to hear Parker at the library's auditorium, which was filled to near capacity. The fund-raiser was sponsored by the Manchester City Library Foundation.

Parker answered a variety of questions while occasionally poking fun at himself. He stepped to the side of a recently installed podium, which all but obscured his ample frame, saying he wanted to know who was the designer of the podium.

The questions kept coming during an hour-long question and answer period, including a question from a patron who wanted to know how he could write about things he knew nothing about. She was referring to his novel Appaloosa and the patron doubted that he know much about horses. He tactfully didn't mention that the title is the name of a town, said he hadn't been on a horse in years, and that a good writer doesn't have to know all there is to know about a subject to write about it.

Parker was introduced by Union Leader correspondent, John Clayton, who had been a student in one of his classes at Northeastern University. After the question and answer period, Parker signed books and posed for photographs. The fund-raiser was a success, and a good time definitely was had by all.