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Kate Elizabeth Russell’s debut novel explores the psychological dynamics of the relationship between a precocious yet naïve teenage girl and her magnetic and manipulative teacher.

Alternating between Vanessa’s present and her past, My Dark Vanessa juxtaposes memory and trauma with the breathless excitement of a teenage girl discovering the power her own body can wield. Thought-provoking and impossible to put down, this is a masterful portrayal of troubled adolescence and its repercussions that raises vital questions about agency, consent, complicity and victimhood.

Aimee Mann is one of the most distinguished singer-songwriters of her generation. Her successful solo career has spanned several decades with several Grammy nominations, two Grammy award and the release of nine critically acclaimed solo albums, including the profoundly popular soundtrack for the film Magnolia, which garnered an Academy Award and Golden Globe nomination for Best Song in 2000.  Time magazine has said, “Mann has the same skill that great tunesmiths like McCartney and Neil Young have: the knack for writing simple, beautiful, instantly engaging songs, ” while NPR voted her one of the “TOP 10 Best Living Songwriters” along with Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen. Her latest release is called “Mental Illness” which won her a Grammy for Best Folk Album.

Earlier in her musical life, Mann fronted the band “Til Tuesday”, releasing three albums. She has also made numerous memorable cameo appearances in films such as The Big Lebowski and TV shows like Portlandia and The Daily Show.

Join Alison Stewart, host of WNYC’s All Of It, alongside bestselling authors and fellow book lovers on the air, online and via live stream for this new book club series. We’ll read books and share our progress on Instagram, and Alison will talk with a marquee author.