Collectibles & Books
First Edition, Autographed Book - Red Weather by Pauls Toutonghi
- Item Number
- 143
- Estimated Value
- Priceless
- Sold
- 101 USD to rs91605bd
The winning bid will go to FrontStream Global Fund (tax ID 26-3265577), a 501c3 nonprofit organization, which will send the donation to WEST COAST LATVIAN EDUCATION CENTER (tax ID 911185144) on behalf of the winner.
- Number of Bids
- 3 - Bid History
Item Description
- First Edition, Autographed Book - Red Weather by Pauls Toutonghi
Kursa's and Mezotne's very own, Pauls Toutonghi, is the author of this unforgettable novel and has donated this signed copy for RKLIC's 40th Anniversary Auction.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The setting is Milwaukee, Wisconsin—if not America’s heart, then at least its liver—home to an array of breweries and abandoned factories and down-on-their-luck Eastern European immigrants. The year is 1989.
Revolutions are sweeping through the nations of the Eastern Bloc. Communism is unraveling. And nobody feels this unraveling more piquantly than Yuri Balodis—a fifteen-year-old first-generation American living with his Latvian-immigrant parents in Milwaukee’s Third Ward.
It’s a turbulent time. And when Yuri falls in love with Hannah Graham—the daring daughter of a prominent local socialist—chaos ensues. Within weeks, Yuri is ensnared by both Hannah and socialism. He joins the staff of the Socialist Worker. He starts quoting Lenin and Marx indiscriminately.
His parents, of course, are horrified and deeply saddened. They try to educate him, to show him why, in their opinion, communism has ruined so many lives. But Yuri is stubborn. And his ideological betrayal will have more serious consequences than breaking his parents’ hearts.
Red Weather is by turns funny and bittersweet, tinged with a rueful comic sense that will instantly remind you of the absurd complications of love. Pauls Toutonghi’s stunning debut novel is at once reminiscent of Michael Chabon’s The Mysteries of Pittsburgh and Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Pauls Harijs Toutonghi was born in Seattle in 1976, and attended Seattle Latvian School from preschool through 10th grade. His mother and grandmother were born in Riga, and his grandfather was born in LiepÄÂÂÂÂja. His first word was in Latvian. He never was able to learn the “circular polka,” no matter how hard he tried. He loves all manner of Latvian foods, even pickled pig’s feet jelly, and smoked eels. His grandfather was a co-founder of Mezotne in 1951.
Pauls has been awarded a Pushcart Prize, an Andrew W. Mellon research fellowship, a Fulbright Grant, and a residency at Hawthornden Castle. He has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times Book Review, Outside Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Granta, Tin House, and other periodicals. He’s married to the novelist, Peyton Marshall. He lives in Oregon, where he teaches at Lewis and Clark College.
Item Special Note
Item will be available for pick up at RKLIC on Labor Day Weekend. Arrangements can be made to pick up item in the Seattle Area after Labor Day.
Shipping is not included. Shipping is available at an additional fee.
Donated By:
WEST COAST LATVIAN EDUCATION CENTER stores data...
Your support matters, so WEST COAST LATVIAN EDUCATION CENTER would like to use your information to keep in touch about things that may matter to you. If you choose to hear from WEST COAST LATVIAN EDUCATION CENTER, we may contact you in the future about our ongoing efforts.
Your privacy is important to us, so WEST COAST LATVIAN EDUCATION CENTER will keep your personal data secure and WEST COAST LATVIAN EDUCATION CENTER will not use it for marketing communications which you have not agreed to receive. At any time, you may withdraw consent by emailing Privacy@frontstream.com or by contacting our Privacy Officer. Please see our Privacy Policy found here PrivacyPolicy.