Book Discussion and Signing: “If a Poem Could Live and Breathe: A Novel of Teddy Roosevelt’s First Love,” by Mary Calvi

The Perrot Memorial Library will host Mary Calvi, journalist and author of the new book, If a Poem Could Live and Breathe: A Novel of Teddy Roosevelt’s First Love, on Wednesday, March 8, at 7 pm in the Youth Services Program Room of the Radcliffe Children’s Library. Ms. Calvi will discuss the story behind her latest novel, and copies of the book will be available for signing and purchase, courtesy of Athena Books.

Over the past several years, Ms. Calvi has had the great fortune of meticulously transcribing love letters to and from Teddy Roosevelt and his first love, Alice Hathaway Lee. Most of these letters were thought to have been destroyed. Thankfully, not only do they exist, but they are intimate and passionate. Even biographers such as Edmund Morris did not know of them. And most of the archival materials have been seen by only a few people in the past nearly 150 years.

With all of these beautiful, never-before-published materials, Mary had the opportunity to write their story. The book, If a Poem Could Live and Breathe: A Novel of Teddy Roosevelt’s First Love, will be published on Valentine’s Day 2023 by St. Martin’s Press.

Ms. Calvi serves as a news anchor at WCBS-TV in New York. Her first book, Dear George, Dear Mary: A Novel of George Washington’s First Love, published in 2019, is airing now as a documentary on the Smithsonian Channel. For more information, visit Ms. Calvi’s web site.

Please pre-register for this free event. For more information, contact Judy Sgammato at 203-637-1066 x15.