# Event Details

- **Event Name**: Willy Vlautin in conversation with Peter McDade – The Left and the Lucky
- **Event Start and End Date**: Fri, 24 Apr, 2026 at 07:00 pm
- **Event Description**: The acclaimed Willy Vlautin returns with a heartbreaking and tender novel about two young brothers, the vicissitudes of fate, and unexpected connection—a beautiful and bittersweet portrait that illuminates the power of friendship and how it can save lives in multiple ways.

A Cappella Books is delighted to welcome Vlautin for an in-store talk and signing in honor of his new novel, “The Left and the Lucky.” Vlautin will appear in conversation with Peter McDade, author of "King Cal."

This event is free and open to the public; copies of the book will be available for purchase.

About the Book

Eddie Wilkens is a workaholic house painter in his early forties. His wife has left him to her regret, and his main employee, Houston, is a loafer and scoundrel who barely shows up for work. Unassuming and self-reliant, Eddie is thoughtful man who rarely gets angry, despite life's frequent provocations, but he is ruled by a guilt that he has carried for nearly twenty years.

Next door, a woman and her two sons move in with her frail and aging mother. The youngest boy, Russell, eight-years-old, is quiet and small for his age and lives in constant terror of his increasingly lost and troubled fifteen-year-old brother, Curtis. As their mother struggles to keep the family together and the grandmother’s health begins to faulter they find themselves unable to protect Russell and themselves from Curtis’s cruelty, which threatens to explode in frenetic violence.

Though neither knows it, Russell and Eddie will become each other’s saving grace.

While Russell’s home life disintegrates he begins waiting in Eddie’s backyard for him to get off work. Eddie offers the boy small acts of kindness: he feeds him, gives him jobs to do, listens to his dreams of escape, and offers Russell a glimpse into a world of hope and humor. A world of misfit painters, a derelict muscle car, an old dog, and the comradery and companionship of Eddie and his crew. In return, Russell gives Eddie a reason to carry on and helps him lay to rest the guilt that has plagued him for half of his life.

Together, this makeshift father and son begin to build better life, daring to trade the bleakness and cynicism around them for hope and friendship.

From a writer revered for his thoughtful and compassionate portrayal of realistic American life, “The Left and the Lucky” is a heartbreakingly honest examination of how circumstance shapes our lives, and how the luck of finding someone who needs us can transcend bitter loneliness and prevent us from giving up on dreaming of a better life.

About the Author

Willy Vlautin is the author of the novels “The Motel Life,” “Northline,” “Lean on Pete,” “The Free,” “Don’t Skip Out on Me,” “The Night Always Comes,” and “The Horse.” He is the recipient of the 2025 Joyce Carol Oates Prize, three Oregon Book Awards, and The Nevada Silver Pen Award. He was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award and was shortlisted for the Impac Award. Three of his novels have been adapted as films. He is the founding member of the bands Richmond Fontaine and The Delines.

About the Conversation Partner

As drummer for the rock band Uncle Green, Peter McDade spent fifteen years traveling the highways of America in a series of Ford vans. While the band searched for fame and a safe place to eat before a gig, he began writing short stories and novels. Uncle Green went into semi-retirement after four labels, seven records, and one name change; Peter went to Georgia State University and majored in History and English, eventually earning an MA in History. He teaches history to college undergrads, records with Paul Melançon and Eytan Mirsky, and lives in Atlanta with his family. His third book, "King Cal," was published by Trouser Press in 2025.
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/atlanta/willy-vlautin-in-conversation-with-peter-mcdade-the-left-and-the-lucky/200029594367735
- **Event Categories**: art, literary-art, entertainment, music, health-wellness, dog
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 9

## Ticket Details


## Event venue details

- **city**: Atlanta
- **state**: GA
- **country**: United States
- **location**: A Cappella Books
- **lat**: 33.75955
- **long**: -84.35063
- **full address**: A Cappella Books, 208 Haralson Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307-2534, United States

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: Willy Vlautin in conversation with Peter McDade – The Left and the Lucky
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events5/banners/4b5f6ce3fffd91a87470820542e238c111bc6cf8c4ff936ff1d5e8c4288b97a8-rimg-w1200-h676-dcd0381d-gmir?v=1775928297

## FAQs

- **Q**: When and where is Willy Vlautin in conversation with Peter McDade – The Left and the Lucky being held?
  - **A:** Willy Vlautin in conversation with Peter McDade – The Left and the Lucky takes place on Fri, 24 Apr, 2026 at 07:00 pm to Fri, 24 Apr, 2026 at 07:00 pm at A Cappella Books, 208 Haralson Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307-2534, United States.
- **Q**: Who is organizing Willy Vlautin in conversation with Peter McDade – The Left and the Lucky?
  - **A:** Willy Vlautin in conversation with Peter McDade – The Left and the Lucky is organized by A Cappella Books.
- **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me?
  - **A:** Willy Vlautin in conversation with Peter McDade – The Left and the Lucky is ideal for art lovers, collectors, creatives, and anyone inspired by visual arts, installations, and exhibitions. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Atlanta, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Willy Vlautin in conversation with Peter McDade – The Left and the Lucky sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast.

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