# Event Details - **Event Name**: Isaac Butler presents The Perfect Moment in conversation w/ Charles Baxter - **Event Start and End Date**: Thu, 09 Jul, 2026 at 07:00 pm – Thu, 09 Jul, 2026 at 08:00 pm - **Event Description**: Isaac Butler presents The Perfect Moment in conversation with Charles BaxterAbout this EventIt's 1988, the final year of the Reagan presidency, and the curtain is closing on the Cold War. In the absence of external adversaries, the American public is on the precipice of war with itself. The religious right, newly ascendant and emboldened, is determined to seize control of America's future. And the first battles will be fought over, of all things, contemporary art.In The Perfect Moment, cultural historian Isaac Butler reexamines this pivotal, misunderstood American era. Archconservatives like Jesse Helms, Pat Buchanan, and Pat Robertson fixed their sights on artists including Andres Serrano, Robert Mapplethorpe, David Wojnarowicz, and Karen Finley, capitalizing on the provocative politics of their work to stir a nascent evangelical coalition into moral panic. It was at this moment, Butler argues, that the far right perfected the tactics it still uses today to whip its base into frenzy-from banning books and sanitizing American history, to spreading medical misinformation. All too relevant today, The Perfect Moment is an incisive and meticulously researched account of this crucial period and a stirring ode to the power of the creative spirit.Isaac Butler is author of the NBCC Award winner The Method and the coauthor of The World Only Spins Forward. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, New York magazine, Slate, American Theatre, the New Yorker, the Atlantic, The Washington Post and more. He created the podcast Lend Me Your Ears, co-hosted the podcast Working, and co-created the multimedia production Real Enemies. Butler teaches theater history and performance at NYU. He lives in Brooklyn.Charles Baxter is the author of sixteen books of fiction and nonfiction. His most recent novel, Blood Test: a Comedy, was published in 2025 by Pantheon, and his book on craft, Wonderlands: Essays on the Life of Literature, was published in 2023 by Graywolf. He has taught at Wayne State University, the University of Michigan, the University of Minnesota, and the Warren Wilson low-residency MFA program. His work has been widely anthologized and translated. He lives in Minneapolis.About Events at M&Q:These are guidelines only, and if you have questions about the most up to date information, you can always call us at 612-822-4611.Q: Do I need to register?A: Please do if at all possible! Use the registration button above. Registering ahead of time helps us with scheduling, book ordering, and other decisions that are made several weeks prior to the event. The more info we have ahead of time, the better.With a registered list, we can also easily and directly communicate event updates such as postponements or cancellations.If you are unable to sign up online, please call or visit the bookstore and register with a bookseller.Walk-ins are always welcome, but seating decisions are made based on registered attendance and seating priority is given to registered attendees first.Q: Are in store events free?A: Yes, Magers & Quinn events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.Q: Are masks required?A: Masks are not required to browse in the store or at most events. Some events may come with a request for masking for the health and safety of the author. If so it will be noted here whenever possible.Q: How should I get there?A: Please see our Directions & Parking page for the best tips on getting to Magers & Quinn.https://www.magersandquinn.com/directions - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/minneapolis/isaac-butler-presents-the-perfect-moment-in-conversation-w-charles-baxter/100001988873001687 - **Event Categories**: art, literary-art, health-wellness, fine-arts, theatre, comedy - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 - **Event Highlights**: - Duration: 1 hour - Location: Magers & Quinn Booksellers - Languages: English ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: USD ## Event venue details - **city**: Minneapolis - **state**: MN - **country**: United States - **location**: Magers & Quinn Booksellers - **lat**: 44.947125 - **long**: -93.298676 - **full address**: Magers & Quinn Booksellers, 3038 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, United States ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Isaac Butler presents The Perfect Moment in conversation w/ Charles Baxter - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events5/banners/5bf042dccc0a2485ef2387e348ef9ab3ef5f7cbb58b425a3dd1a290385f4c8e5-rimg-w1200-h628-dc65635c-gmir.jpg?v=1778132407 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Isaac Butler presents The Perfect Moment in conversation w/ Charles Baxter being held? - **A:** Isaac Butler presents The Perfect Moment in conversation w/ Charles Baxter takes place on Thu, 09 Jul, 2026 at 07:00 pm to Thu, 09 Jul, 2026 at 08:00 pm at Magers & Quinn Booksellers, 3038 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, United States. - **Q**: Who is organizing Isaac Butler presents The Perfect Moment in conversation w/ Charles Baxter? - **A:** Isaac Butler presents The Perfect Moment in conversation w/ Charles Baxter is organized by Magers & Quinn Booksellers. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Isaac Butler presents The Perfect Moment in conversation w/ Charles Baxter 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 Minneapolis, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. 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