Thomas Schlesser celebrates MONA'S EYES on October 30th at 6pm

Join and Barnes & Noble Philadelphia on Thursday, October 30th at 6pm at Barnes & Noble Philadelphia (1708 Chestnut Street) for a discussion of, a vivid exploration of art through a young girl’s museum adventures with her beloved grandfather. This is a heartfelt tale that stirs the soul and feeds the imagination.

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To make this event safe and enjoyable for all attendees, please read the guidelines below before purchasing a ticket so that you know what to expect on the day of the event.

TICKET INFORMATION

Seated Admission w/ Book: $32.40 (Admission + one copy ) **LIMITED QUANTITY AVAILABLE**: A ticket PER PERSON includes:

• One copy of . (published 08/26/2025)

• Admission and seat in the event space and signing line with .
• For Seated Tickets: A limited quantity is available and will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Purchase of a ticket guarantees entrance to the event for the discussion and signing. However, this ticket may not necessarily guarantee a seat at the event, as arrivals after the start of the event may be placed in standing room behind the seated audience.

General Admission - FREE **LIMITED QUANTITY AVAILABLE**: A ticket PER PERSON includes:

• Admission to the event space and signing line with .
• For General Admission Tickets: A limited quantity is available and will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Registering for a ticket guarantees entrance to the event for the discussion and signing. Ticket holders will be granted a standing view from behind the seated audience -- some views may be more limited/obstructed than others.

ADDITONAL GUIDELINES:

• Any gifts for the author will be collected prior to the signing line.

• Other books by the author will be available for purchase at Barnes & Noble - Philadelphia.

• Please arrive on time according to your ticket in order to secure your seat in the event space. Late arrivals may only have access to standing room and may not have the opportunity to enter the event space.

• The exact time at which the event ends will be determined on the day. To avoid disappointment, we strongly advise you to arrive on time for the event. Late arrivals may not have the opportunity to meet the author.

• All event guidelines are subject to change.

• If you have any additional questions, please can call the store directly at: (267) 234-9790.

• Barnes & Noble may cancel this event at any time with or without notice to the ticket holders.

Please note that Eventbrite is the only authorized dealer for this event. Each person must have a ticket to enter.

REFUNDS

Attendees can receive refunds up to 1 day (24 hours) before your event start TIME OF 6 pm.

If you are unable to attend the event, Barnes & Noble - Philadelphia, PA will hold your books for seven days after the event. Please contact the store to arrange your pickup.

Event guidelines are subject to change.

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Thomas Schlesser is the director of the Hartung-Bergman Foundation in Antibes, France. He teaches Art History at the École Polytechnique in Paris. He is the grandson of André Schlesser, known as Dadé, a singer and cabaret performer who founded the Cabaret L’Écluse. Mona’s Eyes is Schlesser’s American debut. It has been translated into thirty-eight languages, including Braille. Schlesser was named 2025’s Author of the Year by Livres Hebdo.

Ten-year-old Mona and her beloved grandfather have only fifty-two Wednesdays to visit fifty-two works of art and commit to memory "all that is beautiful in the world" before Mona loses her sight forever.

While the doctors can find no explanation for Mona's brief episode of blindness, they agree that the threat of permanent vision loss cannot be ruled out. The girl's grandfather, Henry, may not be able to stop his granddaughter from losing her sight, but he can fill the encroaching darkness with beauty.

Every Wednesday for a year, the pair abscond together and visit a single masterpiece in one of Paris's renowned museums. From Botticelli to Basquiat, Mona learns how each artist's work shaped the world around them. In turn, the young girl's world is changed forever by the power of their art. Under the kind and careful tutelage of her grandfather, Mona learns the true meaning of generosity, melancholy, love, loss, and revolution. Her perspective will never be the same — nor will the reader's.

Mona's Eyes is a heartfelt, enlightening journey across five centuries of Western art history. With the emotional impact of The Elegance of the Hedgehog and the readability of The Little Paris Bookshop, Thomas Schlesser's sensational debut novel is at once a moving book about the beauty of life and a deeply touching story about the special bond between a girl and her grandfather.

Discover all 52 masterpieces inside the fold-out dustjacket.

Also check out other Arts events in Philadelphia, Literary Art events in Philadelphia, Performances in Philadelphia.