Author Talk: Adriana Trigiani on 'The View From Lake Como'

The Westport Library invites you to immerse yourself in the perfect summer read as best-selling author Adriana Trigiani presents her newest release, . Trigiani will be in conversation with fellow author Christina Geist.

Signed books are included with the price of admission.

About The View From Lake Como

From beloved best seller Adriana Trigiani comes a novel about one woman’s quest to build her own life before it’s too late.

Jess Capodimonte Baratta is not living the life of her dreams. Not even close.

In blue-collar Lake Como, New Jersey, family comes first. Recently divorced from Bobby Bilancia, “the perfect husband,” Jess moves into her parents’ basement to hide and heal. Jess is the overlooked daughter, who dutifully takes care of her parents, cooks Sunday dinner, and puts herself last. Despite her role as the family handmaiden, Jess is also a talented draftswoman in the marble business run by her dapper uncle Louie, who believes she can do anything (once she invests in a better wardrobe.)

When the Capodimonte and Baratta families endure an unexpected loss, the shock unearths long-buried secrets that will force Jess to question her loyalty to those she trusted. Fueled by her lost dreams, Jess takes fate into her own hands and escapes to her ancestral home in Carrara, Italy.

From the shadows of the majestic marble-capped mountains of Tuscany, to the glittering streets of Milan, and on the shores of enchanting Lake Como (the other one), Jess begins to carve a place in this new/old world. When she meets Angelo Strazza, a passionate artist who works in gold, she discovers her own skills are priceless. But as Jess uncovers the truth about her family history, it will change the course of her life and those she loves the most forever. In love and work, in art and soul, Jess will need every tool she has mastered to reinvent her life.

Fed by the author’s cherished Italian roots comes a bighearted, hilarious novel of the moment: the story of one woman’s determination to live a creative life that matters, with enough room left over for love. With a one-way ticket to Italy, Jess is determined to write a new story on her own terms — this time, in stone.

About Adriana Trigiani

Adriana Trigiani is the New York Times best-selling author of 21 books of fiction and nonfiction, including The Good Left Undone, The Shoemaker's Wife, and Lucia, Lucia. Her work has been published in 38 languages around the world. An award-winning playwright, television writer/producer, and filmmaker, Trigiani wrote and directed the major motion picture of her debut novel, Big Stone Gap, adapted her novel, Very Valentine, for television, and directed the award-winning documentary, Queens of the Big Time, among others.

Trigiani grew up in the mountains of southwest Virginia, where she co-founded The Origin Project, a year-round, in-school writing program that has served over 25,000 students since its inception in 2014. In 2023, Adriana Trigiani was named Cavaliere dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia by President Sergio Mattarella of Italy. In 2024, The Library of Virginia awarded her the Patron of Letters degree, their highest honor.

She has made regular appearances on NBC’s Today show and Good Day New York with Rosanna Scotto, and has been profiled by publications around the world, including The New York Times, Virginia Living, Publisher’s Weekly, and Writer’s Digest. Trigiani is also honored to serve on the New York State Council on the Arts. She lives in Greenwich Village with her family.

About Christina Geist

Christina Geist is a writer, entrepreneur, and brand strategist who lives by a simple rule: Use Your Words. She is the author of the Growing with Buddy series of picture books from Random House Children's, including the beloved New York Times bestseller Sorry Grown-Ups, You Can't Go to School!. Her spirited storytelling connects with kids, families, and teachers as they navigate daily routines like bedtime, adjusting to school, and making new friends. Christina is also the co-founder of True Geist, a branding and design firm serving corporate and consumer brands around the world, and the founder and former CEO of Boombox Gifts. Geist lives in New York with her husband, Willie Geist, host of NBC's Sunday TODAY and MSNBC's Morning Joe, and their two children. For more info, visit christinageist.com.

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