Barnes & Noble announces Good Night, Irene as their June National Book Club pick and welcomes readers to join author Luis Alberto Urrea at a free live virtual event at 3PM ET on Tuesday, July 11th. The author will answer questions from the audience and join in conversation with Shannon DeVito, Senior Director of Books at Barnes & Noble, and Miwa Messer, Executive Producer of Poured Over, the B&N Podcast. Attendees must register via Eventbrite to access the livestream on Zoom.
“Good Night, Irene is a love letter to an oft-overlooked group of women in military history: the Donut Dollies,” said Shannon DeVito, Senior Director of Books, Barnes & Noble. “This is Luis Alberto Urrea’s most personal novel yet, as it is directly inspired by his own mother’s experiences and journals from the war. The experiences of titular character Irene, who becomes a witness to the ravages of World War II while working as a volunteer, provide the unique focus on the Dollies. Fewer than 250 such women accompanied allied soldiers after D-Day, and Urrea uses this inspiring group to create character arcs that moved me to tears. I know this novel will leave a lasting impression on our book club readers.”
The novel follows Irene Woodward as she moves from the battlefield of a tumultuous marriage to the ravaged front lines of World War II. After leaving her abusive spouse and enlisting in the Red Cross, Irene forms a close friendship with her training comrade, Dorothy, and eventually finds herself falling for an American fighter pilot known as Hans. Just as she rediscovers her sense of hope and belonging during the most perilous of times, the realities of the war threaten to take those closest to her. Inspired by his mother’s own experiences with the Red Cross, Luis Alberto Urrea beautifully brings a new point of view to a well-examined chapter of history.
The Barnes & Noble Book Club selects a newly published work of fiction each month, chosen by their booksellers to provoke, engage and enthrall book lovers. The Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition of Good Night, Irene features a letter from the author and a reading group guide for book clubs. Leading up to the event, readers can share their thoughts and engage in conversation on social media using the hashtag #BNBookClub. During the livestream readers are encouraged to participate in the discussion and submit questions to be answered throughout.
“I am honored — and delighted! — for Good Night, Irene to be the June Barnes & Noble Book Club pick,” said author Luis Alberto Urrea. “I can’t thank you enough for the spotlight on my book, but also for the spotlight on these incredible women whose heroism has largely been unknown. To see my mother’s story honored in this way means everything to me. Thank you for supporting my work and for helping this novel find its readers.”
