Andrea Kleine

Calf: A Novel Andrea Kleine

Marc Notes: The year was 1981. The US was entering a deep recession, Russia was our enemy, and John Hinckley, Jr.'s assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan shocked the nation. It was also the year author Andrea Kleine learned her close childhood friend had been violently murdered by her socialite mother, Leslie DeVeau. Both events took place in Washington, DC. Hinckley and Deveau were both sent to St. Elizabeth's hospital, guilty by reason of insanity. It was there that they met, and later became lovers. These two real-life, and ultimately converging events inspired Klein's jaw-dropping, spine-tingling novel, CALF. Made up of dual narratives and told over the course of one year, Kleine's account follows a fictionalized John Hinkley in the lead-up to the assassination attempt, and Tammy, older sister to Steffi, the best friend of DeVeau's daughter, Kirin. Part Are You There God, It's Me Margaret and part Taxi Driver, this creepy, unsettling, and absolutely addictive novel shines a light on two terrible events, providing an unflinching depiction of violence, both intimate and sensational. --; Provided by publisher. Biographical Note: Andrea Kleine is a writer and performance artist whose work has spanned dance, theater, film, literature, and interdisciplinary projects. She has received five MacDowell Colony fellowships and the New York Foundation for the Arts fellowship award. Her writing has been published in "The Los Angeles Review of Books," "Everyday Genius," "NYFA Current," and on her blog, The Dancers Will Win. "Calf" is her first novel. Review Quotes: "If you came of age in the 1980 s, then this coming October it would be wise for you to pick up "Calf" by Andrea Kleine. After admiring the cool jacket art, you get to roll around in its dueling narrative.... How can you take a moment like the assassination of a President and fictionalize it to the point where it becomes its own fever dream? That is the magic here, and it is really impressive to read.""Three Guys One Book" "Dread stalks every page, and the result is unsettling, scary, and often brilliant. For readers looking for a sharp, twisted narrative, this is a keeper." "Publishers Weekly," starred review "In 1981, John Hinckley, Jr.'s attempt to assassinate Ronald Reagan rocked the nation. And Andrea Kleine's gripping novel, "Calf," will rock readers. This is a wonderfully unsettling book about love, loss, and unlikely connections." - Elliott Holt, author of "You Are One of Them""Review Quotes: "In 1981, John Hinckley, Jr.'s attempt to assassinate Ronald Reagan rocked the nation. And Andrea Kleine's gripping novel, "Calf," will rock readers. This is a wonderfully unsettling book about love, loss, and unlikely connections." - Elliott Holt, author of "You Are One of Them"Review Quotes: "Dread stalks every page, and the result is unsettling, scary, and often brilliant. For readers looking for a sharp, twisted narrative, this is a keeper." "Publishers Weekly," starred review "In 1981, John Hinckley, Jr.'s attempt to assassinate Ronald Reagan rocked the nation. And Andrea Kleine's gripping novel, "Calf," will rock readers. This is a wonderfully unsettling book about love, loss, and unlikely connections." - Elliott Holt, author of "You Are One of Them""Publisher Marketing: The year was 1981. The US was entering a deep recession, Russia was our enemy, and John Hinckley, Jr. s assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan shocked the nation. It was also the year author Andrea Kleine learned her close childhood friend had been violently murdered by her socialite mother, Leslie DeVeau. Both events took place in Washington, DC. Hinckley and Deveau were both sent to St. Elizabeth s hospital, guilty by reason of insanity. It was there that they met, and later became lovers. These two real-life, and ultimately converging events inspired Kleine s jaw-dropping, spine-tingling novel, "CALF." Made up of dual narratives and told over the course of one year, Kleine s account follows a fictionalized John Hinckley Jr. as he stalks a young actress in the lead-up to the assassination attempt, and eleven-year-old Tammy, whose friend is murdered in her sleep. Part "Are You There God, It s Me Margaret" and part "Taxi Driver," this creepy, unsettling, and absolutely addictive novel is at once a penetrating character study, a meditation on the zeitgeist of the '80s, and an unflinching depiction of violence, both intimate and sensational." Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 05/18/2015 (EAN 9781593766191, Hardcover) - *Starred Review Kirkus Reviews 08/01/2015 (EAN 9781593766191, Hardcover)