Family lore had it that author Bonnie Siegler’s grandfather Jules crossed paths with Marilyn Monroe in Midtown Manhattan late one night in 1954, her white dress flying up around her as she filmed a scene for The Seven Year Itch. Siegler wasn’t sure she quite believed her grandfather’s story…until, cleaning out his apartment, she found the film reel. That discovery would prompt her to investigate her grandfather’s seemingly-tall tales — and lead her in pursuit of a remarkable, poignant piece of forgotten history, bridging old Hollywood, the birth of the comic book, and the Holocaust. The American Way is a kaleidoscopic tale of hope and reinvention, of daring escapes and fake identities, of big dreams and the magic of movies, and what it means to be a real-life Superman.

Authors of The American Way, Bonnie Siegler and Helene Stapinski, will be joined in conversation by NY Times contributor Bob Morris. There will be a book signing after the event.

Helene Stapinski is the nationally bestselling author of three memoirs: Five- Finger Discount, Murder in Matera, and Baby Plays Around. She writes regularly for The New York Times and her work has appeared in The Washington Post, New York, Travel & Leisure, and dozens of other publications. She teaches at New York University and lives in Brooklyn.
Bonnie Siegler is the founder and creative director of award-winning, multi-disciplinary graphic design studio Eight and a Half. The author of Dear Client, a guide for people who work with creatives, and Signs of Resistance, a history of protest in America, she taught design in the graduate schools of Yale University and the School of Visual Arts for many years. She lives in Connecticut.
Bob Morris is a frequent New York Times contributor and the author of Assisted Loving, Bobby Wonderful and Crispin the Terrible. His plays have been produced off Broadway and regionally including at the Jewish Rep, MCC and Capital Rep. He is working on a book about singing.