’Why Peacocks?’ author Sean Flynn to talk June 16
Journalist Sean Flynn will discuss his heartwarming and hilarious new book “Why Peacocks?” at 5 p.m., Wednesday, June 16, in an online conversation hosted by the Lewes Public Library and Browseabout Books.
When Flynn’s neighbor in North Carolina texted, “Any chance you guys want a peacock? No kidding!” he stared in bewilderment at his phone. He had never considered whether he wanted a peacock. But as an award-winning magazine writer, he was intrigued by this kind of mystery. So he, his wife and their two young sons became the owners of not one but three charming yet fickle birds: Carl, Ethel and Mr. Pickle.
“Why Peacocks?” chronicles Flynn’s first year as a peacock owner and his quest to understand the mysterious allure of peacocks. Fueled by a reporter’s curiosity, he travels across the globe to learn more about the birds firsthand, with stops including a Scottish castle where peacocks have resided for centuries, a southern California community tormented by a serial killer of peacocks, and a Kansas City airport hotel hosting an annual gathering of true peafowl aficionados. Both comically absurd and deeply poignant, Flynn’s book offers surprising lessons about love, grief, fatherhood and family.
Flynn will be joined in conversation by Jonathan C. Slaght, Wildlife Conservation Society coordinator and author of the critically acclaimed book “Owls of the Eastern Ice,” which he presented at the library In August 2020.
Flynn is a National Magazine Award–winning journalist and author who has reported from six continents during the past 30 years. A longtime correspondent for GQ, his work has been widely anthologized and translated into nearly a dozen languages. He lives in North Carolina with his wife and two boys.
The Zoom-based discussion is free to the public. Registration is required. To sign up, go to lewes.lib.de.us and visit the Virtual Programs for Adults page.
Participants also are encouraged to support the author by purchasing a copy of the book from local independent bookstore Browseabout Books. Each copy purchased comes with an archival bookplate signed by the author. Orders may be placed online at browseaboutbooks.com, by calling the store at 302-226-2665, or in person at 133 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach.
