The Lions of Fifth Avenue: Fiona Davis with Zibby Owens

Unearth the mysteries of the Library without ever leaving your home. Bestselling author Fiona Davis’s latest historical novel journeys deep into the dark corners of NYPL’s iconic flagship location.

A series of thefts, separated by eighty years, upends The New York Public Library—and the lives of two women from the one family that’s connected to them both. In Fiona Davis’s latest novel set within an iconic New York location, journey from 1913 and the legendary superintendent apartment inside the Library to 1993 and the rarefied reading rooms housing some of NYPL’s most treasured archives and collections. Two women’s lives revolve around the Library, one the wife of the superintendent and an emerging bohemian and feminist, the other a curator working for the institution who struggles with the legacy of her grandmother, a famous essayist. Two inexplicable thefts, one of rare books, the other of priceless manuscripts and notes, threaten to upend the safety and security they both draw from the Library, and to expose truths about their family that no one may be prepared to confront.

Fiona Davis discusses her riveting new novel with Zibby Owens, the creator and host of the award-winning podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Fiona Davis is the nationally bestselling author of historical novels set in iconic New York City buildings, including The Chelsea Girls and The Address. She began her career in New York City as an actress, working on Broadway, off-Broadway, and in regional theater. After getting a master's degree at Columbia Journalism School, she fell in love with writing, leapfrogging from editor to freelance journalist before finally settling down to write fiction. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and she’s based in New York City. Her new novel, The Lions of Fifth Avenue, will be published by Dutton on August 4, 2020.

Zibby Owens is an author, media personality, and New York City-based mother-of-four. Her flagship podcast, Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books, features interviews and conversations with the world's most exciting authors, including bestsellers like Jennifer Weiner, Taffy Brodesser-Akner, and celebs like Alicia Keys and Lena Dunham. Founded in 2018, the brand has expanded to include multi-platform live events, brand partnerships, a daily Instagram Live show, a virtual book club, and a newly-launched editorial site called We Found Time. Zibby's articles on books and parenting have been published in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Parents, Real Simple, SELF, and many other outlets, and she frequently appears on television shows like Good Morning America and Good Day L. A. Her children’s book series about a character named Princess Charming is forthcoming from Penguin Random House.

GET THE BOOK
Readers everywhere who wish to purchase signed copies of The Lions of Fifth Avenue can do so at The New York Public Library Shop. All proceeds benefit The New York Public Library. Plus, receive a free commemorative 125th anniversary tote bag with your purchase!

This program will be streamed on Zoom and simulcast to YouTube. You must register with your email address in order to receive the link to participate. Please check your email shortly before the discussion to receive the link. Captions for this event will be provided.

Please send all press inquiries (photo, video, interviews, audio-recording, etc.) at least 24-hours before the day of the program to Sara Beth Joren at sarabethjoren@nypl.org.

For all other questions and inquiries, please contact publicprograms@nypl.org.

PUBLIC NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER
This Program uses a third-party website link. By clicking on the third-party website link, you will leave NYPL’s website and enter a website not operated by NYPL. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of every third-party website or service that you visit or use, including those third parties with whom you interact with through our Library services. For more information about these third-party links, please see the section of NYPL's Privacy Policy describing "Third-Party Library Services Providers" at https://www.nypl.org/help/about-nypl/legal-notices/privacy-policy.

During this Program, you will be using third-party platforms such as Zoom and YouTube, for the purpose of communication. This service may collect some personally identifying information about you, such as name, username, email address, & password. This service will treat the information it collects about you pursuant to its own privacy policy, which can be found here: Google Privacy Policy, Zoom Privacy Policy, YouTube Privacy Policy.

Fiona Davis © Deborah Feingold