The author explores ambition, queerness, and the making of a capitalist empire in a transforming New York.

Olivia Wolfgang-Smith’s Mutual Interest tells the story of an unlikely soap empire built in the shadow of the Gilded Age, centered on two queer friends who enter a lavender marriage—a strategic union between a man and a woman, in which one or both partners are queer and seek to maintain a public façade. Vivian Lesperance, a young woman determined to escape her upstate hometown and craft a life worthy of the society pages she writes for, finds an unexpected ally in Oscar Schmidt, a queer middle manager at a Brooklyn soap company. Together, they form a discreet partnership driven by shared ambition, hidden truths, and a mutual desire to defy convention.

Drawing on rich historical archives from across the city—including materials from the Library’s collections—Wolfgang-Smith delves into the art and science of soap production and the invisible systems—emotional and industrial—that shape our lives, reimagining a city and an era on the cusp of modernity.

To join | Please register for an In-Person Ticket. Doors will open around 1:30 PM. For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Olivia Wolfgang-Smith is the author of Mutual Interest and Glassworks, which was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. She is a 2024 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellow in Fiction from The New York Foundation for the Arts and lives in Brooklyn with her partner.

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ACCESSIBILITY

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Olivia Wolfgang-Smith © Bianca Alexis