Patricia Harrelson

On July 25, 2010, my friend Agatha Hoff launched her book Burning Horses: A Hungarian Life Turned Upside Down. The event took place at the Maritime Museum in San Francisco where huge windows onto Aquatic Park and Alcatraz served as the backdrop for this auspicious moment.

I choose the word “auspicious” deliberately, because for me a book launch is a most favorable occasion for a writer, the point at which she gets to stand before all manner of friends and say “I did it!” In her hands, she holds solid proof of her labor to get a big idea onto the page. She reads from those pages. She signs her name and words of greeting on many cover pages as people stand in line waiting for their turn to congratulate and get their book signed. The spirit in the room is celebratory and congratulatory and auspicious!

I stayed up late the night before wanting to finish reading the book before the event. I’m not going to review the book here. I’ll do that later on Amazon and Goodreads, but I will say that Burning Horses is a clear-eyed and poignant look at WW II Hungary, fresh in tone and style. During her reading at the launch, Aggie gave dimension and flair to a story that was already rich in the telling. That, of course, is the one of the perks of attending a book launch. When an author showcases her work for the first time, she will undoubtedly reveal layers of the work that may not be visible on the page. Aggie did this when she held up an artifact from the story that gave her audience a thrilling connection they might not otherwise have had.

That’s not to say this book is not thrilling in and of itself. To know this thrill, buy and read Burning Horses. But also, when you have the opportunity, go to book launches. The author will surely gift with you something special in return for your attendance.