A subject worth getting worked up about

Manzanita Writers' Series presents author Mark Larson, who will read from his new book, “Working in the 21st Century: An Oral History of American Work in a Time of Social and Economic Transformation” at the Hoffman Center on Wednesday, May 29.

From nurses and teachers to wildland firefighters and funeral directors, the intimate, honest and illuminating collection of interviews reveal what it is like to work in America at this historic and volatile moment in time.

The pandemic, the ensuing “Great Resignation,” and the current reckonings with racial justice are among the forces that are now upending and reshaping our longstanding relationships with work. Larson’s interviews display how these forces collide in the lives of average Americans as they tell their own stories with passion, heartbreak and, ultimately, hope.

Locals Deborah Reed, previous owner of Cloud & Leaf Book Store, and Kathryn Harmon, Neah-Kah-Nie School librarian, are featured in the book.

Larson is also the author of “Ensemble: An Oral History of Chicago Theater” and “Making Conversation: Collaborating with Colleagues for Change,” among other works. A Golden Apple Award–winning educator, he holds a doctorate in educational leadership. He lives in Chicago with his wife.

The talk begins at 4 pm at the Hoffman Center, located at 594 Laneda Avenue in Manzanita. Admission is $7. For more information go to hoffmanarts.org or call 503-368-3846.