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Event Details

Join us on Tuesday July 24th, from 5:30pm-7:00pm to meet and celebrate Richard VanDeWeghe, author of "Jimmy Quinn: Book One of the Traverse City State Hospital Series."

The Botanic Garden Visitor Center is a fitting venue for Richard (Rick) VanDeWeghe to launch the first book in his historical fiction-genre "Traverse City State Hospital Series" — read the description below and we think you'll agree!

"In the 1950s, in a small town in northern Michigan, a state mental hospital well recognized for its patient care is increasingly threatened by a mysterious collusion of local greed and state politics. An unforgettable story of fraternal love and human compassion, Jimmy Quinn weaves together two narrative arcs. One is the hospital’s tragic loss of its 'work is therapy' approach to patient care. The other is the development of Henry’s moral courage, as he chronicles it with the voice of a skilled reporter."

The evening will include:

• Intro by Karen Schmidt

• Presentation of original photos, discussion, and a question/ answer session about the book

• Meet the author, book signing, and refreshments among great company!

This is a free event and space is limited! Reserve your free ticket here on MyNorth and we'll hope to see you on July 24th.

About the author:

Richard VanDeWeghe taught writing, rhetoric, and literature at three universities. He was Chair of the English Department at the University of Colorado, Denver. He founded the Denver Writing Project and was Field Director for the National Writing Project. He has published numerous articles in academic journals in literacy education and a book, Engaged Learning, which applies eastern philosophy, neurological science, and empirical research to learning and teaching across the curriculum.

Jimmy Quinn is the first of three historical novels set in the Traverse City State Hospital. The trilogy covers the three critical periods in the decline of the asylum—the 1950's, 1960's, and the 1980's. The asylum was closed in 1989. Each novel situates an imaginative narrative within the historical events of the times.

Richard makes his home in northern Michigan, on the original Traverse City State Hospital grounds, now called the Village Commons—the largest urban residential-commercial redevelopment project in the country. His home is in a renovated building that was once the men's infirmary at the asylum. On a warm summer evening, one can find him playing his ukulele on a side porch, his dog Lucy asleep beside him.

Venue Information

The Botanic Garden
1490 Red Drive
Traverse City, MI 49684
+1 (231) 935-4077

Organizer Information

The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park


1490 Red Dr
Traverse City, MI 49684
+1 (231) 935-4077

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