By Kelly White
The Evergreen Park Public Library last month proudly welcomed back New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Berg.
Berg, who visited the library in 2017, came back for an afterhours event on June 2 at the library, 9400 S. Troy Ave., to talk about her new book Earth’s The Right Place for Love. In this book, she revisits the protagonist of her 2017 novel The Story of Arthur Truluv.
“Elizabeth’s stories always have humor and warmth and they are a joy to read,” Julie Keaty, Special Events and Virtual Services Coordinator at the Evergreen Park Public Library, said. “She is one of my favorite authors.”
Berg was born in St. Paul, Minn., and describes herself as being a dramatic and dreamy child. She loved writing, even as a child and submitted her first poem to American Girl magazine when she was only nine years old.
“I had a great need to get out all the things I felt inside,” Berg said. “This began in childhood and has never left me yet.”
Before becoming a professional writer, Berg obtained a degree from the University of Minnesota in English. She then went on to earn a nursing degree from Saint Mary’s in Minneapolis.
Afterwards, Berg worked as a registered nurse for 10 years, a career, she said, that helped her to build character profiles.
She is the author of many bestselling novels, including The Story of Arthur Truluv, Night of Miracles, The Confession Club, Open House (an Oprah’s Book Club selection), Talk Before Sleep, and The Year of Pleasures, as well as the short story collection The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted. Her first novel, Durable Goods, published in 1993.
“What I like most about writing is the ability to go elsewhere, by which I mean to let my imagination lead. It’s a relief from everyday life, it’s exciting, and it’s rewarding,” Berg said.
Berg’s work has been published in 31 countries, and three of her novels have been turned into television movies. She is also the founder of Writing Matters, a quality reading series dedicated to serving author, audience, and community.
In her novel, Earth’s The Right Place for Love, that was published in March of 2023, Berg tells the story of Arthur Moses who is thrilled when his classmate, Nola McCollum, and he became friends, but Arthur wants far more than friendship. Unfortunately, Nola has a crush on the wrong Moses, Arthur’s older brother, Frank, who is busy pursuing his own love interest and avoiding the boys’ father, a war veteran with a drinking problem.
Aside from writing, she teaches one-day writing workshops and is a popular speaker at venues around the country. Berg said, for her, writing comes naturally.
Berg lives outside of Chicago with her dogs Gabigail Starletta Buttons and Austin ‘Ponyboy’ Bumper, and her cat, Lily La Clawster.
Wine and cheese were served during the event at the Evergreen Park Public Library, with all book sales handled through Bookies Bookstore.
“We were so excited to have back live and in person New York Times bestselling author, Elizabeth Berg and hearing more about her latest book,” Frank Murry, Director of the Evergreen Park Public Library, said.