Venue

: The Wyncote NW Forum
: 1119 8th Ave (Entrance off Seneca St.)
Seattle, 98101 United States + Google Map

Event Format: In-Person

EVENT NOTES
Doors for this event will open at 6:30 PM. Town Hall events are approximately 75 minutes long.

Arts & Culture

“It’s a difficult thing, to separate legend from story from memory from fact.”

Folklore and legend are critical components to any culture, passing tidbits of local history and lessons learned through generations. The idea of the folk hero in particular plays an important role in creating this legacy, rooted in the idea of benevolence and a direct connection to the people themselves. As a child, author Isaac Fitzgerald was always captivated by the tales of Johnny Appleseed, drawn in by family ties to the legend. Spurred on by his father’s larger-than-life stories and a shared restlessness to leave home and discover what lies beyond, Fitzgerald found himself compelled to go on a new adventure.

In American Rambler: Walking the Trail of Johnny Appleseed, Fitzgerald sets out on a particularly ambitious hike: walk from Massachusetts to Indiana, following Appleseed’s path and turning a childhood fascination into a year-long personal journey. American Rambler recounts both the tangible and emotional trails Fitzgerald uncovered along the way, littered with explorations of loss and grief, ritual and faith. Fitzgerald invites readers to meander beside him– stopping everywhere from grimy gas-station bathrooms to scenic apple picking destinations– with reflection, humor, and humility. Blending memoir, history, and travelogue through the American heartland, American Rambler presents a welcome step away from the breakneck pace of modern life and a return to the roots of connection.

Isaac Fitzgerald is the New York Times bestselling author of Dirtbag, Massachusetts. He is also the author of the bestselling children’s book How to Be a Pirate as well as the co-author of Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them and Knives & Ink: Chefs and the Stories Behind Their Tattoos (winner of an IACP Award). He appears frequently on The Today Show, and his writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Esquire, GQ, The Guardian, The Best American Nonrequired Reading, and numerous other publications. He lives with his wife on the North Fork of Long Island.