Experience two talented American authors whose work conjures fascinating figures from the past. Jami Attenberg is the author of The New York Times bestseller The Middlesteins. Her new book Saint Mazie brings to life the big-hearted Queen of The Bowery who held court from the ticket booth of The Venice movie theatre. Weaving together fictionalised diaries, writings and interviews, Attenberg has constructed a portrait of a remarkable woman and a moving vision of old New York. The flamboyant expat lives of Gerald and Sara Murphy inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night, and Liza Klaussmann returns us to their house on the French Riviera in her fantastic second novel Villa America. Described as ‘a delicious pleasure’ by The Sunday Telegraph, it’s a beautifully written tale of their enthralling marriage, their coastal oasis and the true cost of living lives that burn bright. Hosted by MLF’s Kate Feld. Tickets available from the Manchester Literature Festival website or 0843 208 0500.