Join New York Times bestselling author Michael Perry (Visiting Tom and Population 485), with guest musician Phil Cook, for a reading and book signing of Perry’s novel, The Jesus Cow, an affectionately skewed and big-hearted depiction of one miraculous bovine and the chaos it unleashes.
“A wildly comic and deeply felt examination of faith, combining politics, scandal, farming, love, environmentalism and rural philosophy,” says Julie Schumacher, author of Dear Committee Member.
Life is suddenly full of drama for low-key Harley Jackson: A woman in a big red pickup has stolen his bachelor’s heart, a predatory developer threatens to pave the last vestiges of his family farm, and inside his barn is a calf bearing the image of Jesus Christ. His best friend, Billy, urges him to avoid the woman, fight the developer, and get rich off the calf. But Harley takes the opposite tack, hoping to avoid a scene. But the secret gets out and Harley’s “miracle” goes viral. Within hours pilgrims, grifters, and the media descend on his quiet patch of Swivel, Wisconsin, looking for a glimpse (and a percentage) of the calf. Does Harley hide the famous, possibly holy calf and risk a riot, or give the people what they want— and raise enough money to keep his land—and, possibly, win the woman and her big red pickup truck?
Michael Perry is a humorist, radio host, songwriter, and the New York Times bestselling author of several notable nonfiction books, including Visiting Tom, Coop, and Truck. He lives in northern Wisconsin with his family and can be found online at www.sneezingcow.com.
Phil Cook is an American banjoist, pianist and singer. He is a member of the freak-folk band Megafaun. Before he became a member of Megafaun, Cook was part of DeYarmond Edison, a band led by Bon Iver's Justin Vernon. He also plays in the band Gayngs. Beyond his musical career, Cook works at the Center for Inquiry Based Learning at Duke University. Cook was educated at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
