Monday, author and Minnesota native Nora McInerny Purmort will discuss the bestselling book "It's Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too): a Memoir about Loving Madly and Letting Go."
Purmort met and fell in love with Aaron, and when he was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer, they refused to let it limit their love. They got engaged on Aaron's hospital bed and had a baby boy while he was on chemo. In the period that followed, Nora and Aaron packed 50 years of marriage into the three they got, spending their time on what really matters: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," each other, and Beyoncé. A few months later, Aaron died in Nora's arms. The obituary they wrote during Aaron's hospice care revealing his true identity as Spider-Man touched the nation. With "It's Okay to Laugh," Purmort puts a young, fresh twist on the subjects of mortality and resilience.
The Friends of the Brainerd Public Library are once again bringing acclaimed authors to the
Brainerd Public Library to speak about their latest work and the craft of writing. Hosted at noon
Mondays in June and July, these events give local book lovers a chance to connect with some of the best-loved and award-winning authors from around the Midwest.
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All presentations begin at noon at the Brainerd Public Library, and attendees are welcome to
bring a packed lunch or just enjoy the light refreshments provided. These presentations are
sponsored by the Friends of the Brainerd Public Library through their volunteer and fundraising efforts, and are free of charge to the public. No registration is needed.
Purmort founded the nonprofit Still Kickin, with a mission "to help awesome people get through awful things."
Each month the organization provided a single individual suffering a hardship with financial support. Individuals included a rape survivor and activist working to change the stigma associated with sexual assault, and a 4-year-old with an incurable and inoperable brain tumor and a former athletics coach with advanced ALS. Go to www.stillkickin.co/about to learn more.
A New York Magazine review of Purmort's memoir stated, the book offered a "fresh, young twist on mortality and resilience and a moving postscript to her husband's Minneapolis Star Tribune's obituary."
The obituary captured the nation's attention in 2014. The obituary read in part that Aaron Purport died peacefully at home after a battle with a nefarious criminal named Cancer.
"His family knew him only as a mild-mannered Art Director, a designer of websites and T-shirts, and concert posters who always had the right cardigan and the right (wildly inappropriate) thing to say. Aaron was known for his long, entertaining stories, which he loved to repeat often. Aaron was a comic book aficionado, a pop-culture encyclopedia and always the most fun person at any party."
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Coming up: Amy Thielen on July 17, Mark Neuzil on July 24, Diane Jarvenpa on July 31.
For more information on any of the events, contact the library at 218-829-5574 or visit the
library's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/brainerdpubliclibrary .
