The Auburn Conference

by Tom Piazza

It is 1883, and America is at a crossroads. At a tiny college in upstate New York, an idealistic young professor has managed to convince Mark Twain, Frederick Douglass, Herman Melville, Walt Whitman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Confederate memoirist Forrest Taylor, and romance novelist Lucy Comstock to participate in the first (and last) Auburn Writers' Conference for a public discussion about the future of the nation. By turns brilliantly comic and startlingly prescient, The Auburn Conference vibrates with questions as alive and urgent today as they were in 1883--the chronic American conundrums of race, class, and gender, and the fate of the democratic ideal.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Historical, Literary Fiction, Book Club, Adult Fiction

1 pages, Audio CD

Published May 23, 2023

Reviews

[Nadine in California · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is fine, I have no complaints and see no weaknesses, it just didn't hold my interest - maybe because I am not interested in American authors from late 19th century. Starting with the first sentence, ("I have come to the conclusion that the entire nation is insane.") it's clear that this writer's conference on the question "What is an America?" is a satire on the US today. Some of the ensuing conference events feel like precursors to today's more bizarre flare ups at school board and city council meetings. The Twain that Piazza channels certainly has some entertaining observations to share. I was close to DNF'ing this book, but it's so well done (and short) that it felt like a mean thing to do.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a history major in college a few eons ago, so Tom Piazza’s imagining of a conference that brings Mark Twain, Herman Melville, and other 19th-century leading lights together was right in my wheelhouse. Part of the 2024 Tournament of Books, 3.5 stars rounding up.

[Bryn Lerud · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely fascinating book. It’s the story of an unknown English professor who organizes a writers conference in 1883 with Herman Melville, Walt Whitman, Frederick Douglas, Mark Twain, and Harriet Beecher Stowe as the main participants. The theme is “What is an American?” For answers he gets chaos and arguments about the impact of the Civil War. It was very appropriate after the Ward book and the McBride book. It also takes place at the same time as the tv show “The Gilded Age “. I can’t recommend the show but the portrayal of robber barons and racism amongst the very wealthy of NYC was a good contrast for the literary world this book presented.

[Emily Bourque · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4 Stars

I don't really know how to rate this book. When I was reading it, I certainly struggled a bit, and there were moments that I just kind of skimmed. I had to remind myself that it was written in 2023 and not the 1880s because the language was authentic to the time period.

But looking back on it now that I'm finished, I'm realizing that this book set in the 1880s felt much more about current day America than it did at first glance. Coded within this story of Melville and Twain and Douglass and Whitman was a story of America and all of the faults we can find within it.

I thought the author did a really great job of talking about intersectionality, race, religion, gender, and politics without being too overt. Plus it was short, and I really wanted to keep reading to see how it would all end.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book came to my attention via the Tournament of Books and I’m very glad it did. The Auburn Conference very much tickled the intersection of my history and literature interests. I don’t always do well with imagined stories that are peopled with real characters, but in this case I think that Piazza not only presents faithful portrayals of his characters, but also imagines them in a situation that has interesting things to say about big ideas like what it means to be an American and the future of the nation. Although historically located, The Auburn Conference serves to illustrate how relevant these debates about identity and belonging still are, not just in America but in other young nations too. A very engaging, well-told story.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an audacious concept for a novel - an entirely fictional 1883 writers conference at a tiny college in upstate New York, organized by an earnest young professor and attended by several of the literary luminaries of the day: Mark Twain, Frederick Douglass, Herman Melville, Walt Whitman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Confederate memoirist Forrest Taylor, and romance novelist Lucy Comstock. Needless to say, hijinks ensue, along with interesting (if somewhat obvious) parallels to America's current political climate.

Four stars for now, but as I soak in this crazy little book, I may have to end up giving it all five.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

“What is an American?’ Someone in an ongoing war with himself.”
Mark Twain, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and a confederate general sit around a fire… Piazza’s imagining of a meet-up amongst America’s great writers is creative and comedic.

[Melissa Acquaviva · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent imagination of what would have occurred if a group of literary and societal giants of the time were brought together to discuss their abstract idealism in real time. In part’s hilarious and in others unutterably sad that things have changed so little, this is a tour de force. Pick this up if you are looking for an afternoon of thought provoking ideas and tenants that stay with you for days to come.

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! Hilarious, enthralling, and thought-provoking story of a fictional gathering of American writers in the late 1800s and all of the potential - both good & bad - for this adolescent country both then & now & likely for as long as she stands.

[Jonah Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating subject matter, completely relevant for today, by one of my all-time favorite authors

[Ehrrin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. It was ok, but just not my cup of tea. Dropped a star because the audiobook was so terrible.

[Elisa Speranza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, funny, uproarious, poignant

Congrats to Tom Piazza on this long-awaited novel—it was worth the wait. Great characters (of course) and a slightly wacky conference program make the reader think, laugh, and learn. It’s serious without being preachy, and witty without being silly. Piazza’s fanciful imaginings provide a timely reminder that there’s nothing new about America’s ongoing identity crisis. I have only two wishes: (1) that Louisa May Alcott had been invited, and (2) that I could have been in the audience.

[Rick Holter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sounds a little wonky -- an imaginary conference of literary superstars two decades after the Civil War??? -- but Piazza clearly has a great time writing in the voices of Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, Frederick Douglass and especially Harriet Beecher Stowe. It's a blissfully quick read (less than 200 pages!) that manages to provoke deep thoughts about the Civil War and Reconstruction, but also about what it means to be an American today.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The unique premise of this novel conjures up the 19th Century spirits of Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, Herman Melville, Harriet Stowe and Frederick Douglass. These folks are joined by fictional characters - a former Confederate General a feminist author of popular, sultry romance novels. All are attendees at a literary forum to discuss the meaning of America. There is much comedy and poignancy that follows.

[Melissa Goldin Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was well written, very creative, and, at times, absurd, some of my favorite qualities in a novel.

[Jen K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very clever story and concept but perhaps one that I appreciated more than enjoyed. A young professor of literature in the years after the Civil Ward is enamored with the "modern" American writers and put out when told to stick to the classics. Determined to do more, he convinces his college to host a writers' conference to discuss the question of what it means to be American. The panel includes some of his favorites but he also concedes a few others until the mixture is a somewhat combustible one with Frederick Douglass paired with a staunch Confederate with strong belief in the Lost Cause, Harriet Beecher Stowe with a writer of romance novels and a few writers who are unpredictable: Mark Twain, Walt Whitman and Herman Melville. All are going through some personal sagas and participate for various reasons.

There are some quite interesting pairings and discussions especially on race, the role of women and other important social issues that are still not fully resolved today. The organizer of the conference is not helped by a reporter egging everyone on for a good story. I enjoyed the discussions and humorous moments but less of a story and more of a discussion which I did appreciate.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would offer a clever way to talk about what divides America and what unites it. The cameos from famous writers, the young professor's genuine questions about his idols, and the entertaining setting would appeal to many different readers, and everyone could discuss these uniquely American questions without mentioning the Orange Menace.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! While each character is somewhat well known to most Americans who survived the public school system, personalities were heightened in this recounting of a weekend conference discussing "What is America?" I ended up chuckling at several occasions and making connections (I assume intended ones) to today's society. This was a quick and enjoyable read!

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

"In his eyes, I now realize, I had become one more well-meaning yet oblivious white man. I reflect on the deep irony that it was the pride of my race to believe that his race, supposedly childlike and credulous, needed guidance and care, when in fact, the members of his race regarded the white race, with its delusions and blindness, with a mirroring belief, only with more justification."

" 'Don't be a cynic.'
'I am a reporter. They are synonyms.' "

[Amy Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clever and often funny, quick read that can get a little preachy but makes a lot of good points about American society

[RoxAnne Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this audio version … the inflections the narrator used to differentiate among the various authors was a bonus .. imho. I thought a lot about out our annual UND Writer’s Conference (I try to attend at least the noon panels each day). Begun in 1970, this March will be the 55th Annual Conference and has, over the years, included such renowned writers as Truman Capote and Salmon Rushdie. I wondered as I listened, if our coordinators have ever had any of the issues dealing with the writers and even the audience at times that were related in the telling of The Auburn Conference.

[Scott L · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me chuckling quite a bit. The themes resonated with me and I especially liked Harriet Beecher Stowe.

[Simms · Rating 2 out of 5]

Almost gave this 3 stars, but things keep niggling at me. Piazza sets up a fictional "writer's conference" in the early 1880s, as an excuse to bring Harriet Beecher Stowe, Walt Whitman, Herman Melville, Mark Twain, and Frederick Douglass (and two fictional authors, Confederate general Forrest Taylor and romance novelist Lucy Comstock) together and have them give speeches on the state of the nation and other such high-flung ideals. But as such, it feels like Piazza playing with his Literary Titan Action Figures rather than a real narrative, and it felt like it lacked a lot of the rigor of proper historical fiction.

For one, the whole setup felt a little unbelievable - Piazza's protagonist is some 23-ish-year-old professor (I don't remember his name, because he isn't important) who is able to whip together a writer's conference of the biggest literary names of the era with virtually no trouble. Piazza has him name-drop all his literary icons, who are the 5 authors that end up attending -- really? Having him have just ONE person decline the invitation (one who matters: the author of the Uncle Remus stories is invited, but declines and defers his place to the fictional Forrest Taylor) would have gone a long way toward my suspension of disbelief. Including Melville, who was just about at his nadir of notability in the 1880s, in this is part of the problem. Maybe this literary-minded professor was one of the few people who recognized Melville's future prominence at the time, but he's treated as another well-known attendee along with the rest. Perhaps have several famous-at-the-time-but-not-today authors on the invitee list decline, and Melville be a back-bench option who they bring in just to beef up the roster, or something, but for this random organizer to bat 1.000 at the Important Literary Figures he invites is out there.

This brings me to the two fictional attendees, Forrest Taylor and Lucy Comstock. Piazza clearly includes them as representatives of a type, but it's not totally clear what message to take away. Taylor is really just there to allow Piazza to spark arguments between him and Douglass and/or Stowe. Where Piazza does do an admirable job sock-puppeting the real authors in their various speeches and debates, he clearly isn't interested in having to read some real Confederate memoirist if he included one, to give similar verisimilitude to his writing/speaking style. Which, sure, I can't blame him. But if that's the impression I get, it leads to uncomfortable places with Lucy Comstock. Piazza gives her several occasions to argue that "women's fiction" or "domestic fiction" or romance novels are just as valid and worthwhile as Serious Literature, which are all very nice sentiments, but they're HEAVILY undermined by him not bothering to go find a real author from the period to include. It gives off a vibe of wanting to pay lip service to the value of "women's fiction" but not finding it worthwhile to go research or read any of it to get that verisimilitude. Putting "romance novels" and "Lost Cause apologism" on an implicitly even level is a pretty unpleasant side effect of Piazza's choices.

Also, maybe it's the pedant in me but there were two glaring anachronisms that really took me out of it: mentioning people in white hoods terrorizing freedmen in the South, when the KKK didn't start wearing those until after Birth of a Nation, and a carnival in town mentioning a Ferris Wheel when the first Ferris Wheel was very famously not until the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893. Just lazy historical fiction writing that reinforced the "playing with his toys" impression I got.

[Rochelle Kaplan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book had a really interesting premise- bringing together of famous writers-Douglas, Whitman, Twain, Stowe, Melville- to discuss the important questions of the time- Who is an American, What is the future of America. Unfortunately the implementation was wanting. There were certainly good moments and one gets a hint of their personalities. I am glad that I read the book. It is a short book as it takes place over one weekend. The writing is crisp and clean.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is interesting and held my interest. I suspect it will attract a niche audience, but those that pick it up will likely connect with it. Nicely done.

I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Piazza collects famous authors and orators from the late 1800s and places them at a fictional conference in upstate New York to discuss the state of America after the Civil War. The novel is an homage to literary greats of that time: Twain, Douglass, Beecher Stowe, Melville and Whitman. He adds in a confederate general and a female romance writer to stir the pot a bit.

A bit fawning and politically correct to the point of incredulity, The Auburn Conference can be forced but it allows you to learn the style and substance of these writers under one roof (or book) as it were. There are some preachy moments but also funny ones.

The best part of the audiobook was the narration by the voice actor Mirron Willis; he really brought each character to life.

My favorite question and answer posed to the characters in the book: “What is an American?” The answer from Douglass: “An American is one who insists upon defining himself, who does not accept a definition imposed by others. Maybe, ultimately, one would say it is one who defines himself as an American.”

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful tale of a weekend writer’s conference in 1883. Who would you invite? Whitman, Melville, Twain, Frederick Douglass and Harriet Beecher Stowe - among others - come together and debate the future of America. A quick and lively read that I think will stay with me for awhile. Extra points for being set in Central NY.

[Roben]

Let's just say, for me, it doesn't get any better. Historical fiction gleaming within the present with characters as brilliant as you imagined them to be. A slim novel, a perfect afternoon's time well spent. I will never forget how it opened me up to other realities.

[Suzanne Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great, creative read. Authors at the end of the 19th century meet to debate writing, philosophy, and patriotism. Who wouldn't want to see Twain, Melville, Whitman and Stowe share a stage?

[Linda Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply marvelous!

Brilliant plot and characters. I enjoyed The Auburn Conference so much that I immediately gifted a copy to an avid reader.

I cannot wait to read more of Piazza's body of works.