What Makes a Man Start Fires?

At a time when we're all asking ourselves what makes a terrorist be a terrorist--especially lately, with reports that the first set of London bombers may not have known they were on a suicide mission--comes along a novel that reimagines the 1974 Patty Hearst hoohah to address such issues.

Trance, by Christopher Sorrentino, is based on the kidnapping of media heiress Patty Hearst by the "Symbionese Liberation Army." Hearst--having changed her name to Tania while in captivity--then joined her captors in robbing a bank and went to jail. Some suggested that her time in captivity was an example of Stockholm Syndrome (falling for your captor, basically, and also the title of one of our all-time favorite Yo La Tengo songs). Nowadays she lives a quiet life--except for appearing in all those John Waters films.

The book is getting good reviews and the author will be reading tomorrow night at Elliott Bay.

Chris Sorrentino reads fromTrance
Friday, July 29, 7 pm
Elliott Bay Bookstore