Jodi Picoult, right, visited Huntington Friday night to sign copies of her latest novel. Photo by Robert Mecea
By Carolyn Fante
On Friday March 7th, despite the pouring rain, well over 200 people crowded into Huntington’s Book Revue to see best-selling author Jodi Picoult read from and sign her newest book, “Change of Heart.”
Even half an hour before the start of the reading, crowds packed in so tightly that it was nearly impossible to find a spot to see standing, and all the seats were long gone. Picoult began by reading a section very early on in the book, told by a prisoner named Lucius. The section introduced the character at the center of the story, Shay Bourne, and began to describe Shay and the mysterious things that begin to happen in the jail, successfully leaving all the people in attendance curious about what was going on.
After she finished the reading, Picoult took questions. She explained that her inspiration for the novel came from her views on religion, and how she believed that something that was supposed to unite people has ended up dividing them. Picoult also said that it is no mistake that “Change of Heart” is coming out in an election year. And she shared that she had based the four narrators (Michael, Maggie, Lucius, and June) who are telling the story of a man who begins performing miracles, on Mathew, Mark. Luke, and John.
One of Picoult’s most touching answers was when she described the research she did for “Change of Heart.” Picoult visited Arizona’s working death row. She read the rules they have for every part of the execution, and learned how the three executioners never know which of them ended the prisoner’s life. She said the Supreme Court is now considering whether the lethal injection used to execute is humane. Then she concluded by saying of all the people she met working on that death row, not one of them still believes in the death penalty.
Picoult also addressed Westhampton school district removing her book “The Tenth Circle” from an optional reading list. She said she felt that her books were good for parents and kids to read together in order to discuss the issues brought up in them. She said that unfortunately this was not the first time something like this had happened, but in every other school district the ban has been removed, and she hoped that eventually “The Tenth Circle” would return to the school’s list.
Finally, Picoult ended the discussion with the announcement that the studio making her best-selling book, “My Sister’s Keeper,” into a movie, has changed the ending. They believe readers won’t care. She held up a sign with e-mail addresses of the producerand the head of the studio (mark@granviaprad.com and toby.emmerich@newline.com) and asked all the fans of “My Sister’s Keeper” to write and explain why no other ending could be used for the movie, why it would change the whole story, and why if they made the change it would not be okay with the readers. Then, to end the evening, Jodi Picoult signed all the books, something that some people waited in line two hours for.