Michael N. McGregor presents 'The Last Grand Tour'

Third Place Book is pleased to welcome back Michael N. McGregor to our Ravenna store! McGregor will be discussing his debut novel, , taking us on a perilous journey through Hitler's Berchtesgaden, Mozart's Salzburg, and Mad King Ludwig's Bavarian fantasyland before reaching its stunning climax in the murky waters of Venice, exploring the often-shifting lines between fidelity and freedom, illusion and reality, regret and desire. This event is free and open to the public.

For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book!

Click here for more about our COVID-19 policies for in-person events.

Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here.

This event is free to attend. Registration is required in advance.

American tour guide Joe Newhouse wants nothing more than to reach Venice. Since moving to Munich after the fall of the Berlin Wall, he’s watched his business fail, his wife leave him, and his love for Europe diminish. Now he faces one last ten-day tour with a surly group that doesn’t want to be there. As he leads them through the mythic lands of Europe’s Romantic past, he finds himself disturbed by their stories of earlier lives, puzzled by their desire to be with a man who doesn’t arrive, and entangled in an illicit affair that promises to either save him or plunge his tour—and his life—into madness.

Soaked in the Romantic atmosphere and dark deeds of old Europe—as well as the freedoms and hopes of a new era—The Last Grand Tour takes us on a perilous journey through Hitler’s Berchtesgaden, Mozart’s Salzburg, and Mad King Ludwig’s Bavarian fantasyland before reaching its stunning climax in the murky waters of Venice. Along the way, it explores the often-shifting lines between fidelity and freedom, illusion and reality, regret and desire.

Michael N. McGregor spent over a decade guiding Americans through Europe, both with Rick Steves and with his own company, Halcyon Tours. One of the many people he met in his travels was the poet Robert Lax, who became the subject of his first book, Pure Act. Pure Act was a finalist for a Washington State Book Award and named one of the top 10 books in American Studies for libraries by the Association of University Presses. A former professor of creative writing, McGregor lives in Seattle, where he hosts the Cascadia Writers-in-Conversation series and runs the website WritingtheNorthwest.com.

Founded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Third Place Books, 6504 20th Ave NE, Seattle, United States