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Humor, Heart, and Reflective Rural Stories with Michael Perry

Virtual Author Talk

2026-03-04 14:00:00 2026-03-04 15:00:00 America/New_York Humor, Heart, and Reflective Rural Stories with Michael Perry New York Times Bestselling Author of Population: 485 and The Jesus Cow Virtual Branch -

Wednesday, March 04
2:00pm - 3:00pm

Add to Calendar 2026-03-04 14:00:00 2026-03-04 15:00:00 America/New_York Humor, Heart, and Reflective Rural Stories with Michael Perry New York Times Bestselling Author of Population: 485 and The Jesus Cow Virtual Branch -

New York Times Bestselling Author of Population: 485 and The Jesus Cow

Have questions for the author? Submit your question at registration and you may just hear the answer live! 

Join us in conversation with bestselling author and humorist Michael Perry, whose collection of genre-spanning works encapsulates the experiences–and the magic–of rural town communities and the everyday people who reside in them. 

In Michael Perry’s memoir, Population: 485, the local vigilante is a farmer's wife armed with a pistol and a Bible, the most senior member of the volunteer fire department is a cross-eyed butcher with one kidney and two ex-wives, and the back roads are haunted by the ghosts of children and farmers. Against a backdrop of fires and tangled wrecks, bar fights and smelt feeds, Perry tells a frequently comic tale leavened with moments of heartbreaking delicacy and searing tragedy. 

Jesus Cow, Perry’s fiction debut, is a hilarious yet sincere exploration of faith and the foibles of modern life. Low-key Harley Jackson finds himself entangled in drama from all corners: A woman in a big red pickup has stolen his bachelor’s heart, a Hummer-driving predatory developer is threatening to pave the last vestiges of his family farm, and inside his barn is a calf bearing the image of Jesus Christ–a secret he wants to keep quiet, until the truth slips right through the barn door. 

Register today to hear more about Perry’s expansive collection of stories!

About the Author: Michael Perry is a New York Times bestselling author, humorist, corporate speaker, volunteer firefighter/first responder, and amateur snowplow driver. A lifelong resident of the rural Midwest, his “reflective roughneck” takes on life in Middle America have left hundreds of thousands of readers and live audiences laughing, nodding, and sometimes misty.

Perry, a registered nurse who put himself through college working as a Wyoming cowboy and a roller-skating Snoopy produces the popular audio newsletter “Michael Perry’s Voice Mail,” performs widely as a humorist and speaker, tours with his band The Long Beds, works as a script writer, voiceover artist and audiobook narrator, and still makes an occasional call with the local volunteer fire and rescue service.

Perry lives in rural Wisconsin and can be found online at www.sneezingcow.com.

Please be aware that registration is done through a third party, and you may be asked to share your email address and/or phone number.

Looking for more fun things to do at MCPL?

Check out other lectures and discussions happening in the library or find out how to Get a Library Card.

By joining this Virtual MCPL program, you agree to abide by our rules of conduct. Library staff has the authority to remove you from this program if we deem your behavior to be inappropriate, to ensure the safety of staff and customers.

Learn about MCPL's Zoom Security Settings

Accommodation Requests

People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing should request English-language captioning or sign-language interpretation at least five days before the library-sponsored program they plan to attend. Contact the Assistant Facilities and Accessibility Program Manager at 240-777-0002 with all other accommodation requests.

cm 1.1 01/03/2023

Virtual Branch

Branch manager
Maddie Hines

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Tue, Feb 03 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Wed, Feb 04 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Thu, Feb 05 10:00AM to 8:00PM
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Wed, Feb 04, 5:30pm - 6:30pm

Thu, Feb 05, 2:30pm - 4:00pm

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New date Monday, February 23, 3:00pm - 5:00pm

Tue, Feb 10, 6:30pm - 7:30pm

Wed, Feb 11, 5:30pm - 6:30pm

Thu, Feb 12, 6:45pm - 7:45pm

Tue, Feb 17, 3:00pm - 4:30pm

Wed, Feb 18, 10:30am - 12:00pm

Wed, Feb 18, 5:30pm - 6:30pm

Thu, Feb 19, 2:30pm - 4:00pm

Thu, Feb 19, 6:30pm - 7:30pm

Sun, Feb 22, 1:00pm - 4:00pm

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Mon, Feb 23, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
New date Monday, March 09, 3:00pm - 5:00pm

Wed, Feb 25, 5:30pm - 6:30pm

Thu, Feb 26, 6:45pm - 7:45pm

Wed, Mar 04, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Registration opens Sunday, February 22 2026 at 9:00am