Laura Pedersen

Buffalo Gal Won't Ya Come Out Tonight?

Buffalo native Laura Pedersen, novelist, journalist, humorist and playwright will be discussing her famous memoir Buffalo Gal and her humorous essays Buffalo Unbound. This event is a part of Talking Leaves Books Author Series and will take place at Larkin Square, September 22nd at 5pm.

Pedersen will go in depth about her memoir Buffalo Gal that’s about the living conditions she faced growing up in 1970s Buffalo. She explores the economic devastation, the shrinking population and urban decay during the industrial decline Western New York underwent during the 70s into the 80s.

Pedersen also describes the hardships of Buffalo winters, blizzards, and lake effect snows that effected all families. This personal account of growing up as a western New Yorker in a troubled era, won best memoir from ForeWord magazine.

Her columnist experience at The New York Times and her work as a stand up comedian has made her successful in combining historical context with wit and sarcasm, which tends to be a common tone in most of her work. In Buffalo UnBound: A Celebration she follows up Buffalo Gal with the same humorous insight. This book of essays strip Buffalo from its miserable city label and shows what makes Buffalonians proud to live here. Anyone who lives in the Buffalo area can relate to the praise this book gives to the thriving culture in Buffalo that has contributed to the arts, government, academics and much more.

Of course Pedersen didn’t forget Buffalo’s culinary expertise in wings, our unpredictable weather and our struggling sports teams. In both books Pedersen comes across as a friendly neighbor sharing a story in the voice of Buffalo’s locals. If you’re a Buffalo area native you should hear how Buffalo shaped Laura Pedersen’s life and come compare it to your own experiences.