Acclaimed Author Bret Anthony Johnston Presents “We Burn Daylight”

St. Louis County Library Foundation’s Favorite Author Series and Left Bank Books are pleased to host award-winning novelist Bret Anthony Johnston for his latest novel, “We Burn Daylight,” inspired by the true events. The event will take place on Monday, August 5, at 7:00 p.m. at the Clark Family Branch, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63131.

Johnston will be in conversation with University of Missouri-St. Louis Fiction Writing Professor and novelist John Dalton.

Waco, Texas, 1993. People from all walks of life have arrived to follow the Lamb’s gospel—signing over savings and pensions, selling their homes and shedding marriages. They’ve come here to worship at the feet of a former landscaper turned prophet who is preparing for the End Times with a staggering cache of weapons. Jaye’s mother is one of his newest and most devout followers, though Jaye herself has suspicions about the Lamb’s methods—and his motives.

Roy is the youngest son of the local sheriff, a 14-year-old boy with a heart of gold and a nose for trouble who falls for Jaye without knowing of her mother’s attachment to the man who is currently making his father’s life hell. The two teenagers are drawn to each other immediately and completely, but their love may have dire consequences for their families. The Lamb has plans for them all—especially Jaye—and as his preaching and scheming move them closer and closer to unthinkable violence, Roy risks everything to save Jaye.

Based on the true events that unfolded 30 years ago during the siege of the Branch Davidian compound, Bret Anthony Johnston’s “We Burn Daylight” is an unforgettable love story, a heart-pounding literary page turner, and a profound exploration of faith, family, and what it means to truly be saved.

Bret Anthony Johnston is the author of the internationally bestselling novel “Remember Me Like This” and the award-winning “Corpus Christi: Stories.” His work has appeared in The New Yorker, Esquire, The Paris Review, Thrasher Magazine, The Best American Short Stories, and elsewhere. 

Program sites are accessible. With at least two weeks' notice, accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities. Call 314-994-3300 or contact us.