Diesel, A Bookstore in Oakland is pleased to welcome Elena Mauli Shapiro to the store as she discusses and signs her new novel, 13, rue Thérèse, on Thursday, March 3 at 7pm.

13, rue Thérèse tells the story of Trevor Stratton, an American professor and translator, newly arrived at a Paris university. He discovers a box filled with letters, photographs, and antique objects, which tell the story of the box’s owner, Louise Brunet, who lived in Paris through both world wars. 

Elena Mauli Shapiro was born and raised in Paris, in an apartment below the real-life Louise Brunet’s. Shapiro found herself in possession of a box of Louise’s keepsakes after her neighbor died, and used these as the inspiration for her novel. 

"13, rue Thérèse is a puzzle-novel and gave me the same fizzy satisfaction as completing a Sunday crossword. It will light up your brain and your heart.” - David Ebershoff