Southampton Arts Center will host journalist and author Juana Libedinsky to discuss her new memoir, “Downhill: A Memoir of an Accident, Two Comas, Many Books, and Starting Over” on Saturday, September 26, at 4 PM.
When a devastating skiing accident in the Patagonian Andes leaves Conrado, a New York lawyer at the height of his career, in a coma, it is not only his fate that hangs in the balance. His wife, Juana, and their two children have their lives upended overnight.
In “Downhill,” Libedinsky tells the story she lived, tracing a journey from the vast stillness of the Andes to the fluorescent-lit hospital corridors of Buenos Aires and, eventually, to Manhattan and Southampton, where the family must learn how to rebuild a life when the crisis itself is supposedly over.
Much of Downhill unfolds in Southampton, where Libedinsky and her family spend their summers and where the rhythms of the East End – friends, ocean swimming, community, and summer life – become part of the family’s attempt to find normalcy again after the accident.
As she navigates coma care, hospital bureaucracy, and the challenges of rebuilding a family’s life across two countries, Libedinsky clings to a few anchors: an eclectic cohort of friends and neighbors, tennis, and books. Lots of books.
“Juana Libedinsky weaves a tale of trauma, perseverance, and love using her sense of humor and the wisdom of other writers,” said Elyn Kronemeyer.
Told with the sharp eye of a seasoned reporter and a dry humor that surfaces in unexpected places, “Downhill” is ultimately a love story – to a husband, two children, books, community, and the stubborn belief that things will, somehow, be okay.
Books will be available for purchase, and bites will be served as guests raise a glass after the talk. Tickets will be available for $10 for members and $15 for general admission. Visit southamptonartscenter.org.