Award-winning author **T.C. Boyle** read from his book, _The Harder They Come_, a gripping novel that explores the roots of violence and anti-authoritarianism inherent in the American character. Set in contemporary Northern California, _The Harder They Come_ explores the volatile connections between three damaged people as they careen toward an explosive confrontation: an aging ex-Marine and Vietnam veteran, his psychologically unstable son, and the son’s paranoid, much-older lover. On a cruise to Central America, seventy-year-old Sten Stensen unflinchingly kills an armed robber menacing a busload of tourists. The reluctant hero is relieved to return home to Fort Bragg, California, only to find that his delusional son, Adam, has spiraled out of control. Adam has become involved with Sara, a hardened member of a right-wing anarchist group that refuses to acknowledge the laws of the state. Adam’s senior by some fifteen years, she becomes his protector and inamorata. As Adam’s mental state fractures, he becomes increasingly delusional until a schizophrenic breakdown leads him to shoot two people. On the run, he takes to the woods, spurring the biggest manhunt in California history. As T.C. Boyle explores a father’s legacy of violence and his powerlessness in relating to his equally violent son, he offers unparalleled insights into the American psyche. Inspired by a true story, _The Harder They Come_ is a devastating and indelible novel from a modern master. [Photo Credit:Nicoleleec](https://www.flickr.com/photos/51550312@N08/4733445650/in/photolist-fcAAnG-fcmo1z-fcm6zg-mb3pJ-dqbGq-9CtiE8-38zrX-aDJi1k-KXLQ6-2wxmae-FZdey-FZatQ-9bxgaV-iZxAtU-5DjWwR-8A1cA-hyFzCB-37Tp3m-8QKuz4-6ZUsXF-77GvPC-bFixoe-fCoaKz-fChRex-4zA269-aDJiXz-4f5qQe-8dh9tU-9Dmtu-fm1EEs-hjbY9-4ZD9tp-kN773-be2czc-ahgdG4-N3fwr-rbiH4E-masJP-pMVg-6Aih9-5Dw4KX-deKK9Z-9QSAiP-dzdDag-mAG98y-4jiiNU-5Jgimy-5SVpcv-bvQqEW-5PpMa2/ "")