The Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County will host a special author event featuring Jerry Kelly on Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Brown Family Environmental Center, 9781 Laymon Road in Gambier. Kelly will read from his memoir Hitch Haikoo, a reflective and poetic account of his hitchhiking experiences across decades and continents.
Complimentary copies of Hitch Haikoo will also be available at the Mount Vernon Library and during the author event, while supplies last. The program is designed for adults ages 18 and up, though younger guests may attend with a parent or guardian. All Library events are free and open to the public.
A seasoned local author, editor, and publisher, Kelly draws upon rich memories from his youth and travels abroad to explore themes of trust, generosity, and human connection. His book weaves narrative storytelling with haiku-inspired poetry, shaped by journeys through Ireland in 2000 and Portugal in 2016.
“‘Hitch Haikoo’ immediately drew me in,” Library staffer Jamie Lyn Smith-Fletcher said. “Kelly’s varied life experiences load this book with fascinating insights that range from the weird and frightening, to tender observations of unexpected kindness and connection.”
The memoir also reflects on the cultural shift away from hitchhiking in the United States, attributing its decline to rising fears of “stranger danger” and a diminishing sense of communal trust—even though statistics show hitchhikers are not disproportionately linked to crime.
For more information, visit www.knox.net, email knoxwrites1@gmail.com, or call (740) 392-2665 ext. 8259.
