Ross & Marianna Beach Author Series presents
MARY ROACH
Thursday • April 23, 2026 • 7–9 PM • at Liberty Hall
PHOTO CREDIT: Jen Siska at jensiska.com
Join us for the 2026 Ross and Marianna Beach Author talk. This year's guest is Mary Roach, a New York Times Bestselling author who is well known for her ability to explore scientific topics in a fun and humorous way.
Her recent book, Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy, is a wild romp through the human body that discusses medical breakthroughs, ethical dilemmas, and the scientists, surgeons, and patients shaping the future of human replacement. You won't want to miss it!
This event will be held at Liberty Hall. Doors open at 6 pm. No registration is required. A book signing with the Raven Bookstore will follow the program.
Other Books by Mary Roach
Other Books by Johann Hari
About Mary Roach
Mary Roach is the author of eight New York Times bestsellers, including STIFF: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, GULP: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, FUZZ: When Nature Breaks the Law and PACKING FOR MARS: The Curious Science of Life in the Void. Her new book, REPLACEABLE YOU: Adventures in Human Anatomy, debuted in September 2025.
Mary's books have been published in 21 languages, and her second book, SPOOK, was a New York Times Notable Book. Mary has written for National Geographic, Wired, The New York Times Magazine, and the Journal of Clinical Anatomy, among others.
She was a guest editor of the Best American Science and Nature Writing series and an Osher Fellow with the San Francisco Exploratorium and serves as an advisor for Orion and Undark magazines.
She has been a finalist for the Royal Society's Winton Prize and a winner of the American Engineering Societies' Engineering Journalism Award, in a category for which, let's be honest, she was the sole entrant.
Browse & Borrow Past Beach Authors
Browse and borrow past Beach Authors
Browse and borrow past Beach Authors
About The Ross & Marianna Beach Author Series
There is nothing more important to education in a community than a great public library. —Ross Beach
The Ross & Marianna Beach Author series brings together readers, writers, townies, book clubs, hardcore fans, university faculty, and students for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet a contemporary virtuoso of the written word. This annual program brings some of the greatest writers in the country to Lawrence.
In 2010, the Ross & Marianna Beach Foundation gave the very first gift to launch the New Stories capital campaign for the library building project. In 2013, the foundation provided a second generous gift to create the Ross & Marianna Beach Author Series. We are forever grateful to the Beach family for their legacy of support to fulfill Lawrence Public Library's mission. It's a gift that goes on forever.