<p>"The Secrets of Mary Bowser," by Lois Leveen. Submitted photo</p>

ASTORIA – The Friends of the Seaside Library will host Lois Leveen, author of “The Secrets of Mary Bowser,” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18. The event will take place in the Community Room and there will be book sales and signings presented by Beach Books.

Based on a true story, “The Secrets of Mary Bowser” is an inspiring tale of one daring woman’s willingness to sacrifice her own freedom to change the course of history.

All her life Mary has been a slave in Richmond, Va. The plantation owner’s daughter decides to send Mary to Philadelphia to be educated, but she must leave everything she knows for a chance at freedom. Life in the North brings new friendships and a far different education than Mary ever expected – one that leads her into the heart of the abolition movement. With the nation heading toward war, she poses as a slave in the Confederate White House to spy on President Jefferson Davis and give much needed information to the Union command.

Award-winning author Lois Leveen’s work has appeared in the New York Times, on NPR and in literary journals and anthologies. A former faculty member at UCLA and Reed College, she lives in Portland.

Seaside Public Library is located at 1131 Broadway. For more information please call 503-738-6742 or visit www.seasidelibrary.org and www.facebook.com/seasidepubliclibrary