Kelly Cervantes and Miguel Cervantes at The Brattle Theatre

Harvard Book Store welcomes Kelly Cervantes—the USA Today bestselling author of Normal Broken—and her husband, Miguel Cervantes—who portrayed Alexander Hamilton in the Broadway and Chicago productions of Hamilton: An American Musical for eight years—for a discussion of her new book, The Luckiest: A Memoir of Love, Loss, Motherhood, and the Pursuit of Self. They will be joined in conversation by Marianne Leone—actress, essayist, and author of Christina the Astonishing.

There are two ticket options for this event.

1. Book-Included Tickets: Includes admission for one and one hardcover copy of The Luckiest, pre-signed by Kelly Cervantes.
2. Admission-Only Tickets: Includes admission for one.

Note: Books bundled with tickets may only be picked up at the venue the night of the event, and cannot be picked up in-store beforehand. Ticket holders who purchased a book-included ticket and are unable to attend the event will be able to pick up their book at Harvard Book Store up to 30 days following the event. This offer expires after 30 days. Please note we cannot guarantee signed copies will be available to ticket holders who do not attend the event.

From USA Today bestselling author Kelly Cervantes, this deeply personal memoir explores the growth and perspective gained while navigating life’s unexpected asteroids and the craters they leave behind.

After moving from a conservative Midwestern suburb to New York City to pursue an acting career, Kelly never could have imagined what life had in store for her—or how much she would fundamentally change along the way. The Luckiest is her emotional journey through the pain of unrealized dreams, navigating her husband’s Broadway spotlight, fighting for her child’s life, finding purpose after loss, and rebuilding her life and marriage.

Inspired by author and poet Maggie Smith’s quote, “We are all nesting dolls, carrying the earlier iterations of ourselves inside,” Kelly shares the many layers that shaped who she is today. But how many of those layers were shaped through the control she desperately sought versus the luck she struggled to reconcile? Are we lucky if we escape life with soft skin and minimal layers? Or are we lucky to have the battle scars that show a life of survival—of fullness, and meaning?

The Luckiest is a tale of motherhood, in all its heartbreak, joy, fits, and false starts. It follows Kelly’s wildly unpredictable journey and allows her to reflect on the role luck has played in her life, both good and bad. It is one woman’s ongoing quest for self-discovery that is beautiful and complicated, and hopefully always becoming the next spectacularly painted wooden doll in the series of her life.

Kelly Cervantes is an award-winning writer, speaker, and advocate best known for her blog Inchstones and her USA Today bestselling book, Normal Broken: The Grief Companion for When It’s Time to Heal But You’re Not Sure You Want To. She has been published in the Chicago Tribune, Cosmopolitan, and Fortune, and has been featured by MSNBC, The New York Times, and CNN. She sits on the boards of CURE Epilepsy and The Undiagnosed Diseases Network Foundation and hosts CURE Epilepsy’s podcast, Seizing Life. Born and raised in the Midwest, Kelly now resides in Maplewood, New Jersey, with her family. Her new book is The Luckiest: A Memoir of Love, Loss, Motherhood, and the Pursuit of Self.

Miguel Cervantes recently wrapped up his time playing Alexander Hamilton in the Broadway and Chicago productions after almost eight years and 2013 performances. Other Broadway credits include If/Then, American Idiot, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. TV credits include Person of Interest, BrainDead, Madam Secretary, Royal Pains, The Blacklist, and All My Children. Miguel grew up in Dallas, TX, and received a BFA in Musical Theater from Emerson College. His favorite roles have been “Daddy” to Jackson, Anessa, and Adelaide, and husband to superhero wife Kelly.

Marianne Leone is a writer and actress. Her essays have appeared in The Boston Globe, Lithub, Ploughshares, Post Road, Bark Magazine, and others. She is the author of three memoirs: Jesse, Ma Speaks Up and Five Dog Epiphany, and a novel, Christina the Astonishing. She was on HBO's The Sopranos as Joanne Moltisanti, Christopher's mother. She has appeared in films by David O. Russell, Larry David, John Sayles, Nancy Savoca and Martin Scorsese.

Masks are encouraged but not required for this event.

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