‘Triangle’ author visits with local book club
by JILL SCHMELZER AND ELIZABETH TAUFA Reporters
Williamsville resident Janet Richter entered an online contest to have Katharine Weber, the author of “Triangle,” be a guest at her book club gathering.

Edna Scheft, left, gets her copy of “Triangle” signed by author Katharine Weber. Carolyn Hartzell, center, looked on. Photo by Joe Eberle

Weber wrote “Triangle” to tell the tale of the real life 1911 fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City. The fire became a catalyst in the movement to improve working conditions in sweatshops. Most of the people killed in the tragedy were women.

“I made an offer on Authorbuzz. com for book groups to write me an e-mail to tell me why I should visit their group,” Weber said. “Around 30 or 32 book groups wrote in. I chose (this one) because the members are all educators of the deaf.”

Richter, who was unfamiliar with the factory blaze, thought the book would be of interest to her club, which consists of retired and current teachers of the deaf.

“I had never heard of it (the factory fire) when I was in school,” Richter said. “Wouldn’t it be cool to talk to my students about it. For once the deaf child would know more than the other kids.”

To win, Richter was to write an essay about her book club and why Weber should visit the area.

The letter stated, “I grew up knowing nothing about the factory disaster. As with other historic events, I am finding that quite a few were not discussed. Now, with my students learning all about it, I have begun to take a keen interest in the events that led up to and those following. It seems that your insights would fit right in.”

Weber held a book signing Dec. 7 at Crossroads Books, located at 6010 Goodrich Road in Clarence Center. She later visited privately with the club members at Novel Tea, which is located at 6045 Goodrich Road, and discussed the process she took to write the tale and the impact it has had on her readers.

The author created a credible and memorable account of the horrors of the day based on the fire’s last remaining survivor, “Esther Gottesfeld.”

“This is my fourth novel and book groups have been tremendous for me,” Weber said. “They’re some of the only people who read contemporary fiction. People who do read my books outside of a book group — chances are they know someone in a book group who is reading my book.”

During the private visit with members of Richter’s book club, Weber discussed components of

the book and her personal life and how it impacted her writing in the novel.

Richter said one of Weber’s grandmothers had worked at the Triangle factory prior to the fire but quit because she was pregnant with the author’s father.

Also, another relative of Weber hosted the survivors of the disaster in her mansion, which is now the White Plain School for the Deaf.

“It was absolutely delightful,” Richter said. “I think everyone was just totally enthralled in it.”