On September 10, Gabriel Thompson, author of Working in the Shadows, visited Joliet West to discuss his book which was the assigned summer read.

He appeared before several classes in the auditorium and talked about his experiences with writing the book and the jobs he took. He covered much of it from the lettuce fields, to the flower shop, to the people he met along the way, and he was sure to go in depth over the whole experience. Thompson also answered questions that students had and many had their copies of the book signed by him.

“I thought Mr. Thompson’s speech was quite interesting. It was really cool to see the guy behind the story,” said Laura Schultz. Schultz along with many other students were fascinated by the things Thompson had to say about his book. It was truly a unique experience.

Mr. Thompson’s visit allowed students to get a better understanding of the book and the man who wrote it.