Author **Kristopher Jansma** reads from his second novel, _Why We Came to the City_ (2016). He follows his debut novel, _The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards_ (2013), with another work of realistic fiction depicting the coming-of-age of the millennial generation. _Why We Came to the City_ tells the story of four college best friends living in New York City. Irene, Sara, George, and William, the main characters, must face the realization that "no one was special" when a medical crisis strikes Irene, the heart of the small group, and tests the friends' relationships and priorities. (Photo: [Flickr/Luke Hayter](https://www.flickr.com/photos/luke-hayter/8911065428/in/photolist-ezrxi7-cM4jT1-86QWLS-4j77Vx-nawoAF-fzavyF-poqiGU-agVpnJ-a4YuWH-yJfxQw-9VrmDK-oWrQj7-CcGb94-9yujZR-93S6yL-fnVXvX-dJmXzm-pxQovJ-e7gXWz-P5ZJB-ddvdYo-miYJHq-agQgtv-dpfJci-s5EiZD-a3CMpG-rbtLv6-ijow28-cJ22jU-boaRAf-dUPtEy-974M6T-9S4Tfd-iHCN7F-674vBf-9wvL46-9z4Vni-29B4EG-pnjotp-51FPCG-cvisZ7-wJCEuv-CcFsHt-pcE2jj-q1jYix-7kY5Yg-7thraj-kz7SDr-auokbA-9Z5XL8 "NYC Skyline"), image cropped)