By Victoria Thiessen

Jan. 14, 2026: The Friends of the Bronxville Public Library are pleased to sponsor a special evening with local author Steve Landsberg, co-author of PING, a gripping and revelatory story that uncovers the shocking true influence of ping pong on global politics.

The author talk will be held on Thursday, Feb. 5 at 7:00 p.m. in the Yeager Room of the Bronxville Public Library. Landsberg will be interviewed by Bronxville resident Brian Fetherstonhaugh, CEO of the Longview Talent Group.

To register for this author talk, please click here. 

Blending meticulously researched history with compelling family drama, PING reveals how a seemingly simple game became a powerful tool of propaganda and diplomacy. The historical fiction novel moves between 1950s Communist Europe, the historic 1971 U.S.–China thaw known as “ping pong diplomacy,” and the present day, exploring themes of truth, legacy, and the quiet forces that shape world events.

“Our goal was to educate and entertain,” said Landsberg. “We wanted to tell a story where the simple game of ping pong revealed something much bigger and surprising.”

In the early Cold War years, ping pong was far more than a pastime—it was a subtle weapon in the global struggle for influence, power, and ideology. The novel “ping-pongs” between the real-life political maneuvering of the 1971 diplomatic breakthrough and the fictional story of Jenny, a teenage ping pong prodigy grappling with the weight of her family’s past.

As Jenny confronts the towering legacy of her grandmother Miriam, whose life is rooted in Cold War tensions and the unexpected intersection of ping pong, antisemitism, and global diplomacy, she uncovers long-buried secrets that force her to confront her own identity and future. The result is a powerful exploration of how history echoes across generations.

PING is a Barnes & Noble Top eBook & NOOK Indie Favorite and is co-authored with Lisa Lucas, whose writing career spans magazines, newspapers, literacy, and public health. Her work has been recognized by The New York Times, Kirkus Reviews (starred), Publishers Weekly, and Indigo, and translated across Canada, the U.S., and Europe.

Steve Landsberg is an award-winning advertising executive, writer, and entrepreneur. He is Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Human Intelligence (H.I.), a New York–based marketing and branding firm, and previously Co-Founder of Grok, an Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Company. His creative work has been honored by Cannes Lions, The One Show, Clio, and Communication Arts.

PING is his first published book. The timely themes of PING resonate with renewed cultural interest, coinciding with the Dec. 25 movie release of Marty Supreme, starring Timothée Chalamet and Gwyneth Paltrow, which also explores the surprising cultural impact of ping pong.

This special author event offers audiences a fascinating look at how an unlikely game helped change the world—and how its legacy still reverberates today.

To register for this author talk, please click here.