Tucson Festival of Books

Melody Jean Glenn (she/her)



Desiree Bustos

Dr. Melody Glenn is a physician and the author of "Mother of Methadone," a hybrid memoir/biography that weaves her own story with that of Dr. Marie Nyswander, the radical physician who developed methadone maintenance in the 1960s. Dr. Glenn is a Tin House Writers workshop alum with an MFA in creative writing from Mills College. Her work has been supported by the Arizona Commission on the Arts and appeared in Time, Salon, Mutha, the Believer, River Teeth, and several academic medical journals.

Arizona author Twitter Bluesky

Communities: Arizona Author, Tucsonan


Scheduled events:
Bias and Inequity in Medicine
Through a rich mix of personal narrative and professional insight, authors Rachel Kolb, Jonathan Gleason and Dr. Melody Glenn will untangle the assumptions modern medicine makes about people with disabilities and illnesses. How can we see and deal with these challenges?

Student Union Santa Rita (Seats 110)  View this venue on the Festival map
Sat, Mar 14, 4:00 pm - 4:55 pm
Memoir / Essays / Creative Nonfiction
Signing area: UA Campus Store Book Sales (Mall) (following presentation)  View this venue on the Festival map

Panelists: Jonathan Gleason, Melody Glenn, Rachel Kolb
Moderator: Evan Davies
Sponsors: Session made possible courtesy of Joi and Bianca Bowen, Roberta and Bill Witchger
Scientific Trailblazers
Join authors Olivia Campbell and Melody Glenn as they discuss the perseverance and courage to create change demonstrated by exceptional women in physics who defied the Nazis, and an extraordinary, practicing physician treating addiction.

Science City - Main Stage (Seats 195)  View this venue on the Festival map
Sun, Mar 15, 4:00 pm - 4:55 pm
Science / Medicine / Technology
Signing area: Sales & Signing Area - Science City (following presentation)  View this venue on the Festival map

Panelists: Olivia Campbell, Melody Glenn
Moderator: L.M. Boyd
Sponsors: Session made possible courtesy of JoBob Hungate, Roche Tissue Diagnostics

Book:
Mother of Methadone
A Doctor's Quest, a Forgotten History, and a Modern-Day Crisis
Memoir / Essays / Creative Nonfiction
Beacon Press
July 2025
ISBN 9780807017760
232 pages
Buy now