Author Mark Griffin is a resident of Lewiston. (Photo by Keary Nichols)

Lewiston resident Mark Griffin will celebrate the release of his ground-breaking new book, “All That Heaven Allows: A Biography of Rock Hudson,” at upcoming events at Lewiston and Auburn Public Libraries. The book, published by HarperCollins in December, has received enthusiastic critical reviews for being perceptive, empathetic, and exhaustively researched.

Griffin will be at Lewiston Public Library on Thursday, January 31 at 6 p.m. for a discussion of the book, followed by a Q&A session and the screening of a 35-minute documentary he produced that pays tribute to Hudson’s career. The film features audio highlights from interviews Griffin conducted while researching the biography.

On Thursday, February 14 at 2 p.m., Griffin will also discuss the book and answer questions at Auburn Public Library.

Free and open to the public, both events will have books available for purchase and signing. Proceeds from the LPL event will benefit the Friends of Lewiston Public Library.

“All That Heaven Allows” illuminates an all-too-human superstar whose life and legacy have significantly influenced American culture. Drawing on more than 100 interviews with co-stars, family members, and former companions, along with unprecedented access to private journals, personal correspondence, and production files, Griffin’s comprehensive biography finally produces a multidimensional portrait of one of the most compelling figures in film history.

Griffin offers the first in-depth analysis of Hudson’s entire body of work, from his early bit parts, to his collaborations with visionary director Douglas Sirk, to his cheekily subversive bedroom farces with Doris Day, to his transition to the small screen in the hit series “McMillan & Wife.”

The book also provides fresh insights into Hudson’s controversial marriage to Phyllis Gates and his contentious dealings with boyfriend Marc Christian, providing answers to questions the late actor consistently evaded. Along the way, this riveting account features memorable appearances from an A-list cast of characters, including Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean, John Wayne, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, and many other luminaries.

Mark Griffin is the author of “A Hundred or More Hidden Things: The Life and Films of Vincente Minnelli.” His interviews, reviews, and essays have appeared in scores of publications, including the Boston Globe, Premiere, and MovieMaker. He recently appeared in the documentary “Gene Kelly: To Live and Dance.”