Bay Area Book Festival Podcast

Let Me Count the Ways: Love Stories for Real Readers Feb 13, 2025

A.H. Kim, Emily B Rose, Taleen Voskuni, Dani Trujillo, Anita Gail Jones, moderated by Jeneé Darden

Join an engaging discussion on the art of crafting love stories with a diverse panel of acclaimed authors, whether their novels are shelved with literary fiction or romance. Panelists A.H. Kim (Relative Strangers, a contemporary Korean retelling of Sense and Sensibility), Emily B Rose (Call of the Sea, a genderbent, body-positive retelling of The Little Mermaid), Taleen Voskuni (Lavash at First Sight, an Armenian-American lesbian rom-com), Dani Trujillo (Lizards Hold the Sun, an Indigenous Rez romance), and Anita Gail Jones (The Peach Seed, celebrating 60+ Black love in Georgia) each bring their unique perspectives and storytelling prowess to the table, delving into the intricacies of writing love stories that reach beyond traditional narratives. Moderated by award-winning journalist, author, public speaker, and mental health advocate Jeneé Darden, this panel looks expansively at romance writing, from traditional tropes to contemporary narratives that reflect the complexities of modern relationships. This conversation considers romance and romance writing from multiple angles, including the meaning love stories hold for readers when we see representation, diversity of experience, and ways of writing about love that resonate with readers across genres and cultures.

Dark teen storytelling Feb 06, 2025

Traci Chee, Sarah Lariviere, Darcie Little Badger, Sandra Proudman, Brittany Williams, moderated by Laura Gao Daniel

Sometimes, the darkness can illuminate the imagination—especially in these beautifully wrought novels for teen readers. New York Times bestselling author Traci Chee’s gut-wrenching fantasy Kindling tells the tale of postwar “kindlings,” a corps of elite, magic-wielding warriors whose devastating power comes at the cost of their own young lives. Darcie Little Badger’s A Snake Falls to Earth, longlisted for the National Book Award and winner of the Newbery Award, is a breathtaking saga of Indigenous futurism that draws from the author’s knowledge of Lipan Apache storytelling. Sarah Lariviere’s Riot Act is an alternate history set in 1991 in which theatre kids fight for freedom of expression, while Brittany N. Williams (That Self-Same Metal) melds the world of fae with the grit and excitement of Shakespeare’s London acting troupe; and Sandra Proudman’s anthology Relit, featuring sixteen award-winning and bestselling YA authors, reimagines classic tales through fantasy and science fiction, anchored by a Latinx point of view. Moderated by Laura Gao.

Immigration Narratives: Expansive Genres, Expansive Identities Jan 30, 2025

Faith Adiele, Bill Hing, Tessa Hulls, Lauren Markham, moderated by Tasneem Raja

Immigrant narratives span time, place, and genre to reach deeper universal truths. Four writers join in conversation to explore the many facets of immigrant narratives. Migration and immigration narratives are foundational to how we understand and celebrate culture, and these four panelists grapple with this central theme through various lenses—from Lauren Markham’s exploration of the criminalization of migration, to Tessa Hulls’ depiction of the immigrant experience through multiple generations of Chinese women, to Bill Hing’s analysis of the racial justice implications within the U.S. immigration system, to Faith Adiele’s personal reflections on identity and belonging as an immigrant. Moderated by Tasneem Raja (Berkeleyside), the conversation will venture into intergenerational trauma, social justice and adversity, and narrative form and genre-bending. This event highlights the deepest reflections on identity and belonging, and also celebrates the lasting meaning and social impact of representing immigrant experiences in literature.

The Forgetters: Greg Sarris in conversation with Jane Ciabattari Jan 23, 2025

Greg Sarris in conversation with Jane Ciabattari

Join Greg Sarris, acclaimed author and tribal leader, in an engaging conversation with literary critic and interviewer Jane Ciabattari as they explore his latest work, The Forgetters. Don’t miss this insightful conversation between two literary luminaries about a book that is as thought-provoking as it is unforgettable.

Navigating the Mirror World: Misinformation, Conspiracies, and Why It’s Time to Wake Up Jan 16, 2025

Naomi Klein in conversation with Brooke Warner

Join award-winning author, professor, filmmaker, and activist Naomi Klein in conversation about her latest book, Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World. Doppelganger offers a unique and dynamic perspective on the absurdity and complexity of our current political moment. Klein uses her own experience of being mistaken for “Other Naomi” (Naomi Wolf, the feminist intellectual turned anti-vaxxer conspiracy theorist) as a springboard to explore what she calls the “mirror world,” where conspiracy theories, online paranoia, mimicking, and more are creating a far-right parallel universe that’s been all too tempting for Democrats to dismiss or ignore. With her signature intellectual rigor, Klein refuses to look the other way, and with genuine curiosity and desire to understand what fuels her doppelganger and other conspiracists, she flings herself into the underworld to shine light on its appeal and its real-world consequences. Klein is an associate professor in the department of geography at the University of British Columbia, the founding co-director of UBC’s Centre for Climate Justice, and an honorary professor of Media and Climate at Rutgers University. She is a columnist for The Guardian, and her writing has appeared in leading publications around the world. Klein will be in conversation with Brooke Warner, the Festival’s Board Chair and Publisher of She Writes Press. This is an exciting opportunity to hear one of our most influential social critics unpack and muse on the current political moment and the doubles that haunt us.

Memoir and Imagination: Where Truth and Creativity Collide Jan 09, 2025

Grace Loh Prasad, Sylvia Brownrigg, Leta McCollough Seletzky, Tarek El-Ariss, moderated by Piper Kerman

Moderated by Piper Kerman (Orange Is the New Black), four panelists share their process and experience of memoir as the telling of a true story, but also as a work of imagination. Our esteemed panelists, Grace Prasad (The Translator’s Daughter), Sylvia Brownrigg (The Whole Staggering Mystery), Leta McCollough Seletzky (The Kneeling Man), and Tarek El-Ariss (Water on Fire), have recently released memoirs that touch upon the authors’relationship to their parents—how they mourn them, imagine them, reconcile with them, and in the process, come to terms with themselves. Writing memoir is a process of self-understanding that also invites the reader into a context and a world that is by definition subjective. Our stories and personal agency can also be circumscribed by institutions and systemic pressures, which may in turn shape memory and imagination. Join this deep conversation about memory, lived experience, and how writers choose the stories they do in a journey of self-understanding, reinvention, and empathy.

First Person Plural: Poets Speaking for Self and Community in Poetry and Memoir Jan 02, 2025

José Vadi, Brontez Purnell, Priscilla Wathington, Adrienne Chung, MC’d by Sam Sax

Come hear some of the Bay Area’s most dynamic poets with new collections of poetry and memoir. Panelists include Brontez Purnell, whose Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt is a wrenching, sexy, and exhilaratingly energetic memoir in genre-defying verse; Priscilla Wathington, whose debut chapbook, Paper & Stick, draws from her experiences as a Palestinian American and her past human rights and humanitarian work with NGOs such as Defense for Children International – Palestine; poet José Vadi, whose book, Chipped: Writing from a Skateboarder’s Lens, is a memoir-in-essays that begins with wheels and a mere piece of wood—often chipped; and Adrienne Chung, whose debut collection, Organs of Little Importance, is a winner of the National Poetry Series that claps back at Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species. The reading will be emceed by Sam Sax, author of Pig, a collection of poems that uses the humble animal as a lens to explore the body, faith, desire, and power.

National Book Critics Circle Superstars of Fiction Dec 26, 2024

Amy Tan and Jonathan Lethem, moderated by Jane Ciabattari

Honoring the fiftieth anniversary of the National Book Critics Circle, this panel presents a beautiful range of voices representing some of the best and most beloved fiction writers of our times. First books by Jonathan Lethem (Motherless Brooklyn) and Amy Tan (The Joy Luck Club) won NBCC awards. The esteemed panelists will read from recent work and discuss the transformative nature of winning an NBCC award and their writing life since with moderator Jane Ciabattari, NBCC Vice President/Events.

Architectural Insights: Revealing Layers of Meaning in Bay Area Landmarks Dec 19, 2024

John King, Eric Porter, moderated by Bianca Taylor

Discover the Bay Area’s architectural gems through a narrative lens, as they unveil the intricate interplay of cultural, social, and technological forces. This panel showcases the authors of two captivating reads: John King, author of Portal, a vivid exploration of the Ferry Building’s rich history and symbolic significance, and Eric Porter, author of A People’s History of SFO, a compelling voyage through the ever-evolving landscape of San Francisco International Airport, beyond its terminals and tarmacs and into the ongoing struggle for regional equity. This panel promises to be as rich as the Bay Area culture and landscape itself, delving into the rise of activism, locally sourced food, globalization and climate change, and regional equity struggles. Moderated by Bianca Taylor (KQED), this conversation promises to unravel hidden narratives embedded within these iconic structures and to explore the insights they offer into our collective future challenges.

Special Episode: The Next Chapter: Arts and Advocacy and the role of festivals Dec 12, 2024

J.K. Fowler of Bay Area Book Festival in conversation with Steve Wasserman of Heyday Books

The arts are widely underfunded at a time when we need meaning and connection more than ever. What can we do as writers, creatives, and community members? Support the Bay Area Book Festival

Lurking in Plain Sight: Crime Fiction Beyond Genre Borders Dec 05, 2024

Nancy Jooyoun Kim, Ritu Mukerji, Jason Powell, moderated by Heather Young

Moderated by thriller author Heather Young (The Distant Dead), this panel brings together novelists whose books center elements of crime, whether they’re shelved in mystery or literary fiction. Writer and firefighter Jason Powell’s debut novel, No Man’s Ghost, explores the psyches of those who fight fires and those who set them. Nancy Jooyoun Kim’s What We Kept To Ourselves is a historical novel about a Korean immigrant family grappling with the mystery of the mother’s disappearance, only to find a dead body in their yard somehow connected to her. An Edgar Award Finalist for Best First Novel, Ritu Mukerji’s Murder by Degrees is a historical mystery set in 19th-century Philadelphia, following a pioneering woman doctor as she investigates the disappearance of a young patient who is presumed dead. This panel brings to its audience an expansive celebration of crime fiction from exciting writers whose page-turning stories model why readers love these tales.

Authors against Book Bans Nov 28, 2024

Aida Salazar, Nikki Grimes, Mason Deaver, Dashka Slater, moderated by Mychal Threets

From 2021 to 2023, PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans recorded 5,894 instances of book bans across 41 states and 247 public school districts. The bans show no sign of slowing down, and they’re disproportionately aimed at authors of color, LGBTQ+ authors, and women. Books about racism, sexuality, gender, and history are under particular attack. This conversation between some of today’s leading authors of books for young people—many of which tackle the subjects most often targeted for censorship—will examine how the issue impacts kids today and how we fight back. With Aida Salazar (Ultraviolet), Nikki Grimes (A Walk in the Woods), Mason Deaver (I Wish You All the Best) and Dashka Slater (Accountable). Moderated by celebrated public librarian and library advocate Mychal Threets.

Creative Nonfiction as Reclamation and Confrontation Nov 21, 2024

Myriam Gurba and Ingrid Rojas Contreras

Mean, and the recent essay collection, Creep, a finalist for a National Book Critics Circle award in criticism. Rojas Contreras’s dazzling debut memoir, The Man Who Could Move Clouds, explores her Colombian identity and reckons with the bounds of reality through an oral history that challenges Western notions of history and memory. The two authors will be in conversation, speaking to the urgency of writing our stories as we need to tell them, why there’s more space within creative nonfiction than Western traditions will have us believe, and why confronting oppression in our writing and in our lived experience is essential.

Climate Fiction as a Tool for Climate Justice Nov 14, 2024

Charlie Jane Anders, Aya de León, Sim Kern, Rebecca Roanhorse, moderated by Keya Chatterjee

Climate fiction is a unique way to approach the climate crisis through both real and imagined endings and beginnings. This panel, moderated by author and activist Keya Chatterjee, explores why writers are drawn to climate fiction (Cli-Fi), and what they hope to achieve through the genre. Charlie Jane Anders has been writing climate novels for nearly a decade. She is the international bestselling Cli-Fi author of the fantasy YA novel, Promises Stronger Than Darkness. Award-winning author Aya de León writes CliFi in the form of thrillers, heists, spy novels, and dramas set in the contemporary real world of the African Diaspora. New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Roanhorse is an Indigenous novelist reshaping North American science fiction. Her most recent book, Mirrored Heavens, is the conclusion to her critically acclaimed epic fantasy trilogy.. Sim Kern’s new book, The Free People’s Village, is a YA sci-fi/CliFi alternate history of our time. Come find out how each of these author’s journeys into the climate crisis in fiction can help us chart our path out of it in reality.

The Body is Not an Apology: Radical Answers with Sonya Renee Taylor and Cinnamongirl Nov 07, 2024

Sonya Renee Taylor, moderated by Cinnamongirl Kailynn and Cinnamongirl Symone

An empowering conversation with one of the world’s most inspirational activists and thought leaders writing and speaking today. You’ll want to bring your daughters, sons, their friends, and your friends to hear the radically powerful message of Sonya Renee Taylor, revolutionary founder of The Body Is Not an Apology, a global digital media and education company exploring the intersections of identity, healing, and social justice through the framework of radical self-love. The author of the bestselling book by the same name and six more, Taylor will be in conversation with the extraordinary young women of Cinnamongirl Inc, Kailynn and Symone.

Are You Ready to be Un-settled? Celebrating Indigenous Horror Oct 31, 2024

Rebecca Roanhorse and Dani Trujillo, moderated by Kristina M Canales

A not-to-be-missed conversation between Indigenous horror writers Rebecca Roanhorse and D.H. Trujillo, both of whom are featured in Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology. This groundbreaking book celebrates Indigenous resistance by highlighting themes of magic, tradition, ancestry, family, and cultural rediscovery. Making connections between horror and settler colonialism, the collection dares to ask the question: “Are you ready to be un-settled?” Both authors are known for their important contributions to speculative fiction, blending elements of fantasy, science fiction, and horror with Indigenous storytelling traditions. This genre-bending approach has earned them both a loyal following as they continue to captivate readers’ imaginations in ways that push the boundaries of conventional stories. Moderated by lifelong reader, writer, and gaymer Kristina Canales.

Page to Screen: A Dance Between Words and Images Oct 24, 2024

Viet Thanh Nguyen, Piper Kerman, Alka Joshi, moderated by Laura Warrell

Turning a beloved book into a compelling film or series is a journey filled with creative collaboration, financial considerations, script development, casting decisions, and years of meticulous preparation. For the authors at the center of these adaptation journeys, it also involves roadblocks, setbacks, near misses, and plot twists, with lessons about letting go of control and outcome. This all-star panel brings us three celebrated authors whose books have been or are being adapted for a viewing audience. Piper Kerman’s internationally renowned memoir, Orange Is the New Black, about her time in a women’s prison, became one of Netflix’s most watched and longest-running series. Pulitzer Prize-winning Viet Thanh Nguyen’s novel, The Sympathizer, the story of a Vietnamese communist double agent who infiltrates the South Vietnamese army and later moves to the United States, is now one of the most anticipated series to hit HBO this year. Alka Joshi’s New York Times bestseller, The Henna Artist, centering a young woman who escapes an abusive marriage to build a new life for herself in the vibrant city of Jaipur in the 1950s, is in development with Netflix. This exciting panel offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at what adaptation is really like—the surprises, delights, and disappointments of having one’s work reimagined; the power of screen adaptations to reach much broader audiences; and insights into the differences between storytelling on the page and storytelling on the screen. Don't miss this rare opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the fascinating world of book-to-screen adaptations from the perspective of these three acclaimed and beloved authors as they discuss the intricate dance between words and images, imagination and interpretation, in a discussion that promises to be as enlightening as it is inspiring.

My Body, My Desire: Sexuality, Desire, and Queerness in Literature Oct 17, 2024

R.O. Kwon, Brontez Purnell, Sam Sax, moderated by Lucy Jane Bledsoe

Join us for a captivating panel discussion moderated by author Lucy Jane Bledsoe (author of Tell the Rest and No Stopping Us Now) and featuring three acclaimed writers—R.O. Kwon, Brontez Purnell, and Sam Sax—as they delve into the rich and complex terrain of sexuality, desire, and queerness in literature. From candid reflections on personal experiences to incisive analyses of societal norms and cultural representations, this conversation promises to be both inviting and thought-provoking. R.O. Kwon, author of the bestselling novel The Incendiaries, has recently published Exhibit, an exploration of art, racism, feminism, and desire. Brontez Purnell, author of Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt, brings his unique blend of humor, wit, and raw honesty to this conversation. Sam Sax, acclaimed poet and author of Madness, offers insights from his exploration of desire and mental health in his poetry, and the power of language to articulate the complexities of desire and queerness. All of these authors’ work illuminate the ways in which literature can serve as a vehicle for grappling with questions of desire, longing, and belonging. Don’t miss this chance to engage with writers whose commitment to storytelling makes room for anyone who desires, loves, or lives outside of the heteronormative binary.

Let’s Eat! Decolonizing Diets Oct 10, 2024

Sara Calvosa Olson in conversation with Terria Smith

Sara Calvosa Olson is a food writer and editor exploring the intersections of storytelling, Indigenous food systems, security, sovereignty, reconnection, and recipe development. Olson’s maternal ancestry is from the Karuk tribe whose lands are part of northwest California, and her new book, Chími Nu’am: Native California Foodways for the Contemporary Kitchen, aims to help integrate more traditional ingredients into everyday recipes. Chími Nu’am, which translates to “Let’s eat!” in the Karuk language, is a seasonal guide to gathering, processing, and cooking with Indigenous foods. The book speaks to a variety of audiences—Indigenous readers hoping to embrace cultural foods and non-Indiginous readers interested in ethical ways to decolonize their diets. Olson emphasizes reciprocity and offers Native Californian traditional ingredients with a modern-day twist. Terria Smith, a tribal member of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians and the editor of News from Native California magazine as well as the director of the Berkeley Roundhouse, Heyday’s California Indian publishing program, will moderate.

Legendary Artists on Identity and Remembering: Vulnerability in Creating Across Genres Oct 03, 2024

Joan Baez in conversation with Greg Sarris

Ground-breaking Mexican-American musician, artist, and activist Joan Baez joins accomplished writer, professor, and tribal leader Chairman Greg Sarris in a conversation about writing, creating, and legacy. Sarris is co-executive producer of Joan Baez: I Am A Noise, a deeply personal, profound, and haunting documentary that follows Baez on her 2018 Fare Thee Well goodbye tour and explores memory and abuse through home videos, journal entries, photographs, and therapy tapes. In a continued pursuit of an “honest legacy,” Baez’s debut poetry collection, When You See My Mother, Ask Her to Dance, is an intimate and inspiring meditation on her most life-changing moments as an artist. Through never-before-seen poems, Baez reminisces on family, childhood, nature, art, as well as her contemporaries such as Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, and Jimi Hendrix. Greg Sarris is an author, producer, and playwright, and he is serving his sixteenth term as Chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. His most recent play, Citizen, debuted at San Francisco’s Word for Word theater, and his new book, The Forgetters, remembers shared histories and caring for the world. Come listen to these two legendary artists as they discuss creating across genres and forms, the power of vulnerability and detail, and writing into memory, family, finding connection and hope, and moving on.

Changing Landscapes of Mother Earth and Motherhood: Uncertainty and the Climate Crisis Sep 26, 2024

Christina Gerhardt, Manjula Martin, Rosanna Xia, Jade S. Sasser, moderated by Maddie Oatman

Join this essential and urgent conversation that examines the changing physical and cultural landscapes of the climate crisis. This panel centers one of the most pressing issues of our times and brings together in conversation four panelists who have written in depth aboutclimate change and its impacts on both the natural environment and human communities. Manjula Martin, Rosanna Xia, Jade Sasser, and Christina Gerhardt approach this topic from different angles, whether it’s through the lens of wildfires in Northern California (Martin), sea level rise along the West Coast (Xia), reproductive anxiety in the face of an uncertain future (Sasser), or the plight of low-lying island nations in the face of rising oceans (Gerhardt). They all shed light on the disproportionate burden of environmental degradation borne by marginalized communities and advocate for approaches to climate action that prioritize equity and justice. Moderated by Maddie Oatman, a senior editor and writer at Mother Jones, this conversation promises to be an urgent call to action that includes equitable climate solutions and addresses how all of us can foster dialogue for a better way forward.

We the People: Building a Resilient Multiracial Democracy in 2024 and Beyond Sep 19, 2024

Steve Phillips, Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, Maurice Mitchell, moderated by Lateefah Simon

In 2024, the threat of authoritarianism is greater than ever before. Yet our nation also has the potential to become a genuine multiracial democracy. How can we help tip the scale? Steve Phillips is a national political leader, bestselling author, and columnist. He is the author of The New York Times bestseller Brown Is the New White. His latest book, How We Win the Civil War, charts the way forward for those who wish to build a multiracial democracy and rid our nation of white supremacy once and for all. . He will be in conversation with two veteran political organizers, Ash-Lee Henderson, Co-Executive Director of The Highlander Center, which serves as a catalyst for grassroots organizing and movement building in Appalachia and the South, with a background in fighting for workers, reproductive justice, LGBTQUIA+ folks, environmental justice, and more, and Maurice Mitchell, a visionary leader in the Movement for Black Lives, and National Director of the Working Families Party. Moderated by Lateefah Simon, this urgent conversation is the reframe that many of us have been hungering for, to move us from anxiety to action. These big-picture thinkers can help us leverage our ostensibly limited voting options into a visionary electoral strategy that can change the game.

Fiction: Mothers & Daughters May 30, 2024

Ramona Ausubel, Mary Otis, and Margaret Wilkerson Sexton, moderated by Jasmin Darznik Relationships between mothers and daughters can be fraught or fruitful—especially for fiction writers. Bring your mom, or your daughter—you might find common ground through some fabulous new fiction in this session.

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With the support of California College of the Arts MFA Writing program

Poetry and the Archives of History May 23, 2024

Anthony Cody and Paisley Rekdal, moderated by Tess Taylor Many of us, when faced by stacks of dusty old documents, might leave the work to the archivists—or consign the mess to the recycling bin of history. In this session, we'll hear from those who instead look at archives and envision poetry. Poet Paisley Rekdal vividly documents how the heroic narrative of the transcontinental railroad is intertwined with the history of Chinese exclusion. Anthony Cody centers on the ongoing legacy of trauma along the US–Mexico border after the end of the Mexican–American War.

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The Art of Suspense May 16, 2024

Katy Hays, Marcie R. Rendon, and Brendan Slocumb, moderated by Laurie R. King Not even the rarified realms of art are safe in the imaginations of these writers, where intrigue lurks even in the concert hall or the museum.

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With support from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria

One Long Listening: A Habit of Love, a Memoir of Offering Care May 09, 2024

Chenxing Han, interviewed by Faith Adiele

We instantly fell in love with Chenxing Han’s "one long listening: a memoir of grief, friendship, and spiritual care." A hospital chaplain and caregiver in the making, Han journeys from a mountaintop monastery in Taiwan to oncology wards in San Francisco, from oceanside Ireland to riverfront Phnom Penh. The book's short chapters alternate among narrative, reflections, letters to a dying friend, memories of a migratory childhood, and wry twists and hilarious footnotes everywhere.

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Dazzling Debuts May 02, 2024

Jonathan Escoffery, Tsering Yangzom Lama, and Jens Liljestrand, moderated by Leslie Carol Roberts

Here's your chance to meet three astonishingly talented young authors, from around the world, at the beginning of their careers—you'll be able to boast that you saw them when! In addition to learning about their new works, we'll hear about these debut authors' paths to publication and heed their advice to aspiring authors.

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Pursuing the Impossible: Poetry and the Art of Translation Apr 25, 2024

Forrest Gander and Olivia E. Sears, moderated by CJ Evans

Voltaire once claimed, "It is impossible to translate poetry. Can you translate music?" If that's true, these talented translators have certainly achieved the impossible—in this session, they'll share insights into how they did so. Olivia Sears and Forrest Gander will read from their translations and also engage in conversation—moderated by CJ Evans, poet and editorial director of Two Lines Press—about the unique (if not impossible) challenges and rewards that poetry grants the translator.

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Cory Doctorow: Red Team Blues Apr 18, 2024

Cory Doctorow, interviewed by Glynn Washington

In cyber-security, the red team plays attack; the blue team plays defense. Martin Hench, the protagonist of Cory Doctorow’s latest too close to home for comfort thriller, Red Team Blues, was born to play attack. Doctorow’s novels are always feasts for the imagination, and this one is no different. It's jam-packed with cutting-edge ideas, twists and turns, and characters you won’t be able to not care about. In conversation with Doctorow will be Glynn Washington, creator and host of NPR’s Snap Judgment.

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Fiction: Across Cultures Apr 11, 2024

Jamil Jan Kochai, Marie Myung-Ok Lee, and Susanne Pari, moderated by Lance Knobel

Stories transcend borders, build bridges across cultural divides, and foster empathy. Join Marie Myung-Ok Lee, Jamil Jan Kochai, and Susanne Pari to explore themes of identity, displacement, and the impact of historical events on individual lives.

With the support of SACHI

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Fiction: Encounters with Myths and Spirits Apr 04, 2024

K-Ming Chang, Kali Fajardo-Anstine, and Brandon Hobson, moderated by Rita Chang-Eppig

At times in these accomplished writers' fiction, the boundaries between the spirit world and the "real world" grow porous or indiscernible, in ways that expand realities and excite readers' imaginations. Woven throughout all of these masterful works of fiction is a reverence for the resonant power of ancient and mysterious tales and spirits.

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Echoes of Exclusion Mar 28, 2024

Ava Chin, Fae Myenne Ng, and Paisley Rekdal, moderated by Kathryn Ma

The Chinese exclusion era started in 1882 and ended (at least on paper) some sixty years later, but, as the authors in this session profoundly reveal, its echoes still reverberate from coast to coast.

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Indigenous Perspectives in Genre Fiction Mar 21, 2024

Jessica Johns, Nick Medina, Marcie R. Rendon, and Margaret Verble, moderated by Melissa Stoner

These Native American and First Nations authors have published exciting new works in the genres of mysteries, thrillers, psychological horror, and historical suspense. How do these writers incorporate historical and current crises—such as the disappearances of Native women or the atrocities of child separation—into their work? How do their novels re-appropriate racist stereotypes? And how does their fiction shape perceptions of contemporary Indigenous communities among Native and non-Native audiences alike?

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Historical Fiction: The American West Mar 14, 2024

Rina Ayuyang, Kali Fajardo-Anstine, and Jane Smiley, moderated by Blaise Zerega

The sweeping landscapes of the American West offer writers a broad canvas on which to set epic stories. Three masterful storytellers will transport us through the rich and complex history of California and Colorado as only the best fiction can.

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Craft Chats: Writing Literary Humor Mar 07, 2024

Kathryn Ma, Cecilia Rabess, and Erik Tarloff, moderated by Michael Shapiro

They say it's easier to make people cry than to make them laugh—in this session, we'll put that theory to the test with three authors who effectively deploy humor in their recent and forthcoming novels. In this craft-focused session, we'll engage deeply with each author's writing, first doing a close reading of specific passages that exemplify their brand of humor and then learning more about how that comedic sensibility informs the totality of the work.

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Reforming Cop Culture: In Oakland and Nationwide Feb 29, 2024

Darwin BondGraham, Neil Gross, and Ali Winston, moderated by Laura Wenus

From the Panthers to the Riders, Oakland is ground zero for legitimately questioning the very fabric of cop culture. In this session, investigative duo Darwin BondGraham and Ali Winston, San Francisco Poet Laureate Tongo Eisen-Martin, and Colby College sociology professor Neil Gross will present perspectives from individuals who have thoroughly reported on, studied, and worked with populations affected by cop culture, and have ideas about how to enact reform.

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Memoir: In Search of Our Fathers Feb 22, 2024

Leslie Absher, Eric Newton, and Leta Seletzky, moderated by Sylvia Brownrigg

We often find ourselves looking back on our parents’ lives to understand our own place in the world. Join the acclaimed Sylvia Brownrigg as she guides authors Leslie Absher, Leta Seletzky, and Eric Newton through this excavation into how the lives of our fathers may offer insight into our own; it’s really only once the digging starts that the real questions come to the surface.

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Crossing the Finish Line: New Books from SJSU MFA Faculty, Steinbeck Fellows, and Students Feb 15, 2024

Rita Cameron, Carmen Kennedy, Amanda Mei Kim, J. Michael Martinez, and Keenan Norris, moderated by Alan Soldofsky

What does it take to get beyond outlines and sh*tty first drafts to a finished manuscript? And, from there, how do you make it across the finish line to publication? Five San José State University faculty members, students, and Steinbeck Fellows with new or forthcoming books will retrace their own publication journeys and inspire you to chase your second (or third) wind in a session that offers equal parts practical advice and writerly motivation.

Sponsored by the Department of English and Comparative Literature at San José State University

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Flash Fiction America Feb 08, 2024

Patricia Quintana Bidar, K-Ming Chang, Grant Faulkner, Molly Giles, Nicole Simonsen, Kara Vernor, hosted by Kirstin Chen and Jane Ciabattari

There's an art to writing a (very) short story, one that includes a captivating opening, a dynamic middle, and a surprising ending—often using fewer words than we're including in this session description. We've brought several authors of flash fiction together for a big celebration of small stories.

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What Makes a Critic? Feb 01, 2024

Yohanca Delgado, Jonathan Leal, Antonio López, Ricardo Jaramillo, Maisie Wiltshire-Gordon, moderated by Heather Partington

These days, when Goodreads reviews and social media takedowns outnumber dwindling book review publications and shrinking newspaper book pages, what role does professional criticism still play, and how can aspiring critics best prepare to engage in the literary discourse? In this session, recent members of The National Book Critics Circle's Emerging Critics Fellowship will reflect on their own development as critics and discuss what the next generation of book critics will bring to the table.

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In partnership with the National Book Critics Circle.

Places Worth Fighting For: Preserving Public Lands Jan 25, 2024

Jerry Emory, Dean King, and McKenzie Long, moderated by Toby McLeod

Place is political, especially when it comes to defining and defending public lands. Come hear three fascinating stories of places worth fighting for—and the people committed to preserving them.

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Hidden Histories Jan 18, 2024

Dorothee Elmiger and Jori Lewis, moderated by Ariana Proehl

Jori Lewis traces both natural and human history as she reveals the long and tortured story of the peanut's entanglement with human bondage. Swiss author Dorothee Elmiger's protagonist (also named Dorothee Elmiger) is an archivist, an obsessive collector of objects related to the violent history of the global sugar trade, which unfolds through a kaleidoscopic narrative that's as intellectually engaged as it is self-reflexive.

With the support of the Center for the Art of Translation

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The Art of Life: Writing Autobiography Across the Genres Jan 11, 2024

Ingrid Rojas Contreras, K.M. Soehnlein, and Preeti Vangani, moderated by Dave Madden

Jori Lewis traces both natural and human history as she reveals the long and tortured story of the peanut's entanglement with human bondage. Swiss author Dorothee Elmiger's protagonist (also named Dorothee Elmiger) is an archivist, an obsessive collector of objects related to the violent history of the global sugar trade, which unfolds through a kaleidoscopic narrative that's as intellectually engaged as it is self-reflexive.

Sponsored by University of San Francisco MFA in Writing program

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Romantic Roadblocks Jan 04, 2024

Lily Chu, Claire Kann, Amy Spalding, and Taleen Voskuni, moderated by Jasmine Guillory

The course of true love never did run smooth," and nowhere is that truer than in contemporary romantic comedies, where creative roadblocks make the journey to Happily Ever After endlessly entertaining, and the destination that much sweeter.

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How to Create Real Change: David Fenton with The Activist's Media Handbook Dec 28, 2023

David Fenton, interviewed by Monika Bauerlein

How can activists create social change today? For starters, they need to be really good storytellers. David Fenton, one of the most effective progressive communicators of the past fifty years, has penned a remarkable book—part rollercoaster memoir, part guidebook—that distills lessons from his experience shaping some of history’s most impactful social movements.

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True Stories: Northern California Dec 21, 2023

Andrew Alden and Clare Frank, hosted by John King

Northern California is home to countless compelling stories—in this session, authors of nonfiction books—on geology and wildfires—each get twelve minutes to share one with you.

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Chokepoint Capitalism Dec 14, 2023

Cory Doctorow interviewed by Wendy Liu

Renowned sci-fi author and activist Cory Doctorow has come to the festival to tell a story that we sure wish was science fiction or fantasy. Do you know what the royalties are for the authors with books at this festival, or how much do musicians get paid every time you play their songs on Spotify? How exactly does the opaque film and TV industry work? Prepare to be fascinated, informed, shocked, and activated by this discussion around one of the most important books of the decade, “Chokepoint Capitalism.”

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The Beauty and Urgency of Nature Writing Dec 07, 2023

Erica Berry, Tom Comitta, and Talia Lakshmi Kolluri, moderated by Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí

Readers of fiction (too) often gloss over description of nature, but this session invites readers to really pay attention to nature writing, in all its marvelous variety. Set aside your human concerns for an hour and immerse yourself in the beautiful urgency of nature writing.

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With the support of SACHI

Mysteries and Thrillers: Dangerous Destinations Nov 30, 2023

Margot Douaihy, Catriona McPherson, T. Jefferson Parker, and Kwei Quartey, moderated by Laurie R. King

Get ready to pack your bags—but keep an eye on your passport, your valuables, and your own neck because the global destinations depicted in these mysteries and thrillers are positively perilous! Whether you're headed out on your own global adventures this summer or just plan to do some armchair traveling, these talented novelists are here to wish you bon voyage . . . and to advise you to watch your back.

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An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom: Master Slave Husband Wife Nov 23, 2023

Ilyon Woo, interviewed by Dorothy Lazard

Scholars of American history have uncovered and recounted countless remarkable stories of the courage and resourcefulness of enslaved and formerly enslaved people. But it's no exaggeration to say that the one Ilyon Woo relates in her new book is, as Imani Perry writes, "one of the most important stories of American slavery and freedom." Join accomplished researcher and brilliant storyteller Ilyon Woo for an unforgettable journey through, as Marlon James calls it, one of "the truly great American stories."

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Sponsored by the Stephen M. Silberstein Foundation

You're a Fraud Nov 16, 2023

Kirstin Chen, Brendan Slocumb, and Kyla Zhao, moderated by Cheryl Popp

This one's an ode to the grifters, the con artists, the scammers: the characters who would gleefully pull one over on you—and probably get away with it, too. Even if the characters they depict are complicated (to put it mildly), there's one thing we know for sure—these authors are the real deal.

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A(lexandra) P(etri's) US History Nov 09, 2023

Alexandra Petri, interviewed by Joe Garofoli

Alexandra Petri is no stranger to making history—she became the youngest-ever columnist for the Washington Post. Now she casts her withering glance backward, compiling "historical fan fiction" that includes essential chronicles such as John and Abigail Adams's experiments in sexting. If you're a student of history, you emphatically won't want to use Petri's book as a primary source—but this conversation with Alexandra Petri will give you a brand-new way to look (and laugh) at our nation's complicated past.

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With the support of SACHI

Love on the Run Nov 02, 2023

Marie Lu in conversation with Alisha Rai

Falling in love is always a rush—even more so when if you and your sexy sidekick are being chased by mobsters . . . or chasing them down yourselves. Talented authors Marie Lu and Alisha Rai really ramp up the adrenaline and the attraction—one way or another, this session will have your heart racing!.

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With the support of SACHI

Adam Hochschild on American Midnight and Democracy’s Crises Oct 26, 2023

Adam Hochschild, introduced by Monika Bauerlein

In American Midnight: The Great War, A Violent Peace, and Democracy’s Forgotten Crisis, award-winning historian and journalist Adam Hochschild brings alive the horrifying yet inspiring four years following the U.S. entry into the First World War, spotlighting forgotten repression while celebrating an unforgettable set of Americans who strove to fix their fractured country—and showing how their struggles still guide us today.

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We Were Once a Family: Journalists Investigating Child Welfare Oct 19, 2023

Roxanna Asgarian and Garrett Therolf, moderated by David Barstow

Roxanna Asgarian is joined by Garrett Therolf of the Investigative Reporting Program at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism to discuss, among other factors, the racial biases and corruption that placed children in positions of profound peril. Their conversation will be moderated by David Barstow, the Reva and David Logan Distinguished Chair in Investigative Journalism at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.

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We Measure the Earth with Our Bodies: In Exile from Tibet Oct 12, 2023

Tsering Yangzom Lama, interviewed by Cherilyn Parsons

Very few novels by Tibetans have been translated into English and published in the United States. So we’re fortunate that award-winning writer Tsering Yangzom Lama, who lives in Canada, is joining us to discuss her gorgeous, fascinating debut novel, We Measure the Earth with our Bodies.

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With the support of the Consulate General of Canada San Francisco/Silicon Valley

Bridging the Distance: Nicole Chung and A Living Remedy Oct 05, 2023

Nicole Chung, interviewed by Brooke Warner

Nicole Chung follows up her exquisite debut with a wrenching new memoir, written in the wake of her mother's death from cancer in the midst of the COVID pandemic. Readers will find both sorrow and solace in her open-hearted new book.

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Sponsored by Reed Schmidt.

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Craft Chats: A Child's Perspective Jul 13, 2023

Keenan Norris, Pilar Quintana, and Margaret Verble, moderated by Ethel Rohan

It's undeniable that we were all once children, but that doesn’t mean it's child's play for writers to center the voice and perspective of a child or teen without veering into oversimplification or preciousness. In this craft-focused session, we'll engage with the works of three writers who excel at the task, first doing a close reading of specific passages and then learning more about how that youthful perspective informs the totality of the work.

With support from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria

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Fiction and Technology: What Hath AI Wrought? Jul 06, 2023

Akil Kumarasamy, Josh Riedel, Allie Rowbottom, Nina Schuyler, and Colin Winnette, moderated by Noah Stern

The authors in this session aren't afraid to use their fiction to contend with the looming future of tech, but their new novels, like so much timeless fiction, are really about the pricelessness of human connection. This provocative discussion will equip attendees for a bold new future—or at least be prepared with a good book at the ready.

With the support of SACHI

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Tricia Hersey: Rest Is Resistance Jun 29, 2023

Tricia Hersey, interviewed by Ashara Ekundayo

In the instant New York Times bestseller “Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto,” Tricia Hersey, aka The Nap Bishop, shows us how to connect to the liberating power of rest, daydreaming, and naps as a foundation for healing and justice.

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Finding Nature, Saving Time Jun 22, 2023

Maddalena Bearzi and Jenny Odell, moderated by Alexis Madrigal

Time stretches out in front of us, but there is never enough of it and you simply cannot borrow, buy, or make more. Join Jenny Odell and Maddalena Bearzi in conversation with Alexis Madrigal on the nature of time and how we measure it. This session will elicit both deep noticing and profound reflection.. If you’re ready for a more humane, responsive way of living, find the time to join us for this session.

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Writer to Writer: Written on the Body Nov 10, 2022

Alyssa Songsiridej, Shruti Swamy, Anita Felicelli

How do writers represent the physicality of the human body, in all its frailty and its grace? Explore this question with electrifying debut novelists Shruti Swamy (“The Archer”) and Alyssa Sonsiridej (“Little Rabbit”), whose coming-of-age novels share a thoughtful consideration of the intersections of the body with creativity and self-expression.

The Ruptures of Leaving: Women Writers on Migration Nov 03, 2022

Gabriela Garcia, Masha Rumer, Shugri Said Salh, Susie Meserve

How do immigrant mothers navigate the world, and what do they leave their daughters when they go? Join Susie Meserve in conversation with three writers focusing on matrilineal lineages: Gabriela Garcia (“Of Women and Salt”); journalist Masha Rumer (“Parenting with an Accent”); and Shugri Said Salh (“The Last Nomad: Coming of Age in the Somali Desert”). We’ll discuss the power of storytelling to connect grandmothers to mothers to daughters even when they no longer share a nationality.

YA: Growing Up Queer Then and Now Oct 27, 2022

Jen Ferguson, Laura Gao, Cinnamongirl Kailynn

These gifted authors offer historical and contemporary narratives of growing up queer. Jen Ferguson’s “The Summer of Bitter and Sweet” features a Métis teen facing racism, sexual identity, and first love. Laura Gao’s graphic memoir “Messy Roots” grapples with queerness and the author’s identity as a Chinese immigrant to America. With support from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.

Collective Book Studio Presents: Mother's Day Oct 20, 2022

Raquel Kelley, Meredith Rose Essalat, Kaitlin Soulé, Josephine Wai Lin, Cindy DiTiberio

A heartfelt and funny session about the joys and absurdities of modern motherhood. Raquel Kelley’s “Where’d I Go?” is a lift-the-flap book—not for babies, but for their tired moms. Josephine Wai Lin offers a modern take on the baby book, focusing on an open-minded approach to gender. In “A Little Less of a Hot Mess,” family therapist Kaitlin Soulé urges moms to embrace their imperfections. And educator/school administrator Meredith Essalet (“The Overly Honest Teacher”) distills her best tips.

How to Write a Mystery Oct 13, 2022

Dale Berry, Steve Hockensmith, Catriona McPherson, Gary Phillips, Laurie R. King

Four experts in suspense unravel the secrets to making pages turn. Your mentors in mystery are Dale Berry (“Tales of the Moonlight Cutter,” set in medieval China); Catriona McPherson, with the historical crime novel “In Place of Fear;” Steve Hockensmith, author of mysteries for adults and children; and Gary Phillips (“One Shot Harry”), critically acclaimed author of mystery, noir, and graphic novels. Moderated by the newly minted Mystery Writers of America Grand Master, Laurie R. King. Sponsored by Mystery Writers of America–NorCal.

Cataclysm or Cure-All?: Fiction Writers Engage with the Promises and Perils of Our Tech Future Oct 06, 2022

Kate Folk, James Kennedy, Claire Stanford, Vauhini Vara, Lucile Culver

Four fiction writers, each with an exquisite ear for the tender absurdities of humanity, bring their craft to bear on tech. Kate Folk (“Out There”) looks at intimacy through a futurist lens. Vauhini Vara (“The Immortal King Rao”) examines technological capitalism and climate change. Claire Stanford’s “Happy for You” is set in a tech company developing a “happiness app,” and James Kennedy’s “Dare to Know” in one that has developed the technology to predict death.

Writer to Writer: Karen Joy Fowler and Lee Kravetz on Art and Life Sep 29, 2022

Karen Joy Fowler, Lee Kravetz

Two novelists channel the worlds and minds of two mythologized historic figures. With “Booth,” Karen Joy Fowler (“The Jane Austen Book Club,” “We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves”), conjures the origins of a villain who changed America’s trajectory: John Wilkes Booth. Lee Kravetz’s “The Last Confessions of Sylvia P” reimagines a chapter in the life of poet Sylvia Plath, through three perspectives.

Fear and Loathing in San Francisco: Hunter S. Thompson's Savage Journey to Gonzo Sep 22, 2022

Peter Richardson, Sam Quinones

Why is the wild, woolly writing of Hunter S. Thompson (“Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”) still so relevant today? By inventing a whole new genre—”Gonzo journalism”—he forever changed the fourth estate. With “Savage Journey,” Peter Richardson, in an interview with Sam Quinones (“The Least of Us”) takes us for a ride through Thompson’s weird journey to Gonzo: one that took its first steps in San Francisco.

Black Panthers: Inherit the Revolution Sep 15, 2022

Kekla Magoon, Jetta Martin, Waldo Martin Jr., Cinnamongirl Olivia, Kimberly Cox Marshall

The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense rocked the world with a revolutionary vision whose legacy still burns bright. Get to know the stories behind the movement with three renowned authors: Kekla Magoon (“Revolution in Our Time”) and Jetta Martin and Waldo Martin, Jr. (“Freedom! The Story of the Black Panther Party”).

The Art of Translation Sep 08, 2022

Forrest Gander, Christina MacSweeney, Megan McDowell, Achy Obejas, Nathan Scott McNamara

To translate an author’s work—staying faithful to their vision, style, and message, in a language not their own—is to assume an awesome responsibility: one that hasn’t always gotten its just due as an art form. Four of today’s most noteworthy and acclaimed translators of Latin American contemporary literature will shed light on the origins, rewards, pitfalls, and complexities of their discipline. Christina MacSweeney, a recipient of the Valle Inclan prize, has translated the works of leading Spanish-language authors including Valeria Luiselli, Jazmina Barrera, and Elvira Navarro. Megan McDowell, who received the English PEN award and whose works in translation have been nominated four times for the International Booker Prize, has translated many of the most important Latin American authors working today, including Samanta Schweblin, Alejandro Zambra, and Mariana Enriquez. Havana-born translator Achy Obejas, who has worked with Wendy Guerra, Rita Indiana, Junot Díaz, and Megan Maxwell, is also the author of a recent collection of poetry written in a mostly gender-free Spanish and English. And Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Forrest Gander, also a renowned translator, will share insights from his distinguished career. Find out why translation is a journey of never-ending discovery, creativity, and lessons in cross-cultural sensitivity and communication.Sponsored by the Center for the Art of Translation.

Relationships, Reckonings & Remembrances: A Reading by Three California Poets Sep 01, 2022

Mai Der Vang, Amanda Moore, Christine No, Maw Shein Win

Three California poets navigate relationships, reckonings, and memory with unerring eyes. Join Mai Der Vang (“Yellow Rain”), Amanda Moore (“Requeening”), and Christine No (“Whatever Love Means”) for readings from their masterful new poetry collections followed by a Q&A. Hosted by El Cerrito’s inaugural poet laureate, Maw Shein Win (“Storage Unit for the Spirit House”).

What Has Oakland Taught Us?: A History of Disruptive Development and New Visions for Urban Planning Aug 25, 2022

Majora Carter, John Kamp, James Rojas, Mitchell Schwarzer, Alexis Madrigal

Displacement, gentrification, the soaring cost of living: these issues have ravaged cities across the Bay and America. We need new visions of urban success. Mitchell Schwarzer (“Hella Town”) weighs in on Oakland’s past and future; James Rojas and John Kamp (“Dream Play Build”) discuss inclusive placemaking; and Majora Carter (“Reclaiming Your Community”) shows us how to take community accountability.

Revolution and Resilience: Global Politics in Fiction Aug 18, 2022

Aamina Ahmad, Uzma Aslam Khan, NoViolet Bulawayo, Lance Knobel

Three supremely talented writers with a global perspective will open our eyes to historical and contemporary cycles of oppression and resistance. Booker Prize finalist NoViolet Bulawayo (“We Need New Names,” “Glory”) has constructed a postcolonial fable in which animals stand in for humans. Uzma Aslam Khan’s “The Miraculous History of Nomi Ali” is set in the Andaman Islands during the Japanese occupation of WWII. And Aamina Amhad (“The Return of Faraz Ali”) explores the social labyrinths of Lahore through the eyes of a displaced man.

Total SF Book Club Live: Urban Hiking in San Francisco with Alexandra Kenin Aug 11, 2022

Alexandra Kenin, Heather Knight, Peter Hartlaub

Ever wonder where to find a hiker's rugged dream in the big bad city? Alexandra Kenin (“Urban Trails: San Francisco”) has meticulously tracked all 70 miles of hiking trails and 220 parks in mainland San Francisco, Alcatraz, and the islands. In this special in-person edition of the San Francisco Chronicle’s Total SF Book Club, get the scoop on our city’s best-kept hiking secrets.

Werewolves and Monster Slayers: Transforming Horror in YA Aug 04, 2022

Lily Anderson, Maggie Tokuda-Hall, Rex Horner

Read about powerful young women with a side of killer fun. In Maggie Tokuda-Hall’s graphic novel debut “Squad,” Becca longs to be popular at her new school, and winds up finding her place in a group of girls who also happen to be werewolves. Lily Anderson’s “Scout’s Honor” is filled with tons of high-octane action and adventure as protagonist Prudence Perry pursues her legacy as a monster hunter.

J Dilla: The Beatmaker Who Changed The Way Musicians Play Jul 28, 2022

Dan Charnas, Adam Mansbach

Discover a hidden genius—a man whom the greatest figures of contemporary pop call a “demigod” of music. J Dilla, who died in 2006 at the age of 32, never had a mainstream pop hit, but he created a new “time-feel” that forever changed the way musicians compose and play, whether they're contemporary jazz composers, hip-hop artists, or rappers. Find out why this unsung visionary is revered everywhere from conservatories to universities, his ideas present in the music of Kendrick Lamar and Robert Glasper. With the recent New York Times bestseller Dilla Time, Dan Charnas, a pioneer of hip-hop journalism, gives us “one of the few hip-hop sagas to take the music as seriously as its maker” (Publishers Weekly). Joined by #1 New York Times bestselling author and screenwriter Adam Mansbach (Go the F**k to Sleep; I Had a Brother Once), Charnas will show us why recent Oscar-winner QUESTLOVE called Dilla “an unexplainable genius”---one whose gift and legacy is revealed at last in the pages of Dilla Time.

Crime: True and Imagined Jul 21, 2022

Jessica Garrison, Tod Goldberg, Paul Holes, Megan Cassidy

What do crimes, real or fictional, reveal about human nature? Shedding light are legendary cold-case investigator Paul Holes (who helped solve the Golden State Killer case); Los Angeles Times investigative journalist Jessica Garrison (“The Devil’s Harvest”) and bestselling fiction writer Tod Goldberg, with his collection of gangster tales, “The Low Desert.” In a conversation moderated by San Francisco Chronicle crime reporter Megan Cassidy, these authors will show us how scratching the surface of a crime uncovers an unforgettable story about ourselves.

Science Fiction: In Search of Hope Jul 15, 2022

Charlie Jane Anders, Mike Chen, John Scalzi, Danielle Venton

These brilliant science fiction writers’ latest works find hope among the stars. In John Scalzi’s “The Kaiju Preservation Society,” a delivery driver gets a chance to escape a COVID-decimated New York City—by caring for giant endangered animals on an alternate Earth. The second volume of Charlie Jane Anders’s Unstoppable series, “Dreams Bigger Than Heartbreak,” finds alien clone Tina and crew on a quest for love and fulfillment. And in Mike Chen’s “Light Years from Home,” earthbound family drama meets alien abduction.

Historical Fiction: China and California Jul 07, 2022

Carol Edgarian, Vanessa Hua, Jenny Tinghui Zhang, Jasmin Darznik

Chinese immigrants were instrumental in shaping California, despite prejudice and exploitation. The connection between the two places has been fodder for amazing works of art, including the latest novels by authors Jenny Tinghui Zhan (“Four Treasures of the Sky”), Carol Edgarian (“Vera”), and San Francisco Chronicle columnist Vanessa Hua (“Forbidden City”).

Shine Bright: Black Women in Pop Music Jun 30, 2022

Danyel Smith, Mariecar Mendoza

From formerly enslaved poet Phyllis Wheatley to Mahalia Jackson to Tina Turner, brilliant Black women have been instrumental—indeed, foundational—in creating America’s pop music. Former Billboard editor Danyel Smith’s “Shine Bright” is an ode to the songbird geniuses that have been hidden in plain sight. In this conversation between Smith and the San Francisco Chronicle’s Mariecar Mendoza, we’ll celebrate a musical lineage as life-affirming as it is awe-inspiring.

Keep Calm and Go Quietly Mad Jun 23, 2022

Molly Giles, Leslie Kirk Campbell, Sarah Moss

With book titles like “Wife with Knife: Stories that Cut” (by Molly Giles), “The Man With Eight Pairs of Legs” (by Leslie Kirk Campbell), and “The Fell” (by Sarah Moss), it’s clear you’re not in for a typical reading experience. These fiction writers explore what happens when we’re pushed to extremes. With the support of Culture Ireland.

Writing a Path Out of Darkness: Writers on Mourning Jun 16, 2022

Pik-Shuen Fung, Kristin Keane, Litt Woon Long, Deirdre English

These authors give voice to the unspeakable parts of grief. The protagonist of Pik-Shuen Fung’s “Ghost Forest” navigates her father’s death in a family that doesn’t talk about feelings. In “The Encyclopedia of Bending Time,” memoirist Kristin Keane uses an encyclopedic format to grieve her mother. And Litt Woon Long’s “The Way Through the Woods” wends a path through mushroom-foraging as a way to process loss. With the support of the Consulate General of Canada San Francisco/Silicon Valley, the Norway House Foundation, and NORLA - Norwegian Literature Abroad.

Splitting the World Open: An International Roundtable of Dangerous Women Writers Sep 16, 2021

Spend an hour with three brilliant female authors, writing from and about multiple corners of the globe—India, the Middle East, North Africa, South America, the United States—with woman-focused stories. Meet Dubai-based Indian author Avni Doshi, Ethiopian-American novelist Maaza Mengiste and Chilean author Alia Trabucco Zerán. The event is co-presented by Words Without Borders and moderated by Karen Phillips, its executive director.

What Happens When a Woman Tells Her Whole Truth w/Gina Frangello, Brooke Warner Sep 09, 2021

Gina Frangello’s new memoir, Blow Your House Down, was met with wide acclaim, impassioned support, and also the judgments and criticisms that people love to lob at women who write about their authentic, messy lives. She writes about adultery, a longtime affair, and eventually breaking up her family, with repercussions to all concerned, including her children. At the center of this conversation, moderated by Brooke Warner, are questions about how women are encouraged to be silent, or get silenced.

Book Launch Event: The Confession of Copeland Cane, with author Keenan Norris in conversation with Dr. Michael Datcher Sep 02, 2021

Love, Loss, and Meaning in Life: World-Renowned Therapist Irvin Yalom & Joyce Carol Oates Aug 19, 2021

A powerful conversation between renowned psychiatrist Irvin Yalom & one of the most honored authors in American letters, Joyce Carol Oates. This heartfelt talk explores universal questions of intimacy, love, and grief.

How to Dream the World You Want: Nnedi Okorafor & Jeff VanderMeer with Isabel Yap Aug 12, 2021

Lager and Love Can’t Pay the Bills: 2020 Booker Prize Winner Douglas Stuart on his Masterpiece, Shuggie Bain Aug 07, 2021

Douglas Stuart enraptured readers worldwide in 2020 when his debut novel, Shuggie Bain, took the world’s top literary award, the Booker Prize. Shuggie Bain was a labor of love that drew from his own history of childhood poverty, hardship, and devotion to a mother whose addiction struggles were intensified by a broken system. Stuart is interviewed by Casey Gerald, who gained fame with a viral TED talk, “The Gospel of Doubt.” Like Stuart, Gerald grew up queer, shaped by poverty and parental addiction.

Green Rabbits Glowing at the End of the World Jul 29, 2021

Hear from two highly respected journalists who also happen to be speculative fiction writers. Annalee Newitz is an award-winning novelist (The Future of Another Timeline) and a science, technology and culture writer whose fascinating new book, Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age, explores the rise and fall of four urban-centered civilizations, from medieval Angkor in Cambodia to the indigenous metropolis Cahokia in present-day Missouri. Moderated by Bonnie Tsui, author of Why We Swim.

When Everything Falls Apart, How Does the Heart Survive? Orville Schell and Yiyun Li on China, Tolstoy, and the Power of Art, with Adam Hochschild Jul 16, 2021

A journalist and renowned expert on China, Schell has penned his first novel, drawing on his knowledge of Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution and on his conviction that art and love can outlive brutality. Joining him is MacArthur “genius” and award-winning writer Yiyun Li, who came of age during the bloody Tiananmen Square crackdown, emigrated to the U.S. at 23 as a young scientist, and eventually took the literary world by storm with her fiction, memoir and essays. This talk is moderated by Adam Hochschild.

There’s a Revolution Outside, My Love Jul 08, 2021

The power of words to spark change and detonate oppression has never been more needed than it is today. Join U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith, award-winning poet Reginald Dwayne Betts, and National Book Critics Circle Award finalist Camille Dungy as they discuss their writings in response to our tumultuous time in history. Guiding the conversation is Ismail Muhummad, story editor for the New York Times Magazine and a member of the Festival’s program committee.

Create, Connect, and Inspire: Julia Cameron on The Listening Path Jun 24, 2021

Having enriched the creative journeys of millions with her Artist’s Way program and books, Julia Cameron will show us how to harness that spirit of renewal with her latest guide to attunement and fulfillment, The Listening Path. Joining Julia is Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Judy Collins, a national treasure whose artistry is timeless. You won’t want to miss these two legendary creatives in conversation, talking about all things art, life, inspiration, and how to truly listen.

The Ties that Bind: Ann Patchett on Family, Fortune, and the Search for Self Feb 18, 2021

Ann Patchett’s novels hit that sweet spot where literary prestige meets blockbuster success. With The Dutch House, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, Patchett is at her peak. This “engrossing, warmhearted book” (NPR) tells the story of a brother and sister whose deep bond and secret-filled past is haunted by the legacy of an ornate mansion, the “Dutch house,” that was the site of childhood, and later, of their exile. Patchett is known for speaking her mind with refreshing and down-to-earth brilliance.

Racing Towards Wonder with bestselling novelist Jane Smiley Dec 10, 2020

Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley was determined to release her latest novel in 2020. Why? She knew we all could use an escape. And Perestroika in Paris is just that, as praised by Publishers Weekly: “the perfect book for those for whom the real world, wracked with pandemic and politics, has become something to avoid.” Imagine a Parisian fairytale for adults starring a runaway racehorse who finds friendship and freedom in getting splendidly off-track in the City of Light. In conversation with Brooke Warner.

Power of Protest: Lessons from Hong Kong Nov 24, 2020

After a tumultuous year of protest, Hong Kong’s streets are quiet again following the adoption of the national security law. Join four experts for this indispensable analysis of the protest movement and its significance for freedom globally: Hong Kong-based lawyer and writer Antony Dapiran; Jeffrey Wasserstrom, one of America’s leading China specialists; and the Financial Times’ Nicolle Liu, who reported from the streets throughout the protests. Conversation moderated by Orville Schell and Arthur Ross.

Meaning in the Music: A Conversational Duet with Fantastic Negrito and Timbuktu Nov 10, 2020

Two-time Grammy winner and Oakland native Fantastic Negrito (blues and Black roots music) meets multiracial, eight-time Swedish Grammy-winning rapper and debut author Timbuktu — and each discovers a brother. In a highly personal conversation, these two extraordinary artists, each with a huge fan base, share their experiences of racism, fatherhood, ancestors, and what it means to be an “elder.” They talk especially about gratitude, joy, and of course the power of music.

Women Lit #UNBOUND: Poised to Soar: Nature-Writing Sensation Helen Macdonald with Vesper Flights Nov 05, 2020

Helen Macdonald is setting our imaginations soaring again with Vesper Flights, a collection of her best-loved essays, illuminating everything from mushroom-hunting to the poignant particulars of birds’ nests. As Helen wrote, “animals don’t exist in order to teach us things,” but her live conversation with American Book Award-winning poet Camille T. Dungy will show us how much we can learn by letting nature keep its secrets.

How the Constitution Can Save Us Nov 03, 2020

It’s not an exaggeration to say that the future of the American republic hangs in the balance. There are few levers as powerful in tipping that balance as interpretations of the U.S. Constitution by the Supreme Court. One of the nation’s preeminent constitutional law scholars, Erwin Cherminsky, asserts that there has never been a more important time to adopt a progressive vision of the U.S. Constitution, a living blueprint that can ensure justice, equality, and opportunity for all.

Food Is Fundamental Oct 29, 2020

Where can we turn for a scalable vision of a sustainable, equitable, and delicious future? Look no further than Chez Panisse founder Alice Waters, legendary maven of the “slow food movement,” and food labor activist Saru Jayaraman. Now they’re coming together, in a time of climate change, pandemics, and global hunger, to examine how we got here, and cook up a bold recipe for implementing transformative changes to our food system. You’ll savor this forward-thinking conversation, moderated by Davia Nelson.

Embracing the Other Oct 27, 2020

Late Congressman John Lewis called the coming election “the most important ever.” The national schisms that led to the election of Donald Trump have become even deeper over the past four years. How can we address the anger and divisiveness, the “othering” that fuels persistent racism, political dysfunction, raging culture wars, and rises in violence? At this major inflection point in our society, can the nation be healed? Featuring john a. powell in conversation with Arlie Russell Hochschild.

Writing a New World Into Existence: Lessons from Literary Futurism Oct 22, 2020

It’s been demonstrated that reading fiction increases empathy. Can it also unlock a blueprint for our future, at a moment when we need new ways of defining what’s possible? Four of Berkeley’s most visionary novelists, known for their ability to conjure exciting “future histories” with words, come together to discuss how literature and the imagination can light a bold path to progress.

The Radical Necessity of Nonviolence Oct 20, 2020

“The choice today,” said Martin Luther King, Jr., “is no longer between violence and nonviolence. It is either nonviolence or nonexistence.” Our nation is rocked by protests; and on a global stage, nuclear-armed countries flirt with mutually assured destruction. What is the path forward? In conversation with Stephen Best, Judith Butler overturns common assumptions about nonviolence, offering a definition that can help us achieve a world where peace and equality arise.

Politics, Race, and the State of Play in our Nation Oct 16, 2020

W. Kamau Bell, an Emmy-winner for CNN’s United Shades of America, and Steve Kerr, outspoken head coach of the Golden State Warriors, are teaming up to raise the good kind of hell, talking all things race, power, dissent, the intersection of sports and activism, and comedy as coping mechanism and vehicle for truth. In a freewheeling conversation refereed by Dacher Keltner, founding director of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, the comedian and the coach will hold nothing back.

Merlin Sheldrake and Michael Pollan on Entangled Life Oct 13, 2020

In this conversation, Merlin Sheldrake and bestselling writer Michael Pollan delve into “The Wood Wide Web”: an enchanting “superorganism” whose secrets just might save the world. Merlin’s riveting first book, Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures, has become an instant classic of nature and philosophy — a work of rigorous science and poetic expression, drawing us into the mystery and meaning of this most magical life form.

Rewrite Your Story: Embracing the Divine Feminine with Alexandra Roxo and Carol Queen Oct 08, 2020

This episode includes passages that may not be appropriate for all listeners. Why is it so hard for so many of us to claim our own power? “Because,” writes Alexandra Roxo in her debut, F*ck Like a Goddess, “each of us has been conditioned, programmed, and literally brainwashed into thinking we are not enough.” The solution is to rewrite the story we’ve been told about our own worth. Joining Roxo is staff sexologist at Good Vibrations and author-activist-sex educator, Dr. Carol Queen.

Real Change with Mindfulness Teacher Sharon Salzberg Oct 06, 2020

Author of Real Happiness and columnist for the Peabody Award-winning On Being, Sharon Salzberg has built a devoted fanbase and major excitement for her latest book, Real Change. A renowned figure in the world of meditation, Salzberg offers us a guide for harnessing mindfulness in ways that benefit ourselves and the world around us. She dispenses her invaluable wisdom and counsel for vanquishing fear and anxiety at a time when awareness of mental health and emotional wellbeing is more necessary than ever.

America’s Most Unusual Marriage: Adam Hochschild on Rebel Cinderella Oct 01, 2020

Trust Adam Hochschild to unearth one of history’s forgotten heroines. Russian immigrant Rose Pastor Stokes spent her first years in America in a sweatshop, only to skyrocket to the upper class when she married an heir. It’s a classic Cinderella story: that is, if Cinderella converted her prince to socialism, became an antiwar and labor activist, promoted birth control access, and was dubbed “one of the most dangerous influences of the country” by a President. Hochschild will be joined by Monika Bauerlein.

What Comes Naturally: The Science and Soul of Nature Writing Sep 29, 2020

In this panel sponsored by Heyday, four authors meet at a crossroads between hard science and visual sumptuousness. Obi Kaufmann turns his artist’s palette on California’s most contested natural resource, water; while Josie Iselin wades into the deep end with the magic of seaweed. John Muir Laws & Emilie Lygren take us into the revelatory practice of nature journaling. How do these artists learn the ecological nitty gritty of their subjects? How does nature writing deepen the impact of scientific research?

Braving Deep Waters: Female Fearlessness and Friendship with Sue Monk Kidd and Lisa See Sep 24, 2020

Dive into an exploration of female power with bestselling authors Sue Monk Kidd and Lisa See, moderated by Aimee Phan. Lisa’s latest novel, the multi-generational saga The Island of Sea Women, brings us into the lives of Mi-ja and Young-sook, two best friends on the Korean island of Jeju, who join their village’s all-female diving collective. Sue’s newest novel, The Book of Longings, puts us in the skin of Ana, a gifted Galilee rebel whose chance encounter with Jesus Christ changes her life forever.

International Thrills: #1 Scandinavian Bestseller Lars Kepler Sep 22, 2020

Swedish suspense phenomenon Lars Kepler, famed for the #1 bestselling Joona Linna series, is husband-and-wife duo Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril and Alexander Ahndoril. Both were already acclaimed authors before they joined forces, but together they’ve sold millions of copies. Their first book, The Hypnotist, stirred up intrigue as the media sleuthed to uncover Lars Kepler’s real identity. Come for a rare look at this couple’s process. Moderated by Jesse Kellerman. Sponsored by the Consulate General of Sweden.

A Cursed Blessing: The Hidden Gifts in Times of Trial: A Conversation with David Talbot and Sir Michael Moritz Sep 17, 2020

Bestselling author David Talbot has written an illness memoir with a twist. His lauded Between Heaven and Hell: The Story of My Stroke intimately chronicles the life-changing year following his massive stroke. From the remarkable care he received in Davies Hospital to daily life in recovery, this Type-A journalist was forced to slow down radically, depend on the kindness of others, and learn the value of what truly matters. David will share his experience and new plans with Sir Michael Moritz.

Ready, Set, Publish with Courtney Maum Sep 15, 2020

Brooke Warner and Grant Faulkner interview Courtney Maum about her indispensable new book, Before and After the Book Deal, for the Write-minded podcast. This conversation delves into everything aspiring authors want and need to know but might be afraid to ask, and doesn’t shy away from scary and taboo topics like rejection, money, and how much you really need to be on social media if you want to be successful. It’s sure to empower any writer to tackle the important journey to publication.

Unplugging in a Virtual World: Tiffany Shlain on 24/6 Sep 10, 2020

At a time when we all rely on technology more than ever to work, connect, and even relax, filmmaker and author Tiffany Shlain instituted a “Tech Shabbat” for her family, and it changed their lives. In 24/6, Shlain shares the story of how her family tuned out in order to tune in, and offers lessons for how you can follow their example, delving into fascinating philosophical and psychological justifications for the benefits of logging off. Shlain will be joined by KQED reporter Chloe Veltman.

Shedding Light, Vanquishing Fear: End-of-Life Planning with the Experts Sep 08, 2020

In this enlightening and truly comforting discussion, four remarkable experts show how to take a clear-eyed, compassionate approach to mortality. These authors shed light on how medical providers and patients alike can reshape the mentality of fear around the process of dying and create an experience that can be transformative and extremely meaningful. This conversation features journalist Shoshana Berger, palliative care physician BJ Miller, and bestselling writer Katy Butler. Moderated by Dr. Sunita Puri.

One Person, No Vote: Carol Anderson in Conversation with Congresswoman Barbara Lee Sep 03, 2020

Carol Anderson is one of our nation’s leading voices on racial justice. In One Person, No Vote, she zeros in on the fallout from the 2013 Supreme Court ruling that gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Anderson will be in conversation with Congresswoman Barbara Lee, one of the most well-regarded and outspoken members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Generously supported by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, Stephen M. Silberstein Foundation, Guy & Jeanine Saperstein, & Mal Warwick Donordigital.

Coming Together When Things Fall Apart: Giving Voice to Emotional Truth in our Times Sep 01, 2020

Best-selling novelist R.O. Kwon’s New York Times essay about grief in times of uncertainty was the inspiration for this conversation. In an emotionally profound exchange, she is joined by Pulitzer Prize winners Anthony Doerr, whose novel All the Light We Cannot See illuminates the ways people try to be good to one another; and Viet Thanh Nguyen, whose The Sympathizer captures the ambivalence and humanity of “a man of two minds.” Moderated by Danielle Evans.

Unrigging the Rules for the Rising American Electorate: David Daley and Steve Phillips Aug 27, 2020

The past few years have been infused with political engagement from a diverse electorate. For every victory, however, there’s an equally coordinated attempt to disenfranchise these citizens. Bestselling authors Steve Phillips and David Daley will teach us how to unrig the rules to ensure everyone’s vote is counted. Moderated by Rebecca Nagle (Cherokee). Generously supported by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, Stephen M. Silberstein Foundation, Guy & Jeanine Saperstein, & Mal Warwick Donordigital.

Queens of Mystery: Writer to Writer with Meg Gardiner and Rachel Howzell Hall Aug 25, 2020

Listen to these two leading ladies of suspense as they crack the case of how to write spine-tingling, sophisticated thrillers. Meg Gardiner specializes in heroines with big brains, from FBI agents to forensic psychiatrists to firecracker. And Rachel Howzell Hall, author of the Detective Elouise Norton series, has created an unforgettable protagonist. Moderated by Edgar Award winner Laurie King.

Courts, COVID-19 & Voter Suppression Aug 20, 2020

How much can we rely on our courts as the last line of defense in our right to vote? Experts lead us through the role of the courts in ensuring access to absentee ballots and early voting, and show us how citizens can shape the judiciary. Featuring Richard Hasen, Alan Hirsch, and ACLU of Northern California director Abdi Soltani. Moderated by Lala Wu. Generously supported by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, Stephen M. Silberstein Foundation, Guy & Jeanine Saperstein, & Mal Warwick Donordigital.

Strange Hotel: Irish Literary Sensation Eimear McBride Aug 18, 2020

Eimear McBride’s career is an underdog’s dream: she spent six months writing her debut novel, A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing, and nine years trying to sell it, only to take the literary scene by storm when it was finally published in 2013 to an avalanche of acclaim, awards, and rapturous comparisons to James Joyce and Samuel Beckett. Now, McBride joins Brooke Warner in celebration of her eagerly awaited new novel, Strange Hotel, which further cements her singular place in the contemporary canon.

Vote At Home with Amber McReynolds and Jesse Wegman Aug 13, 2020

The election will be disrupted by COVID-19. There’s a secure solution: voting by mail, which would protect public health and our democracy’s integrity. What are the pathways to making vote-by-mail widely available? Jesse Wegman, author of Let the People Pick the President, is joined by Amber McReynolds, coauthor of When Women Vote. Moderated by Ian Haney Lopez. Supported by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, Stephen M. Silberstein Foundation, Guy & Jeanine Saperstein, & Mal Warwick Donordigital.

Sacred and Profane: Debut Novelist Chelsea Bieker on “Godshot” Aug 11, 2020

We’re thrilled to welcome novelist Chelsea Bieker in conversation with Brooke Warner. Bieker’s literary debut Godshot is a hymn to the salvation found in hard-won personal rebirth. Stricken with drought, the community of Peaches, California clings to a cult leader for salvation, and 14-year-old Lacey is left to reap a revelatory harvest of her own. Godshot has won Bieker comparisons to Margaret Atwood and Emma Cline. The beauty lies in Lacey’s incomparable voice, who you’ll miss after turning the last page.

No Place to Shelter: What COVID-19 Reveals About Inequality: A Conversation with Leading Journalists and Activists Aug 06, 2020

Homelessness, income inequality, mass incarceration, wage stagnation, housing shortages: Experts on the front lines will discuss what we need to do to create a fairer future. Zach Norris, Executive Director of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, makes a strong case for the importance of collective accountability with We Keep Us Safe. He’s joined by New York Times reporter Conor Doughtery. We also welcome Joe Wilson, Executive Director of San Francisco’s Hospitality House. Moderated by Heather Knight.

The Witness We Bear: Writer to Writer with Jericho Brown and Nikky Finney Aug 04, 2020

In this transcendent conversation, Pulitzer Prize winner Jericho Brown and National Book Award winner Nikky Finney—two of the most prominent poets in America today—share their own responses to the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, address the protests against police brutality and white supremacy, and describe the revolutionary power of poetry to capture human experience. They offer us their own experiences of finding power and hope, even in the midst of heartbreak. Moderated by Ismail Muhammad.

Parenting in a Time of Crisis Jul 31, 2020

Parents all over the world are facing a dilemma: what do we tell children about threatening truths, from COVID to climate change? Christine Carter, Ph.D. draws on her own parenting experiences, as well as scientific research, to give advice for living and parenting with greater joy and meaning. In her recent book, Ready or Not, Madeline Levine seems to have anticipated the struggles of families during this crisis. Sarah Jaquette Ray’s A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety is an essential toolkit as we confront the greatest environmental threat of our time. Moderated by Dacher Keltner. Sponsored by Bayer.

University of San Francisco MFA in Writing Presents: Impossible Choices and Unspeakable Acts Apr 02, 2020

These novelist-teachers from the University of San Francisco MFA in Writing program dig into the challenges of writing characters haunted by their pasts. They share the narrative tools they use to push their characters to the very edge and keep the reader turning the page. Sponsored by the University of San Francisco MFA in Writing program.

Unlikely Alliances and Other Surprises in Historical Fiction Mar 26, 2020

These historical novels transport us to worlds full of surprising connections that cross divisions of class, race and more. These authors explore power dynamics and tricky relationships from 1930s colonial Malaysia, to pre-Civil War Ohio, to the streets of Paris and the vineyards of Midi in the Victorian era.

A Unique Feminine Mystique: The Female Detective Mar 19, 2020

These writers are as fierce as their female crime fighters. Their protagonists confront corrupt cops, solve mysterious deaths while juggling personal woes, quash terrorism and try to stay alive while doling out justice. With support from the Norway House Foundation, NORLA, the Consulate General of Sweden in San Francisco, SWEA San Francisco and the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation.

The Uninhabitable Earth Mar 12, 2020

One New York Times reviewer called journalist David Wallace Wells’ “The Uninhabitable Earth” ”the most terrifying book I have ever read.” It also is one of the most important. Both literary and science-based, the book is a chilling account of the ticking clock looming over humanity as climate change threatens to render the earth unfit for human life.

The Unbreakable Human Spirit: Albert Woodfox on Survival in Solitary Mar 05, 2020

One of the “Angola 3,” Albert Woodfox endured four decades of solitary confinement for a crime he did not commit. In our closing keynote session, Woodfox will be interviewed by Mother Jones reporter Shane Bauer, author of “American Prison” and himself a survivor of solitary confinement.

A Conversation with Tayari Jones Feb 27, 2020

Tayari Jones can “touch us soul to soul with her words,” said Oprah, who dubbed Jones’ newest novel a Book Club pick for 2018. In her work, Jones takes the scars of the American South, including traumas around wrongful incarceration, and rubs them raw. She is interviewed by Brooke Warner of She Writes Press. Sponsored by She Writes Press; also with the support of Women Lit members.

A Stranger’s Journey: Race, Identity, and Craft Feb 20, 2020

To write race and ethnicity well, we need the right tools and the right reading list. Join four writer-teachers of color as they unpack the questions of identity that drive their writing, mark the pitfalls of self-exotification and weigh the rewards of penning richer, riskier work.

Let The World Move: Speculative Fiction From the Periphery Feb 13, 2020

These masterful storytellers tackle the mysterious, the wild,the terrifying and the magical in their speculative fiction. With enthralling work that defies convention, they are creating a cultural shift in the literary landscape. Presented by the UC Berkeley English Department and the Peripheral Futures Working Group; also with the support of Women Lit members.

San Francisco State University MFA Program Presents: Who’s Got The Power? Feb 06, 2020

Let’s talk about power: who has it, how it flows and how it shapes the stories we write in overt and hidden ways. Novelists from the San Francisco State University MFA program investigate how power shows up in their work and in their own writing practices. Sponsored by the San Francisco State University MFA Program.

What Does It Mean to Be Human? Rethinking Belonging at the Frontier of Genetic Engineering Jan 30, 2020

New biomedical technologies — from prenatal testing to gene editing techniques — raise questions about how far we should go in retooling the human genome. Two leading thinkers, George Estreich (“Fables and Futures: Biotechnology, Disability, and the Stories We Tell Ourselves,”) and Jamie Metzl (“Hacking Darwin: Genetic Engineering and the Future of Humanity”) explore these new frontiers — and their limits. Sponsored by Berkeleyside.

Queer Poetics Jan 23, 2020

Franny Choi (“Soft Science”), Tommy Pico (“Junk”), Brenda Shaughnessy (“The Octopus Museum”) and Sam Sax (“Bury It”) bring us genre-bending work as playful as it is subversive. Bursting with questions and contradictions that resist hegemony at every turn, these poets are queering the canon one poem at a time.

Prophet of Freedom: Frederick Douglass Jan 16, 2020

Join David Blight, 2019 Pulitzer Prize winner, American history scholar and author of the new, definitive biography “Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom,” a Top Ten Book of 2018 by the New York Times. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. interviews Blight and helps uncover this towering figure that Blight calls “thoroughly and beautifully human.”

A Celebration of The Paris Review Jan 09, 2020

Known for promoting new talent alongside established voices, The Paris Review publishes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, graphic literature, interviews and more in its bound quarterly issues and online Paris Review Daily. We’re joined by its new editor in a roundtable led by the magazine’s West Coast editor along with contributors. Co-presented with The Paris Review.

On Not Mothering Jan 02, 2020

Often regarded with pity or disdain, women who don’t mother are made to feel like failures. But what possibilities are opened by a child-free life? Brazen in their vulnerability, these authors break the silence on not mothering, addressing the assumptions, stigmas and rewards. With the support of the Consulate General of Canada, San Francisco/Silicon Valley; Culture Ireland; and Women Lit members.

Not So Polite After All: Canadian Writers Challenge the Status Quo Dec 26, 2019

Award-winning Canadian writers converge on one stage to recount their adventures in literary risk-taking and rule-breaking. Hear from Esi Edugyan (“Washington Black”), Sheila Heti (“Motherhood”) and André Alexis (“Days By Moonlight”). With the support of the Consulate General of Canada, San Francisco/Silicon Valley.

Nordic Noir Dec 19, 2019

One of the Festival’s most popular sessions is back, featuring some of Scandinavia’s most scintillating mystery writers. With the support of Iceland Naturally, the Icelandic Literature Center, the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation, the Consulate General of Sweden in San Francisco, SWEA San Francisco, the Norway House Foundation and NORLA. With ASL interpreter.

No Happy Endings, No Easy Answers: Seeking Truth Through Trauma Dec 12, 2019

How do we reckon with what haunts us most? These writers pick apart trauma to understand its source, pushing past reductive conclusions and condemnations in pursuit of a fuller truth. Moderated by associate professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) and a facilitator of restorative justice. Sponsored by the California Institute of Integral Studies.

Mystery and Tragedy in Tibet: Interview with Bestselling Author Eliot Pattison Dec 05, 2019

Eliot Pattison’s work, which uses the lens of mystery fiction to illuminate the harsh treatment of Tibetans under Chinese rule, has earned him both literary and humanitarian honors. Pattison joins us upon the publication of the final book in the bestselling Inspector Shan Tao Yun series.

When Reality Meets Science Fiction Dec 04, 2019

Large-scale, far-in-the-future stories tend to get most the glory in the sci-fi canon. But what happens when reality already feels like science fiction? Like George Orwell’s ‘1984,’ near-future narratives exploit current technology, politics, and fears to explore what life could be like in 10 years, one year, or even a hour. Our panelists consider how to predict the tantalizing possibility of what might be.

The Lies That Bind: Kwame Anthony Appiah on Identity Nov 28, 2019

Through history and philosophy, Kwame Anthony Appiah, weekly columnist for The New York Times, explores the compulsion to define and gather around identity. How do groups struggling for justice use, or misuse, identity? Can a more nuanced understanding bring us together? Carlos Lozada, 2019 Pulitzer Prize winner and nonfiction book critic for The Washington Post, will interview.

Enough Is Enough: Fighting Economic Injustice Nov 21, 2019

Anger about economic injustice drives political change. Anand Giridharadas (“Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World”) speaks with Robert Reich (“The Common Good”), to reveal how the uber wealthy are impoverishing you, yours and democracy itself. Moderated by the CEO and co-founder of Beneficial State Bank. Sponsored by Beneficial State Bank.

Facing the World Through Fantasy: An Interview with Justina Ireland Nov 14, 2019

In “Dread Nation,” Justina Ireland explores an alternate Civil War where zombie-slaying biracial teenager Jane McKeene finds herself in a desperate fight for her life. Ireland talks with author and YA librarian Alexandria Brown about how she employs planet-hopping Star Wars characters and half-god assassins to dig into complex questions about capitalism, science, racism and inequality.

Horizon: Interview with Barry Lopez Nov 07, 2019

Taking us from pole to pole and across decades, “Horizon,” the latest by celebrated humanitarian Barry Lopez, glimmers with insights on our place in this world and on writing as a way of living and seeing. Lopez will be in conversation with John Freeman, writer, editor and prominent literary critic.

Critic’s Choice: Three Young 21st Century Writers Rocking the Literary World Oct 31, 2019

The former president of the National Book Critics Circle talks with Bay Area authors you won’t want to miss: a National Book Award finalist for a poignant collection of short stories, a debut author who ignited the book world with her incendiary first book and another debut author who clinched the Caine Prize for African writing.

Candace Bushnell at the The Commonwealth Club Oct 30, 2019

The landscape of sex, love and romance in New York City has undergone dramatic changes in the 20 years since Candace Bushnell published the iconic Sex and the City, which broke down major barriers in cultural representations of single women and reshaped the landscape of pop culture. Now the trailblazing Bushnell is back to ask the vital question: Is there still sex in the city for women 50+?

The Business of Brutality: Slavery and the Foundations of Capitalism Oct 24, 2019

Look around. How much of our infrastructure — from roads and bridges to factories and food supplies — was built on the backs of American slaves? Three writer-researchers examine how the brutal history of slavery laid the foundation of American capitalism and shaped today’s racial and economic inequality. Blight just won the the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for his biography of Frederick Douglass. Sponsored by the Stephen M. Silberstein Foundation.

An evening with Terry Tempest Williams Oct 23, 2019

Terry Tempest Williams, a woman whose writings are as lyrical and formidable as her name, has been heralded as an “activist laureate.” She’s best known for her classic Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place, an astonishing meditation on grief and the landscape of the West, and she joined Women Lit in Berkeley on October 17 to discuss her newest book of essays, Erosion.

Bloodlines and Bestsellers: The Kellerman Family of Crime Writers Oct 17, 2019

What do mega-bestselling crime writers talk about around the family dinner table? Perhaps they plot their next juicy thrillers. After all, they do some great work together: Jonathan and Jesse have a new book that Stephen King calls “brilliant, page-turning fiction,” and Faye and Jonathan co-wrote the New York Times bestseller “Double Homicide.” Meet this family of mystery masters.

A Bird’s Eye View: Attention, Observation, Birdwatching, and the Fine Art of Doing Nothing Oct 10, 2019

If we let them, natural spaces and creatures can help us slow down, notice and reflect on modern life. These authors come to us from England, Oakland and France to explore the wonders that acts of attention can bring. With the support of Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States.

A Conversation with Literary Legend Ann Beattie Oct 03, 2019

Ann Beattie is known for casting a gimlet eye on her generation’s ambivalence and ambition. “A Wonderful Stroke of Luck,” her 21st book, explores the complicated relationship between a charismatic teacher and his students and the secrets people keep from those they love. She’ll talk with her friend Carol Edgarian, author, publisher and cofounder of Narrative. With the support of Women Lit Members.

Courage in Publishing in an Age of Political Polarization Sep 26, 2019

This roundtable includes the New York Times Ethicist columnist, the former National Book Critics Circle president, the Freeman’s literary journal editor, a Washington Post book critic, the German secretary of culture and The Paris Review’s editor. With support from “Wunderbar Together,” initiated by the German Federal Foreign Office and the Goethe-Institut, and supported by the Federation of German Industries (BDI).

Human Face: Literature That Brings Human Rights To Life Sep 19, 2019

Storytelling brings humanity to the headlines. Journalist Atia Abawi depicts a young boy who must escape from war-torn Syria. Aaron Bobrow-Strain follows an undocumented teen mom at a militarized border. Eliot Pattison concludes his mystery series set in Tibet, which he writes so readers can “understand what it feels like to witness an armed policeman assault a praying monk.” Moderated by Human Rights Watch researcher Clara Long.

Seeking Connection: Literature from Germany and Switzerland Sep 12, 2019

Four distinct voices from Germany and Switzerland explore these questions in their work, all bestsellers in Europe. Discover these new voices in translation, one of the most exciting areas in literature today. With the support of the initiative "Wunderbar Together,“ initiated by the German Federal Foreign Office and the Goethe Institut, and supported by the Federation of German Industries (BDI); the Goethe-Institut San Francisco; Goethe-Institut’s translation support program "Books First"; also supported by the Consulate General of Switzerland in San Francisco and Pro Helvetia.

Writing Irish Sep 05, 2019

From the little island with the big reach: Hear from Mike McCormack with his acclaimed third novel “Solar Bones,” Catherine Ryan Howard and her debut propulsive thriller “Distress Signals” and Emilie Pine with her searching “Notes to Self.” With the support of Culture Ireland.

Writing Climate: Literature of the Anthropocene Aug 29, 2019

The 20th century brought us “1984” and “Brave New World” as harbingers of terrifying social and technological change. In the 21st century, we have bold and urgent climate literature. Hear from the talented authors bringing us these stories, moderated by the former deputy editor of The Paris Review.

Writer to Writer: Lacy Johnson and Carmen Maria Machado Aug 22, 2019

Carmen Maria Machado, National Book Award finalist and author of “Her Body and Other Parties” and the forthcoming memoir “In the Dream House,” sits down with Lacy Johnson, author of “The Other Side” and “The Reckonings,” which was hailed by The Millions as “a collection that converses with itself and the reader, asking us to question our beliefs and our roles in a system that perpetuates violence.” The two discuss how they navigate their way through the thorny narrative terrain of abuse, discovering agency and power in the process. Sponsored by Zoetic Press; also with the support of Women Lit members.

What Women Want Aug 15, 2019

Aya de Leon’s women characters rob the rich and protect the exploited, Laura Lindstedt depicts seven women meeting after death, Lisa Locascio tells of a young woman discovering her sexual power and Tamsen Wolff traces the path of friendship, love and heartbreak between two women. With the support of FILI - Finnish Literature Exchange, the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation and Women Lit members.

Writer to Writer: Joyce Carol Oates and André Alexis Aug 08, 2019

Winner of the prestigious Windham-Campbell prize for his body of work, Trinidad-born and Ottawa-raised André Alexis sits down with National Book Award and National Humanities Medal winner, and author of over 40 novels, Joyce Carol Oates. The pair will discuss genre-bending, world-building and their shared obsession with storytelling. With the support of the Consulate General of Canada, San Francisco/ Silicon Valley and Zoetic Press.

Writer to Writer: Ishmael Reed and Morgan Parker Aug 01, 2019

Join this cross-generational conversation between two dynamic Black American writers and cultural critics exploring the history and future of the American literary landscape. The legendary Ishmael Reed, Macarthur Genius Fellow, founder of the Before Columbus Foundation, and author of over 30 books including his newest “Conjugating Hindi,” sits down with rising literary star Morgan Parker, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellow, Pushcart Prize winner, and author of the new poetry collection “Magical Negro.” Sponsored by Zoetic Press.

Writer to Writer: John Freeman and Geir Gulliksen Jul 25, 2019

Two bestselling authors who are also top editors and critics come together to discuss their writing, the editing process, the state of the publishing industry in the U.S. and Europe, and translation. Geir Gulliksen is among Norway’s leading novelists; his latest is “The Story of a Marriage,” a searing novel about a man who attempts to empathetically understand his wife’s infidelity. John Freeman is one of today’s preeminent literary critics who also publishes literary nonfiction, much of it focused passionately on social justice issues, as well as poetry.

Writer to Writer: Esi Edugyan and Tayari Jones Jul 18, 2019

These novelists have received considerable praise, including a top ten nod from the New York Times and an Oprah’s Book Club pick. Edugyan’s magical realism explores slavery and freedom, and Jones depicts a modern marriage wrenched apart by a discriminatory American justice system. With the support of the Consulate General of Canada, San Francisco/Silicon Valley, She Writes Press and Zoetic Press.

Which Side Are You On? Loyalty in Fiction Jul 11, 2019

These authors create worlds where secrets bubble just under the surface and protagonists must ask themselves who to believe and who to blame. With the support of “Wunderbar Together,” initiated by the German Federal Foreign Office and the Goethe Institut, and supported by the Federation of German Industries (BDI); the Goethe-Institut San Francisco and “Books First.”

Women Lit Presents: Eve Ensler at the First Congregational Church Berkely, June 13 Jul 08, 2019

"Vagina Monologues" creator Eve Ensler discusses her groundbreaking new book, "The Apology," in which she imagines an apology from her long-dead father who physically and sexually abused her as a child. Ensler is interviewed by Brooke Warner of SheWrites Press.

Women Lit Presents: Jennifer Weiner at the David Brower Center, June 22 Jul 05, 2019

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner discusses her newest book, "Mrs. Everything."

American Prison: Interview with Shane Bauer Jul 04, 2019

After being detained in a notorious Iranian prison, Shane Bauer returned to journalism and took on an astonishing assignment: to go undercover as a guard in a private prison in Louisiana. His book “American Prison: A Reporter’s Undercover Journey into the Business of Punishment” was one of President Obama’s favorite books of 2018. Sponsored by Mother Jones Magazine.

The Legacy of Adrienne Rich and the Shape of our Feminist Future Jun 17, 2019

An early proponent of intersectionality, Adrienne Rich’s ideas have profoundly shaped feminism. In celebration of “Essential Essays,” a new collection of Rich’s work edited by poet-scholar Sandra Gilbert, join Rich’s friends, colleagues, literary and scholarly descendants and longtime editor as they pay homage to Rich’s legacy. Sponsored by Reed Schmidt.

Women Lit Presents: Rachel Cusk in conversation with Brooke Warner Apr 12, 2019

One of the most important fiction writers comes to Berkeley from England to celebrate the paperback release of "Kudos," the final installation of her acclaimed "Outline" series.

Gloria Steinem - Favianna Rodriguez Interviewed by Lauren Schiller Castro Theatre 2-21-19 Mar 02, 2019

What Makes a Life Worth Living? Powerful Memoirs of Love and Loss Nov 12, 2018

The widow of Paul Kalanithi, author of the bestselling “When Breath Becomes Air,” is joined by Rebecca Soffer, editor of the new anthology “Modern Loss,” and contributor Elizabeth Percer to discuss grief and meaning. Sponsored by SACHI - Society for Art & Cultural Heritage of India.

Pep Talk for Writers! Nov 09, 2018

A must-see for anyone who believes they have a book in them: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) Executive Director Grant Faulkner appears in person with coach and publisher Brooke Warner to discuss turning inspiration into a tangible product.

The Imperative for Truth: Academy Award-Winning Documentarian Errol Morris in Conversation with Edward Frenkel Nov 05, 2018

In a time when truth is ever more embattled, one of its greatest creative and intellectual practitioners releases his new book at the festival.

Barbara Ehrenreich on Wellness, the Certainty of Dying, and Killing Ourselves to Live Longer Nov 01, 2018

Ehrenreich has taken on the minimum wage, abortion rights, women’s lives, marijuana laws, and now, in her new book, death itself. She examines diet culture, disease screenings and all of the other practices humans engage in to ensure a long life. Sponsored by Mother Jones.

What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully Oct 29, 2018

World-renowned Buddhist teacher Frank Ostaseski discusses the tenets of a life well lived and share simple suggestions everyone can practice. Sponsored by North Berkeley Investment Partners.

How Stories Make the World Oct 29, 2018

These titans of storytelling discuss the power stories have to galvanize the world, create cultures and bind us all together. Sponsored by UC Berkeley Arts + Design and the Simpson Family Literary Project.

The Book Review: Top Reviewers Share How It’s Done Oct 25, 2018

These esteemed reviewers take us inside the process: Lydia Kiesling, editor of The Millions; Paul Laity, non-fiction reviewer at The Guardian; Ismail Muhammad, reviewer for The Millions and contributor to Slate and the Paris Review; and Jane Ciabattari, BBC reviewer and former president of the National Book Critics Circle.

The Art of Memoir: A Story That Must Be Heard Oct 22, 2018

Memoir writers have the especially challenging task of confronting their own past and creating themselves as a character. In their memoirs, these writers address the U.S. Border Patrol, the experience of Holocaust survivors and growing up mixed-race in America.

Utter Fascination: The Art of the Exceptionally Complex Character Oct 18, 2018

Come hear how writers dream up, and then capture on the page, entirely new people who are exceptionally complicated. With the support of the Norway House Foundation, NORLA - Norwegian Literature Abroad, the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation, and the Consulate General of Sweden in San Francisco.

Smart Activism: History and Hope, with L.A. Kauffman and Rebecca Solnit Oct 15, 2018

One of the Bay Area’s most famous activists talks with a movement insider on the history and future of activism. How have past movements used disruptive tactics to catalyze change? Is there hope in the dark, and how do we act on it? Sponsored by UC Berkeley Arts + Design.

Power Up: How Smart Women Win in the New Economy Oct 12, 2018

This smart, compassionate woman — who arrived in this country as a near-penniless immigrant student and became one of the founding board members of Salesforce — gives other smart women the tools they need to win. Sponsored by Strong Legacy Planning.

Men and Boys 2018: Cultural and Personal Masculinities Oct 11, 2018

As women across the world make their painful experiences visible, men have begun to grapple with how the masculine identity shapes the power imbalance.

Nina LaCour Up Close and Personal Oct 08, 2018

Nina LaCour’s characters look a lot like her readers. This awardwinning author has devoted her life to young adults: first as a teacher, then as a writer. Her new novel “We Are Okay” deals with trauma, isolation, coping and change.

The Modern Writer’s Practice, Presented by California College of the Arts Oct 04, 2018

Writers shoulder a responsibility as voices for their time. Faculty members from CCA’s MFA in Writing program, spanning travel, memoir, fiction and poetry, interrogate the role of creative practice in the 21st century. Sponsored by the California College of Arts MFA in Writing Program.

Timeless Wisdom: Greg Sarris on Telling Tales and Native American Literary Tradition Oct 01, 2018

Greg Sarris’s book, “How a Mountain Was Made,” mythologizes the Northern California landscape with Native stories — fables with universal resonance and beauty. Sponsored by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.

Women & Speculative Fiction: In the Footsteps of Atwood, Butler, and Le Guin Sep 28, 2018

A new generation of female authors holds in their hands the future of speculative fiction. With the support of Zoetic Press, the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation and the Consulate General of Sweden in San Francisco.

Brenda Hillman and Geoffrey G. O’Brien: A Conversation Sep 28, 2018

What is the role of creative political resistance in a time of ascendant fascism? From the elegy to the love poem, from the individual to the collective, these poets will explore how words give us strength.

Race and Racism in America Sep 24, 2018

These authors — an eminent historian, an attorney and critical race scholar and a mixed-race lawyer — explore race and the deep origins and expressions of racism in this country.

Off the Map: Traveling, Self, and Other Sep 21, 2018

The best travel writing is about exploration of “the other” and an embrace of this new terrain into self and one’s understanding of the greater world. These writers explore the concept of “place” from very different perspectives.

Jabberwalking with Juan Felipe Herrera Sep 17, 2018

This festival favorite and former U.S. Poet Laureate will teach you everything he knows about being a poet on the move. While his new book is technically for kids, anyone can learn to jabberwalk! With support from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.

Income Inequality: A World Gone Mad, Mean and Immoral Sep 14, 2018

Disparity in wages and opportunity between the rich and the rest of us has grown rapidly in the U.S.; what are the causes and consequences? With support from the Stephen M. Silberstein Foundation.

Viv Albertine, Formerly of The Slits, Sits Down with Greil Marcus Sep 10, 2018

Post punk rocker (formerly of the feminist cult band The Slits) comes to us from the UK to confront questions of feminism, family and inevitable death with her trademark raw, intimate, vulnerable style. Legendary rock critic Greil Marcus interviews.

Translating Trauma Sep 07, 2018

These writers showcase the art of writing trauma — one focusing on Native women and the other inspired by her own experience as a survivor of assault. With the support of the Consulate General of Canada, San Francisco/Silicon Valley.

Native Voices Changing the Story Sep 03, 2018

These powerful rising voices are breaking new ground in Native literature. The first 100 attendees will receive an excerpt of Orange’s book, set to hit shelves in June. With support from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and the Consulate General of Canada, San Francisco/Silicon Valley.

Murder and Survival: The Remarkable Story of Indian Rebirth in the Wake of Genocide Aug 30, 2018

Two eminent historians and a tribal chairman discuss the trauma visited upon Native tribes and explore the challenges and opportunities of the current moment, including Native activism. With support from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.

The Future of Publishing Aug 27, 2018

An informed, freewheeling discussion for aspiring and published authors and anyone curious about the state of book publishing. Panelists represent the many faces of publishing — from big house to small, university press to hybrid, traditional and non-traditional alike.

Resist: Unlocking the Political Power of a Novel Aug 24, 2018

These talented novelists explain how the novel can illuminate political change in ways that no non-fiction account can. With the support of the Consulate General of Canada, San Francisco/Silicon Valley.

Timeless: Historical Fiction Aug 20, 2018

Great historical fiction rewards readers with entertainment and education at the same time. With the support of the Consulate General of Canada, San Francisco/Silicon Valley.

Melissa de la Cruz Writes It All: History, Fantasy, Modern Life Aug 17, 2018

This versatile author has written more than 45 chart-topping books — from the historical love story of Alex and Eliza Hamilton to the fantastical prequel to “The Descendants.” She talks the challenges of risky writing and how she finds her groove.

The Empire and the Resistance of Sabaa Tahir Aug 13, 2018

Through her characters, Pakistani-American young adult fiction writer Sabaa Tahir shows us what’s right, what’s possible, and what sorts of governance need not be tolerated.

Murder She Writes: Catherine Coulter Talks with Laurie R. King Aug 10, 2018

The New York Times bestselling suspense writer is interviewed by Mystery Writers of America NorCal President, a bestselling author of 25 novels. They talk Coulter’s craft, art and life of writing. Sponsored by the Mystery Writers of America, Northern California Chapter.

YES to Girls & Science! Aug 06, 2018

The “SpaceGal” delivers a new character, Ada, who inspires young readers to ask questions and lean into their curiosity, showing them that scientists and engineers can look just like them!

Writing and Risk: A Conversation with Laleh Khadivi and Michael David Lukas, University of San Francisco MFA in Writing Aug 03, 2018

The process of writing something daring doesn’t end with publication — authors have to live with the consequences of taking these risks, personally and socially. These panelists invite audience members to ask their own risky questions. Sponsored by the University of San Francisco, MFA in Writing Program.

Breaking Literary Ground: Ambitious Young Writers from Ireland Jul 30, 2018

The small country of Ireland has always had an outsize influence on world literature. For the third year in a row, the festival showcases some of today’s most powerful writers who come from this land of literary pioneers. With the support of Culture Ireland.

Loaded: Guns in America Jul 27, 2018

After every mass shooting, calls for stricter gun regulations ring out on one side; on the other, an insistence on guns, even on campuses, in the name of protection. Famed activist and feminist Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz discusses her new book on the second amendment with Pulitzer Prize winner T.J. Stiles.

Fierce Originality: Eimear McBride interviewed by Sylvia Brownrigg Jul 23, 2018

Compared to a feminist James Joyce, McBride comes to us from Ireland to talk about writing, life, feminism and communicating consciousness through deconstructive writing. With the support of Culture Ireland.

Women Changing the World: How Phoebe Hearst, Jane Stanford, and Other Women Funded Feminism, Founded Universities, and Inspire Philanthropy Today Jul 19, 2018

Phoebe Hearst was the eclectic mother of the University of California at Berkeley, just as Jane Stanford co-founded her namesake university through hands-on activism. What lessons do the stories of these brilliant, empowered women hold today for any woman who wants to use financial resources to shape society? Sponsored by the Journal of Alta California.

The Power of History: Turning Groundbreaking Scholarship into Page-Turning Prose Jul 16, 2018

Is best-selling history bad history? Does good history have to be dull reading? Award-winning historians and biographers reveal how they explore big questions of American history through captivating narratives that win esteem in the academy yet appeal to wide audiences. Sponsored by Reed Schmidt, with partial support from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.

Beyond Borders: Powerful Writers on Immigration Jul 12, 2018

This diverse panel — a former U.S. Border Patrol agent haunted by the job he quit, a novelist-historian and a journalist — provides a sweeping perspective on this vital issue. Sponsored by Mother Jones.

Alice Waters and Jonathan Kauffman: A Revolution in Food Jul 09, 2018

The purchase, preparation and experience of food are choices that profoundly shape not only our individual lives but social justice and our entire ecosystem. Alice Waters (“the most important figure in the culinary history of North America”) and San Francisco Chronicle food writer Jonathan Kauffman highlight the implications. Sponsored by Mother Jones.

Wrestling with the Devil: Ngugi wa Thiong’o in Conversation Jul 07, 2018

Taken prisoner by the Kenyan government in 1977 because of artistic defiance of the regime, this Nobel Prize short-listed writer will recount this experience, its effect on his art and the freedom to write. Sponsored by UC Berkeley Arts + Design.

Standing at the Edge: Finding Freedom Where Fear and Courage Meet Jul 04, 2018

Interviewed by Dacher Keltner Zen Roshi (teacher) and anthropologist Joan Halifax ventures to answer the enduring question: How do we live well for ourselves and others at the same time? Emotion expert and director of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center Dacher Keltner will interview. Sponsored by UC Berkeley Arts + Design.

JCC East Bay Presents: Thriving Past Trauma — Holocaust Survivor Dr. Edith Eger with “The Choice” Jul 04, 2018

An absolute must-see: 92- year-old Auschwitz survivor and trauma psychologist comes to us to discuss one of the most compelling books we’ve read this year, which Desmond Tutu called “a gift to humanity.” Sponsored by the Jewish Community Center of the East Bay with the generous support of Eve Gordon-Ramek; in memory of Mayer Goldberg and Henry Ramek.

The Common Good with Robert Reich (Saturday Night Keynote) Jun 30, 2018

What has happened to civility and civic responsibility? What makes a good citizen in today’s America? Reich makes a heartfelt call to a nation on the brink as he shows us how to do our part in saving America’s soul.

Resisting Hate with Free Speech Jun 27, 2018

The former president of the American Civil Liberties Union presents her book “HATE: Why We Should Resist it With Free Speech, Not Censorship” — released for the first time at the festival in the home of the Free Speech Movement. Interviewed by the dean of UC Berkeley Law. Sponsored by UC Berkeley Arts + Design.

The Power of Literature to Create a Better World: Closing Keynote with Pico Iyer Jun 23, 2018

Drawing upon his 32 years as a writer and his 44 years as a traveler, Iyer will close the festival with a keynote illuminating the power of literature to create a world beyond walls. Iyer will then be interviewed by renowned literary critic John Freeman.

#MeToo & Beyond: Continuing to Tell the Truth Jun 20, 2018

Together these writers, who have plumbed the topic of sexual assault deeply (and personally), will deconstruct the movement and explore its future. Sponsored by Zoetic Press.

Lidia Yuknavitch in Person: On Fearlessness, Truth, and Misfits Jun 16, 2018

A call for authenticity in life and literature: The author of the award-winning speculative feminist novel “The Book of Joan” and the hypnotic memoir “The Chronology of Water” and selfproclaimed “misfit” has penned a book, enhanced by interviews, called “The Misfit’s Manifesto.”

Gary Snyder & Kim Stanley Robinson: Mt. Thoreau, Civil Disobedience, and Naming What Can’t Be Named Jun 13, 2018

Pulitzer Prize winning poet Snyder and renowned science fiction writer and environmentalist Robinson climbed a mountain in the Sierras to christen it Mt. Thoreau. With their editor and publisher, they talk about civil disobedience, nature writing, the environmental movement, poetry and naming the unnameable. Sponsored by the Journal of Alta California.

Viet Thanh Nguyen on Art and Politics Jun 09, 2018

This Pulitzer Prize winner and MacArthur awardee talks about the role of the writer in society, the importance of art to politics and the power of the written word. Sponsored by UC Berkeley Arts + Design.

Living in Two Worlds: Crossing Borders and Identities to Create Home Jun 06, 2018

Border-crossers and novelists Lesley Nneka Arimah (“What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky”), Laleh Khadivi (“A Good Country”) and Pajtim Statovci (“My Cat Yugoslavia”) contemplate a life between the lines. Sponsored by the Center for the Art of Translation, the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation, FILI - Finnish Literature Exchange, and Finlandia Foundation National.

Forces of Nature Jun 02, 2018

Susan Griffin celebrates the 40th anniversary reissue of her feminist classic “Woman and Nature.”

When the Back Breaks: An Investigative Reporter Reveals All on the Back Pain Industry May 30, 2018

Jakobson Ramin (“Carved in Sand”) took a look at the reality of spine medicine. The results were not pretty. She explains what works, what doesn’t and how to get on the road to recovery.

How to Speak Up: A Story of Courage May 26, 2018

In 1941, young Fred Korematsu refused to be forced into the United States’ Japanese internment camps. Atkins and Yogi share Fred’s courageous story, how he made the United States a fairer place for all and how you too can speak up for what matters.

The State of Cannabis May 24, 2018

Marijuana expert Beau Kilmer and author Emily Brady will divulge the latest in pot policy and explore whether California’s hopes for a smooth transition should remain, well, high. Moderated by David Downs, Cannabis editor of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Leila Slimani: Live at the Berkeley Rep Apr 09, 2018

Slimani, author of "The Perfect Nanny," is a bold, eloquent speaker on writing, women, and society today. She was born in Rabat, Morocco, in 1981 and now lives in Paris with her French husband and their two young children. Come see this extraordinary writer! She will be interviewed by Brooke Warner, Publisher, She Writes Press.

Fiction at the Edges Feb 15, 2018

Debut novelist Krys Lee, in “How I Became A North Korean,” focuses on individuals in desperate circumstances. Lee’s characters, forced into exile, must find ways to retain their humanity in the midst of aching upheaval. Berkeley author Elizabeth Rosner talks with Lee, considering the multitude of ways that literature can address modern life’s most urgent and painful challenges.

Absurd & Hilarious Feb 08, 2018

Money can't buy happiness. Except when these whip-smart, hilarious authors are writing about money, that is. Jonas Luscher (author of the German Book Award nominated ‘Barbarian Spring’), Paul Murray (‘The Mark and the Void,’ which has been described as “probably the funniest novel ever written about a financial crisis”), and Doree Shafrir (‘Startup’, a novel about a $600 million idea) will talk turkey on making money funny. Take a break from all the seriousness out there. Don’t wait to cash in on this opportunity.

First Books Feb 01, 2018

There's a book in all of us, but what does it take to get it out into the world? Hear four successful authors give their expert advice on writing their first books and navigating the sometimes bumpy road to publication. They come from Ireland, Switzerland, Finland, and Mexico, and all saw publication in their home countries and recently in the United States. How was the process of writing, revising, publishing and marketing their books different and similar across these regions and writers?

Imagining the Other Jan 24, 2018

You've no doubt heard the adage, "Write what you know," but what if you want to write about aliens, dragons, wizards, or people from an entirely different culture? Four writers debunk the myth that “knowing” trumps all, and how it's far more important to write what you imagine, what inspires you, and what story you want to tell.

The Long Sixties Jan 24, 2018

The Summer of Love brought us sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll, but it was also a decade of extremes and radical cultural change that, in many ways, mirrors what’s going on today. A renewed interest in psychedelic drugs? Check. Women organizing for vast social change? Check. The back-to-the-land movement? You bet. Join historians, and journalists, for an explosive look at how counterculture meets cyberculture. A fresh review of fifty years!

Hidden Stories: Vanessa Hua, Shanthi Sekaran, and Esme Weijun Wang, & Sandhya Dirks Jan 18, 2018

Behind appearances are stories — and sometimes they’re complex, frightening stories that people hide. People milling through The Cheeseboard on Shattuck Avenue are harboring heart-stopping secrets in Shanthi Sekaran’s page-turner, ‘Lucky Boy.’ That normal-looking guy at the Chinatown restaurant is actually fleeing a scandalous Hong Kong celebrity career, in ‘Deceit and Other Possibilities’ by Vanessa Hua, also a columnist with the San Francisco Chronicle. Characters cope with mental illness in ‘The Border of Paradise’ (“stunning,” said the New York Times) by Esme Wang, who also blogs about cultivating resilience amidst disabilities. Start the morning with pathos, truth and wisdom from three dazzling fresh voices.

Collecting the Pieces: Oddny Eir, Jonas Hassen Khemiri, Katie Kitamura, & Stephen Sparks Jan 15, 2018

How do we process loss? What role does memory play in mourning? The novelists gathered here—from Iceland, Sweden, and the United States—all use extraordinary restraint and carefully structure their work in order to create great emotional impact. Why do they take this approach; how do they sustain it; and what it is like personally to write these stories? They also discuss the psychology of grief and the ways in which we come to terms with devastation.

Cleve Jones: Rising Up Jan 11, 2018

Mentored by LGBT rights pioneer Harvey Milk, Cleve Jones is an activist and author whose new memoir, ‘When We Rise,’ inspired an ABC TV mini-series of the same title. Rebecca Solnit said, “You could read Cleve Jones’s book because you should know about the struggle for gay, lesbian, and transgender rights from one of its key participants—but really, you should read it for pleasure and joy.” Armistead Maupin wrote of Jones, “Some people witness history; other actually make it happen.” Hear Jones’ personal telling of nearly four decades at the heart of the gay rights movement, and learn about his latest work in activism.

Journey into the Life of Rumi Jan 08, 2018

“Everyone is born once. I have been born many times,” wrote Rumi, the beloved Persian poet, whose words often draw comparisons to Shakespeare. But who was the person behind the poems? And why does a fairly obscure 13th-century mystic continue to captivate contemporary audiences? Brad Gooch, formidable biographer and bestselling author of ‘Smash Cut,’ ‘Flannery,’ and ‘City Poet,’ brilliantly brings the legend to life, vividly coloring in his time and place—imagine trying to write erotic poetry under the seige of Genghis Khan—and reminding us that the power of poetry transcends time and place, much like Rumi himself.

All About Cornelia Funke Jan 01, 2018

Join beloved children’s author Cornelia Funke, the award-winning German storyteller and illustrator of ‘Inkheart,’ the Reckless series, ‘Lilly and Finn,’ and her latest, ‘The Book No One Ever Read.’ A children’s story that Cornelia calls “her ‘Inkheart’ for kindergarteners,” this new picture book is a magical journey into the experience of a book that longs to be read. Don’t miss your chance to hear one of the great voices of children’s literature and take part in the debut of this picture book (already a favorite of festival staff) that is sure to become a classic. In collaboration with the Goethe-Institut San Francisco.

Picture Book Extravaganza Dec 28, 2017

“Read it again!” So goes the litany of kids wanting their favorite book again. Adults too have favorites among authors they read to their children or enjoyed in their youth. Stellar, much-loved authors and illustrators gather here, for a perfect Sunday morning for kids, families, and book-loving avid fans, to talk about their love of storytelling, of making books, and what they’re working on now. (Book signings follow; you may buy books at the festival, and bring a few from home, too!)

On Power: Dacher Keltner and Deirdre English Dec 25, 2017

Power: We all want it, but how do we get it? Many have assumed that acquiring power involves force and manipulation. But psychologist Dacher Keltner turns those notions on their heads in ‘The Power Paradox,’ arguing that empathy and humility are far more influential. Power is not something we create; it is something we earn. Keltner will lay out how to gain and retain power, when we may abuse it, and what the consequences are of letting those around us languish in powerlessness.

Lindy West Takes the Stage Dec 21, 2017

It’s not a pretty place, the Internet. Especially for an outspoken woman. Two years ago, Lindy West’s confrontation with a nasty troll showed the world how to fight back via technology. With her debut memoir, ‘Shrill,’ Lindy tells that tale and more, sharing her truths about #ShoutYourAbortion!, being a large woman, being loud, being a feminist, and being funny. This event is for anyone interested in having their own opinions in the digital age.

Writing From Africa Dec 18, 2017

Where is Africa in world literature? After centuries of being confined to a cramped corner of the literary world—to being described by explorers, tourists, journalists, and activists—African writers discuss what it means to tell their own stories, in their own words and languages, and the journey their work takes to arrive in print, at home and abroad. Lesley Nneka Arimah’s ‘What It Means When A Man Falls From the Sky’ is “completely captivating…whether you’re in Nigeria or Chicago” (Ebony); Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi’s ‘Kintu’ has been called “a masterpiece of cultural memory” (Publishers Weekly), and Sarah Ladipo Manyika’s ‘Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun’ is one of the “brilliant books that you really need to read” (Buzzfeed).

One Story Magazine Talks Short Stories Dec 11, 2017

Short stories are, in the words of the great Lorrie Moore, “second to none in power and efficiency.” There’s a reason we love short stories as much as we do, and why many of the best movies are based on short fiction rather than novels. Hannah Tinti, co-founder of the literary short story magazine One Story, explores the power and timelessness of the American short story with three One Story authors.

Feminist Activism through Popular Fiction Nov 07, 2017

In today’s popular culture, “strong female lead” characters and “difficult women” are more common than ever before. How are women writers using popular fiction genres (mystery, sci-fi/fantasy, street lit, women’s fiction) to go beyond the “strong female lead” protagonists to share visions of feminist activism and social change? What role do race, class, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity and ability play in the intersectional feminist landscapes of their stories?

Gentrification, Evictions, and... Nov 07, 2017

Gentrification has become a buzzword, but this profound social and economic shift involves far more than trendy boutiques, hipsters, and fancy lattes. Journalists Peter Moskowitz (‘How to Kill a City’) and Paul Madonna (‘All Over Coffee’) uncover the massive, systemic forces behind gentrification evictions, how this phenomenon changes our cities for the worse, and how we can fight back.

Mastery of Mystery Nov 07, 2017

Four established authors take the mystery out of writing mysteries. Whether inspired by real life (like Dr. Ellen Kirschman), folklore (like Vidar Sundstol with his epic tales involving Nordic superstition), deeply-hidden family secrets, (like Wendy Hornsby’s filmmaker sleuth uncovers), or humor, mixups, and disasters (see: Steve Hockensmith), these hard-boiled mystery writers will clue you in on what makes a suspenseful “whodunit?”

Thrillers: Secrets of the Craft Nov 07, 2017

Four bestselling thriller authors will reveal the trade secrets of crafting a thriller. Lescroart’s newest book is “a psychological thriller in bed with a homicide investigation.” Rydahl’s hero is “one of the most distinctive detectives you will meet this year.” Spinelli is both a writer and film director. Moderator Keith Raffel, a writer himself, formerly served as counsel to the Senate Intelligence Committee overseeing the CIA, NSA, and other clandestine agencies.

Cuba Nov 07, 2017

For decades Cuba has been an American obsession, a political flashpoint, and a forbidden paradise of run-down charm, aromatic rum, cigars, and long hot nights filled with music. Four writers—two from Cuba and two other experts for whom Cuba is passionate muse—gather to explore Cuba today and tomorrow.

The Ferocity of Love Nov 07, 2017

How far would you go for someone you love? These three gripping novelists contemplate the unexpected barbs, the questions, and disappointments of love’s promise. With provocative looks at relationships between parents, children, lovers, and friends, this event reminds us that love, as Stephen King put it, “has teeth.” Sylvia Brownrigg, Edan Lepucki, Shanthi Sekaran, moderated by Barbara Lane.

New Irish Fiction Nov 07, 2017

Why does this small, rocky island have such outsize influence on world literature? Who is following in the footsteps of James Joyce, Frank O’Connor, and Edna O’Brien? Meet three members of an exciting new generation of Irish fiction writers: the author of a short story collection about small-town Irish life, a novelist whose latest work is a satirical take on the Irish banking crisis, and a novelist who explores the mysteries of narrative itself in an unconventional mystery novel.

Wanderlust Nov 07, 2017

Oddny Eir and Geoff Dyer, interviewed by Ethan Nosowsky: Many of the world’s great stories are odysseys, adventures through landscapes that inspire and challenge. But the best writers know the most exotic and profound journeys really take place within. In their wildly original books, two genre-defying authors do both at once. Their works of fiction and nonfiction explore the meaning of travel and pilgrimage as well as the connections between imagination and reality, place and identity, story and myth.

Let There Be Laughter Nov 07, 2017

Is it possible to study culture and laugh at the same time? Michael Krasny proves it is, delving deeply into the themes, topics, and forms of Jewish humor: chauvinism undercut by irony and self-mockery, the fear of losing cultural identity through assimilation, the importance of vocal inflection in joke-telling, and calls to communal memory, including the use of Yiddish. Here is an opportunity to hear and meet the man you listen to on the radio four weekday mornings a week!

Our Trump, Our Television Nov 07, 2017

A lecture. A warning. A lamentation. A diatribe. From David Thomson, the renowned film critic, historian, and author of more than 20 books, including the recent ‘Television: A Biography.’

Drawdown - Paul Hawken Oct 19, 2017

‘Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming’ shows a realistic path forward that can roll back global warming within thirty years. Activist and renowned entrepreneur Paul Hawken gathered researchers from around the world to identify, investigate, and model the 100 most substantive existing solutions to climate change. Come learn how humanity has the means at hand to address this potentially devastating threat to our civilization.

Witness & Testimony Oct 19, 2017

Turtle Island’s First People, and its First Nations, have inspired writers, journalists, artists, musicians, and workers—Native American, Anglo, and other—in years past and today, up to and beyond Standing Rock activism. What stories and lessons from Native American history illuminate the present day for Native Americans, and why? Our panelists include a Native poet writing about voicelessness, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, an award-winning novelist and Native leader who discovered his roots as an adult, and a historian specialized in Native American studies. They discuss legacies, truths, and the potential future of our country’s First People’s place, stories, and movements.

Walter Mosley - Walkin' on the Wild Side Oct 19, 2017

Twenty-five years ago, Walter Mosley introduced us to Easy Rawlins, an Army vet turned private eye, to tell the story of black postwar Los Angeles. Today, with 55 critically acclaimed books, Mosley is one of America’s best-known and most beloved living writers. (Former president Bill Clinton named Mosley one of his favorite authors.) His writing is both prolific and spans many genres, from young adult to science fiction to politics. How does he do it? Learn how Mosley crafts his trademark accessibility, along his penchant for creating narratives that both entertain and instruct.

Tor Books presents Science Fiction and the Resistance! Oct 19, 2017

Join Charlie Jane Anders, Cory Doctorow, Annalee Newitz and John Scalzi as they kick ass, take names and decide who goes down first, and hardest, in an epic discussion about new directions in science fiction and fantasy.

My Literary Friend Oct 19, 2017

As much as we think of the act of writing as solitary, art never occurs in a vacuum. Author and editor Hannah Tinti talks with bestselling author Dani Shapiro about the necessity of mentorship, literary friendships, and the surprising joys and hard truths of living the writer’s life.

Jack Kornfield Oct 19, 2017

They’re longtime friends (so we’ll call them Jack and Scoop) and two of America’s most respected Buddhist teachers. For more than forty years they’ve studied mindfulness and other strategies to live in the moment. In a new book (his first major one in several years), Jack tells us we all can be happy and free right now, no matter the circumstances. Scoop, also a comedian and radio host, will interrogate. Come listen on their conversation. There will be time for questions.

Activism at a Crossroads Oct 19, 2017

Activism is undergoing a re-evaluation. Is protest still effective? What can work today? Micah White (co-creator of Occupy Wall Street and author of ‘The End of Protest: A New Playbook for Revolution’), named by Esquire as one of the most influential young thinkers alive today, and Becky Bond (former senior advisor to Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign and co-author of ‘Rules for Revolutionaries: How Big Organizing Can Change Everything’) will offer guidance and action for a new era of social change and activism. If you’ve ever thought of joining a march or demonstration, White and Bond will make you smarter about it. Mother Jones’ Monika Bauerlein moderates.

Roxane Gay Takes the Stage Oct 19, 2017

What makes a person “difficult”? Fiction writer, essayist, and activist Roxane Gay has been called “the brilliant girl-next-door: your best friend and your sharpest critic” by People magazine. She has authored the stunning novel ‘An Untamed State,’ the powerhouse essay collection ‘Bad Feminist,’ and now a new collection of stories, ‘Difficult Women,’ where she casts her incisive gaze at issues of race, class and gender. Famed for both fearlessness and vulnerability on the page, she tackles issues that lie at the heart of body, identity, relationship and society. In conversation with Rafia Zakaria of The New Republic.

Reality Bites Oct 19, 2017

Being a teenager isn’t easy. Everything is changing both physically and emotionally, and you’re thrust into the most intense situations of your lives, facing heartbreak, anxiety, low self-esteem, peer pressure, and so much more. Reading stories about other teens in real-life situations can help you feel validated—and can often illuminate paths forward. Four authors who write for young adults, Kristin Elizabeth Clark (‘Jess, Chunk, and the Road Trip to Infinity’), Kim Culbertson (‘The Wonder of Us’), Sandhya Menon (‘When Dimple Met Rishi’) and Alexandra Sirowy (‘The Creeping’) share how they capture the unique interior worlds—the joys, the pitfalls, the intimate struggles—of young adults.

Race and Resistance Oct 19, 2017

The Nation has been fighting for racial justice since abolitionists founded the magazine in 1865; its writers have included W.E.B. DuBois, Martin Luther King, Jr., James Baldwin, Toni Morrison and Alice Walker. Now join some of The Nation’s finest current contributors for a fierce, free-ranging discussion of how to advance racial justice in today’s America. Panelists include Alicia Garza, co-founder of Black Lives Matter; Walter Mosley, the essayist and novelist; Steve Phillips, author of ‘Brown Is the New White’; Joan Walsh, The Nation’s national political correspondent; and moderator Mark Hertsgaard, author and investigative editor for The Nation.

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