Blog Posts by Brianna Reed

In celebration of our newest National Poetry Series Winner, Milkweed hosted a reading featuring Keith S. Wilson and his debut poetry collection, Games for Children on September 24th. While here, Keith was joined in conversation with graphic designer and Milkweed Fellow Alex Guerra to discuss the creation of his book cover. Later, Keith took the stage alongside poets Chaun Webster and Douglas Kearney to discuss graphic design, poetry, and how they’ve blurred the boundaries between the two disciplines.

Within minutes of his arrival at Milkweed, Keith S. Wilson and Milkweed Fellow Alex Guerra sparked into conversation over their many…

Following a night of conversation with Robert Macfarlane to launch his latest novel, Is a River Alive?, Nicholas Triolo and Milkweed staff accompanied Owámniyomni Okhódayapi program director Barry Hand on a tour of St. Anthony Falls. There, they discussed Nicholas’ debut memoir, The Way Around: A Field Guide to Going Nowhere, restorative efforts on the historic riverfront in downtown Minneapolis, and what it means to strive toward mutual flourishing. The Way Around launches Tuesday, July 8th, with a reading hosted by Nicholas Triolo at the Missoula Public Library.

“How are you doing, Nick? You had such an amazing…

On Monday, June 9th, Milkweed welcomed internationally renowned author Robert Macfarlane to celebrate the first stop of his book tour for his latest memoir, Is a River Alive? He was joined by Milkweed author and long-distance trail runner Nicholas Triolo, whose debut memoir—The Way Around: A Field Guide to Going Nowhere—will be available July 8^th, 2025.

As world-renowned author Robert Macfarlane and memoirist Nicholas Triolo serendipitously join Milkweed for a night of kora and conversation, they collectively conjure a symbol of their books converging into the more-than-human landscape. Together, they…

On Wednesday, May 21st, Milkweed hosted a book launch to celebrate the publication of Karen Babine’s newest memoir The Allure of Elsewhere: A Memoir of Going Solo. She was joined by journalist and fellow memoirist Marya Hornbacher. Together, they delighted in conversation on scamps, cats, and what it means to travel solo.  

Tonight’s book launch is packed to the edges with attendees—it is all wiggle room and pressing elbows. Near the front of the crowd, Karen Babine stands haloed by her copper waves and celebratory glitter. As the designated Babine family historian, her launch has shifted into a kind…

On April 13, 2025, Milkweed Editions delighted in collaborating with The Obodo Collective, a Las Vegas-based urban farm, to break ground on their second annual Our Mothers’ Garden Book Festival. To join in the festivities, Milkweed Editions donated a bundle of books to distribute to the community.

Collaborating with The Obodo Collective to break ground on a successful festival, for Milkweed, means more than just extending this act of mutual flourishing—it is the chance to delight in a gift economy over tilled earth. Per their website, their namesake embodies their mission in its entirety: “Obodo comes from the Igbo…

On May 6th, Milkweed Editions hosted a concert and album release party for late poet Bill Holm’s Playing Haydn for the Angel of Death. The album—a musical rendition of the late author’s namesake poem—was composed by Martha Helen Schmidt, sung by operatic baritone Ryan Hugh Ross, and accompanied by pianist Dr. Daniel Rieppel. They were joined by Milkweed Editions founder Emilie Buchwald, and visiting poets Freya Manfred and Barton Sutter. Together, they conjured Open Book into a concert hall to demonstrate the mastery of poetics, the transformative power of art song, and how Bill Holm challenged…

As we pass the perihelion of National Poetry Month, Milkweed Editions celebrated the launch of Chris Santiago’s newest poetry collection, Small Wars Manual, on April 16th. There, he was joined by poets that have each tackled small wars of their own: Kathryn Nuernberger, MC Hyland, and Rebecca Lehmann. Between the four of them—they alchemized militant warfare with poetry, prose, and shared community.

Around the room, poetry peeks from purses and palms. Signed copies curl into the crooks of elbows. In honor of National Poetry Month, poets from around the world strike pen to paper, writing a poem each…

On March 18th, Becoming Little Shell author Chris La Tray partnered with Milkweed Editions and Bimosedaa—a supportive, culturally-relevant housing program serving vulnerable indigenous populations in Minneapolis—to tour their on-site location.

“Bimosedaa, it’s Ojibwe for ‘let’s walk together,’” Program Manager Heather Day says, welcoming Chris and Milkweed staff into their apartment-style housing program. Around us, sunlight filters in through sloping glass walls.

“Bimosedaa: It’s Ojibwe for ‘let’s walk together.’”

True to their namesake, Chris and Heather radiate into the very embodiment of the phrase. As they drift past tenant rooms and gathering spaces, Heather gestures to a traditional star…

On February 27th, Milkweed Editions and the University of Minnesota Press hosted a book launch to celebrate Creature Needs: Writers Respond to the Science of Animal Conservation, in collaboration with the nonprofit organization Creature Conserve.

“Before we read, I want a moment to breathe with you.”—Claire Wahmanholm

“Before we read,” Claire Wahmanholm—author of Meltwater and—began, “I want a moment to breathe with you.” Under her instruction, she coaxed the crowd into a gentle meditation of hummed breath. Within three exhales, she transformed the room into a living, vibrating singing bowl. By the final round, the…

Milkweed Editions is an independent publisher of literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Our mission is to identify, nurture, and publish transformative literature, and build an engaged community around it.

As a publisher, we join in thoughtful partnerships to “build an engaged community” around the books and authors we publish. Sometimes partners are community organizations, libraries, or independent bookstores who host readings with the authors we publish. And sometimes our partners are organizations with connections to specific communities of readers that we may not otherwise reach through bookstore, digital, library, or other traditional publishing channels. One such partner is the Women’s…