Charlottesville, VA —
UVA Creative Writing Program Hosts Rick Barot
The UVA Creative Writing program hosts Rick Barot for a virtual poetry reading on Thursday, Oct. 29, from 7-8 p.m. Register here.
New York, NY —
Rick Barot & Monique Truong: Asian American Literature Today
Kundiman is partnering with the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and Association of Asian American Studies to present Asian American Literature Today: Monique Truong + Rick Barot. RSVP here.
Seattle, WA —
Elliott Bay Book Company: Kazim Ali & Rick Barot with Paisley Rekdal
Two stellar poets are joined by a third in reading and conversation via virtual means here this evening. Kazim Ali, poet, translator (in more directions than one), novelist, memoirist, writer in various forms (this doesn’t begin to say it) is on hand with his newest book of poems, The Voice of Sheila Chandra (Alice James Books). Reading with him, in what would be the ‘host’ position were we doing this in-person is Tacoma-based poet and head of the Rainier Writing Workshop at Pacific Lutheran University, Rick Barot, whose new collection, The Galleons (Milkweed Editions), has just been longlisted for the 2020 National Book Awards. Joining them in conversation will be poet Paisley Rekdal, whose most recent books are Nightingale (poetry) and The Broken Country (prose). Register here.
Bookstore / Roundup
Bookseller Recommendations: October
Real people recommend good books we think you’ll like, too!
Authors / Poetry & Migration
5 Reasons to Teach This Book: The Century
Welcome, friends, to the latest installment of 5 Reasons to Teach This Book! In this interview series, we examine what we can learn from Milkweed’s titles by discussing our books with educators, authors, and booksellers. This month, we’re featuring Éireann Lorsung’s recently-released collection, The Century.
These poems navigate cross-continental histories as best they can with the flawed vehicle we have collectively inherited: language. “I need a language more open / than the language of forms, more / spacious than the language poetry / can be,” Lorsung writes, cueing readers to this book’s mission: not to solve the dilemma of situating…
San Francisco, CA —
The 41st Annual American Book Awards, featuring Jake Skeets
The Before Columbus Foundation recognizes the winners of the 41st Annual American Book Awards, including Jake Skeets, author of Eyes Bottle Dark with a Mouthful of Flowers. The ceremony will be held on Zoom at 2pm PT: register here.
Boston, MA —
Boston.com Book Club: A Discussion of The Shame with Makenna Goodman
Join the Boston.com Book Club for a discussion of The Shame with author Makenna Goodman. This event will be presented on Zoom at 6pm ET, and moderated by Allie Levy, owner of Still North Books & Bar. RSVP here.
Vermillion, SD —
University of South Dakota's 68th Annual Harrington Lecture: Lee Ann Roripaugh
Lee Ann Roripaugh, author of tsunami vs. the fukushima 50 and professor of English at the University of South Dakota, presents “Hybrid Identities and Hybrid Poetics: A Talk and Poetry Reading” at the 68th Annual Harrington Lecture Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend by signing in here on the day of the event.
Norfolk, VA —
Grit and Grace: 43rd Annual ODU Literary Festival, ft. Jake Skeets
Join “Grit and Grace: 43rd Annual ODU Literary Festival” for a virtual reading with Jake Skeets, author of Eyes Bottle Dark with a Mouthful of Flowers. All festival events are via virtual webinar. Learn more here.
Norfolk, VA —
Grit and Grace: 43rd Annual ODU Literary Festival, ft. Aimee Nezhukumatathil
Join “Grit and Grace: 43rd Annual ODU Literary Festival” for a virtual reading with Aimee Nezhukumatathil, author of World of Wonders. All festival events are via virtual webinar. Learn more here.