Fall events: authors out of their lairs, books abound
You’re an avid reader, perhaps a journeyman writer yourself, and you’re curious about the people who write the books you love. You’re in luck. So much going on around northern New York, Ontario, and northwestern Vermont this fall and winter.
You may know that NCPR is media sponsor for the Kingston WritersFest 2012, September 26-30. What an amazing line up of writers and events, with Canada’s literary lion, Michael Ondaatje, who has written more than a dozen volumes of fiction and poetry, headlining a reading and conversation on Wednesday, September 26. Joining Ondaatje that evening, Teju Cole, whose debut novel Open City has earned him international recognition. Do use the link to visit the festival website where you’ll find a complete schedule of events, biographies of the many authors participating, and deep literary background information and links.
BURLINGTON BOOK FESTIVAL
Burlington hosts the 8th annual festival, September 21-23. Visit the festival website for details about events and participating authors. The great line up includes Words Come Alive! Workshops for Families; Millennial Writers on Stage; and much more.
READING SERIES
Throughout the fall and winter, local colleges and organizations sponsor writers’ series–bringing authors onto campus or into community venues.
St. Lawrence University hosts a series that brings writers to campus each month for most of the academic year. These readings are all free and open to the public.
SUNY Canton debuts an authors series this fall with a line up that includes Mary Karr on September 25 (use this link to join our conversation about Karr’s memoir, Lit); fiction and non-fiction writer Daniel Torday on October 17; and, Adam Levin on November 14, who was a finalist in 2010 for the National Jewish Book Award for Fiction. Each of these readings starts at 7:30 pm in the Kingston Theater on the SUNY Canton campus and all are free and open to the public.
This October 10-13 festival is based in Brockville and includes readings and music over the course of the four day event. Here’s the home page link. Now in its fourth year, the TIWF features fiction and non-fiction writers.
The Adirondack Center for Writing has readings and literary events all year.
Visit the ACW website for details.
If you know about other literary events or series, please add them in the comment section.
About
Without books, history is silent, literature is dumb, science is crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill. –Barbara Tuchman
The R&W Book Club is a place for us to talk about books—with each other and, from time to time, with the authors of featured titles. We’ll read fiction, non-fiction and poetry. We encourage your suggestions for authors and books to include. There are a few limitations on what we’ll consider: books must be by living authors, have broad audience appeal, and be readily available at libraries, bookstores or via download. If you’d like to suggest authors or titles, go here. If you’d like your local book club or library included in our email early-notification group, go here.
recent book club posts
links
Books at NCPR
- Book review: "Peak Experiences"(May 14, 2013) The mountains of the northeast attract hikers to their rocky summits. What happens, though, when something goes wrong? Carol Stone White collected over 50 essays in her new book, Peak Experiences - Danger, Death, and Daring in the Mountains of the Northeast. Betsy Kepes as this review. [full story] […]
- Books: "Friends in a Storm"(May 9, 2013) A new children's book by Canton writer Mary Sue Seymour includes illustrations by a young artist from Ogdensburg. Friends in a Storm tells the story of Squirrel, who gets locked out of his house during a rainstorm, and is befriended by Owl. Todd Moe spoke with author Mary Sue Seymour and 12-year-old artist Samantha Flynn, who created the i […]
- Readers & Writers: Terry Tempest Williams, "When Women Were Birds"(Apr 30, 2013) Our guest is well-known essayist and poet Terry Tempest Williams, talking about her most recent book, When Women Were Birds, Fifty-Four Variations on Voice - a collection of short essays on memory, faith and voice. Williams' work is steeped in the landscape and lore of Utah and the West where she has lived and worked most of her life. Ell […]
Books at NPR
- 'Picture Cook': Drawings Are The Key Ingredients In These Recipes May 17, 2013Designer Katie Shelly's upcoming cookbook offers 50 illustrated recipe "blueprints" for basic meals — from simple snacks to more hefty dishes like eggplant Parmesan. She hopes they'll inspire any level of cook to improvise in the kitchen. […]
- When Great Scientists Got It Wrong May 17, 2013In Brilliant Blunders: From Darwin to Einstein, astrophysicist Mario Livio explores the colossal errors committed by scientific greats, from chemist Linus Pauling's botched model of DNA, to Charles Darwin's failure to understand genetics--the very mechanism of natural selection. […]
- Resetting the Theory of Time May 17, 2013Generations of physicists have claimed that time is an illusion. But not all agree. In his book Time Reborn: From the Crisis in Physics to the Future of the Universe, theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that time exists--and he says time is key to understanding the evolution of the universe. […]
- Insects May Be The Taste Of The Next Generation, Report Says May 17, 2013A report from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization says insects offer a huge potential for improving the world's food security. Peter Menzel, co-author of Man Eating Bugs, describes some insect-based cuisine and the western aversion to creepy-crawly snacks. […]