Reading the City
December 4 to December 10
Welcome back to Reading the City, a weekly newsletter of bookish events in and around NYC.
I’m out of town this week, so you’ll have check these out for me. New York Times’ Alexis Soloski launches her debut novel; the great Tracy K. Smith is joined in conversation with Imani Perry; and the ever-stimulating Rally Reading Series returns. And, bonus entry, Books and Burlesque is back at Caveat to add some sauce and sparkle to the reading experience.
Send feedback, send help, send events I should have on my radar, say hi! Also, I keep learning about new bookstores in this city (tbh it’s more of an undertaking than I’d anticipated!) so if there’s some gems out there I’m missing, let me know.
Monday, December 4
Miss Manhattan Presents: An Evening with Black Lipstick
This month, nonfiction reading series Miss Manhattan plays host to Black Lipstick, a new literary magazine. The evening features readings from founder and editor Mila Jaroniec, Gina Nutt (Night Rooms), Madison Jamar, Catherine Spino, and Lexi Kent-Monning (The Burden of Joy), with vending from Mintty Makeup. As ever, the evening is presented by Elyssa Maxx Goodman (Glitter and Concrete: A Cultural History of Drag in New York City).
Free; 7.30pm; Niagara, 112 Avenue A, New York
Stranger’s Guide presents A Night of Travel Storytelling
Travel publication Stranger's Guide, founded by editor-in-chief Kira Brunner Don and publisher Abby Rapoport, presents a night of storytelling centered around the idea of confusion. Featured writers include Courtney Desiree Morris (To Defend This Sunrise: Black Women’s Activism and the Authoritarian Turn in Nicaragua), Saïd Sayrafiezadeh (American Estrangement), and Cassim Shepard (Citymakers: The Culture and Craft of Practical Urbanism).
$5 for RSVP, redeemable in-store; 7pm; McNally Jackson Seaport, 4 Fulton St, New York
Book Signing with Keegan-Michael Key & Elle Key: The History of Sketch Comedy
Emmy and Peabody Award-winning actor and writer Keegan-Michael Key and award-winning director and producer Elle Key appear at the Strand for a book signing event of their new book The History of Sketch Comedy: A Journey Through the Art and Craft of Humor. This event is book ticket only.
$37.05 incl. book; 7pm; Strand Book Store, 828 Broadway 3rd Floor, Rare Book Room, New York
Tuesday, December 5
Amy Schiller presents The Price of Humanity
Amy Schiller discusses her newest book, The Price of Humanity: How Philanthropy Went Wrong—And How to Fix It, an attempt to rescue philanthropy from its progressive decline into vanity projects that drive wealth inequality, so that it may support human flourishing as originally intended. She will be joined in conversation with Corey Robin (The Enigma of Clarence Thomas).
Free; 7pm; P&T Knitwear, 180 Orchard Street, New York
Asha Lemmie's The Wildest Sun
After New York Times bestselling Fifty Words for Rain, Asha Lemmie's next sweeping novel, The Wildest Sun, introduces a determined young woman’s search for the larger-than-life literary figure she believes to be her father. Lemmie will be joined in conversation with Maya Ziv, the executive editor at Dutton, Penguin Random House.
Free; 8pm; Book Club Bar, 197 East 3rd Street, New York
The Center for Fiction’s Annual Awards Benefit
The annual big bash celebrating storytelling, this year featuring: Kiran Desai in conversation with Salman Rushdie, recipient of the Lifetime of Excellence in Fiction Award; Carmen Maria Machado introducing Graywolf Press; emcees Karah Preiss and Emma Roberts of Belletrist book club; and Ayana Mathis presenting the First Novel Prize to one of the seven shortlisted authors. For those with the means to book-party on this level, contact Meredith Beitl at meredith@blbnyc.com or 212-465-3262 (they begin at $1,000 with the non-tax-deductible portion of each ticket $250). Dress festive.
See above; 6.30pm: cocktails, 7.30pm: dinner; Cipriani 25 Broadway, New York,
Alexis Soloski + Rachel Syme: Here in the Dark
New York Times culture reporter Alexis Soloski launches her debut novel Here in the Dark, a dark and stylish novel of psychological suspense about a young theater critic drawn into a dangerous game that blurs the lines between reality and performance, in conversation with the New Yorker’s Rachel Syme.
Free; 7pm; Strand Book Store, 828 Broadway 3rd Floor, Rare Book Room, New York
Helen Molesworth presents Open Questions
Open Questions is an illustrated reader featuring a collection of essays spanning the past 30 years of work from trailblazing curator and writer Helen Molesworth — the first book of her collected writings. Molesworth will be joined in conversation with award-winning artist, writer, and activist Gregg Bordowitz.
$5 for RSVP, redeemable in-store; 7pm; McNally Jackson Seaport, 4 Fulton St, New York
Shahnaz Habib launches Airplane Mode
Shahnaz Habib is joined in conversation with Sebene Selassie (You Belong: A Call for Connection) to celebrate the publication of Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel, longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medals of Excellence.
Free; 7pm; Lofty Pigeon Books, Church Avenue, Brooklyn
Wednesday, December 6
Adrian Shirk's Heaven is a Place on Earth
Adrian Shirk (And Your Daughters Shall Prophesy) presents Heaven is a Place on Earth, an exploration of American ideas of utopia through the lens of one millennial's quest to live a more communal life under late-stage capitalism, in conversation with Emily Simon (In Many Ways).
Free; 8pm; Book Club Bar, 197 East 3rd Street, New York
Melissa Rivero presents Flores and Miss Paula
Melissa Rivero discusses her newest novel, Flores and Miss Paula, a wry, tender novel about a Peruvian immigrant mother and a millennial daughter who have one final chance to find common ground, in conversation with Lisa Ko (Memory Piece and The Leavers).
Free; 7pm; P&T Knitwear, 180 Orchard Street, New York
Alexis Soloski presents Here in the Dark
Alexis Soloski again, this time in conversation with Alex Segura (Secret Identity).
Free; 7pm; Community Bookstore, 143 7th Avenue, Brooklyn
Thursday, December 7
Tracy K. Smith presents To Free the Captives: A Plea for the American Soul
Pulitzer Prize-winning Tracy K. Smith presents her new book, a personal manifesto on memory, family, and history that explores how we in America might—together—come to a new view of our shared past, in conversation with Imani Perry (South to America).
$5 for RSVP, redeemable in-store; 7pm; McNally Jackson Seaport, 4 Fulton St, New York
The Rally Reading Series
The Rally Reading Series launched in 2016 to provide a platform for overtly political literature in the hope of finding actionable, meaningful ways to cultivate change, and advance community and democracy. This month readings from: Sarah Thankam Mathews (All This Could Be Different), Julia May Jonas (Vladimir), and Kim Coleman Foote (Coleman Hill).
Free; 7pm; Pete's Candy Store, 709 Lorimer St, Brooklyn
Tiffany Troy presents Dominus
Tiffany Troy discusses her newest book, Dominus, a debut full-length poetry collection exploring themes of justice and oppression, hope and futility, with the plight of the immigrant experience in America at its heart, in conversation with poet Virginia Konchan (Bel Canto).
Free; 7pm; P&T Knitwear, 180 Orchard Street, New York
The Necessity of Exile by Shaul Magid: An Ayin Press Book Launch
Shaul Magid launches The Necessity of Exile: Essays From a Distance with an event at the Center for New Jewish Culture, featuring a Q&A with professor, author, and journalist Peter Beinart. Co-hosted by Jewish Currents , Community Bookstore, and the New Jewish Culture Fellowship.
$10.14; 7pm; Center for New Jewish Culture, 17 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn
Gabrielle Korn + Amelia Possanza: Yours For the Taking
Author of Everybody (Else) Is Perfect and the former editor-in-chief of Nylon Gabrielle Korn discusses her debut novel Yours For the Taking, in conversation with publicist and writer Amelia Possanza (Lesbian Love Story).
Free; 7pm; Strand Book Store, 828 Broadway 3rd Floor, Rare Book Room, New York
Friday, December 8
Hostile Takeover: A reading with Long Day Press authors
Long Day Press presents readings from their authors Jessica Anne (Sex With My Family), Bessie Flores Zaldívar (Rain Revolutions), and Christian TeBordo (We Go Liquid).
Free, RSVP to reserve a spot; 7pm; P&T Knitwear, 180 Orchard Street, New York
Saturday, December 9
Books & Burlesque
At Books and Burlesque, each author is paired with a spectacular burlesque or drag performer, who creates new acts inspired by the reading (why have I never been to this?!). This iteration features readings from Fancy Feast (Naked: On Sex, Work and other Burlesques), Elyssa Maxx Goodman (host of the Miss Manhattan reading series!), Kirstin Chen (Counterfeit), Rachel E. Gross (Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage), and Eliot Schrefer (Queer Ducks (and other animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality). Book Club Bar sells signed copies of all featured authors’ books.
$35; 9pm - 11pm; Caveat, 21 Clinton Street, New York
NB. Please check all details before attending, the fact checker went awol.
I’m a Brooklyn-based writer, editor, and teacher, and the author of No Way Home: A Memoir of Life on the Run (St. Martin’s Press) and Amphibian (forthcoming from Virago). I’m here and here on Instagram. Get in touch with any bookish events you’d like me to include!
When I first moved to New York I subscribed to the paper version of Time Out and would pick an activity somewhat at random to attend that would only be possible bc I was living in New York. It made my transition to life here so much richer. I’m out of the habit now..thanks so much for the ideas!