Reading the City
June 17 to 22
Welcome back to Reading the City, a weekly newsletter of bookish events in and around NYC.
This week, we have a great lineup to close out the season at Pete’s Reading Series, a fundraiser for Palestine cohosted by London’s Soho Reading Series and Forever Magazine, and intergenerational storytelling event, Generation Women.
Are any of you illustrators? I think it’s time we had a logo and maybe a nice header to run along the top. I’m wildly grateful to those of you who have pledged support for RtC—it helps me justify the time each week to research and write these posts—and now I’d love to invest some of those pledges back into the creative community for an aesthetic upgrade. If any of you professionally (or unprofessionally) doodle, please get in touch!
As ever, send feedback, send help, send events I should have on my radar, say hi! And please share the love with your bookish friends.
Monday, June 17
Tables of Contents Reading Series
Table of Contents serves three dishes inspired by each author’s reading, as well as the always perfect biscuits, and a chat about the creative process with founder and chef Evan Hanczor. Tickets include a complimentary cocktail. The lineup features Ayana Mathis (The Unsettled), Sally Wen Mao (Ninetails), and Rachel Lyon (Fruit of the Dead).
$35; 7-9 pm; Chelsea Market, 75 9th Ave, New York
Tuesday, June 18
Grace Loh Prasad: The Translator's Daughter
Taiwanese American writer Grace Loh Prasad unfurls themes of memory, dislocation, language, and loss in her debut memoir, The Translator’s Daughter, telling a unique story about reclaiming one's heritage while living in a diaspora. Grace is joined in conversation by Melissa Hung, the founding editor in chief of Hyphen.
Free; 6-7.30pm; Yu and Me Books, 44 Mulberry Street, New York
Generation Women: Anniversary
Generation Women is a multigenerational storytelling night that invites a woman or non-binary performer in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s+ to share an original true story. Celebrating its seven-year anniversary, it features comedian Abby Govindanm, creative producer Jenna Carrens, playwright Ashley Lauren Rogers, author and podcast host Amy Impellizzeri, Rebecca Thatcher Murcia (Seeking Saúl: an American Mother’s Journey to Colombia), and author Rita Plush. Hosted by Georgia Clark (Island Time).
$30; 7-8.30pm; Caveat, 21 A Clinton Street, New York
Book Hoes Live Podcast Taping with Charlee Dryoff
) hosts an author talk with Charlee Dryoff for a live taping of the Book Hoes Podcast, discussing her debut novel, Loneliness and Company, the Femmes Book Club's June pick. Following the talk, attendees can ask questions in a short Q&A.Donation-based, $5 requested, $10 on the door; 7pm; Nighthorse Bar, 66 Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Brooklyn Books & Booze @ Barrow’s Intense
Brooklyn Books & Booze spotlights authors from different genres, curated by author and journalist Randee Dawn. This month, readers include science fiction and fantasy writers Esther Friesner, Aaron Rosenberg, and Caitlin Rozakis, with music from comedian Rob Paravonian (substack:
).Free; 7pm; Barrow’s Intense Tasting Room, 86 34th Street, Brooklyn
The Palace Reading Series
Hosted by Rita Puskas and Marisa Cadena, this month features Michael Dolan (founder of Winding Road Stories), Sarah Osit (founder of Bad Words poetry mic night), Julia Vassallo (substack:
), and Matthew Daddona (The Longitude of Grief). 2 for 1 well/draft specials all night.Free; 7-9pm; The Greenpoint Palace, 206 Nassau Avenue, Brooklyn
Wednesday, June 19
Open Book
Guest hosed by Tyler Armey and featuring reader Julia Sloan, this special edition of the monthly literary open mic night celebrates “the art of storytelling and our beloved Black and Queer communities.” Signup starts at 7pm, readings start at 8pm.
Free; 8pm; Fiction Cafe & Cocktail Bar, 308 Hooper St, Brooklyn
Thursday, June 20
Pete’s Reading Series
The season closer at Pete’s with a special lineup: Emily Zhou (Girlfriends), Amy Shearn (Dear Edna Sloane), former cohost Vanessa Chan (The Storm We Made), and series co-founder Alison B. Hart (April May June July), hosted as ever by Temim Fruchter and Brian Gresko. Plus, new summer cocktails on offer at Pete’s.
Free; 7.30pm; Pete’s Candy Store, 709 Lorimer St, Brooklyn
Soho Reading Series x Forever Mag Palestine Fundraiser
A collaboration between Soho Reading Series and Forever Mag, all proceeds go to support the humanitarian work of The Palestine Red Crescent Society. Expect readings from Nico Walker (Cherry), Hannah Lilith Assadi (The Stars Are Not Yet Bells), Katherine Krueger (substack:
), Leslie Jamison (Splinters), and August Lamm (Lambing Season, forthcoming), as well as music. Upgrade to VIP tickets ($111) to skip the queue, get free drinks, and signed books from the Soho/Forever archive.From $22; 8pm-12am; 99 Canal Street, New York
Francine Prose: 1974
The first memoir from bestselling author Francine Prose (Blue Angel), 1974: A Personal History is about the close relationship she developed with activist Anthony Russo, one of the men who leaked the Pentagon Papers, and the year when our country changed. In conversation with Sloane Crosley (Grief is for People).
$5 for RSVP, redeemable in-store; 7pm; McNally Jackson Seaport, 4 Fulton St, New York
Gather & Grow
Part block party, part literary gathering, and part communal healing. Jezz Chung (This Way To Change) and Joél Leon (Everything and Nothing at Once) discuss their new books on liberation; Mallory Zondag leads a needle felting workshop; and DJ Monday Blue brings the tunes. Hosted by Brooklyn Artery and Taylor & Co. Books, the block party takes place at the two locations directly across the road from each other.
Free; 7-10.30pm; Cortelyou Road, Brooklyn
Joseph Earl Thomas: God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer
Joseph Earl Thomas (Sink) celebrates his debut novel God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer, following a veteran of the Iraq War who is now a doctoral student and an EMS worker in North Philly struggling to readjust to civilian life. Joseph is joined in conversation by Tyriek White (We Are a Haunting).
$7.50; 7pm; Center for Fiction, 15 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, and livestreamed
Rough Draft
This community series—hosted by Craft & Release, a creative hub from writer Glynn Pogue and filmmaker Nneka Julia—is designed “for artists seeking synergy, accountability, and dedicated time to work.” It provides a generative space to write alongside like-minded individuals and receive constructive peer feedback. RSVP required and only 50 spots available.
Free; 5-8pm; Commune, 415 Classon Avenue, Brooklyn
Friday, June 21
Porochista Khakpour: Tehrangeles
In case you missed last week’s launch, catch Porochista Khakpour (Sick) discussing Tehrangeles—a tragicomic saga about an Iranian-American multimillionaire family, their high-functioning dysfunction and the ever-present struggle to accept one’s true self.
Free; 7-9pm; Powerhouse Arena, 28 Adams Street, Brooklyn
Book Talk with Grace Prasad
Grace Loh Prasad (she’s on book tour here from the West Coast!) this time discussing “Exile and Belonging in the Taiwanese Diaspora” and The Translator’s Daughter at Cafe Philo.
Free; 6.30-9pm; Cafe Philo, 440 Lafayette St (Room 4C), New York
Booking for Love: LGBTQ+ Edition
A bookish take on speed dating, the aim is to have guests go on 12 mini-dates over the evening, with a book of your choosing as a chat prompt. If both parties are into continuing the conversation, you’ll each receive information about how to get back in touch. This edition is hosted by TJ Alexander, the author of Triple Sec. Happy hour specials at the Café & Bar.
$35; 6-8pm; Center for Fiction, 15 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn
Saturday, June 22
Biblio Bacchanal
Enjoy wine and book pairings with the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival. In four rounds of tastings, you’ll learn about the wine you’re sampling and then hear an excerpt from a novel that complements the notes, read by actor Jermaine Rowe. With it being Caribbean Heritage month and LGBTQ+ Pride month, the wines will be paired with LGBTQ+ Caribbean books.
From $30; 5-7pm; Center for Fiction, 15 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn
Leslie Stephens: You're Safe Here
Leslie Stephens discusses her newest book, You're Safe Here—a timely, clever, and white-knuckled thriller in which wellness, motherhood, and technology converge in a near future California—in conversation with Georgia Clark, author and the founder of Generation Women.
$5, redeemable in store; 7pm; P&T Knitwear, 180 Orchard 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, Ig, and dtv). I’m here and here on Instagram. Get in touch with any bookish events you’d like me to include!
