Welcome back to Reading the City, a weekly newsletter of bookish events in and around NYC.
Everything is winding down for the holidays, myself included. But before we wrap up 2024, there’s a My So-Called Life-themed holiday party for writers at LIC Bar, salons from Les Bleus, Pete’s Reading Series, and Ditmas Lit, and Alice McDermott is chatting about her latest book with Amor Towles. And if you still have holiday shopping to do, my bookish gift list is a work-in-progress (with a shameless plug for my book!), otherwise head to Lofty Pigeon Books for its Holiday Pop-Up through December 24 stocked with local artists’ giftable wares.
I’ll be back on January 7. Until then, wishing you all a very happy holidays!
Monday, December 16
Wine and Pine Volume 14
Wine and Pine: A Desirous Reading Series welcomes Jenny Stafford, Holly Baxter (Clickbait), Jiaming Tang (Cinema Love), and Georgia Clark (Most Wonderful), hosted by with books for sale from Hive Mind Bookstore.
Free; 7-9pm; Ten Degrees Bar, 121 St. Marks Place, New York
Alice McDermott with Amor Towles: Absolution
In her newest novel, Absolution, National Book Award winner Alice McDermott delivers “a moral masterpiece” (Ann Patchett) of the American women who faced down the war in Vietnam. Join her with Amor Towles (Rules of Civility) for an evening of conversation on the art of fiction.
From $25; 7.30pm; 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave, New York
Tuesday, December 17
Les Bleus Literary Salon
Les Bleus Literary Salon welcomes F.K. Clementi (South of my Dreams: Finding my American Home), Sara Divello (Broadway Butterfly), Tracy O'Neill (Woman of Interest), Irene San Segundo, and (The Way You Make Me Feel: Love in Black and Brown), hosted as ever by Paige McGreevy.
Free; 7pm; Bushwick, RSVP to lesbleusnyc@gmail.com for address
My So-Called Literary Life
A holiday party for writers hosted by Catherine LaSota of The Resort writing community. Enjoy clips from the single season of classic television show My So-Called Life, and listen to some music from 1994 to inspire you to write, with 1994-themed writing prompts, some of them submitted by authors including Lilly Dancyger (First Love), Tracy O'Neill (Woman of Interest), Nicole Haroutunian (Choose This Now), and others. There will be snacks, giveaways, and the fireplace going to make things extra cozy.
Free; 8-10pm; LIC Bar (carriage house), 45-58 Vernon Blvd, Queens
Night Philosophy Vol. 2
The second salon from Night Philosophy, hosted by Lior Field, featuring Sharon Mesmer (Greetings from My Girlie Leisure Place), Luis Jaramillo (The Witches of El Paso), Siera Dissmore, P.E. moskowitz, and .
Free; 7pm; Honey’s, 93 Scott Ave, Brooklyn
KGB Lit Release Party
Celebrate the release of Issue 22 of KGB Lit.
Free; 7-9pm; KGB Red Room, 85 East 4th Street, New York
BYOBook: A Quiet Reading Party
Get a drink from the cafe and enjoy an hour of collective quiet reading in the Center for Fiction’s auditorium. Afterwards, you’re invited to converse with your fellow readers with some gentle conversation prompts.
$20, including a drink from the bar; 6pm; The Center for Fiction, 15 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn
Wednesday, December 18
Ditmas Lit
Hosted by Lena Valencia (Mystery Lights) and Sarah Bridgins (Death and Exes), Ditmas Lit welcomes Joan Larkin (Old Stranger: Poems), Nina St. Pierre (Love is a Burning Thing), Ledia Xhoga (Misinterpretation), and Jenny Xie (Holding Pattern).
Free, with RSVP; 7.30pm; The Urbane Arts Club, 1016 Beverley Road, Brooklyn
Rob Hart and Alex Segura: Dark Space
Rob Hart and Alex Segura celebrate the release of their newest novel, Dark Space, a sweeping sci-fi spy thriller "full of action, politics, and intergalactic diplomacy" (Booklist) that blends the epic scope and character-driven spark of Star Trek with the intrigue of John le Carré.
$5, redeemable in store; 7pm; P&T Knitwear, 180 Orchard Street, New York
Dante in Translation: Joseph Luzzi and Michael Palma
Join two of Dante’s preeminent translators—Joseph Luzzi and Michael Palma—for a reading and conversation with poet and critic Adam Kirsch on the art of bringing Vita Nuova and The Divine Comedy into English in their new translations.
From $25; 7.30pm; 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave, New York
Thursday, December 19
Pete’s Reading Series
Pete’s Reading Series, curated and hosted by Temim Fruchter (City of Laughter) and Brian Gresko, welcomes Luis Jaramillo (The Witches of El Paso), Porochista Khakpour (Tehrangeles), Jess Row (The New Earth), and Lena Valencia (Mystery Lights).
Free; 7.30pm; Pete’s Candy Store, 709 Lorimer St, Brooklyn
A Very Tense Christmas
The TENSE Reading Series is back with a holiday edition featuring readings by Kitty St. Remy, Caitlyn Brennan, Sophie Madeline Dess, Kathy Joyce, Nick Dove, and a special performance of William Burroughs' “The Junky's Christmas” performed by and Nico Walker.
$23.18; 8-11pm; Sovereign House, 185 East Broadway New York
Saturday, December 21
Books & Burlesque
Books & Burlesque is back with a literary evening of lore and allure, this time featuring Emily Nussbaum (Cue the Sun: The Invention of Reality TV), (Tehrangeles), Lena Valencia (Mystery Lights), Michael Waters (The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports), and Thomas Grattan (In Tongues). Each author is paired with a spectacular burlesque or drag performer who will create a new act inspired by the book. Starring Spookey, Malai, Antonio Amour, Gemma Smith and Desiree De Sade. Produced and hosted by Fortune Cookie.
From $30, livestream $10; 9-11.30pm; Caveat, 21A Clinton Street, New York
Tuesday, December 24
Lofty Pigeon Books Holiday Party
The second annual holiday party with drinks, cookies, festive cheer, and last-minute shopping.
Free; 4-6pm; Lofty Pigeon Books, 743 Church Avenue, Brooklyn
Monday, December 30
Herbal Supplements Reading Series
’s Herbal Supplements closes out the year with a New Year’s Eve’s Eve show, with readings from Melynda Payne, Tayana Powell, Esther Fallick, Phoebe Lloyd, Emily Zhou, and Ceara Hennessey.
Free; 8pm; Cherry On Top, 379 Suydam St, Brooklyn
Tuesday, December 31
New Year's Eve Party 2025
Ring in the new year in bookish style at Book Club Bar! There will be cocktails, burlesque performances, music, light bites, and, naturally, a toast at midnight.
$48.24; 9pm-1am; Book Club Bar, 197 East 3rd Street, New York
NB. Please check all details before attending, the fact checker went awol.
I’m a Brooklyn-based journalist and author. My debut novel Amphibian is available now from Ig, as well as Virago in the UK, and forthcoming from dtv in Germany. My first book, No Way Home: A Memoir of Life on the Run (St. Martin’s Press, 2018) followed my childhood as the daughter of an international pot smuggler and federal fugitive. I’m here and here on Instagram. Get in touch with any bookish events you’d like me to include!
thank you so much for the herbal supplements shoutout! <3