Welcome back to Reading the City, a weekly newsletter of bookish events in and around NYC.
It’s February so we have some Valentine’s adjacent events, from relationship-themed storytelling at Written in Brooklyn and Miss Manhattan to a date night dinner at Bibliotheque bookstore. Both Rachel Lyon and Vinson Cunningham are making a party of their paperback releases by gathering a great collection of authors to join them. And, also of note, the Center for Fiction is launching a new series—First Novel Friday—which is sold out for its inaugural event this week, but livestream tickets are available and it’s worth keeping an eye on for next time.
As ever, say hi, send feedback, send your events, and please share the love with your bookish friends!
Monday, February 3
Miss Manhattan Presents: Getting Fresh
Miss Manhattan returns from the winter break with its annual Getting Fresh reading, where emerging writers read work on sex and dating. Hosted by (Glitter and Concrete), it features Denny, , and Astrid Adam.
Free; 7.30pm; Niagara, 112 Avenue A, New York
Tuesday, February 4
Rachel Lyon: Fruit of the Dead
A multi-author reading to celebrate the paperback release of ’s Fruit of the Dead, featuring Essie Chambers (Swift River), Crystal Hana Kim (The Stone Home), Nayantara Roy (The Magnificent Ruins), and Lena Valencia (Mystery Lights).
$5, redeemable in store; 6.30-8pm; P&T Knitwear, 180 Orchard Street, New York
Vinson Cunningham: Great Expectations
A poetry reading with Vinson Cunningham to celebrate the paperback release of Great Expectations, featuring readings by Vinson, Aria Aber (Good Girl), Jamie Fitzpatrick, Omotara James (Song of My Softening), Ted Dodson (An Orange) and Megan Fernandes (I Do Everything I'm Told).
$5; 7-8pm; Strand Book Store, 828 Broadway 3rd Floor, Rare Book Room, New York
Chad Sanders: How to Sell Out
(Black Magic: What Black Leaders Learned from Trauma and Triumph) celebrates the launch How to Sell Out: The (Hidden) Cost of Being a Black Writer—a wry and darkly comic look at the invisible realities of making a living as a Black writer who writes about race.
$5, redeemable in-store; 7-9pm; Powerhouse Arena, 28 Adams Street, Brooklyn
Olivia Wolfgang-Smith: Mutual Interest
Olivia Wolfgang-Smith (Glassworks) launches Mutual Interest—a mesmerizing and beguiling story of queer romance, about marriage and ambition, sexuality and secrecy, and the true costs of building an empire—in conversation with Anna North (Outlawed).
Free; 7.30pm; Greenlight bookstore, 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn
Adam Haslett: Mothers and Sons
National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize finalist Adam Haslett (Imagine Me Gone) celebrates his latest book, Mothers and Sons—a gripping story of family, forgiveness, and the lasting impact of a fleeting moment—in conversation with Adam Rapp (Red Light Winter).
$10; 7-8.15pm; The Center for Fiction, 15 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, and livestreamed
House of Speakeasy: Look Both Ways
House of SpeakEasy's Seriously Entertaining series invites writers to riff and ruminate informally, dinner-theater-style, on the evening’s theme. Next up is “Look Both Ways,” and featured storytellers include: Brittany Newell (SoftCore, forthcoming); (Frighten the Horses); Mark Bozek (The Battle of Versailles: The Fashion Showdown of 1973); and Torey Akers (Revolutionary Algorithms: A TikTok Manifesto).
From $18; doors 6.15pm; The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street, New York
Jennifer Finney Boylan with Roxane Gay: Cleavage
(She’s Not There) talks to (Hunger) about her latest memoir, Cleavage—in heart-wrenching and hilarious prose, Boylan explores how the experiences of trans people might have changed from when she came out in 2000 to the present era of blowback and fear.
Free, RSVP required; 7-8pm; The New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, 42nd Street & 5th Avenue, New York
Wednesday, February 5
Written in Brooklyn Storytelling Series: Love is a Battlefield
The Written in Brooklyn storytelling series has moved to the very cool Farm One, a neighborhood farm with brewery and taproom in Prospect Heights. This time’s theme “Love is a Battlefield” offers funny, heartfelt, and sometimes downright awkward stories about love and all the battles that come with it. Hosted by , featured storytellers include , Babs Schneider, , and Elizabeth Weisel.
$28.52; doors, 7pm, show 8pm; Farm.One, 625 Bergen Street, Brooklyn
Bibliotheque Date Nights
This is cute. Soho’s Bibliotheque bookstore/bare/cafe is hosting date nights in their lounge area. One ticket = two seats. All reservations come with a decorated table, wine special offerings, and a complimentary dessert. Purchase of food and beverage is required. Valentines Day is sold out, but there’s still spots for this evening and February 20th.
$30 for two + tax; 5pm; Bibliotheque, 54 Mercer St, New York
Making It: Queer & Trans Writers, Publishers & Book Workers on Art, Craft, and the Business of Books
Making It is a conversation series hosted by Hive Mind Books where queer and trans writers can learn directly from accomplished writers, publishing professionals, and other book workers about the art and business of books. This time, writer editor-in-chief of Electric Literature Denne Michele Norris (When The Harvest Comes, forthcoming), Christina Cooke (Broughtupsy), and Catapult editor Alicia Kroell have a conversation about the writing and publishing life. Bring your questions about craft, publishing, and bookselling for an extended audience Q&A.
Free, donations encouraged; 7-9pm; Hive Mind Books, 219 Irving Avenue, Brooklyn
Betty Shamieh: Too Soon
Author of fifteen plays Betty Shamieh celebrates the launch of Too Soon—a funny, sexy, and heart-wrenching literary debut exploring exile, ambition, and hope across three generations of Palestinian American women—in conversation with Margo Jefferson (Negroland).
$10, redeemable in-store; 7-8pm; Books Are Magic Montague, 122 Montague Street, Brooklyn, and livestreamed free
Thursday, February 6
Rally Reading Series
This month’s Rally Reading Series, which provides a platform for overtly political literature, features (Leave: A Postpartum Account, forthcoming), (Nothing Serious, forthcoming), and Jen Lue. Hosted by Ryan D. Matthews.
Free; 7-8.30pm; Pete's Candy Store, 709 Lorimer St, Brooklyn
Laura Federico and Morgan Miller: The Cycle Book
Laura Federico, a psychotherapist and certified sex and relationship therapist, and Morgan Miller, a certified midwife, lactation consultant, activist, and birth center founder in private practice, celebrate the launch of their first book, The Cycle Book: An Interactive Step-by-Step Guide to Tracking Hormones and Knowing Your Body—it offers a revolutionary, must-have approach to tracking and charting your hormonal cycles and a necessary guide in the pursuit of understanding your own body. Their conversation will be moderated by , co-founder of Byline and, now-folded, The Drunken Canal.
Free; 8pm; Book Club Bar, 197 East 3rd Street, New York
Erin Crosby Eckstine: Junie
celebrates the launch of Junie—a young girl must face a life-altering decision after awakening her sister’s ghost, navigating truths about love, friendship, and power as the Civil War looms—in conversation with Jacqueline Woodson (Brown Girl Dreaming).
$10, redeemable in-store; 7-8pm; Books Are Magic Montague, 122 Montague Street, Brooklyn, and livestreamed free
Stacy Horn: The Killing Fields of East New York
Stacy Horn (The Restless Sleep) discusses her new book The Killing Fields of East New York—a groundbreaking work of investigative journalism, Stacy sheds light on how the subprime mortgage scandal of the 1970s and a long history of white-collar crime slowly devastated East New York—in conversation with Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl).
$5; 7-8pm; Strand Book Store, 828 Broadway 3rd Floor, Rare Book Room, New York
Friday, February 7
Poets & Writers’ Get The Word Out Fiction Cohort Reading
A reading from the Poets & Writers’ Get The Word Out 2023 Fiction Cohort with Christina Cooke (Broughtupsy), Lena Valencia (Mystery Lights), Alisa Alering (Smothermoss), Esinam Bediako (Blood on the Brain), and Parul Kapur (Inside the Mirror), five of the ten debut authors who participated in Poets & Writers very cool publicity incubator program in 2023. The event will include a brief reading from each author followed by an audience Q&A moderated by book publicist May Zhee Lim.
Free; 8-10pm; Liz’s Book Bar, 315 Smith Street, Brooklyn
The Parlor
I’ve wanted to go to this one for ages. An occasional literary salon in Ditmas Park, organized by Emily Roese, Andrea Abello, and the Brooklyn Artery, this iteration will feature Micaela Camacho-Tenreiro, Nissy Aya, Habib Yazdi (PBS documentary United States of Comedy), and Tony Tulathimutte (Rejection).
Free, but donations encouraged for the writers; 7.30-9.30pm; Brooklyn Artery, 1004 Cortelyou Rd, Brooklyn
Mia Arias Tsang: Fragments of Wasted Devotion
, who is also the program manager at the literary nonprofit House of SpeakEasy, celebrates the Brooklyn launch of her debut story collection, Fragments of Wasted Devotion—from dusty university libraries to Boston-bound BoltBuses, and the icy grief of Somerville to the smoggy shores of Venice Beach, this collection of flash nonfiction, fragmented vignettes, and personal narrative explores the complexity and torture of queer heartbreak. (Her Queens launch takes place at The World’s Borough Bookshop on February 6th).
Free; 7-8pm; Hive Mind Books, 219 Irving Avenue, Brooklyn
Enemies to Lovers: A Romantasy Soirée
A steamy night celebrating the launch of Jenny Williamson's new book Enemy of My Dreams—in the last days of the Roman Empire, a desperate princess and a brutal Gothic warlord forge a dangerous alliance. The evening will feature a reading, conversation with Genn McMenemy (co-author of Women of Myth), and a burlesque performance by Velvetina Taylor. “Swoon worthy and bodice-ripping cocktail attire” encouraged.
Free, RSVP required; 7-10pm; The Urbane Arts Club, 1016 Beverley Road, Brooklyn
NYU Fiction Reading: Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah and Mai Sennaar
A reading by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (Friday Black) and Mai Sennaar (They Dream in Gold), with introductions by current NYU Creative Writing MFA students Pritha RaySircar and Adesuwa Abognile followed by a reception/signing. Open to the public.
Free, RSVP required; 7pm; Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House, 58 West 10th 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!