Literary Conversations
Provocative Civil Discourse Inspired and Led by Writers
Our Literary Conversations bring together highly-acclaimed writers to discuss the urgent issues that surround their work and let fiction serve as a springboard for civil discourse. Over the past 35+ years, our literary programs have featured authors reading from their work and engaging in thrilling, thought-provoking conversations.
Authors who have joined us over the years have included:
Eudora Welty, Robert Stone, Ken Kesey, Amy Tan, Louise Erdrich, Tayari Jones, Ann Patchett, Jonathan Franzen, Joan Didion, Michael Chabon, Luis Alberto Urrea, Jennifer Egan, Susan Choi, Isabel Allende, Reginald Dwayne Betts, Ta-Nehisi Coates, T.C. Boyle, Roxane Gay, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Margaret Atwood, Stephen King, and Emma Donoghue, among many others.
CAMPUS NOVELS
Campus novels invite readers into worlds of manicured quads and ivory towers that may, at first, seem idyllic. But beneath the surface, these stories are roiling with explorations of race, class, gender, coming-of-age, and ambition. Join celebrated authors Xochitl Gonzalez, Sonora Jha, and Rebecca Makkai in a conversation moderated by Lupita Aquino about the ways their latest books lean into–and challenge–the traditions of the campus novel.
Past Literary Conversations
Voices of DC
LITERARY CONVERSATIONSVoices of DC will bring together DC writers Karin Tanabe, Tania James, and moderator Lauren Francis-Sharma for a conversation about the craft of historical fiction and the ways in which their work helps us make sense of the present day. DATE...
LEAVING HOME, FINDING HOME
LITERARY CONVERSATIONSAngie Cruz, Jonathan Escoffery, and Sarah Thankam Mathews have each written electrifying works of fiction centering the lives of immigrants. In a conversation with moderator Jung Yun, they explored themes of family, community, intersecting...
LITERATURE ON SCREEN
PEN/Faulkner’s Literature on Screen series highlights writers whose work has been reimagined as a film or TV show. Our latest installment presents Louis Bayard’s The Pale Blue Eye, a vibrant historical mystery with a young Edgar Allan Poe at its center that was adapted into a 2022 Netflix film directed by Scott Cooper. The author and director will be joined by moderator Clay Smith, the Literary Director of the Library of Congress, in a conversation exploring storytelling, craft, and the creative process. The event will feature a reading, clips from the film, and an audience Q&A.
COLLABORATION
DATE | March 23, 2023 at 7 pm ET
LOCATION | Online Event
Writing a novel can be a lonely endeavor. Some authors find solace and inspiration in collaboration—partnering with a writer who brings a new perspective, a wealth of experiences, and different strengths. Join two pairs of novelists, Christine Pride and Jo Piazza (We Are Not Like Them) and Shaunna J. Edwards and Alyson Richman (The Thread Collectors), in conversation with author and critic Martha Anne Toll about the processes, tensions, and rewards of collaboration.
MEMOIR
LITERARY CONVERSATIONSMemoirs open windows into lives, granting readers access to deeply personal narratives. Whether they reflect our own experiences or challenge us to engage with new ones, the best memoirs enhance and complicate our understanding of the world. Join...
VOICES OF DC
LITERARY CONVERSATIONSStorytellers have long been inspired by our city's rich past and present, elevating the voices of its citizens, exploring its landmarks and tucked-away corners, and imagining its future. We invite residents of DC to join three fantastic...
GUNS
LITERARY CONVERSATIONSOur national conversation about guns is dominated by polarizing rhetoric. In literature, however, we find nuance and complex human stories about the impact of gun violence on American life. To explore those stories, please join us for GUNS, a...
CHOICE
Reproductive choice is the third rail of American politics, but novelists have the power to explore the subject with an openness and curiosity so often missing from the news cycle. Join three acclaimed writers—R.O. Kwon, Joanne Ramos, and Leni Zumas—in a conversation led by moderator Elisa Albert about representations of choice, access, contraception, personal autonomy, and abortion in their work on Wednesday, September 14, at 7 pm ET.
SPOKEN WORDS
On April 14, 2022 we engaged with three critically acclaimed poets and spoken word artists Fatimah Asghar, Olivia Gatwood, Danez Smith, and moderator Nate Marshall.
This Literary Conversation included readings and performances by our featured authors and will be followed by a live Q&A with the audience. Live captioning will also be available for this event.
TRANSitional Writing
DATE | March 23, 2022 at 7:00 PM
LOCATION | Online Event
Join three acclaimed writers—Zeyn Joukhadar, Torrey Peters, and Neon Yang—in a conversation moderated by activist and author P. Carl about their books and trans representation in contemporary literature.
Literary Conversations
Provocative Civil Discourse Inspired and Led by Writers
CAMPUS NOVELS
Campus novels invite readers into worlds of manicured quads and ivory towers that may, at first, seem idyllic. But beneath the surface, these stories are roiling with explorations of race, class, gender, coming-of-age, and ambition. Join celebrated authors Xochitl Gonzalez, Sonora Jha, and Rebecca Makkai in a conversation moderated by Lupita Aquino about the ways their latest books lean into–and challenge–the traditions of the campus novel.
More Literary Conversations
LEAVING HOME, FINDING HOME
LITERARY CONVERSATIONSAngie Cruz, Jonathan Escoffery, and Sarah Thankam Mathews have each written electrifying works of fiction centering the lives of immigrants. In a conversation with moderator Jung Yun, they explored themes of family, community, intersecting...
LITERATURE ON SCREEN
PEN/Faulkner’s Literature on Screen series highlights writers whose work has been reimagined as a film or TV show. Our latest installment presents Louis Bayard’s The Pale Blue Eye, a vibrant historical mystery with a young Edgar Allan Poe at its center that was adapted into a 2022 Netflix film directed by Scott Cooper. The author and director will be joined by moderator Clay Smith, the Literary Director of the Library of Congress, in a conversation exploring storytelling, craft, and the creative process. The event will feature a reading, clips from the film, and an audience Q&A.
COLLABORATION
DATE | March 23, 2023 at 7 pm ET
LOCATION | Online Event
Writing a novel can be a lonely endeavor. Some authors find solace and inspiration in collaboration—partnering with a writer who brings a new perspective, a wealth of experiences, and different strengths. Join two pairs of novelists, Christine Pride and Jo Piazza (We Are Not Like Them) and Shaunna J. Edwards and Alyson Richman (The Thread Collectors), in conversation with author and critic Martha Anne Toll about the processes, tensions, and rewards of collaboration.
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