free things to do in New York City
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Free Events, Free Things to Do in New York City! Read More
Are you looking for literary events like book readings, book signings, poetry readings? Then you came to the right place. Start using these unique New York City opportunities today!
Are you looking for literary events like book readings, book signings, poetry readings? Then you came to the right place. Start using these unique New York City opportunities today!
Join the Club!
The quality and quantity of
free events,
free things to do
that happen in New York City
every day of the year
is truly amazing.
So don't miss the opportunities
that only New York provides:
stop wondering what to do;
start taking advantage of
free events to go to,
free things to do in NYC
today!
The quality and quantity of
free events,
free things to do
that happen in New York City
every day of the year
is truly amazing.
So don't miss the opportunities
that only New York provides:
stop wondering what to do;
start taking advantage of
free events to go to,
free things to do in NYC
today!
59 free poetry readings, book signings, author readings in New York City (NYC) Tue, 10/28/2025 - and on...
Not a day goes by in New York City (NYC) without a free poetry reading or a book signing or a book reading by a famous or not yet famous author. Don't miss the opportunities that only New York provides!
Author Reading | Proiminent Journalist Shares Her New Book about Feminist History of Modern Russia
Julia Ioffe, a prominent American journalist and a Russia expert, and reads from her new book, Motherland: A Feminist History of Modern Russia, from Revolution to Autocracy. In Motherland, Ioffe explores how women built, bent, and battled the Soviet and post-Soviet system—shaping the course of Russian history from the revolution to Putin’s dictatorship. The book has already made waves, earning Ioffe a place as a finalist for the National Book Award.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Oct 28
4:00 pm
Free
4:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Art Historian & Journalist Shares Her New Book on Abstract Expressionist Narnett Newman
Enjoy a conversation with art historian and journalist Amy Newman to celebrate her new book, Barnett Newman: Here, a groundbreaking biography of one of America's leading abstract expressionists. She will be in conversation with Michael Brenson, followed by a signing.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Oct 28
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Book Signing | Insights from a Leading Voice in Addiction Recovery
Join Dr. Sprouse, a pioneering physician and 12-Step recovery expert, for a 45-minute talk and Q&A, followed by a signing of her book, Fifty Years of 12-Step Recovery. Drawing on over five decades of experience in the field, she introduces a groundbreaking model of addiction and recovery that explores the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of healing. Combining medical expertise with personal experience, she sheds light on the lasting effects of trauma and offers practical strategies for achieving lasting recovery.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Oct 28
6:30 pm
Free
6:30 pm
Free
Author Reading | Writing Professors Read Their Own Original Work
Attend a conversation and book reading featuring six authors and Stony Brook Manhattan writing professors. Come listen to a reading by new faculty at Stony Brook's MFA program, and by faculty with new books out! You'll hear work by Karen Bender (Refund, National Book Award finalist), Alison Fairbrother (The Catch), Eskor Johnson, Robert Lopez (Dispatches from Puerto Rico and The Best People), Susan Minot (Monkeys and Evening), and Dawnie Walton (The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, winner of 2022 Mark Twain literature prize). Enjoy a great reading from a great program! Doors open at 7:30 pm.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Oct 28
8:00 pm
Free
8:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Breakout Contemporary Artist Danielle McKinney Celebrates Her New Book of Portraits (+ Signing)
Enjoy a conversation with breakout contemporary artist Danielle McKinney to celebrate her first book, Beyond the Brushstroke, an intimate collection of portraits of Black women resting, pondering, pausing in thought. Her book is a collaboration with her mother, Barbara Mckinney, whose journal prompts prompt reflection and creativity from the reader. Danielle will be in conversation with Imani Perry, followed by a signing.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Oct 29
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Hear from Author Anelise Chen on Her New Book, Clam Down: A Metamorphosis
Columbia School of the Arts Writing Professors Anelise Chen and Leslie Jamison in conversation about Chen's new book, Clam Down, A Metaphosis. Synopsis: We’ve all heard the story about waking up as a cockroach—but what if a crisis turned you into a clam? After the dissolution of her marriage, a writer is transformed into a “clam” via typo after her mother keeps texting her to “clam down.” The funny if unhelpful command forces her to ask what it means to “clam down”—to retreat, hide, close up, and stay silent.In order to understand her path, the clam digs into examples of others who have embraced lives of reclusiveness and extremity. Finally, she confronts her own “clam genealogy” to interview her dad, who disappeared for a decade to write a mysterious accounting software called Shell Computing. By excavating his past to better understand his decisions, she learns not only how to forgive him but also how to move on from her own wounds of abandonment and insecurity.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Oct 29
6:30 pm
Free
6:30 pm
Free
Author Reading | Learn about Philip Roth's Life & Career with His Biographer (In Person AND Online!)
Enjoy a discussion with expert Steven J. Zipperstein on his new book about writer Philip Roth's life and career. In this groundbreaking literary biography, Philip Roth: Stung by Life, professor and author Steven J. Zipperstein captures the complex life and astonishing work of Philip Roth (1933-2018), one of America's most celebrated writers. Roth wrote with ambition and awareness of what was required to produce great literature. And yet, as much as Roth wrote about sex and self, he viewed himself as socially withdrawn, living much like an "unchaste monk" (his words). Drawing on extensive archival materials and over one hundred interviews, including conversations with Roth himself about his life and work, Zipperstein provides an intimate and insightful look at one of the twentieth century's most influential writers, placing his work in the context of his obsessions, as well as American Jewishness, freedom, and sexuality.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Oct 29
6:30 pm
Free
6:30 pm
Free
Author Reading | Acclaimed Journalist Shares Her Latest Book, Unbearable (In Person AND Online!)
Award-winning journalist Irin Carmon discusses her latest book, Unbearable, which examines what has gone wrong with pregnancy in America. Carmon speaks with legal scholar Melissa Murray about how the healthcare system fails women at their most vulnerable—and why a more dignified future is urgently needed. In Unbearable, Carmon draws on the history and politics of reproduction, showing how the American story of pregnancy has long been incomplete, hidden, or taken for granted. Pregnant herself while reporting on the lived experiences of five women navigating pregnancy during the Supreme Court’s rollback of abortion, Carmon blends personal narrative with rigorous journalism to reveal systemic injustices that span from New York City to rural Alabama, touching lives across both urban and rural communities, rich and poor alike.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Oct 29
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Open Mic | Listen (or Recite) Poetry with Nuyorican Poets Cafe
Enjoy an exciting night of poetry! Come listen to (and recite!) some poetry and connect with your favorite poets. Across cities, islands, and generations, Boricuas remain connected - by memory, by struggle, by love. This open mic invites poets and performers to reflect on the relationships that shape us: to place, to each other, to freedom. Attendees will have an opportunity to recite their poetry, meet new poets, enjoy some delicious fritura, and celebrate the 52nd anniversary of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe!
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Oct 30
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Open Mic | Poetry, Memory, and Connection
Join poets and performers in an open mic exploring memory, love, and the ties that connect Boricuas across generations and places. Enjoy powerful readings, discover new voices, and share your own work in a warm, welcoming space filled with rhythm, reflection, and fritura.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Oct 30
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Prize-Winning Author Discusses Her New Book, When All the Men Wore Hats
Susan Cheever will be in conversation with her brother Ben Cheever, author of The Plagiarist & Selling Ben Cheever, about her latest, When All the Men Wore Hats. The Stories of John Cheever, published in 1978, brought together some of the finest short fiction ever written. The collection was honored with the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, and it would go on to sell millions of copies and to define the American short story and shape generations of writers. Cheever’s chronicles of modern life both emerged from a distinctly American culture and also created it—inspiring everything from Mad Men to a Raymond Carver story, from rock songs to a Seinfeld episode. Growing up, Susan Cheever, John Cheever’s eldest child and only daughter, read what he read, heard what he heard, bantered and gossiped with him and her brothers and mother at the dinner table, and later watched her father type on the cheap yellow paper he favored. In When All the Men Wore Hats, Susan Cheever looks back on her father’s work and seeks to understand the connections between art and life. In her 1984 book Home Before Dark, published two years after her father’s death, Cheever wrote movingly about her father and the secrets he kept, but here, years later, she tells the story of the remarkable stories themselves, six of which appear in full in the book’s appendix.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Oct 30
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Author & Psychotherapist Discusses Her Self-Help Workbook, The Pain We Carry
Enjoy a conversation between author and psychotherapist Natalie Gutierrez and producer Stephanie Foo (This American Life) about Gutierrez's book, The Pain We Carry. Based on Gutierrez's powerful self-help guide, The Pain We Carry, this workbook will help you heal the invisible wounds of complex trauma and reclaim your mind, body, and spirit. This groundbreaking workbook provides a practical, step-by-step, and culturally informed approach to healing complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) as it is uniquely experienced by people of color. Using skills based in internal family systems (IFS) therapy, polyvagal theory, mindfulness, and more, readers will discover ways to feel safe in their bodies, build self-compassion, and find personal liberation—despite living within an oppressive social system. Attendees can also pre-order a signed copy of the book at the link provided.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Oct 30
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Halloween Readings with Local Writers
Enjoy a night of spooky readings! The theme is “To The Grave”. Read your own work or listen to other emerging and established local writers! If you'd like to participate, send the organizers your most bone-chilling stories about love. Tell them about a romance that still lives in your bones, exes you need to exorcise, and late night trysts that have taken over your psyche. Tell them how love possessed you, stalked you, and terrified you. Submit your sample by October 16th to be considered for the lineup.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Oct 30
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Poetry Reading | Kimiko Hahn & Rickey Laurentiis Celebrate Their Works (+ Signing)
A reading by Kimiko Hahn (The Narrow Road to the Interior, Toxic Flora, and Foreign Bodies) and Rickey Laurentiis (Boy with Thorn, Whipped), followed by a reception/signing with books for sale.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Oct 30
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Open Mic | Poetry, Music, and Comedy Showcase (Online!)
Join a weekly online showcase featuring poems, songs, and comedy. Performers can sign up for a 4-minute spot by reserving one of 20 Artist-RSVP tickets, available starting Wednesdays at 8:00 PM ET. If all spots are filled, performers may join the “good-luck round” at the end of the session. Audience members are welcome to watch live via Zoom.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Oct 30
8:00 pm
Free
8:00 pm
Free
Book Signing | Meet & Greet with Goldie Chan for Her New Book, Personal Branding for Introverts
Enjoy a meet & greet and signing with Goldie Chan, of her book, Personal Branding for Introverts. Vhan, dubbed "one of the most authentic and creative voices in personal branding" (Dorie Clark, author of The Long Game), shows introverts how to leverage their unique strengths to get ahead. Attendees can also pre-order a signed copy of the book at the link provided.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Sun, Nov 2
2:00 pm
Free
2:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Filmmaker, Photographer, & Writer Shares His New Book of NYC Street Photography (+ Signing)
Enjoy a conversation with director, author, film composer, and photographer Mario Schneider to celebrate the photobook of his street photography that reveals the soul of the people of New York, New York Stories. He will be in conversation with Sergio Purtell, followed by a signing.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Mon, Nov 3
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | "One of the Great Documenters of America" Discusses His New Photobook, Miles and Miles of Texas (+ Signing)
Enjoy a conversation with "one of the great documenters of Americana," (The Guardian) Henry Horenstein, to celebrate his book, Miles and Miles of Texas. This book is a collection of nearly 100 photographs taken all over the state of Texas. He will be in conversation with Nashville-born, New York-based country music artist Laura Cantrell, followed by a signing.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Nov 4
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Book Launch: 25th Anniversary Edition of Reflections in Black: A History of Black Photographers by Dr. Deborah Willis
Celebrate the release of Reflections in Black: A Reframing, the 25th anniversary edition of Dr. Deborah Willis’ internationally acclaimed publication
Reflections in Black: A History of Black Photographers 1840 to the Present. This book launch will include a reception, a panel of selected speakers to be announced, and conclude with a book signing.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Nov 4
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Reading | Celebrate the Translation of Award-Winning Author Pierre Guyotat's Memoir, Idiocy (In Person AND Online!)
To mark the U.S. release of Pierre Guyotat’s, newly translated by Peter Behrman de Sinéty and forthcoming from the New York Review Books, enjoy an evening of readings and conversation exploring the legacy of the radical, experimental French writer. Published in French in 2018 and awarded the Prix Médicis (the French literary award), Idiocy is a searing autobiographical account of Guyotat’s formative years, his rebellion against familial and military authority, and his imprisonment during the Algerian War. Blending linguistic experimentation with a meditation on state violence, eroticism, and the possibility of artistic resistance, the memoir is both an indictment of colonial domination and the formal culmination of a literary vision that Edmund White once described as belonging to “one of the few geniuses of our day.”
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Nov 4
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Reading | Vigil & Readings of Resistance Writers/Activists: Gilles Deleuze, Frantz Fanon, & Pier Paolo Pasolini
In this vigil, the names Deleuze, Fanon, and Pasolini will be invoked not so much in their individual capacities, but as a collective force, a revolutionary assemblage. 2025 marks 100 years since the births of Gilles Deleuze and Frantz Fanon, and also 50 years since the murder of Pier Paolo Pasolini. More than a confluence of dates, this is a confluence of some of the most consequential contributions to renewed practices of liberation in critical thinking, art making, and anti-colonial, anti-fascist resistance. Organizers read selected texts from the three authors, vocalizing Deleuze's, Fanon's, and Pasolini's critical vigilance and vital militance, their belief in the world and in art as a powerful anti-fascist, anti-colonialist, and anti-homophobic weapon. The weapon, of course, always conceived as collective line of flight, as aberrant movement, as poetry, as music, as image, as a beautiful thing: life.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Nov 4
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Art Historian Discusses Her New Book on Socially Engaged Public Art
Enjoy a talk by art historian/writer Katia Arfara on her new book, Curating the Commons: Socially Engaged Public Art. Since the 2008–2009 financial crisis, the subsequent uprisings in the Global South and the Occupy movements around the globe, artists have increasingly turned to socially engaged art to create new models of artistic production and community engagement. Arfara explores this shift through an in-depth study of performance-centered public projects she curated in Athens at a time when the city stood at the crossroads of sociopolitical, economic, and migration crises in the Global South. Drawing on Henri Lefebvre’s theories of social space and the right to the city, alongside current debates on the commons, Arfara proposes a slow curatorial approach in response to socio-ecological urgencies. Her book contributes to a broader effort to resist processes of exclusion and segregation and reclaim public space as a commons.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Nov 4
6:30 pm
Free
6:30 pm
Free
Author Reading | Book Launch: Former Beauty Editor Shares Her New Essay Collection
Enjoy a reading and conversation with Arabelle Sicardi and Maxwell Neely-Cohen to discuss Sicardi's new essay collection, The House of Beauty: Lessons from the Image Industry. Hosted By J. Mae Barizo. A former beauty editor, Arabelle has devoted their entire adult life to the subject of beauty—they have analyzed it, criticized it, praised it, benefited from it, loathed it. Now, in The House of Beauty, they get to the contradictions at the heart of it: beauty and horror, two sides of the same coin.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Nov 5
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Book Launch: Music Writer Discusses His New Book on Fleetwood Mac, Don't Stop, with Mark Ronson
Celebrate the release of Alan Light's latest book, Don't Stop: Why We (Still) Love Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours," featuring an engaging conversation with Mark Ronson. Emmy Award-winning music journalist Alan Light is the author of numerous books including his latest, Don't Stop. Alan was a senior writer at Rolling Stone, the editor-in-chief of Vibe and Spin, and a longtime host on SiriusXM. He contributes frequently to The New York Times, Esquire, and The Wall Street Journal, among many publications, and cohosts the podcast Sound Up! Mark Ronson is a globally celebrated DJ, New York Times Bestselling author, and an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and 9-time GRAMMY-winning producer and songwriter, renowned for his eclectic blend of pop, soul, funk, and hip-hop influences.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Nov 5
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Landscape Architect Shares Her New Book about Gardens (+ Signing)
Enjoy a conversation with Italian landscape architect Anna Scaravella to celebrate her book, Gardens and Landscapes: 10 Spaces of Beauty, an exploration of ten gorgeous gardens that reflect her special ability to exemplify the natural beauty of a multitude of landscapes. She will be signing books after the conversation.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Nov 5
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Historian Shares his New Book, Erich Fromm, Fascism, and the Holocaust
Psychologist, historian, and professor Roger Frie shares his book, Erich Fromm, Fascism, and the Holocaust. Fromm is known for his bold stance against fascism and racism in his psychoanalytic practice and publications–Frie’s recent book uses previously unpublished correspondence to outline how Fromm’s personal family experience with the Holocaust shaped his views and work on trauma, social responsibility, and justice. Frie will engage in conversation with Michael Thompson, a professor of political theory and political philosophy.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Nov 5
6:30 pm
Free
6:30 pm
Free
Author Reading | Science Writer Talks about Her New Book, Zombie Bugs: The Surprising Science of Parasitic Mind-Control
Science writer Mindy Weisberger discusses her new book Rise of the Zombie Bugs: The Surprising Science of Parasitic Mind-Control with neuroscientist Paula Croxson. Through the vivid descriptions and captivating storytelling of this book, Weisberger explains the sinister mechanics of nature's most cunning survival strategies, including the biological marvels and evolutionary intricacies behind zombie ants, mind-controlled beetles, and the fungi and viruses that reprogram their hosts' behavior. Blending scientific rigor with a flair for the macabre, Weisberger takes readers on a global journey—from Brazilian rainforests to European meadows—to uncover the dark secrets of parasitic manipulation.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Nov 5
6:30 pm
Free
6:30 pm
Free
Author Reading | Evolutionary Biologist Shares His New Book, Natural History
Enjoy a reading with author Brandon Kilbourne as they sit down with the Cave Canem organization to discuss their new work. Cave Canem is pleased to announce that evolutionary biologist Dr. Brandon Kilbourne is the winner of the 2025 Cave Canem Prize. Natural History—which bears witness to how the study of the natural world has been intertwined with the horrors of slavery and colonialism—will be published this fall.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Nov 6
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Book Signing | Meet & Greet & Community Cookie Swap with Author Kat Lieu on Her Book, 108 Asian Cookies
Enjoy an author meet & greet and community cookie swap with author Kat Lieu, who will share her new book, 108 Asian Cookies. From the IACP award winner and bestselling cookbook author comes a first-of-its-kind collection of irresistible cookie recipes inspired by Asian flavors and techniques to excite home bakers. Guests can bring any Asian-inspired cookie for the cookie swap, but please list any allergens! Attendees can also pre-order a signed copy of the book at the link provided.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Nov 6
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | National Book Critics Circle Award Winner Maggie Nelson Shares Her New Book, Pathemata
Bestselling poetry and prose writer Maggie Nelson reads from her latest book, Pathemata, Or, The Story of My Mouth. She describes this nonfiction book as "an experiment in interiority written in the pandemic studio. Something of a companion piece to 2009’s Bluets, Pathemata merges a pain diary chronicling a decade of jaw pain with dreams and dailies, eventually blurring the lines between embodied, unconscious, and everyday life."
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Nov 6
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Open Mic | Poetry, Music, and Comedy Showcase (Online!)
Join a weekly online showcase featuring poems, songs, and comedy. Performers can sign up for a 4-minute spot by reserving one of 20 Artist-RSVP tickets, available starting Wednesdays at 8:00 PM ET. If all spots are filled, performers may join the “good-luck round” at the end of the session. Audience members are welcome to watch live via Zoom.
New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Thu, Nov 6
8:00 pm
Free
8:00 pm
Free
Poetry Reading | Award-Winning Poets Share Their Work
Poets Mike Carlson (Tips to Help You Do Your Best, Cement Guitar), Tina Chang (former Poet Laureate of Brooklyn; Hybrida, Half-Lit Houses), and Terence Winch (winner of the American Book Award; That Ship Has Sailed, It Is as If Desire) read their poetry, hosted by Matthew Rohrer. The reading will be followed by a reception/signing with books for sale.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Fri, Nov 7
5:00 pm
Free
5:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | New Yorker Journalist Discusses His New Book, The Spinach King
Longtime New Yorker journalist John Seabrook tells the tale of his own prominent family, which rose to riches and high-class status thanks to...creamed spinach. In his latest book, a New York Times Editor’s Choice, The Spinach King, he recounts the details of the “shocking but juicy” story. The founder of the family fortune, industrial farmer C.F. Seabrook, was known as “the Henry Ford of agriculture”. His son Jack, a keen businessman, was poised to take over what Life called “the biggest vegetable factory on earth.” But the Seabrooks’ carefully cultivated facade—glamorous outings in horse-drawn carriages, luxurious wine cellars, and movie star girlfriends—hid dark secrets that led to the implosion of the family, and its business. As compelling and nuanced as Succession, The Spinach King is “a tremendous tale” (Financial Times), a compulsively readable story of class and privilege, betrayal and revenge.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Fri, Nov 7
8:00 pm
Free
8:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Author Rebecca Baum Shares Her New Horror Novel, The Brood (+ Discussion and Q&A)
Author Rebecca Baum (Lifelike Creatures) discusses her new horror novel, The Brood, with The Writers Lab founder, Nitza Wilon. Enjoy a discussion of The Brood, a feminist body horror with elements of eco-horror, a dash of folk horror, and a slew of periodical cicadas. Rebecca and Nitza will dive into inspiration, story mechanics, and character development while also examining why the horror genre is ideal for exploring uniquely female experiences and anxieties. A fascinating blend of horror and magical realism, this spine-tingling thriller explores the complex relationship between women, their bodies, and the natural world. The event will include a reading from The Brood and audience Q & A. Light refreshments will be served!
New York City, NY; NYC
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Sun, Nov 9
2:00 pm
Free
2:00 pm
Free
Book Signing | Meet & Greet with Author Nika Song, with Her New Book, Night Chef
Enjoy a meet & greet and signing with children's book author Nika Song, featuring her new book, Night Chef. Ratatouille meets the magic of Studio Ghibli as a lonely raccoon who secretly lives inside a fine French restaurant and yearns to be a chef must venture into the woods for the first time to help a baby crow find its home. Attendees can also pre-order a signed copy of the book at the link provided.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Sun, Nov 9
4:00 pm
Free
4:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Historian Shares His New Book, The Spirit of Socialism: Culture and Belief at the Soviet Collapse (In Person AND Online!)
Joseph Kellner, historian of Russia and the Soviet Union at the University of Georgia, presents his recently-published book, The Spirit of Socialism: Culture and Belief at the Soviet Collapse. It is a new—and perhaps the first--cultural history of the Soviet collapse and transition, which examines the highly visible flourishing of new worldviews that attended the period’s cascading crises. Amidst profound disorientation, millions of former-Soviet people, mostly of the educated urban middle class, sought new direction in their horoscopes, or behind gurus in saffron robes or apocalyptic preachers, or by turning from the most basic premises of official science and history to orient themselves anew. From this spirited search for meaning, the book appraises both the nature of late Soviet culture and ideology, and its legacy in the newborn Russian Federation.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Mon, Nov 10
4:00 pm
Free
4:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Historian Discusses His New Book on the Resistant to the War on Terror
Listen to New School History Professor/Witness Against Torture Jeremy Varon and Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) attorney Pardiss Kebriaei discuss the history of resistance to the post-9/11 "War on Terror" and how it relates to the present moment. Varon will discuss his new book on the antiwar movement of the early 2000s, Our Grief Is Not a Cry for War: The Movement to Stop the War on Terror, highlighting opposition to the Iraq War and the U.S. torture camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Pardiss Kebriaei is a senior staff attorney at CCR, who has defended clients at Guantanamo and the families of victims of U.S. drone strikes. She will discuss CCR's anti-"War on Terror" litigation and today's defense of migrants and political dissidents. Professor Varon's book will be available for purchase and signing.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Mon, Nov 10
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Prize-Winning Writer Discusses Their New Work
Enjoy a reading with author/poet jason b. crawford as they sit down with poet Mark Bibbins to discuss their new work. Crawford's debut collection of poetry, Year of the Unicorn Kidz, is out now. They are a 2023 Lambda Literary Emerging LGBTQ Voices fellow, the winner of the Courtney Valentine Prize for Outstanding Work by a Millennial Artist, the winner of the Rhino’s Founders Prize, and a finalist for the Frontier’s Open prize. Their work can be found or is forthcoming in POETRY Magazine, Metro Weekly, AGNI Magazine, Cincinnati Review, Frontier Magazine, among others. Their second collection, YEET! was the winner of the 2023 Omnidawn 1st/2nd Book Prize and will be published in Fall 2025.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Nov 11
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Author Aja Gabel Shares Her New Book, Lightbreakers
Enjoy a conversation between Aja Gabel (The Ensemble) and author Angela Flournoy (The Turner House) about Gabel's new book, Lightbreakers. A heart-achingly moving novel, Lightbreakers plumbs the mysteries of human connection, and explores how to love in a world where time is both a healer and a thief. Attendees can also pre-order a signed copy of the book at the link provided.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Nov 11
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Rare Book Curator Shares Her New Book about Design in Interwar Vienna
Dr. Michelle Jackson-Beckett, Cooper Hewitt Library’s Curator of Rare Books, talks about her recent book: Vienna and the New Wohnkultur, 1918-1938. Her book examines interior design exhibitions, press, and debates about modern living in interwar Vienna and analyzes the varied interpretations of modern domestic culture. Jackson-Beckett draws connections between interwar Viennese design culture and important concepts that appear more prominently later in the 20th century, such as user experience, spatial psychology, and environmental psychology.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Nov 12
6:15 pm
Free
6:15 pm
Free
Author Reading | Historians & Writer Discuss Lamentations of Nezahualcóyotl: Nahuatl Poems
Scholar Ilan Stavans and writer Jordan Salama discuss the recently retold songs and poems of Aztec king, poet, and warrior Nezahualcóyotl and his illustrious 15th century court, based on the new book Aztec king Nezahualcóyotl was a revolutionary far ahead of his time. Born in 1402, the ruler—whose name means “hungry coyote” in the Uto-Aztecan language of Nahuatl—led the city-state of Texcoco through its age of enlightenment. His four-decade reign was among the most transformative and prosperous eras of the Aztec Empire. Today he is a hero in Mexico, seen as a mysterious, powerful, anti-colonial figure. Brimming with anguish and longing, this epic collection of songs and poems was composed by Nezahualcóyotl with members of his illustrious court.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Nov 12
6:30 pm
Free
6:30 pm
Free
Reading | 3 Authors Share Their New Books
Persea Books celebrates independent publishing and three new books from Persea authors. Poetry Editor Gabriel Fried will introduce Elizabeth Bradfield, reading from her new book SOFAR, Michelle Peñaloza, winner of the Persea Lexi Rudnitsky Editor's Choice and the James Laughlin Awards for All the Words I Can Remember Are Poems, and Carey Salerno, reading from her new book The Hungriest Stars. Persea is an independent, literary publishing house founded in 1975 by Michael Braziller and Karen Braziller, who still own and direct the company. Persea books focus on contemporary issues expressed through individual experience.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Nov 13
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Columbia Writing Professor Celebrates His New Book, Vera or Faith
Columbia Writing Professor Gary Shteyngart reads from his latest book, Vera or Faith: A Novel. Followed by a conversation with Professor Bruce Robbins, English and Comparative Literature. Synopsis: The Bradford-Shmulkin family is falling apart. A very modern blend of Russian, Jewish, Korean, and New England WASP, they love one another deeply but the pressures of life in an unstable America are fraying their bonds. There’s Daddy, a struggling, cash-thirsty editor whose Russian heritage gives him a surprising new currency in the upside-down world of twenty-first-century geopolitics; his wife, Anne Mom, a progressive, underfunded blue blood from Boston who’s barely holding the household together; their son, Dylan, whose blond hair and Mayflower lineage provide him pride of place in the newly forming American political order; and, above all, the young Vera, half-Jewish, half-Korean, and wholly original. Observant, sensitive, and always writing down new vocabulary words, Vera wants only three things in life: to make a friend at school; Daddy and Anne Mom to stay together; and to meet her birth mother, Mom Mom, who will at last tell Vera the secret of who she really is and how to ensure love’s survival in this great, mad, imploding world.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Nov 13
6:30 pm
Free
6:30 pm
Free
Author Reading | Melissa Febos & Donika Kelly Share Their Recent Works (+ Book Signing)
Memoir and poetry reading by Melissa Febos and Donika Kelly, followed by a reception/signing with books for sale. Melissa Febos is the author of five books, including the national bestselling essay collection, Girlhood, which has been translated into ten languages and was a LAMBDA Literary Award finalist, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in Criticism, and named a notable book of 2021 by NPR, Time, The Washington Post, and others. Her new memoir, The Dry Season, was published this summer. Febos is also recipient of a 2022 Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, a 2022 National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship, and the Jeanne Córdova Nonfiction Award from LAMBDA Literary. Donika Kelly is the author of The Renunciations, winner of the Anisfield-Wolf book award in poetry, and Bestiary, the winner of the 2015 Cave Canem Poetry Prize, a Hurston/Wright Legacy Award for Poetry, and the Kate Tufts Discovery Award. Kelly’s poetry has been a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Publishing Triangle Awards, the LAMBDA Literary Awards, and longlisted for the National Book Award.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Nov 13
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Poetry Reading | Hear from Local Poets
Enjoy an evening of live poetry. Curated by local poet and playwright Galinsky, with "Five Minute Features" from a dozen poets of all styles.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Nov 13
8:00 pm
Free
8:00 pm
Free
Open Mic | Poetry, Music, and Comedy Showcase (Online!)
Join a weekly online showcase featuring poems, songs, and comedy. Performers can sign up for a 4-minute spot by reserving one of 20 Artist-RSVP tickets, available starting Wednesdays at 8:00 PM ET. If all spots are filled, performers may join the “good-luck round” at the end of the session. Audience members are welcome to watch live via Zoom.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Nov 13
8:00 pm
Free
8:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Prize-Winning Poets & Prose Writers Share Their Work
Enjoy a reading by Cathy Linh Che (Becoming Ghost, Split), Emily Hockaday (Blood Music, In a Body, Naming the Ghost), Allyson Paty (Jalousie), and Jason Schneiderman (Hold Me Tight, Self Portrait of Icarus as a Country on Fire) followed by a reception/signing with books for sale.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Fri, Nov 14
5:00 pm
Free
5:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Spoken Word, Poetry, & Other New Works from Major Writers & Emerging Local Talent
Mahogany L. Browne—a prolific writer and avid advocate for public art—has held the role of Lincoln Center’s inaugural Poet-in-Residence. Browne has written works of fiction, stage plays and critical essays, edited six anthologies, and authored another half-dozen poetry collections. For this event, Browne curates a thought-provoking evening of spoken word, spirited conversation, poetry, and presentations of new work, presenting major poets and emerging voices on the New York literary scene. Featured artists to be announced soon! There are two ways to access this event: 1. General Admission, first-come first-served. Just show up! 2. Fast Track opening the Monday before the event at noon.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Sat, Nov 15
7:30 pm
Free
7:30 pm
Free
Author Reading | New York Author Shares Her New Nonfiction Book, Good Is Amazing
Local author Heather A. Campbell discusses her new book, Good Is Amazing: Stop Overstriving and Celebrate Being Enough! In this book, Campbell shares relatable, hilarious, and heartfelt moments from her life that anchor a deeper message: the constant pressure to aim higher, do the most, and be the best is exhausting--and it's not working. Good is Amazing challenges the culture of overachievement and champions the power of good. Heather's insights and expertise has been developed through her work as the CEO of Ready Set Recover, the Synergist at ESPN/The Walt Disney Company, the Alchemist at Audacy, and an Activist in the world.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Sun, Nov 16
2:00 pm
Free
2:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Comics & Fiction Author Shares His New Book, Moscow 93 (In Person AND Online!)
Fiction author José Alaniz presents his new novel, Moscow 93. Blending horror and farce, Moscow 93 presents Russia in the first decade after communism through the lens of a sordid expat scene. A scene that, one day, exploded into a war zone.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Mon, Nov 17
4:00 pm
Free
4:00 pm
Free
Poetry Reading | Indigenous Poem Readings for Native American Heritage Month
Mingle with fellow poetry enthusiasts as attendees unpack the layered meanings of poetry through an informal group discussion. This session's readings are selected from Poetry Magazine, Academy of American Poets, and Poetry Foundation. In honor of Native American Heritage Month, this event will feature poems by Native, Indigenous, and First Nations poets that orbit varied experiences of belonging, identity, and colonial legacies. Please note that contemporary poetry deals frankly with contemporary issues and all works discussed are artistic expressions selected for an adult audience.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Nov 18
2:30 pm
Free
2:30 pm
Free
Poetry Reading | Poets Share Their Interpretations of "Multi-Genre" Works
Enjoy a conversation with poets Fatimah Asghar and Mahogany L. Browne about writing across genre and performance as a discipline. Moderated by Camonghne Felix.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Nov 18
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Learn about the New Russ & Daughters Cookbook with the Authors
Enjoy a conversation with 4th generation Russ & Daughters co-owners Niki Russ Federman & Josh Russ about their book Russ & Daughters: 100 Years of Appetizing with fellow writer Joshua David Stein. From the legendary New York destination for Jewish appetizing comes a beautiful and inspiring cookbook that encompasses history, tradition, and absolutely delicious food.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Nov 18
6:30 pm
Free
6:30 pm
Free
Author Reading | Book Launch: Lyla Lee Shares Her New YA Book, The Cuffing Game
Enjoy a conversation between authors Lyla Lee (I'll Be the One, Flip the Script) and Amélie Wen Zhao (The Scorpion and the Night Blossom) for the launch of Lee's new book, The Cuffing Game. This book is a fun YA K-drama remix of Pride and Prejudice—if Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett were a college-run reality TV dating show. Attendees can also pre-order a signed copy of the book at the link provided.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Nov 18
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Open Mic | Poetry, Music, and Comedy Showcase (Online!)
Join a weekly online showcase featuring poems, songs, and comedy. Performers can sign up for a 4-minute spot by reserving one of 20 Artist-RSVP tickets, available starting Wednesdays at 8:00 PM ET. If all spots are filled, performers may join the “good-luck round” at the end of the session. Audience members are welcome to watch live via Zoom.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Nov 20
8:00 pm
Free
8:00 pm
Free
Open Mic | Hear from Emerging Writers or Perform Your Own Work
Hear original work by local, emerging writers of all genres, or share some of your own pieces! All performers welcome! Hosted by novelist Ed Lin. Sign ups start from 7:30PM. 5-minute time slots.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Fri, Nov 21
8:00 pm
Free
8:00 pm
Free
Open Mic | An Evening of Prose, Poetry & Performance in the East Village
Writers and word lovers gather for this open literary salon, where each month features a new theme. Share or listen to original works of prose, poetry, memoir, or song in a supportive, creative space. Performers have five minutes to present, and all are welcome to attend. Please visit the website for more information on performing your work.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Nov 25
8:00 pm
Free
8:00 pm
Free
Open Mic | Poetry, Music, and Comedy Showcase (Online!)
Join a weekly online showcase featuring poems, songs, and comedy. Performers can sign up for a 4-minute spot by reserving one of 20 Artist-RSVP tickets, available starting Wednesdays at 8:00 PM ET. If all spots are filled, performers may join the “good-luck round” at the end of the session. Audience members are welcome to watch live via Zoom.
New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Thu, Nov 27
8:00 pm
Free
8:00 pm
Free
Poetry Reading | Final Friday Slam Competition (Online!)
Join poets from across the Nuyorican community for a high-energy online slam hosted by Paul con Queso and Matthew Marroquín. Competing poets include winners of recent Bowery Slams and specially curated performers, plus one lucky audience member drawn from a live lottery spot. The winner takes home $100 and advances to the annual Grand Slam.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Fri, Nov 28
9:30 pm
Free
9:30 pm
Free
Complimentary Tickets
to shows, concerts ... (CFT Deals!)
Play | Broadway Actor in a Play About a Towering Figure in Media
Regular Price: $59CFT Member Price: $0.00
Play | Highly-Regarded Actor in a Critically Acclaimed Drama
Regular Price: $99CFT Member Price: $0.00
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