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!
24 free poetry readings, book signings, author readings in New York City (NYC) Wed, 04/30/2025 - 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 | A Tender Debut About Love, Loss, and Home
Tarisai Ngangura celebrates the release of The Ones We Loved in conversation with writer and arts critic Jessica Lynne. An aching debut novel about two strangers whose lives collide as they flee painful pasts, The Ones We Loved moves between fragile beginnings and the heavy pull of memory. Inspired by Zimbabwean oral storytelling traditions, it is a moving portrait of love, home, and healing.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Apr 30
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Fiction New Salon: Bestselling, Award-Winning Authors Kevin Brockmeier & Karen Russell with Darin Strauss
A fiction reading with Kevin Brockmeier and Karen Russell followed by a conversation/Q&A with Darin Srauss and a reception/signing. In addition to his latest book, The Ghost Variations: One Hundred Stories, Kevin Brockmeier is the author of multiple novels, including: The Illumination, The Brief History of the Dead, and The Truth About Celia; and multiple story . Plus, his stories have been published in such venues as The New Yorker, The Georgia Review, McSweeney’s, Zoetrope, and more. He's received three O. Henry Awards, the PEN USA Award, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Karen Russell is the author of five books of fiction, including the New York Times bestsellers Swamplandia! and Vampires in the Lemon Grove. She is a MacArthur Fellow, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. She has received two National Magazine Awards for Fiction, the Shirley Jackson Award, and was selected for the National Book Foundation’s “5 under 35” prize. Darin Strauss is the bestselling author of the novels Chang and Eng, The Real McCoy, and More Than it Hurts You, the memoir Half a Life, and most recently the acclaimed novel, The Queen of Tuesday: A Lucille Ball Story. Strauss is the recipient of a National Book Critics Circle Award, a Guggenheim, an American Library Association Award, and numerous other prizes.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, May 1
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Bestselling Author Speaks on Her New Book: Story of a Murder
Join Author and Historian Hallie Rubenhold as she discusses her new book Story of a Murder: The Wives, the Mistress, and Dr. Crippen with fellow author Abbott Kahler. In this epic examination of one of the most infamous murders of the twentieth century, bestselling author of The Five, Hallie Rubenhold, gives voice to those who were never properly heard–the women. On February 1, 1910, the vivacious, diamond-adorned music hall performer Belle Elmore suddenly vanished from her home, causing alarm among her friends, the entertainers of the Music Hall Ladies’ Guild. Their demands for an investigation would lead to the unearthing of a gruesome secret and trigger a fevered international manhunt for Belle’s husband, medical fraudster Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen. Ethel Le Neve, Crippen’s typist and lover, who fled with Crippen in disguise, has always hidden in the shadows of this tale–was she really just “an innocent young girl” in thrall to a powerful older man? And was there an equally sinister story behind the death of Crippen’s first wife, Charlotte? Brimming with twists and featuring a carnival cast of eccentric entertainers, star lawyers, zealous detectives, medics and liars, Story of a Murder offers an electrifying snapshot of Britain and America at the dawn of the modern era. Doors will open 30 minutes before the program begins.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Fri, May 2
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Author/Photographer Launches New Memoir on Walking Japan's Coast: Things become Other Things
Writer and photographer Craig Mod launches his new book Things Become Other Things. Craig Mod's transformative 300-mile walk along Japan’s ancient pilgrimage routes and through depopulating villages inspires a heartrending remembrance of a long-lost friend, documented in poignant, imaginative prose and remarkable photography. Hosted by Matt Rodbard and recorded live, followed by a signing. Seating is limited and will be first come, first served. Doors open at 5:30 pm.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Mon, May 5
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Long-Time CEO Speaks about His New Book: Surviving Wall Street
Long-time CEO Scott Bok, in conversation with Professor Liz Magill of the Penn Carey Law School, as he discusses his coming of age story—and the dramatic transformation of the investment banking industry—that he captures in his new book Surviving Wall Street: A Tale of Triumph, Tragedy, and Timing. This book portrays the dramatic transformation of the investment banking business in recent decades through the tumultuous saga of one firm (Greenhill & Co., a specialist in mergers and acquisitions) and one man (Scott Bok, the longtime CEO of that firm). Written in the style of an adventure tale, this book is also a "coming of age" story for a naive young man who came to Wall Street―as thousands like him do each year―and managed to grab a front-row seat for a period of epic change. A firsthand account of deals and dealmakers told from inside the boardroom, Surviving Wall Street will captivate those wanting to understand the dramatic evolution and expansion of Wall Street, as well as younger readers hoping to chart their own path to success in this Darwinian industry.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Mon, May 5
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | High Stakes, High Intelligence: The World of Skyboy
Celebrate the release of Skyboy, a science fiction action-adventure novel by Adam Aresty, with a reading and conversation alongside producer Chris Mangano. In Skyboy, a young genius must confront his greatest weakness to survive—a gripping tale of resilience set against a futuristic backdrop. Adam Aresty, an award-winning screenwriter and novelist, has written for film, television, and video games, including the horror-comedy Stung (Tribeca Film Festival 2015) and the fantasy game Enshrouded (2024). Skyboy marks his debut full-length novel.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, May 6
5:00 pm
Free
5:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Sci-Fi Action Novel Launch with Author Q&A
In Skyboy, a science fiction action-adventure novel, a young genius must confront his greatest weakness to survive. Author Adam Aresty is an award-winning screenwriter and novelist based in New York City. He wrote the screenplay for the horror/comedy Stung (world premiere: 2015 Tribeca Film Festival), and the digital series AALT (2021). He has published two novellas, Recovery (2014) and The Communication Room (2016) and numerous short stories in both print and e-book. Skyboy is his first novel.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, May 6
5:00 pm
Free
5:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Besteselling Author Talks about Her New Book: The Dream Hotel (In Person AND Online!)
Join WNYC’s Alison Stewart and Laila Lalami for a live conversation about her newest book The Dream Hotel, followed by a special musical performance from Imal Gnawa. The Dream Hotel is a riveting and utterly original novel about one woman’s fight for freedom, set in a near future where even dreams are under surveillance.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, May 6
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Coming-of-Age with Virginia Woolf
Author Marcia Butler reads from her new novel Dear Virginia, Wait for Me, a coming-of-age story set in turn-of-the-millennium NYC about a brilliant but vulnerable young woman guided by a benevolent voice she believes to be Virginia Woolf. Joining her in conversation is New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Brodeur (Little Monsters, Wild Game). The event will feature a reading, a Q&A session, and a book signing. Books will be available for purchase.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, May 6
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Award-Winning Journalist Launches Her New Book: Mother Code
“This tender, generous book does the hard work of redefining ‘motherhood’ and ‘family’ so that they honor all aspects of a woman’s life.”—Christie Tate, author of the New York Times bestseller Group In her new, propulsive memoir, Mother Code, award-winning journalist Ruthie Ackerman blends history, science, and cultural criticism to uncover whether motherhood outside of society’s rigid rules and expectations is possible—and whether she fits the mold for what a mother should be. Ruthie Ackerman’s writing has been published in Vogue, Glamour, O Magazine, The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Salon, Slate, and Newsweek.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, May 7
5:00 pm
Free
5:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Bestselling Author & Journalist Launches New Book on the Roman Empire: The Neverending Empire
International bestselling author and journalist Aldo Cazzullo presents his brilliantly researched history of the Roman Empire and its infinite legacy, The Neverending Empire, followed by a signing. This event will be in English. Books will be available for sale in both English and Italian.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, May 7
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Journalist Talks about New Book on Aimee Semple McPherson: Controversial Religous Figure (In Person AND Online!)
In Sister, Sinner, journalist Claire Hoffman chronicles the dramatic rise, disappearance, and near-fall of Aimee Semple McPherson. A pioneer of Pentecostalism and founder of the Foursquare Church, McPherson used spectacle, storytelling, and her own radio station to bring God’s message to the masses. Her innovations brought Pentecostalism into the mainstream, paved the way for televangelists, and shaped the future of American Christianity. Her Angelus Temple in Echo Park, Los Angeles, can be called the first megachurch, and the Foursquare Church continues, with more than eight million followers worldwide. In 1926, weeks after McPherson disappeared in the Pacific Ocean, she reappeared in the desert, claiming to have been kidnapped. Hoffman speaks with Columbia Journalism School Dean Jelani Cobb about what happened next—sex scandals, religious persecution, legal shenanigans, the seemingly unshakable faith of her followers, and the media’s race to cover it all. Who was this iconic woman: everybody’s saintly sister or a con-artist sinner?
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, May 7
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Author/Professor Brad Snyder on His New Book: You Can’t Kill a Man Because of the Books He Reads
Author and Professor Brad Snyder discusses his new book You Can’t Kill a Man Because of the Books He Reads: Angelo Herndon’s Fight for Free Speech with the Director of the Center for Educators and Schools at the New York Public Library, Brian Jones. The story of a young, Black Communist Party organizer wrongly convicted of attempting to incite insurrection and the landmark case that made him a civil rights hero. Decades before the impeachment of an American president for a similar offense, Angelo Herndon was charged under Georgia law with “attempting to incite insurrection”―a crime punishable by death. In 1932, the eighteen-year-old Black Communist Party organizer was arrested and had his room illegally searched and his radical literature seized. Charged under an old slave insurrection statute, Herndon was convicted by an all-white jury and sentenced to eighteen to twenty years on a chain gang. You Can’t Kill a Man Because of the Books He Reads chronicles Herndon’s five-year quest for freedom during a time when Blacks, white liberals, and the radical left joined forces to define the nation’s commitment to civil rights and civil liberties. A legal odyssey of Herndon’s narrow escape from certain death because of his unpopular political beliefs, You Can’t Kill a Man Because of the Books He Reads explores Herndon’s journey from Alabama coal miner to Communist Party organizer to Harlem hero and beyond. Brad Snyder tells the stories of the diverse coalition of people who rallied to his cause and who twice appealed his case to the U.S. Supreme Court. They forced the Court to recognize free speech and peaceable assembly as essential rights in a democracy―a landmark decision in 1930s America as well as today.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, May 8
6:30 pm
Free
6:30 pm
Free
Author Reading | Author Sarah Aziza Talks about Her New Memoir: The Hollow Half + Readings (In Person AND Online!)
This event is a celebration of The Hollow Half, an urgent and groundbreaking memoir by Sarah Aziza, one of the most important new voices in contemporary literature and criticism. Sarah will be in conversation with writer Hannah Bae, with featured readings by Kamelya Omayma Youssef, Ghinwa Jawhari, H. Sinno, and Ladan Khoddam-Khorasani. A brush with death. An ancestral haunting. A century of family secrets. Sarah Aziza’s searing, genre-bending memoir traces three generations of diasporic Palestinians from Gaza to the Midwest to New York City—and back. Weaving timelines, languages, geographies, and genres, The Hollow Half probes the contradictions and contingencies that create “nation” and “history.” Blazing with honesty, urgency, and poetry, this stunning debut memoir is a fearless call to imagine both the self and the world anew.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, May 8
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Poetry Reading | Poetry Open Mic: SHare Your Work or Listen to Emerging Writers
Participants can share their original work for up to five minutes. Space is limited to 15 readers; show up on time to get a slot!
New York City, NY; NYC
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Fri, May 9
5:30 pm
Free
5:30 pm
Free
Author Reading | Conversation Celebrating New Book on Post-War Korean Artists: The Making of Modern Korean Art
In celebration of the new publication, The Making of Modern Korean Art: 1961–1982, the contributors of this book will share new scholarship on the four pioneering artists who played major roles in the building of a modern identity of a nation through their artistic and intellectual exchanges, in the wake of a series of tumultuous historical events. The Making of Modern Korean Art sets up the scene in the aftermath of the Korean War (1950–1953), when Korean artists were redefining their cultural identity while articulating their collective trauma and existential dislocation. Many turned to abstraction when forging a distinctly Korean modernity. The book is a new milestone in the field of modern and contemporary Asian art, providing a comprehensive English-language survey of Korean abstraction that further contextualizes the best-known Dansaekhwa as one part of diverse and robust postwar Korean art movements. All three contributors will be speaking at the program, along with the artist Lee Ufan, moderated by Yasufumi Nakamori, Vice President of Arts & Culture and Director of Asia Society Museum, and Andrew Russeth, Editor of Artnet News Pro. Limited copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event, after the conversation.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Fri, May 9
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Fear and Money: Unpacking Our Anxieties in a New World Order
Join art historian Isabelle Graw for a live conversation about her new book, Fear and Money. In this timely exploration, Graw delves into the anatomy of our anxieties in the face of an unpredictable global landscape. This special event brings together Graw, writer and curator Violaine Huisman, and artist Adam Pendleton for an insightful discussion on the intersection of fear and finance. Together, they will examine how our relationship with money shapes our fears and the social dynamics that underpin these anxieties.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Mon, May 12
6:30 pm
Free
6:30 pm
Free
Book Signing | Rare Photographs of a Hidden Queer History
Spanning from the 1930s to the early 1960s, Physique presents over 250 rare physique photography prints from Aletti’s private collection, chronicling a coded world of homoerotic imagery. Originally distributed through discreet mail-order catalogs and underground magazines, these photographs capture an emergent queer sensibility and offer a vital glimpse into a hidden history. Accompanied by a personal essay from Aletti, Physique honors the photographers, models, and studios that shaped this forgotten chapter of American gay culture, revealing how photography provided solace, connection, and empowerment during a time of widespread oppression.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, May 13
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | A Moving Memoir of Trees, Science, and Hope A Moving Memoir of Trees, Science, and Hope
Marguerite Y. Holloway celebrates the release of Take to the Trees: A Story of Hope, Science, and Self-Discovery in America's Imperiled Forests. Named one of Heatmap's Climate Books to Read in 2025, Take to the Trees blends personal memoir with science reporting, chronicling Holloway's journey from novice climber to passionate advocate for America's threatened forests. Through encounters with towering hemlocks, aspens, and oaks--and the people striving to save them--Holloway offers an inspiring vision of resilience and community in the face of environmental crisis.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, May 13
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Sexy Selfie Nation Book Launch Discussion on Women's Bodily Autonomy
Celebrate the launch of Sexy Selfie Nation with author Leora Tanenbaum! Leora will discuss changing the narrative around sexy selfies with activist Lizzie Asher, who is fighting to end the "voluntary intoxication exclusion" in New York State that denies justice to sexual assault victims who had been drinking alcohol; and sex worker, survivor, and champion for sexual agency Norma Buster, Chief of Staff at C.A. Goldberg, PLLC. With women's bodily autonomy under attack, this conversation is more important now than ever before.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, May 20
5:00 pm
Free
5:00 pm
Free
Poetry Reading | Exploring Poetic Landscapes
This evening of contemporary poetry features two acclaimed voices whose work spans lyric experimentation, classical influence, and literary collaboration. Marcella Durand, winner of the 2024 Poetic Justice Institute Prize, reads from her upcoming collection A Winter Triangle (Fordham University Press, 2025). Vincent Katz shares selections from his extensive body of poetry and translations, including Daffodil, Broadway for Paul, and his acclaimed translations of Sextus Propertius.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, May 29
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Exploring the Writings of Legendary New Yorker Author John McPhee
Looking for a Story is the first complete reader’s guide to John McPhee’s vast body of work, chronicling his groundbreaking approach to nonfiction and exploring his decades of writing for The New Yorker, Time magazine, and beyond. Rubinton sheds light on McPhee’s innovative techniques, his little-known early articles, and his influential teaching career at Princeton University, inspiring generations of writers. With an introduction by Peter Hessler, this guide offers an invaluable look at one of America’s most revered literary figures.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, May 29
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Photobook Meet-Up with NYT-Featured Photograher Tommy Kha
Explore the museum's photobook library during Photobook Club, a community meet-up for book enthusiasts, photographers, and lovers of printed images. Bring your favorite photobook, zine, or other image focused publication to share while exploring monthly selections from the the museum's stacks during this community-building event. From 11AM - 12PM, explore selections from photographer Tommy Kha in celebration of Asian Heritage Month. Later, Kha himself will share about his practice and the photobooks that have inspired him. The reading library contains over 20,000 books and periodicals. Tommy Kha (b. Memphis, Tennessee) lives in Brooklyn, NY. He is a recipient of the Hayes Prize, previously, he received the Next Step Award, Foam Talent, and NYSCA/NYFA Photography Fellow. His work has been published in The New York Times, the New Yorker, and Foam. He has had solo shows at Higher Pictures Generation, Baxter St. at the Camera Club of New York, and Blue Sky Gallery.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Sat, May 31
11:00 am
Free
11:00 am
Free
Author Reading | A Musical Journey Across Cultures
Blending memoir and musical history, From the Bronx to the Bosphorus uncovers the vibrant, multicultural music scene of post–WWII New York. Feldman traces his journey from the East European klezmorim of the Bronx to the Armenian and Greek nightclubs of Manhattan, and ultimately to the klezmer revival of the late 1970s. Along the way, he encounters musicians from a range of traditions—including an Armenian virtuoso who once played for Stalin and the Shah of Iran—and studies with Dave Tarras, the greatest klezmer clarinetist of his generation. Rich with personal stories and cultural insight, this book is a celebration of music’s power to connect communities across time and place.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Jun 18
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
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Classical Music | Sacred Choral Works at a Landmark Venue
Regular Price: $50CFT Member Price: $0.00
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