Susan Larson talks with Freddi Williams Evans and Anna Rita Scott about their new book, Passing it On: The Art of John T. Scott.
Here’s what’s on tap in the literary life this week:
Diane McPhail signs “Follow the Stars Home,” Friday, October 11, at 5:30 p.m. at Garden District Book Shop.
Adam Dennis presents a storytime and signs “Gary and His Little Friend Jerry,” Saturday, October 12, at 11 a.m. at Garden District Book Shop.
The Terrytown branch library celebrates its 50th anniversary Saturday, October 12, from 1-4 p.m. 680 Heritage Ave., in Terrytown.
The Splice Poetry Series presents a poetry reading by Stine An & Tanner Menard Saturday, October 12, at 6p.m. at the Saturn Bar.
Kalamu ya Salaam signs his novel “Walkin’ Blues” and appears in conversation with Kelly Harris-DeBerry, Monday, October 14, at 6 p.m. at Octavia Books.
Lucky Bean Poetry Night features an open mike and Natalie Parker-Lawrence Monday, October 14, at 6:30 p.m. at Blue Cypress Books.
Eric Kim signs “Modern Creole: A Taste of New Orleans Culture and Cuisine,” Tuesday, October 15, at 5:30 p.m. at Octavia Books.
Freddi Williams Evans and Anna Rita Scott discuss and signs “Passing It On: The Art of John T. Scott,” Tuesday, October 15 from 6-8 p.m. at the Helis Foundation John Scott Center, 938 Lafayette St.
News from One Book One New Orleans
One Book One New Orleans presents The 7th Ward Is Home, celebrating the setting of this year’s selection, Black creole Chronicles, by Mona Lisa Saloy, Saturday October 12, from 4-6 at The Autocrat, 1725 St. Bernard. Mona Lisa Saloy will read and there will be a panel discussion featuring Big chief Darryl Montana and Big Queen Dianne Honore of the Yellow Pocahontas.
Time to vote for the next One Book selection. Cast your vote for one of the following three finalists at the web site or Facebook page:
Letting In Air and Light by Teresa Tumminello Brader
NOLA Face: A Latina’s Life in the Big Easy by Brooke Champagne
Daughters of the New Year by E.M. Tran
A very special reading group: Xavier University of Louisiana, Southern University at New Orleans, and Dillard University are joining forces to host a series of reading groups focused on the works of acclaimed scholar Saidiya Hartman, leading up to her highly anticipated visit to New Orleans in spring 2025.The reading series, free and open to the public, will explore four of Hartman’s seminal works, each at a different institution. It begins at Xavier University of Louisiana with a discussion of Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate Histories of Riotous Black Girls, Troublesome Women, and Queer Radicals, Friday, October 24, 6-8pm in the Civic Center on the first floor of Xavier University of Louisiana Library. The discussion will be led by Robin Vander, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English and African American and Diaspora Studies, Director of Women's Studies, Director of Performance Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana
And get ready for the Louisiana Book Festival coming up November 2, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown Baton Rouge at the Louisiana State Capitol, the State Library of Louisiana, the Capitol Park Museum, and the surrounding Capitol Park area. The festival is free and open to the public, with more than 200 authors on hand to entertain readers of all ages and activities for children and teenagers. This is the Festival’s 20th year. The Louisiana Writer Award will also celebrate its 25th year. This year’s recipient is Baton Rouge-area native poet David Kirby, long-time professor at Florida State University. The festival’s 15th One Book One Festival program, led by Dr. Gary Richard, will feature Eudora Welty’s The Optimist’s Daughter.
Author and illustrator William Joyce will debut the anxiously awaited Rocket Puppies, his first book in eight years, andAshley Elston returns with her adult debut novel First Lie Wins, a New York Times bestseller, the Penguin Random House’s bestselling fiction book for the first half of the year, and the January pick for the Reese Witherspoon Book Club. The festival will host the premiere of Books Across America, a documentary from filmmaker Mason Engel in which he travels to 50 states, reads 50 books, and interviews 50 authors in 50 days. Among those interviewed is Louisiana’s own Maurice Carlos Ruffin For more information about the 2024 Louisiana Book Festival, visit LouisianaBookFestival.org or check out the Festival’s Facebook page.
