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The Reading Life

The Reading Life: Tayari Jones

By Susan Larson
Published March 9, 2026 at 10:40 AM CDT

Susan Larson talks with Tayari Jones about her new novel, Kin.

Here’s what’s on tap in the literary life this week:
The big events coming up: The 5th annual New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University gets underway March 12—15. Among the more than 200 authors scheduled to appear this year are Stacey Abrams, Rick Atkinson, Jami Attenberg, Charles Blow, David Brooks, Ken Burns, Anderson Cooper, Roxane Gay, Jeffrey Goldberg, Annette Gordon-Reed, Molly Jong-Fast, Katie Kitamura, Erik Larson, Nancy Lemann, Nicholas Lemann, Don Lemon, Jon Meacham, Gov. Wes Moore, Sigrid Nunez, Elaine Pagels, Salman Rushdie, and Cleo Wade. Sunday, March 15,is Family Day, an entire day devoted to children’s books and activities. Check out the complete schedule at nola.bookfest.tulane.edu. Events are free, but registration is encouraged.

The 40th annual Tennessee Willliams & New Orleans Literary Festival takes place March 25-29, primarily at the Hotel Monteleone. This year’s special guests include Charles Baxter, Maureen Corrigan, Michael Cunningham, Thomas Keith, Martin Sherman, Justin Torres, Boyce Upholt, and Joshua Wheeler. The five-day event includes theatrical productions, walking tours, and a writing marathon. Tickets and info at tennesseewilliams.net.

The 23rd annual Saints and Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival takes place March 27-29, also at the Hotel Monteleone. Featured speakers include Margot Douaihy, Robert Fieseler, Jewelle Gomez, Daniel W.K. Lee, Thomas Mallon, Jean Redmann, Martin Sherman, Justin Torres, and many others. Events include panel discussions, a reading series, craft sessions, and walking tours. Tickets and info at sasfest.org.

The Reading Life
Susan Larson
The Reading Life in 2010, Susan Larson was the book editor for The New Orleans Times-Picayune from 1988-2009. She has served on the boards of the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival and the New Orleans Public Library. She is the founder of the New Orleans chapter of the Women's National Book Association, which presents the annual Diana Pinckley Prizes for Crime Fiction.. In 2007, she received the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities lifetime achievement award for her contributions to the literary community. She is also the author of The Booklover's Guide to New Orleans. If you run into her in a local bookstore or library, she'll be happy to suggest something you should read. She thinks New Orleans is the best literary town in the world, and she reads about a book a day.
See stories by Susan Larson