Writers@Grinnell Events

Writers@Grinnell brings to campus writers of all kinds: poets, novelists, memoirists, essayists, radio essayists, columnists, graphic memoirists, playwrights, and short story writers.

“Interacting with writers, hearing them not only read from their work but also talk about their achievements and struggles, helps us to see that literature is a living tradition,” says Ralph Savarese, professor of English and director of the program. “Writers@Grinnell works its magic in the way that the College does generally: by allowing students to discover and cultivate a passionate commitment to engaged living. Students learn that carefully and beautifully crafted words matter.”

The program is not designed just for student writers. “The program serves interdisciplinary learning by showcasing writers who take up matters of politics or history or science, for example — the latter is a loose but common thread in the work of a number of this year's visitors," Savarese says.

Fall Schedule of Events

All events are free and open to the public.

Faculty Writers

Readings: 8 p.m., Sept. 12, Rosenfield Center Room 101

English department faculty writers who will read include Dean Bakopoulos, George Barlow, Mike Cavanagh, Hai-Dang Phan, Ralph Savarese, and Paula Smith.

Joy Castro

Roundtable: 4:15 p.m., Sept. 19, Rosenfield Center Room 209
Reading: 8 p.m., Sept. 19, Rosenfield Center Room 101

Joy Castro is the author of a memoir, The Truth Book, a collection of essays, Island of Bones, and two literary thrillers, Hell or High Water and Nearer Home. She is also the editor of an anthology of essays, Family Troubles: Memoirists on the Hazards and Rewards of Revealing Family.

Earlier in the day, Castro will conduct a roundtable on “Literary Crimes: The Art of the Thriller.”

Nathan Hoks and Roger Reeves

Readings: 8 p.m., Oct. 2, Bucksbaum Center Faulconer Gallery

Nathan Hoks is the author of two books of poems, The Narrow Circle and Reveilles. Poet Roger Reeves’ first book, King Me, appeared in 2013.

Camille Dungy

Reading: 8 p.m., Nov. 7, Bucksbaum Center Faulconer Gallery

In conjunction with the Wonder of Words Festival in Des Moines, W@G will host a reading by poet Camille Dungy.  Dungy is the author of three books of poems, most recently Smith Blue, and the editor of an anthology, Black Nature: Four Centuries of African American Nature Poetry.

Julie Kane

Roundtable: 4:15 p.m., Nov. 14, Rosenfield Center Room 209
Reading: 8 p.m., Nov. 14, Rosenfield Center Room 101

Julie Kane, former Poet Laureate of Louisiana, is the author of three books of poems and co-author of a Vietnam memoir.

Kane also writes about the neuroscience of literary reading and writing, which will be the topic of her roundtable.

The Grinnell Review

Reading: 8 p.m., Dec. 12, Rosenfield Center Room 101

The Grinnell Review is the College's mainstream journal of art and literature, published each semester.

Spring Schedule

The spring semester will feature readings by:

• Eduardo Corral, the first Latino recipient of the Yale Younger Poets Prize;
• MacArthur Award winner Richard Kenney;
• New Yorker staff writer Elizabeth Kolbert;
• Best American essayist and short story writer Elizabeth Graver; and
• National Book Critics Circle Award winner Edwidge Danticat.