In an era of deepening globalization and multicultural integration, Chinese-language literature serves not only as a rich carrier of Chinese cultural heritage but also as a vital bridge connecting diverse cultures and ideas. For overseas Chinese writers, the challenge lies in maintaining their cultural identity while balancing literary traditions and innovative ideas in a rapidly […]

Writing workshops, panel discussions, presentations, book signings, and more.

Clement Clarke Moore is known the world over for his masterpiece of juvenile fiction, Twas the Night Before Christmas — less well-known is Moore's own life story and the involvement of his parents and grandparents during the revolutionary period. Join author and historian Pamela McColl for a festive presentation on the life and times of […]

The Nobel Prize winner Elias Canetti all his life declared himself a “mortal enemy” of death—and here, in English at last, is his landmark book on the subject. The Book Against Death is the work of a lifetime: a collection of Elias Canetti’s powerful, disarming, and often bleakly comic observations, diatribes, musings, and commentaries on […]

A simple story of a "strong man" whose life is dominated by fear and anger, Things Fall Apart is written with remarkable economy and subtle irony. Uniquely and richly African, at the same time it reveals Achebe's keen awareness of the human qualities common to men of all times and places.

The Museum’s online series The Modern Concrete Skyscraper continues with a look back into the early 20th century with a talk by structural engineer and historian Tyler Sprague on the unique development of concrete skyscrapers in the Pacific Northwest. In the early 1900s, as Seattle grew into a significant urban center for the region, its […]

Read and discuss The Hypocrite by Jo Hamya. Stop by the New Amsterdam library to pick up a copy. In case of extreme weather, meet at the New Amsterdam Library.

Conversation with Joseph Nye, acclaimed author of Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics and one of the foremost thinkers on international relations. In today’s era of escalating geopolitical tensions, where economic competition, technological rivalry, and regional conflicts dominate the global landscape, the concept of soft power—the ability to influence others through attraction […]

Financial literacy program designed to educate women of any age about the financial matters that affect their lives. The program provides information, resources and learning activities to educate and create a safe and welcoming place for women to learn, share their experiences, and ask questions.

Join us to analyze and discuss this early 20th century memoir that speaks so well to our contemporary socio-political malaise like no other.

Former students, musicians, and scholars talk about the impact of 9/11 on college students and the jazz community.

Join Chukwudi Iwuji, acclaimed stage and screen actor, for a reading to mark the centenary of James Baldwin. Iwuji, who has been immersed in Baldwin’s work as part of a forthcoming project, will be reading selections of special personal meaning.

Reinhold Kulle seemed like the perfect school employee. But in 1982, as his retirement neared, his long-concealed secret came to light. The chief custodian at Oak Park and River Forest High School outside Chicago had been a Nazi, a member of the SS, and a guard at a brutal slave labor camp during World War […]

A simple story of a "strong man" whose life is dominated by fear and anger, Things Fall Apart is written with remarkable economy and subtle irony. Uniquely and richly African, at the same time it reveals Achebe's keen awareness of the human qualities common to men of all times and places.

Join Eleanor Reissa, author/actress/singer/director with Artistic Director Zalmen Mlotek as they discuss the progress of her new work, currently titled: The Journey Continues. As part of the Folksbiene’s continued interest in the grant provided to Eleanor by the New York State Council for the Arts, join us in this exploratory evening to learn about Eleanor’s […]

For nearly 2,000 years, Chinese people has transformed the act of writing characters into the art of calligraphy, a unique practice elevating the practicality of writing characters into an exceptional art form with rare similarities among other cultures in the world. Through the interplay of black and white, dots and lines, Chinese calligraphy embodies both […]

Opening of the 29th Poets House Showcase, a literary exhibition and reading series that captures the breadth of contemporary poetry publishing. Delve into landmark collections with Wo Chan, Erika Meitner, Fred Moten, and Charif Shanahan. This reading accompanies the Showcase exhibition opening, a panoramic display of thousands of poetry publications: books, chapbooks, broadsides, and poetry-related […]

Discuss a wide range of poetry from classics to contemporary, with a welcoming approach to all perspectives, interpretations and ways of reading. The selection for December is Joy Harjo's Conflict resolution for holy beings : poems.

Dream of the Red Chamber is a masterpiece of Chinese literature, celebrated for its profound exploration of human nature, society, and fate. Through the lens of the rise and fall of the Jia family, Cao Xueqin’s work captures the essence of the grandeur and decline of time. The 1987 TV adaptation of the novel, directed […]

Longtime friends and fellow artists pay tribute to the life and work of David Shapiro. With Elaine Equi, Mohammed Fairouz, Kate Farrell, Joanna Fuhrman, Jim Jarmusch, Rodger Kamenetz, Phil Kline, Phillip Lopate, Charles North, Ron Padgett, Daryl Pinckney, Lucy Sante, Tony Towle, James Venit, John Yau, and other friends. As a child, David Shapiro, a […]

Online lecture. Emily Hahn (1905–1997), known as Xiang Meili in Chinese, was a lifelong columnist for The New Yorker and one of the most prolific and adventurous writers of the 20th century. Her fascinating life journey spanned three continents—Africa, Asia, and Europe—where she fearlessly delved into diverse cultures and penned over 50 books, including more […]

Reading. A newly sober, orphaned son of Iranian immigrants, guided by the voices of artists, poets, and kings, embarks on a remarkable search for a family secret that leads him to a terminally ill painter living out her final days in the Brooklyn Museum. Electrifying, funny, and wholly original, Martyr! heralds the arrival of an […]

The final program in The Skyscraper Museum's TALL TIMBER series turns the attention to New York City. This free in-person event will be held at the architectural office of SOM and will bring together the four teams of architects invited by New York magazine critic JUSTIN DAVIDSON for his feature article on possible futures for […]

Book reading. Less a bildungsroman than a story of miseducation, Playworld is a novel of epic proportions, bursting with laughter and heartache.

J. Mae Barizo, Dorothea Lasky, Maggie Millner, and Estha Weiner read from their highly acclaimed books in celebration of the 29th Poets House Showcase Exhibition.

Visit the 29th comprehensive exhibition celebrating new poetry publications from 2022 and 2023 and enjoy readings tonight by Maggie Milner, Dorthea Lasky, J. Mae Barizo, Esta Weiner.

Book reading. Meet Ethan and Gabe. A devoted couple for years, they have successful careers, an adorable daughter, and a house in the New Jersey suburbs. Sure, they may have drifted to different ends of the political spectrum, but their marriage still has its spark. Then one night Ethan makes an announcement: he wants to […]

Discuss The Shipping News by Annie Proulx. Repeated January 16 at 2pm.

New York City experienced explosive growth between the 1880s and the 1930s, when nearly a million buildings, dozens of bridges and tunnels, hundreds of miles of subway lines, and thousands of miles of streets were erected to meet the needs of an ever-swelling population. The new book Building the Metropolis: Architecture, Construction, and Labor in […]

Book reading and signing by Michael Cannell, author of Blood and the Badge.

Online lecture. The Republican era of China was a period of remarkable cultural and political dynamism, producing many luminaries and historical figures. However, the true images of many of these […]

Explore the world of maritime history and theatre with the Seaport Museum and Robert A. Richter, Treasurer of The Eugene O’Neill Society, as we discuss the profound impact maritime communities […]

Book reading and signing by Jonathan Ames, author of Karma Doll.

In her new book, Movement: New York’s Long War to Take Back Its Streets from the Car, Nicole Gelinas presents a gripping account of how the automobile has failed New […]

Book reading and signing by Steve Wick, author of The Ruins.

Reading. Walter Mosley presents Been Wrong So Long It Feels Like Right, with Kellye Garrett. In the latest from “mystery master” Walter Mosley, a family member’s terminal illness leads P.I. […]

Visit the 29th comprehensive exhibition celebrating new poetry publications from 2022 and 2023 and enjoy a community reading hosted by poet Bea Gates.

Community reading of 2022 and 2023 poetry authors, featuring Beatrix Gates, Cheryl Boyce-Taylor, Emily Lee Luan, Marwa Helal, and others.

Inspired by a poem from playwright Bertolt Brecht, The Pleasure Lists began with a simple post online — a prompt calling for people to catalogue their pleasures. The outpouring of […]

The Middle East is in a period of radical transformation and shifting power dynamics in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. Bernard Haykel, Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton […]

Discuss The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. Repeated February 13 at 2pm.

This month, read and discuss She's Always Hungry by Eliza Clark.

Book reading. Ann Goldstein presents Alba De Céspedes's There's No Turning Back, in conversation with Joumana Khatib. Discover the astonishingly powerful debut novel by the beloved feminist author of the […]

An evening with acclaimed author and journalist Peter Hessler, whose works have illuminated the intricate connections between people, cultures, and history. Hessler will join Susan Yuqing Feng, Director of Programs […]

Symposium. Every American President passed through New York City. Some were born here such as Theodore Roosevelt. Some lived here including Herbert Hoover who spent his post Presidential years residing […]

Book reading. Mohammed El-Kurd presents Perfect Victims: And the Politics of Appeal, in conversation with Fred Moten. Perfect Victims is an urgent affirmation of the Palestinian condition of resistance and […]

At 3pm tour the African Burial Ground National Monument, 290 Broadway. At 5pm, attend a symposium at the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse, 40 Foley Square. Much of Black history […]

Book reading and signing by William Boyle, author of Saint of the Narrows Street.

In Hamilton Heights and Sugar Hill, Davida Siwisa James leads readers through four centuries of the storied New York neighborhood where George Washington headquartered in 1776, Alexander Hamilton built his […]