Lit Boston: What's Happening in August?
In the August 2021 edition of "Best of Boston," we bring you our top Boston lit events this month, taking place virtually. See below for our list of local literary happenings.
Peace Adzo Medie Paperback Launch, in Conversation with Alka Joshi
Tuesday, August 3rd at 6:30PM ET | Event Fee: $0
A Virtual Event by Belmont Books
Join Belmont Books for a Zoom webinar event with authors Peace Adzo Medie and Alka Joshi (author of The Secret Keeper of Jaipur), as they celebrate the paperback launch of Peace's book, His Only Wife. Register here.
Kaveh Akbar presents Pilgrim Bell
Tuesday, August 3rd at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0 – $5
A Virtual Event by Harvard Book Store
Harvard Book Store's virtual event series welcomes poet Kaveh Akbar—author of the acclaimed poetry collection Calling a Wolf a Wolf—for a discussion of his latest collection, Pilgrim Bell. Register here.
Nature & Memory: Lisa Wells and Helen Macdonald
Wednesday, August 4th at 6:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0 – $55
A Virtual Event by Brookline Booksmith
Blending memoir and nature writing, Helen Macdonald (Vesper Flights) and Lisa Wells (Believers: Making a Life at the End of the World) discuss their books, human experience, and a natural world threatened by climate change. Register here.
Mona Awad presents All's Well
Wednesday, August 4th at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0 – $5
A Virtual Event by Harvard Book Store
Harvard Book Store's virtual event series welcomes acclaimed novelist Mona Awad—author of 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl and Bunny—for a discussion of her latest novel, All's Well. She will be joined in conversation by Joanna Rakoff, author of the memoir My Salinger Year and the novel A Fortunate Age. Register here.
Omar El Akkad with Lidia Yuknavitch, What Strange Paradise
Wednesday, August 4th at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0 – $5
A Virtual Event by Porter Square Books
Join Porter Square Books to welcome Omar El Akkad for a talk on his newest novel, What Strange Paradise. He will be joined in conversation by Lidia Yuknavitch. Register here.
Rupa Marya and Raj Patel present Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Justice
Wednesday, August 4th at 8:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0 – $35.25
A Virtual Event by Harvard Book Store and Politics and Prose
Harvard Book Store and Politics and Prose welcome Rupa Marya—associate professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and founder of the Do No Harm Collective—and writer, film-maker, and political economist Raj Patel for a discussion of their latest, co-authored book, Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Justice. They will be joined in conversation by renowned attorney and civil rights activist Walter Riley. Register here.
Victoria Lee with Holly Black: A Lesson in Vengeance
Thursday, August 5th at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0 – $27.99
A Virtual Event by Brookline Booksmith
Join Brookline Booksmith as author Victoria Lee discusses her new YA novel A Lesson in Vengeance. She will be joined in conversation by author Holly Black. Register here.
Maggie Smith with Chely Wright, Goldenrod
Thursday, August 5th at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0 – $5
A Virtual Event by Porter Square Books
Porter Square Books is delighted to present a virtual event to celebrate the release of Goldenrod: Poems by Maggie Smith. Author, artist and activist Chely Wright will join Maggie on screen for an evening of poetry, performance and talk. Register here.
Shugri Said Salh presents The Last Nomad: Coming of Age in the Somali Desert
Thursday, August 5th at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0 – $5
A Virtual Event by Harvard Book Store
Harvard Book Store's virtual event series welcomes writer Shugri Said Salh for a discussion of her debut memoir, The Last Nomad: Coming of Age in the Somali Desert. She will be joined in conversation by Abdi Nor Iftin, radio broadcaster and author of the acclaimed memoir, Call Me American. Register here.
Belmont Books Bookclub - Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning
Monday, August 9th at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0
A Virtual Event by Belmont Books
Join Belmont Books in discussing Cathy Park Hong’s New York Times bestseller, Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning, for their monthly book club. Register here.
Literary Legend Dr. Erna Brodber in conversation
Tuesday, August 10th at 1:30PM ET | Event Fee: $0
A Virtual Event by Black History Walks and the Sarah Parker Remond Centre at UCL
Join Black History Walks for the rare chance to hear and speak to Dr. Erna Brodber, a Jamaican, international literary icon whose work is studied in universities around the world. Register here.
Adele Nozedar Launch, in Conversation with Rebecca Buck
Tuesday, August 10th at 6:30PM ET | Event Fee: $0
A Virtual Event by Belmont Books
Join Belmont Books in celebrating Adele Nozedar's launch of The Tree Forager: 40 Extraordinary Trees & What to Do With Them. Adele will be in conversation with Rebecca Buck, a sculptor of international renown. Register here.
Joanna Schaffhausen: Gone for Good
Tuesday, August 10th at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0 – $36.99
A Virtual Event by Brookline Booksmith
Join Brookline Booksmith in celebrating Joanna Schaffhausen's new mystery novel Gone for Good. Register here.
Ha Jin, A Song Everlasting
Tuesday, August 10th at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0 – $5
A Virtual Event by Porter Square Books
Join Porter Square Books for a virtual talk with award-winning author Ha Jin for the release of his newest novel, A Song Everlasting. Register here.
Andrew Aydin, L. Fury, and Nate Powell present Run: Book One
Tuesday, August 10th at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0 – $5
A Virtual Event by Harvard Book Store
Harvard Book Store's virtual event series is thrilled to welcome acclaimed comic artists Andrew Aydin, L. Fury, and Nate Powell for a discussion of Run: Book One, their highly anticipated follow-up to the National Book Award–winning March, co-authored with the late Congressman John Lewis. Register here.
Cecily Strong presents This Will All Be Over Soon
Tuesday, August 10th at 8:00PM ET | Event Fee: $33.25
A Virtual Event by Harvard Book Store, Politics and Prose, Books & Books, and Semicolon Bookstore
Harvard Book Store's virtual event series welcomes actress, comedian, and Saturday Night Live cast member Cecily Strong for a discussion of her debut memoir, This Will All Be Over Soon. She will be joined in conversation by Chanel Miller, author of the National Book Critics Circle Award–winning memoir, Know My Name. Register here.
Free Brown Bag Lunch Writing Series
Wednesday, August 11th at 12:30PM ET | Event Fee: $0
A Virtual Event by GrubStreet
Looking for some virtual midweek writing community? Or do you have a schedule that gives you free afternoons instead of evenings? Join GrubStreet’s FREE Brown Bag Lunch Writing Series live via Zoom. For 45 minutes, you’ll meet fellow writers and get your creative juices flowing with some cool writing exercises. Led by one of our award-winning instructors or ambassadors. Register here.
Elizabeth de Veer in Conversation with Susan Bernhard
Wednesday, August 11th at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0
A Virtual Event by Belmont Books
Join Belmont Books as Elizabeth de Veer discusses her debut novel The Ocean in Winter, with the author of Winter Loon, Susan Bernhard. Register here.
Mary Jo Bang, Purgatorio and Maria Dahvana Headley, Beowulf
Thursday, August 12th at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0 – $5
A Virtual Event by Porter Square Books
Join Porter Square Books for a virtual talk with Mary Jo Bang, author of the new translation Purgatorio, and Maria Dahvana Headley (Beowulf: A New Translation). Register here.
Nicola Harrison in Conversation with Fiona Davis
Thursday, August 12th at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0
A Virtual Event by Belmont Books
Join Belmont Books as Nicola Harrison discusses her latest novel, The Show Girl, with New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis. Register here.
When Words Collide 2021 - A Festival for Readers and Writers
Friday, August 13 at 2:00PM ET - Sunday, August 15 at 9:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0
A Virtual Event by When Words Collide
A festival for readers, writers, artists, and publishers of commercial & literary fiction, including genre, YA, children's books, and poetry. This year’s guests include Cathy Ace, Vicki Delany, Steena Holmes, Fonda Lee, Dave Reynolds, and Morgan Rhodes. Register here.
Write Down the Street: Detangling the Craft of Writing
Saturday, August 14th at 12:00PM ET | Workshop Fee: $0
A Virtual Workshop by GrubStreet’s Write Down the Street Program
In Detangling the Craft of Writing, a 90-minute drop-in class, we’ll use writing prompts and explore terms like tone, pacing, setting, and more in order to understand what they mean to our writing selves and to equip ourselves with the needed tools to begin, or to carry on, with our untold story that needs to be brought out from the inside. As part of GrubStreet's Write Down the Street community program, writers based near the Egleston or Mattapan Branches of the Boston Public Library can take this drop-in class. Register here.
On Norah Lange
Saturday, August 14th at 4:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0 – $41.90
A Virtual Event by Brookline Booksmith
Join the Transnational Literature Series at Brookline Booksmith for a virtual event with Susana Lange, Idra Novey, Stefan Tobler, and Charlotte Whittle to celebrate the life and work of Norah Lange. Register here.
YA Horror with Tori Bovalino, Courtney Gould, Sam Schill, & Allison Saft
Monday, August 16th at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0 – $18.99
A Virtual Event by Brookline Booksmith
Join Brookline Booksmith in celebrating the more frightening side of YA with Tori Bovalino, Courtney Gould, and Sam Schill, in conversation with Allison Saft. Register here.
Gary Goldstein Launch, in Conversation with Susan Walter
Monday, August 16th at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0
A Virtual Event by Belmont Books
Join Belmont Books in celebrating the launch of The Last Birthday Party as the author, award-winning film, TV, and theatre writer, Gary Goldstein, discusses it with writer, producer and director Susan Walter. Register here.
Rachael Cerrotti with Elizabeth Rosner: We Share the Same Sky
Tuesday, August 17th at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0 – $35.99
A Virtual Event by Brookline Booksmith
Join Brookline Booksmith in celebrating the release of Rachael Cerrotti's We Share the Same Sky with the author, in conversation with Elizabeth Rosner. Register here.
Amber McBride with Jason Reynolds, Me (Moth)
Tuesday, August 17th at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0 – $5
A Virtual Event by Porter Square Books
Porter Square Books is delighted to present a virtual event with Amber McBride for her debut young adult novel-in-verse, Me (Moth). She will be joined in conversation by Jason Reynolds, an author and Emerson College graduate program director, and associate professor Jabari Asim. This event is co-sponsored by Emerson College's department of Writing, Literature & Publishing. Register here.
Beyond the Page: When No One Is Watching
Thursday, August 19th at 7:00PM ET | Event Fee: $0
A Virtual Event by Trident Booksellers and Cafe
Join author Alyssa Cole for a discussion of her book When No One is Watching, a spine-tingling tale of race, mystery and gentrification. Register here.
Free Happy Hour Writing Session
Friday, August 27th at 5:30PM ET | Event Fee: $0
A Virtual Event by GrubStreet
Maximize that Friday feeling and kick off your writing weekend. Leave work behind on Friday, August 27th, from 5:30pm-6:30pm, grab a snack and/or your favorite after-work beverage, and log into GrubStreet Remote for some writing! In 60 jam-packed minutes, you’ll meet fellow writers and get your creative juices flowing with some great writing exercises. Register here.
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