Poets & Writers Theater

For this LIVE From NYPL event, Jamaica Kincaid and illustrator Kara Walker discuss their collaborative book, An Encyclopedia of Gardening for Colored Children (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2024), and the racial, colonial history of gardening in a conversation with Hilton Als.

In this New York Public Library event, comic book writers and artists Amy Chu, Arielle Jovellanos, Soo Lee, and Amy Reeder talk about character development and the diverse and influential roles women play in shaping the world of comics at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library in New York.

“Some people say fiction is all a lie. To me, fiction is one of the best ways we can learn truth.” In this Unban Coolies interview, Amy Tan talks about the importance of observation in her writing, identity and biodiversity, and how her interest in bird conversation inspired her new book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles (Knopf, 2024), which is featured in “The Written Image” in the March/April issue of Poets & Writers Magazine.

In this 92Y video, artist Shantell Martin creates a live performance illustration inspired by a speech Maya Angelou delivered at the 92Y’s Kaufmann Concert Hall in 1971.

Artist Andrew Kolb pays homage to David Bowie and his famous song "Space Oddity" in the form of an illustrated children's book. This animated version by Andrew Ruttan is set to the song that inspired the book.

This short clip presenting the hardcover boxed edition set of Eli Horowitz's newest novel and multimedia project, The Pickle Index (Sudden Oak Books, 2015), demonstrates the ways in which artist Ian Huebert's illustrations from the two volumes match up when placed side by side. A collaboration with developer Russell Quinn, the story is also told through a paperback version, published by FSG Originals, and an interactive app.

Acclaimed author Joyce Carol Oates, singer-songwriter Ben Arthur, poet and filmmaker Nick Twemlow, award-winning illustrator Roman Muradov, and dancer Sarah Fiske will present an inspired series of linked performances, followed by a conversation, led by Kevin Larimer, about the creative process and the roots of inspiration.

"Art was my dearest friend. To draw was trouble and safety, adventure and freedom." Molly Crabapple's new memoir, Drawing Blood (Harper, 2015), includes her illustrations and details her life as an artist, journalist, and activist.

Rick Moody reads an excerpt from his new novel, Hotels of North America (Little, Brown, 2015), at a recording of WNYC's "Answer Songs" show, accompanied by artist Michael Arthur's real-time illustrations.

"When you are sad, be secretly happy because you know it will make a great poem." In this TEDx event, spoken word poet Dean Atta performs personal poems about identity, family, and mental health, along with live illustrations by artist Ben Connors.

"I've met very few cabdrivers who set out to be cabdrivers." Where To? A Hack Memoir by Dmitry Samarov includes illustrations by the author capturing his encounters with fellow cabdrivers, drunken passengers, and potholes. Samarov's book was published this month by Curbside Splendor, a Chicago-based indie press that was featured in a previous installment of Small Press Points.

"Wonderful things happen when your brain is empty," says artist and author Maira Kalman as she shares her thoughts on the difference between thinking and feeling, the inspiring power of walking in the city, and more.