Past events

Jorge Amado: A Legacy
12 November, 7 p.m., McNally Jackson, 52 Prince Street, New York, NY 10012. Free.

Join legendary translator Gregory Rabassa, Granta Best Young Brazilian Novelist J.P. Cuenca and Granta editor John Freeman for a reading and discussion about the new Penguin Classics translations of Amado’s greatest works (The Double Death of Quincas Water-Bray and The Discovery of America by the Turks) and the new generation of Brazilian novelists, as introduced in Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists.

Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists: The Seattle Launch
12 November, 8 p.m., Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 Tenth Avenue, Seattle WA 98122. Free.

As the first stop on a US-wide tour to launch Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists, Granta and Elliott Bay Books will introduce the never-before-translated authors Cristhiano Aguiar, Daniel Galera and Miguel Del Castillo with readings and conversation evoking the spirit of Brazil, as seen through the eyes of the country’s brightest young literary talents. Moderated by Brangien Davis.

Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists: The Washington DC Launch
13 November, 6.30 p.m., Busboys and Poets, 4251 South Campbell Ave, Arlington, VA 22206. Free.

Celebrate the launch of Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists with visiting novelists Daniel Galera and J.P. Cuenca. Galera is a cult author known as much for starting an indie publishing house as he is for his fiction and graphic novels. In addition to his work as a novelist, Cuenca is a frequent commentator in the media. These vibrant, fresh voices join Granta’s Patrick Ryan to read from and discuss their first work published in English.

Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists: The Chicago Launch
13 November, 7 p.m., Quimby’s Bookstore, 1854 West North Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622. Free.

From the story of a family marked by guerilla resistance to the military dictatorship in Uruguay to the memory of lost love to a man whose ennui drives him to check out of his life by checking into a hotel, Granta editor John Freeman introduces three bold, cosmopolitan new voices from Brazil. Best of Young Brazilian Novelists Cristhiano Aguiar, Miguel Del Castillo and current Chicago local Chico Mattoso will read from and explore their work in Granta.

Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists: The Toronto Launch
14 November, 6 p.m.–8 p.m., TYPE Books, 883 Queen Street West, Toronto. Free.

Join Granta to discover three young writers who are telling modern Brazil’s vast and compelling story. Through readings and discussion, J.P. Cuenca, Miguel Del Castillo and Daniel Galera unravel stories of alienation in an increasingly globalized Rio and families marked by violence.

Introducing The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists
15 November, 7 p.m., BookCourt, 163 Court Street, New York, NY 11201. Free.

Join Granta to celebrate the launch of The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists, a collection of twenty writers who are telling modern Brazil’s vast and dynamic stories. Granta editors John Freeman and Patrick Ryan join Best of Young Brazilian Novelists J.P. Cuenca, Miguel Del Castillo and Daniel Galera for readings, conversation and a drinks reception.

Festa Brasiliera: Celebrating Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists
16 November, 7 p.m.–8.30 p.m., Housing Works Bookstore, 126 Crosby Street, New York, NY 10012. $10, includes a tote bag, Granta 121 and a drink.

Granta magazine presents an evening of Brazilian literature and music to mark the launch of Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists. Join Best Young Brazilian Novelists J.P. Cuenca, Miguel Del Castillo and Daniel Galera for readings and conversation with Granta editor John Freeman.

Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists: The Miami Launch
26 November, 8 p.m., Books & Books, 265 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL 33134. Free.

As part of the international launch series for the Best of Young Brazilian Novelists, Granta and Books&Books introduce two bright talents from Brazil whose work is appearing for the first time in English. Cristhiano Aguiar is currently a researcher at University of California, Berkeley, and in addition to his own writing was an editor of two experimental fiction journals in Brazil. As well as writing fiction, Vinicius Jatobá is a critic and filmmaker. The Best Young Novelists will be joined by Clifford Landers, a translator who worked on the Granta issue, and writer and critic Chauncey Mabe for an evening of readings and conversation that spans the stories being told about modern Brazil and debuting their work in the United States.

Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists: The Boston Launch
27 November, 7 p.m., Porter Square Books, 25 White Street, Cambridge, MA 02140. Free.

Granta associate editor Patrick Ryan introduces two of the Best of Young Brazilian Novelists to Boston. Join him, Cristhiano Aguiar and Vinicius Jatobá for an evening of readings and conversation about a country that is shining on the world’s stage, but whose contemporary literature has been largely invisible in the United States.

Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists: The San Francisco Launch
28 November, 7 p.m., Green Apple Books, 506 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA 94118. Free.

Who are the writers telling modern Brazil’s dynamic story? Join Granta’s Saskia Vogel and three Best of Young Brazilian Novelists to launch the latest issue of the magazine of new writing. Appearing for the first time in English, novelists Cristhiano Aguiar (a Berkeley local), Vinicius Jatobá and translator Katrina Dodson read from their work, which explores the fissures in a marriage, the emotional aftermath of natural disasters and checking out of one’s life by checking into a hotel.

UCLA Department of Spanish and Portuguese Presents: Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists
29 November, 11.00 a.m.–12.30 p.m., Royce Hall 314, University of California, Los Angeles, 340 Royce Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095. Free.

Discover some of the brightest new voices in Brazilian literature at the UCLA event Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists. Novelists Cristhiano Aguiar, Vinicius Jatobá, Chico Mattoso will read their stories that tell of the aftermath of a love lost, a natural disaster, and a man who checks out of his life by checking into a hotel. Translator Katrina Dodson will speak about her participation in bringing Granta em português to an English-speaking audience, and Granta’s Saskia Vogel will facilitate a question and answer session to follow the reading.

This event is presented by Professor José Luiz Passos of the UCLA Department of Spanish & Portuguese and sponsored by the Brazilian Consulate of Los Angeles and the UCLA Latin American Institute Working Group on Travel, Translation, and Circulation in Latin America.

Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists: The Los Angeles Launch
29 November, 7 p.m., Book Soup, 8818 West Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90069. Free.

Discover the brightest new voices emerging from Brazil today at the launch of Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists. Appearing for the first time in Los Angeles, novelists Cristhiano Aguiar, Vinicius Jatobá, Chico Mattoso and translator Katrina Dodson will read and explore the stories ranging from the aftermath of a love lost to a natural disaster to a man who checks out of his life by checking into a hotel. Hosted by Granta’s Saskia Vogel.

This launch is made possible with the support of the Embassy of Brazil and the UCLA Department of Spanish and Portuguese and the Latin American Institute.

Granta 120: Medicine

Writing Medicine: The Granta Edition
7 November, 5 p.m., The Institute for Arts and Humanities, Hyde Hall, Campus Box 3322, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, 176 E. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3322. Free and open to the public.

Granta Medicine contributor Dr Terrence Holt joins Drs Vince Kopp, Alan Shapiro, Jane Thraikill and Amy Weil for an interdisciplinary evening exploring the art and practice of Medicine. Drawing from their expertise within the English and Comparative Literature, Social Medicine, Geriatric Medicine and more, the panellists will look at how storytelling is integral to medicine and and, as well as how sometimes a story itself is the best medicine.

Granta Celebrates Its 2012 Best American Series Authors
29 October, 7 p.m., Word Bookstore, 126 Franklin Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222. CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER.

Mark Doty, Phil Klay, Francine Prose, Julie Otsuka and Taiye Selasi join Granta editors for readings and conversation about their Granta pieces, which have been anthologized in this year's Best American Short Stories , Best American Essays and Best American Non-Required Reading.

Thalia Book Club Special Event: Salman Rushdie Joseph Anton: A Memoir
22 October, 7.30 p.m., Leonard Nimoy Thalia at Symphony Space, Special Price includes a copy of Joseph Anton: A Memoir; Full $45; Member $41; 30 & Under $35.

The author of Midnight's Children and The Satanic Verses talks with Colum McCann (Let the Great World Spin) about his long-anticipated, enthralling and provocative new memoir of his exile under the fatwa that sentenced him to death in 1989. Introduced by John Freeman.

Villa Gillet's Walls and Bridges Festival: Beyond the Hippocratic Oath
14 October, 5 p.m., Powerhouse Arena Bookstore, 37 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

How do writers and philosophers approach healing, and depict these ordinary extraordinary everyday practices? Cécile Guilbert in her book Réanimation, examines the frightening and traumatic moment when a loved one’s life hangs in the balance. Chris Adrian writes surprisingly of a doctor who is meant to deliver a lecture on illness narratives, but instead reveals his unravelling psyche. Terrence Holt presents the delicate harmonies which can rise ‒ if only briefly ‒ from the mess of hospitals and human bodies. And to end this conversation, French philosopher Pierre Zaoui questions the healing power of literature. The event will be moderated by Granta associate editor Patrick Ryan.

This event is presented as part of Walls and Bridges, a ten day French-American arts and ideas festival curated by the Villa Gillet, a French cultural institute interested in thought in all its expressions, bringing together thinkers and artists from all over the world; and is co-presented with Les Subsistances, an international laboratory for live arts based in Lyon, France.

LitQuake: Spirit of Place: A Granta Salon
8 October, 7 p.m., The Make-Out Room, 3225 22nd Street, San Francisco, CA 94110. Free.

From the plains of the Midwest to the peaks of the Andes, Granta Best Young Novelist Christopher Coake (You Came Back), Cristhiano Aguiar (named one of Granta’s Best of Young Brazilian Novelists in 2012) and Colombian writer Tomas Gonzalez’s translator Joel Streicker (“Victor Comes Back” in ZYZZYVA’s autumn issue) join Granta editor John Freeman to explore stories of haunted memories and longing in the Americas.

Imagining Illness: An Evening of Art, Literature and Music
2 October, 5.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m., TMEC Auditorium, Harvard University, 260 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115. Free.

The Ackerman Program of Medicine and Culture at the Harvard Medical School presents an evening of art, music and literature featuring writers from the Harvard Medical School and Granta 120: Medicine. Dr Rafael Campos, Linda H Davis and Granta editor John Freeman will join Dr Suzanne Koven in conversation about their creative work on the theme of narrative medicine. A reception will follow, featuring the vintage photography collection of Brad Feuerhelm, as well as refreshments.

Narrative Medicine Rounds: The Granta Medicine Launch
3 October, 5 p.m., Faculty Club of Columbia University Medical Center, 630 W. 168th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10032. Free and open to the public

Granta assistant editor Patrick Ryan and Medicine contributors Drs Ike Anya and Amit Majmudar join the Columbia University Narrative Medicine program to explore fiction and memoir about the practice of medicine, in particular the idea of illness narratives, the cultural beliefs regarding mental health and the experiences of a new doctor in rural Nigeria.

The Medicine Launch
11 September, 7 p.m., McNally Jackson, 52 Prince Street, New York, NY 10012

Join contributors Chris Adrian, James Lasdun, Granta editor John Freeman and others for an evening of readings, conversation and drinks to mark the launch of Medicine.

The San Francisco Launch
11 September, 7 p.m., Book Passage, 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA 94111

Join Dr Julie Lindow of the University of California, San Francisco Medical School, and Granta contributors Kay Ryan, Rebecca Solnit and Victoria Sweet and other Granta contributors to explore the stories we tell to express illness, care and storytelling as medicine.

Hippocrates Cafe: The Granta Edition
13 September, 5.30 p.m., NRB Auditorium, Research Building, Georgetown University Medical Center, 3970 Reservoir Rd NW, Washington, DC 20057. Free.

Granta 120: Medicine contributor Semezdin Mehmedinović reads from and explores ‘My Heart’, his intimate exploration of the alienation that comes with a medical crisis, where, from one instant to the next, you can go from being a person to being a patient as part of Georgetown University Medical School’s literature and music salon, the Hippocrates Cafe.

Grand Rounds: An evening with Chris Adrian
15 September, 7 p.m., BookCourt, 163 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Join Chris Adrian and Granta for a dramatic reading by Liars' League actor Jonathan Harford of 'Grand Rounds,' Adrian’s mordantly funny story of that shows the unravelling of a doctor’s psyche as he delivers a lecture on illness narratives to his peers. After the reading, will be a discussion with Adrian followed by a reception.

Jonathan Harford is a stage and screen actor who studied acting at MTB Studio in New York. He won Tropfest NY’s Best Actor award for his work in 'The Wildflower'.

Who Gives a Sh*t About Literary Magazines?
17 September, 7 p.m., BookCourt, 163 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Randy Rosenthal (editor of The Coffin Factory) and panelists Lorin Stein (editor of The Paris Review), Rob Spillman (editor of Tin House), and John Freeman (editor of Granta) discuss the impact of literary magazines in contemporary culture.

The Art of Caring: A Granta discussion
18 September, 7 p.m., Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138

When the only option is to care for your elderly parents at home, what do you do? What happens when a mother used to caring for her autistic son finds out she has cancer? How does our society support us or let us down? In conversation with a Granta editor, Medicine contributors Gish Jen and Linda H. Davis explore these themes in fiction and memoir.

Literary Publishers Present: Granta’s ‘Medicine’ at NYU
20 September,7 p.m., The NYU Creative Writing Program Reading Series, Lillian Vernon Creative Writers’ House, 58 West 10th Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues), New York, NY 10011

Granta assistant editor Patrick Ryan, contributors James Lasdun and Ben Lerner explore their work on care, ageing and the practice of medicine.

Brooklyn Book Festival: Medicine
23 September, 11 a.m., Brooklyn Borough Hall and Plaza, 209 Joralemon Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Free.

Join Granta associate editor Patrick Ryan and contributors Gish Jen, James Lasdun and others for readings and discussion about their work in Granta 120: Medicine.

Britain

'Britain' Pub Quiz at The Make Out Room
20 June, 6 p.m., Make Out Room, 3225 22nd Street, San Francisco, CA 94110

Join Granta and Zyzzyva for a traditional British pub quiz with a California twist. The audience will group into teams, along with contributors to both literary magazines and then test their trivia knowledge to win a prize. Music and dancing to follow.

Granta British Pub Quiz in Iowa City
26 June, 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m., Prairie Lights Books, The Mill (120 E. Burlington St.)

Join Granta and Iowa Young Writers' Studio for a traditional British pub quiz with a Iowan twist. The audience will group into teams and then test their trivia knowledge to win a prize. This is one of a series of pub quizzes hosted around the United States to mark the publication of Granta 119: Britain, which explores the stories being told about Britain today.

Washington, DC

The Washington DC Launch
16 May, 7 p.m., Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St, NW Washington, DC 20009

Granta 119: Britain contributors Tania James and Gary Younge in conversation with NPR's Parul Sehgal about their work in 'Britain', writing about migration, change and the stories that are being told in Britain today.

This event is part of an international series that marks the launch of Granta 119: Britain. James’s story in Granta is extracted from her new collection Aerogrammes and Other Stories (Knopf, 2012).

Chicago

The Chicago Launch
17 May, 7 p.m., Book Cellar, 4736 North Lincoln Avenue # 1,Chicago, IL 60625

Join Granta magazine for an evening exploring the stories that Britain is telling about itself today, just in time for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics. Author Tania James (Atlas of Unknowns) and journalist Gary Younge both have new work in the latest edition of Granta: Britain. James’s story of two brothers from Lahore seeking fame as professional wrestlers in London 1910 shows the tension between what one is asked to sacrifice when pursing a dream and bonds to family and country. Younge writes about returning to his childhood home of Stevenage, a post-war town built on the optimism of a brighter future for all now with little more to boast of than available housing.

This event is part of an international series that marks the launch of Granta 119: Britain. James’s story in Granta is extracted from her new collection Aerogrammes and Other Stories (Knopf, 2012).

Litcrawl NYC - Brooklyn
19 May, 6 p.m., Zombie Hut, 273 Smith Street, New York, NY 11231. Ages 21 and over.

Granta magazine teams up with Liars' League NYC for an evening of stories about Britain today. Actors from the live fiction salon will perform 'The Gun', a new story by Mark Haddon about young and unlikely friends who find a gun and head for the woods behind their housing project and debut writer Sam Byers's darkly comic story 'Some Other Katherine', which asks 'Is this as bad as life gets?'. The event is part of the launch of the latest issue of Granta 119: Britain. Liars' League NYC is the newest branch of the London-based salon which features actors performing new fiction.

New York

The New York Launch
22 May, 7 p.m., Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, 126 Crosby Street, New York, NY 10012. $10 suggested donation

Granta magazine returns to Housing Works to launch its latest issue - Britain - with a night of readings and revelry. As Britain prepares for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the summer Olympics, Granta is publishing collection poetry, memoir and fiction that shows some of stories Britain is telling about itself today. Tania James, a rising literary star, joins us to read from ‘Lion and Panther in London’, her story about two brothers from Lahore who come to London in 1910 to seek fame as wrestlers. On the speakers, Blue Logan plays music that expresses the wild and wonderful visions of Britain, from dancehall to dubstep.

In thanks for donations to Housing Works, Granta is giving guests a tote bag that includes a copy of Granta 119: Britain. Britain-themed drinks and refreshments available all night. This event is part of an international series of events that mark the launch of the latest issue of Granta magazine and explore the stories Britain is telling about itself today.

Boston

The Boston Launch
24 May, 7 p.m., Porter Square Books, 25 White Street Cambridge, MA 02140

Join Granta magazine for an evening exploring the stories that Britain is telling about itself today, just in time for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics. Author Tania James (Atlas of Unknowns) has new work in the latest edition of Granta: Britain. James’s story of two brothers from Lahore seeking fame as professional wrestlers in London 1910 shows the tension between what one is asked to sacrifice when pursing a dream and bonds to family and country. Writer and critic James Lasdun reads and discusses 'Dog Days', a tender new poem of loss and memory for Granta.com.

Los Angeles

Literary Death Match
20 April, Doors at 8, Show at 9.15, drinks and party to follow, Atwater Crossing/ATX, 3245-3191 Casitas Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90039. Tickets $5 (advance purchase) or $7 at the door. The cost of your ticket is redeemable against a purchase from the books table on the night.

This special thirty-five-minute edition of Literary Death Match will have readings from video game critic Tom Bissell (Magic House, Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter, representing ZYZZYVA), Lauren Groff (Arcadia, representing Slake), Krys Lee (Drifting House, representing Granta) and Jerry Stahl (Permanent Midnight: A Memoir and Painkillers: A Novel, representing Rare Bird Lit).

The evening's judges are The Walking Dead writer and producer Scott Gimple, memoirist Oriana Small aka Ashley Blue (Girlvert) and Richard Lange (Dead Boys and This Wicked World).

Los Angeles Times Festival: Family Ties Panel
21 April, 1:30 p.m., Andrus Gerontology Center
Join Granta contributor Julie Otsuka, Janet Fitch, Christopher Tilghman about family ties, moderated by John Freeman.

Los Angeles Times Festival: Publishing: Finding New Voices
22 April, 2:00 p.m., Seeley G. Mudd
Join Laura Cogan, Rebecca Friedman, Ethan Nosowsky and John Freeman for a discussion about finding and publishing new voices.

Iowa City

Mission Creek Festival
27 March – 1 April

Granta Magazine Presents
31 March, 3 p.m., The Mill, 120 Burlington Street, Iowa City, IA 52240

Immediately following the book fair, the UK’s Granta magazine will once again host the highlight reading of the festival. Continuing the tradition of bringing to Iowa City the most dynamic literary talent alongside a writer featured recently in Granta’s pages, this reading in 2012 includes Matt Hart, T. Fleischmann, Amelia Gray, and Granta authors Chinelo Okparanta and Kevin Brockmeier.

Matt Hart is the author of Who’s Who Vivid (2006) and Wolf Face (2010). Hart is also the co-founder and the editor-in-chief of Forklift, Ohio: A Journal of Poetry, Cooking & Light Industrial Safety. T. Fleischmann returns to Iowa City since graduating from the Nonfiction Writing Program. Fleischmann’s essays have appeared in Fourth Genre, Pleiades, Indiana Review, Gulf Coast, The Pinch, and in make/shift. A nonfiction editor at DIAGRAM, T’s work has also been named Notable Essays in The Best American Essays in both 2009 and 2010. T’s book-length essay, Syzygy, Beauty: An Essay, is forthcoming in March from Sarabande. Amelia Gray is the author of AM/PM (featherproof) and Museum of the Weird (FC2). Her first novel, THREATS was published by FSG in March. Kevin Brockmeier is the author of three novels, two children’s novels, and two short story collections, including The Brief History of the Dead (2006) and, most recently, The Illumination (2011). Brockmeier was named one of Granta magazine’s “Best Young American Novelists” in 2010.

Exit Strategies

New York

An Evening with Chinelo Okparanta
12 March, 7 p.m., Revolution Books, 146 W. 26th Street, New York, NY 10001

Chinelo Okparanta's fiction debut 'America' was published this February in Granta 118: Exit Strategies. In this story set among the oil spills of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, Okparanta deftly weaves a tale of forbidden love, cultural and international politics and the dream of America. Born in Nigeria, Okparanta holds an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop and teaches at the University of Iowa. Please join us for an evening of reading and conversation with this bright, new talent, hosted by Granta editor John Freeman.

The New York Launch
7 February, 7 p.m., BookCourt, 163 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Granta editor John Freeman launches the new issue with Granta 118 contributors Judy Chicurel, Vanessa Manko, Claire Messud and Susan Minot.

Thirty Girls, The Interrogation and City Boy
9 February, 7 p.m., 192 BOOKS, 192 10th Avenue, New York, NY 10011

Judy Chicurel, Aleksandar Hemon, Vanessa Manko and Susan Minot explore the consequences of things beyond our control through readings from Granta 118 and conversation with Granta associate editor Patrick Ryan.

The Way Out
13 February, 7 p.m., McNally Jackson, 52 Prince Street, New York, NY 10012

Join Exit Strategies poets Paula Bohince, Sophie Cabot Black, Ishion Hutchinson, Rowan Ricardo Phillips and Soledad Marambio for readings that explore fleeing one’s life, phantoms and choice.

Behind the Curtain: A Magazine Roundtable
29 February, 7.00 p.m., McNally Jackson, 52 Prince Street, New York, NY 10012

Join Ellah Allfrey, James Marcus and Deborah Treisman - editors from Granta, Harper’s and The New Yorker - as they discuss how and why and what they publish. The proverbial slush pile; the writers they’re loving; the ones that got away. Tonight they’ll talk about what goes on behind the curtain. Granta editor John Freeman will moderate.

Granta Across America

San Francisco, CA
7 February, 7 p.m., City Lights Books, 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133

Join Daniel Alarcón and Zyzzyva contributors Herbert Gold and Dean Rader for a literary evening celebrating the launch of Exit Strategies.

Seattle, WA
7 February, 7 p.m., Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122

David Long and Thom Jones read from and explore their work in Granta’s Exit Strategies and Chicago issues with Seattle Magazine’s arts and culture editor Brangien Davis.

Miami, FL
7 February, 8 p.m., Books & Books, 265 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL 33134

John Barth reads and discusses his essay ‘The End?’, muse-inviting rituals and writing ‘nothing’ with writer and arts critic Chauncey Mabe.

Boston, MA
9 February, 7 p.m., Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138

With Granta editor John Freeman, Claire Messud discusses her essay ‘The Road to Damascus’, memory, loss and the search for the Beirut of her father’s childhood.

Iowa City, IA
9 February, 7 p.m., Prairie Lights, 15 South Dubuque Street, Iowa City, IA 52240

Join Chinelo Okparanta and Ben Marcus (The Flame Alphabet)for readings and conversation.

Chicago, IL
10 February, 7.30 p.m., Women & Children First, 5233 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60640

Granta’s New Voice Chinelo Okparanta joins local Granta author Nami Mun for readings and discussion of their work.

Horror

The Housing Works Horror Halloween Party
31 October, 7 p.m., Housing Works Bookstore, 126 Crosby Street, New York, NY 10012

A Halloween party with tricks and treats for the literary set, including readings from Julie Otsuka, Rajesh Parameswaran and others. With a $10 suggested donation at the door guests will receive a goodie bag, including a copy of Granta 117.

Granta 117: Horror, Brooklyn
1 November, 7.30 p.m., Greenlight Bookstore, 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217

To celebrate the launch of Granta 117, National Book Award finalist Julie Otsuka and emerging author Rajesh Parameswaran plumb the depths of horror and discuss the stories from the magazine.

Granta 117: Horror, San Francisco
3 November, Green Apple Books, 506 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA 94118

Peter Orner and D.A. Powell read and discuss their new work for Granta's Horror issue with Zyzzyva's Oscar Villalon who will also read a new story by Roberto Bolaño from the new issue.

Granta 117: Horror, Manhattan
29 November, 7 p.m., Barnes and Noble, 33 East 17th Street, New York, NY 10003

Paul Auster and Don DeLillo discuss their new work in Granta 117 and explore the horrors of everyday life.

Ten Years Later

One day in September, a decade ago, all eyes turned toward New York. Where are we looking now? We're taking Granta 116 across America to explore this question with readings and discussions, starting 6 September in various cities and ending with San Francisco's Litquake on 11 October. For all free events, please RSVP to events@granta.com.

Ann Arbor, MI
Nicola's Books
7 September, 7 p.m., 2513 Jackson Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48103

With authors Jeremiah Chamberlin and V.V. Ganeshananthan and poets Linda Gregerson and Megan Levad. Free.

Boston, MA
Porter Square Books
6 September, 7 p.m., 25 White Street, Cambridge, MA 02140

With Granta 116 contributor Anthony Shadid in conversation with Robin Young, host of WBUR's Here and Now.

Boulder, CO
Boulder Bookstore
8 September, 7.30 p.m., 1107 Pearl Street, Boulder, CO 80302

With Alternative Radio founder and director David Barsamian, Univerity of Colorado, Boulder professor of political science Francis Beer and The Daily Camera features editor Clay Evans. Free.

Brooklyn, NY
10 Years Later Brooklyn Launch
9 September, 7 p.m., Book Court, 163 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Join Granta 116 contributors Lawrence Joseph, Phil Klay, Nicole Krauss and Jynne Martin for an evening of poetry, fiction and discussion to explore how an event like 9/11 echoes and how its stories are told. Free.

Conflict, Trauma and Writing: How we tell stories after a crisis

September 18, 10 a.m., Brooklyn Book Festival, Borough Hall Community Room, Brooklyn, NY

The attacks on September 11, 2001 brought up many questions about writing and representation and now, ten years later, the question is still being asked. Join Madison Smartt Bell (The Color of Night), Granta 116 contributor Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer and Amy Waldman (The Submission) to explore how 9/11 continues to echo in fiction, and how one tells a story following crisis, trauma and conflict.

Buffalo, NY
Cinema at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center
6 September, 7 p.m., 341 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202

With Executive Director of Hallwalls Edmund Cardoni, law professor Isabel Marcus, director of Workforce, Industry and Economic Development at Cornell University Lou Jean Fleron and language arts professor and writer Gary Earl Ross. Co-sponsored by Granta, Talking Leaves...Books and Hallwalls. Free.

Chicago, IL
Barbara's Bookstore
8 September 7 p.m., 1218 S. Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60607

With Granta 116 contributors Nuruddin Farah and Anthony Shadid and novelists Aleksandar Hemon and Nami Mun. Free.

Corte Madera, CA
Book Passage
9 September, 7 p.m., 51 Tamal Vista Boulevard, Corte Madera, CA 94925

With writer Elmaz Abinader, journalist Jonathan Curiel and Granta 116 contributor Adam Johnson in conversation with Kieran Ridge, English Department Chair at The Marin School. Free.

Houston, TX
Brazos Bookstore
8 September, 7 p.m., 2421 Bissonnet Street, Houston, TX 77005

With Rahim Ali, Chief Operating Officer for APNA Energy, Terrence Doody, Professor of English at Rice University, and others in conversation. Free.

Iowa City, IA
Prairie Lights
6 September, 7 p.m., 15 S. Dubuque Street, Iowa City, IA 52240

With authors Kevin Bloom, Christopher Merrill, ZZ Packer, Bina Shah and a special guest in conversation. Free.

Madison, CT
R.J. Julia Booksellers
6 September, 7 p.m., 768 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT 06443

With Granta 116 contributor Elliott Woods, David Bromwich, Sterling Professor of English at Yale and author of Edmund Burke: On Empire, Liberty and Reform, and others in conversation with Granta Assistant Editor Patrick Ryan. Free.

Miami, FL
Books&Books
10 September, 5 p.m., 265 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL 33134

With authors Diana Abu-Jaber, Edwidge Danticat, Cristina Garcia in conversation with M. Evelina Galang. Free.

Minneapolis, MN
Target Performance Hall the Loft Literary Center, Open Book
8 September,7 p.m., 1011 Washington Avenue S 200, Minneapolis, MN 55415

With Director of the Human Rights Program in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota Barbara Frey, novelist Marlon James and Sioux author Susan Power in conversation with Minnesota Public Radio arts reporter Marianne Combs. Free.

New York, NY
The Fireman’s Family and the Soldier
6 September, 7 p.m., Barnes and Noble, 150 East 86th Street, New York 10028

Colum McCann, author of Let the Great World Spin, introduces two fresh voices from this program, both of whom are recent Granta contrinutors. Ex-Marine and Granta 116 contributor Philip Klay and Samantha Smith, who is the most recent inclusion in Granta.com’s New Voices series, will read and discuss their work, which explores themes of family, homecoming and the reverberation of the events of September 11, 2001. Free.

Islamophobia, the Media and Echoes of 9/11
7 September, 5 p.m., The Student Center, Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, 2950 Broadway, New York 10027

As time passes, stories are bound to change and take on different meanings. Looking back to 9/11 and taking stock of where we are today, this discussion will explore Islamophobia, media rhetoric and how we remember 9/11. Writer, sociologist and communications scholar Todd Gitlin, Granta 116 poet and law professor Lawrence Joseph and civil rights attorney and author of Patriot Acts: Narratives of Post-9/11 Injustice Alia Malek will join Granta magazine editor John Freeman to explore this topic. In association with South Asian Journalists Association and Voice of Witness.

10 Years Later, Manhattan Launch
8 September, 7 p.m., McNally Jackson, 52 Prince Street, New York 10012

Join Granta editor John Freeman and Granta 116 contributors Lawrence Joseph, Phil Klay and Jynne Martin for readings, discussion and drinks. Free.

Ten Years Later: The NYC Litcrawl Event
10 September, 8.15 p.m., Gallery Bar, 120 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002

Granta 116 contributor Phil Klay and Madison Smartt Bell (Granta Best Young American Novelist and author of The Color Of Night) will read from their recent work, and discuss themes of violence, war, the desert, and homecoming.

Oakland, CA
Diesel Bookstore
8 September, 7 p.m., 5433 College Avenue, Oakland, CA 94618

With Granta contributing editor and Granta Best of Young American Novelist Daniel Alarcon, author Rabih Alameddine and Granta 116 contributor Adam Johnson. Free.

Pasadena, CA
Vroman's Bookstore
11 September, 4 p.m., 695 E. Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91101

With authors Steve Erickson, Dana Goodyear and Granta 116 contributor Adam Johnson in conversation with Los Angeles Times book critic David Ulin. In association with PEN Center USA. Free.

Philadelphia, PA
Robin's Bookstore and Moonstone Arts Center
7 September, 7 p.m., 110 A S. Thirteenth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

With poet Daisy Fried, author Whitney Terrell and Granta 116 contributor Elliott Woods. Free.

Portland, OR
Wordstock Festival, The Oregon Convention Center
8 October, 3 p.m. & 4 p.m. , 777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd Portland, OR 97232

3 p.m.: Author Barry Lopez in conversation with John Freeman
4 p.m.: Authors Jennifer Egan and Charles Yu in conversation about fiction writing with John Freeman.

Raleigh, NC
Quail Ridge Books & Music
8 September, 7 p.m., 3522 Wade Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27607

With Chilean writer and human rights activist Ariel Dorfman, novelist Randall Kenan and writer and historian Tim Tyson in conversation with book critic J. Peder Zane. Free.

Richmond, VA
Fountain Bookstore
8 September, 6.30 p.m., 1312 E Cary St. Richmond, VA 23219

With authors Dean H. King and Michele Younge-Stone as well as Rebecca Joines Schinsky of the Book Lady's Blog in conversation with bookseller Kelly Justice. Free.

San Francisco, CA
The Book Club of California
11 October, 6 p.m.,312 Sutter St., Suite 500 San Francisco, CA 94108

With authors Rebecca Solnit, Oscar Villalon, Adam Johnson and John Freeman in a discussion about 9/11. Part of Litquake 2011.

Santa Fe, NM
Collected Works Bookstore & Coffeehouse
7 September, 6 p.m., 202 Galisteo Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501

With novelist Porochista Khakpour, author and former CIA Operations Officer Valerie Plame and others in conversation with veteran journalist and interviewer Lorene Mills of Report from Santa Fe. Free.

Seattle, WA
Elliot Bay Book Company
7 September, 7 p.m., 1521 Tenth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122

In a discussion hosted by bookseller Rick Simonson, authors David Guterson and Rikki Ducornet discuss a road trip they took across America following the events of 9/11. Free.

St. Louis, MO
Left Bank Books
7 September, 7 p.m., 321 N. Tenth Street, St. Louis, MO 63101

With Granta contributors Chris Dennis and Wayne Miller, along with novelists Saher Alam and Curtis Sittenfeld in conversation. Free.

Tempe, AZ
Changing Hands
8 September, 7 p.m., 6428 S. McClintock Drive, Tempe, AZ 85283

With public insight journalist Nick Blumberg, Mike Morrisey from the US Attorney's Office, Christopher Toward, managing director of Philanthropy Squared, and others. Free.

Toronto, ON
Type Books
7 September, 6 p.m., 883 Queen Street West, Toronto M6J 1G3

With Granta contributor and poet Sadaf Halai and Granta 116 contributor Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer in conversation with House of Anansi managing editor Jared Bland. Free.

Washington, DC
Politics and Prose
13 September, 7 p.m., 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20008

With novelist Olga Grushin, Granta 116 contributor Elliott Woods and foreign affairs journalist Robin Wright in conversation with Steve Coll, the president of the New America Foundation. Free.

The F Word

The Legacy: Feminism in Literature Today
24 May, 2 p.m., Book Expo America, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 655 W 34th Street, New York 10001

Julie Otsuka, Francine Prose and Karen Russell talk about which writers passed feminism down to them, and what the word means to them today. For tickets, visit www.bookexpoamerica.com.

The F Word Launch Party in NYC
25 May, 6.30 p.m., Paragraph, 35 W 14th Street, New York 10011

Join Julie Otsuka and Francine Prose to celebrate the launch of the issue.

Truly Yours, Eudora Welty
10 June, 7 p.m., Wollman Hall,The New School, 66 W 11th Street, NewYork 10014

A discussion about Eudora Welty with writers who have been influenced by her: Sheri Holman, Maud Newton and Rhonda Keyser. There will also be a reading of her unforgettable job application letter to The New Yorker. Moderated by Assistant Editor Patrick Ryan.

Aliens

31 March, 7 p.m. – Aliens Launch Party in Toronto
A night of reading, discussion and art with novelist Martha Baillie, artist Vid Ingelevics and Granta contributor Madeleine Thien.

Type Books, 883 Queen St. West, Toronto, M6J 1E9

3 March, 7 p.m.– Granta at the Asian American Writers' Workshop
A reading and discussion on alien voices with Granta contributors Catherine Chung, Julie Otsuka and Binyanvanga Wainana.

Asian American Writers Workshop, 110-112 West 27th Street, 6th Floor, Between 6th and 7th Avenues, Buzzer 600, New York, NY 10011. $5 suggested donation.

28 February, 7 p.m. – Aliens Launch Party in New York City
With Julie Otsuka and Binyavanga Wainaina.

McNally Jackson Books, 52 Prince St., New York City, NY 10012

27 February, all-day event – Aliens in Salinas
During John Steinbeck’s birthday celebrations, the NSC hosts an Aliens photobooth. Visitors are welcome to submit their response to the statement, ‘Am I An Alien?’.

National Steinbeck Center, One Main St., Salinas, CA 93901

25 February, 4.15 p.m. – John Freeman on Publishing
Join Granta Editor John Freeman for a discussion on how to become a freelance book reviewer, book reviewing in the current publishing climate, what it’s like to edit a major international literary magazine like Granta and the role such magazines play in the global literary scene.

McCabe Library, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, PA 19081

25 February, 6.30 p.m. – Alien Voices: Identity and Writing
With Julie Otsuka and Binyavanga Wainaina.

The New School, Wollman Hall, 65 W. 11th St., 5th Floor, New York, NY 10011

24 February, 7 p.m.– Aliens Launch Party in Chicago
With Chris Dennis and Nami Mun. Hosted by Granta contributor Stuart Dybek.

Barbara’s Bookstore at UIC, 1218 South Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60607

24 February, 7 p.m. – Aliens Launch Party in Brooklyn
Julie Otsuka and Binyavanga Wainaina discuss their work at this launch event for our digital art project, ‘Am I An Alien?’.

The Brooklyn Art Library, 103A N. 3rd St., Brooklyn, NY 11211

The Best of Young Spanish-Language Novelists

The Spain-USA foundation and the Embassy of Spain, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture of Spain, Duomo Ediciones and Granta en español, are pleased to present ‘Building Bridges: Spanish- and English-Lanugage Writers in Conversation’, a literary tour in major US cities featuring some of the Best Young Spanish-Language Novelists, May 16 to May 25.

Seattle
16 May, 7 p.m., Elliott Bay Books, 1521 10th Avenue Seattle, WA 98122

San Francisco
17 May, 7 p.m., Books Inc. Opera Plaza, 61 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA

Chicago
19 May, 6 p.m., The Cervantes Institue in Chicago, 31 W. Ohio, Chicago, IL 60654
A discussion between some of the Best Young Spanish Novelists; Granta editor John Freeman; and Aleksandar Hemon.

Washington D.C.
20 May, 6 p.m., Busboys & Poets, Langston Room, 2021 14th Street Northwest, Washington D.C. 20009

New York:

23 May, 7 p.m.
The Center for Fiction, 17 East 47th Street, New York, NY
– The Making of Granta en Español

24 May, 7 p.m.
McNally Bookstore, 52 Prince St, New York, NY 10012
– Editors in Translation/ Writers Being Translated

25 May, 11:30 a.m.
Book Expo America 2011, Javitz Convention Center (Midtown Insight Stage), 655 W 34th street, New York, NY 10001
– My New American Life by Francine Prose

25 May, 7 p.m.
192 Books, 190, 10th Avenue, New York, NY
– Literature In Translation