Alex Kotlowitz
Granta is delighted to present a talk by award-winning author Alex Kotlowitz part of the University of Cambridge’s Festival of Ideas.
A boiling cauldron of racial and economic discord, crisis and contention, yet simultaneously one of America’s most iconic, historic and fascinating cities, Chicago is the perfect perch from which to peer into the dark heart of America. Kotlowitz will read from his essay, ‘Khalid’ (published in Granta 108: ‘Chicago’) and speak about exploring America from the ground up at a free public lecture, part of the University of Cambridge’s Festival of Ideas on Friday (23rd October).
A New York native, Kotlowitz describes himself as an ‘accidental Chicagoan’, locating the city at the heart of his writing; the self-enclosed neighbourhoods, each with their own spirit and stories, some more gritty than others.
His bestselling book, There Are No Children Here, which chronicles the lives of two boys struggling to survive in a Chicago public housing complex, was chosen by the New York Public Library as one of the 150 most important books of the century. In 1993 it was made into a television film for ABC.
Kotlowitz’s latest book, Never a City so Real, a selection of short stories, takes readers on a tour of the ‘lifeblood’, the people who have helped him to understand Chicago and in a broader sense America itself.
No booking is required, the event will take place at Mill Lane Lecture Rooms in Cambridge and will begin at 2 p.m.
This year, the Cambridge Festival of Ideas will celebrate the University’s 800th Anniversary with over 150 free events open to visitors of all ages. For more information on the event and to see the full programme for The Festival of Ideas please click here.
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