Acclaimed writers, poets and children’s book illustrators and authors will speak in the area this fall. Here in chronological order, are some very intriguing programs.
Writers At Renbrook: Jean Kwok, author of “Girl in Translation” (Riverhead, $25.95), her best-selling debut novel about a girl who leaves Hong Kong for Brooklyn and hard work in a sweatshop, will give a free talk Thursday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m. at Renbrook School, 2865 Albany Ave., West Hartford, following a 6:30 reception. Jocelyn Maminta of Channel 8 will moderate. Kwok emigrated from the Philippines to the U.S., worked in a Chinatown clothing factory and went on to graduate with honors from Harvard. Her book is being made into a documentary. Information: http://www.renbrook.org/authorevent
Renbrook will host another free talk on Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m. when short story writer and novelist Nathan Englander will appear with interviewer Colin McEnroe. Englander’s collection, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank” (Knopf, $24.95) has received rave reviews, and he was named one of “20 Writers for the 21st Century” by The New Yorker. A play based on one of his stories will open in November at The New York Public Theater and tickets will go to a lucky audience member. Information: http://www.renbrook.org/englander. Reservations: pa@renbrook.org.
Writers At Wesleyan: Graphic novelist Alison Bechdel and novelist Tom Perotta will speak at free programs presented by the Russell House, 350 High St., on the Wesleyan University campus in Middletown. Bechdel, creator of the comic strip “Dykes To Watch Out For,” and the award-winning graphic memoir “Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic,” published the graphic novel “Are You My Mother?” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $22) this year. She will speak at Russell House on Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. On Oct. 3 at 8 p.m. at a location to be announced, Perotta will speak. He is author of “Election,” which became a hit film; “Little Children;” “The Leftovers” and “The Abstinence Teacher,” has taught at Yale and Harvard universities and edited the 2012 edition of “Best American Short Stories.” Information: 860-685-3448.
One Book, One Hartford: “A Wreath For Emmett Till,” the 2009 book-length poem by former Connecticut Poet Laureate Marilyn Nelson about the lynching of a black boy that helped spark the civil rights movement, has been selected for the Hartford Public Library’s free One Book, One Hartford community reading program. Programs, workshops, discussions and other events will take place from Oct. 1 to Nov. 10 in Hartford, ending with a talk with Nelson on Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. at Downtown Library’s Center for Contemporary Culture, 500 Main St. Information: http://www.onebookonehartford.org or 860-695-6300.
Cooks & Books: Chefs and owners of popular local restaurants will give monthly talks about their favorite cookbooks, beginning Sept. 17 at the West Hartford Public Library, 20 South Main St. The speakers are Billy Grant, of Restaurant Bricco and Grants, on Sept. 17; Bill Rizzuto, of Rizzuto’s Wood Fired Grill on Oct. 15; Dorjan Puka, of Treva, on Nov. 5; Elizabeth Bolton of A Little Something Bakery on Dec. 10, all in West Hartford, and Chris Prosperi, of Metro Bis in Simsbury on Jan. 14. Talks are at 6:30 p.m. Registration is required and opens Wednesday, Sept. 5, at http://www.westhartfordlibrary.org, or 860-561-6990.
O’Nan Comes Back: Author Stewart O’Nan, who left Avon a few years ago to move back to his hometown of Pittsburgh, returns to Avon Oct. 4 for a free 7 p.m. talk at the Avon Public Library, 281 Country Club Road. His 13 novels, some set in Connecticut, include “The Night Country,” “Last Night at the Lobster,” and “The Odds: A Love Story.” His nonfiction includes “The Circus Fire,” about the Hartford disaster of 1944, and “Faithful: Two Diehard Boston Red Sox Fans Chronicle the Historic 2004 Season,” co-written with Stephen King, with whom he also has co-written a baseball e-book, “A Face in the Crowd.” Registration is required: 860-673-9712 or http://www.avonctlibrary.info.
O’Nan also will give a free talk Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. at the Center for Contemporary Culture at the Hartford Public Library, 500 Main St., Hartford. Information: 860-695-6322.
Mark My Words: Best-selling thriller author Steve Berry, mystery writer Sandra Brown and children’s author R. L. Stine, who together have more than 500 million books in print, will give a Mark My Words talk Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Simsbury High School, 34 Farms Village Rd., Simsbury. The event will benefit the Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford. VIP seating is $125 and includes a pre-event reception at 5:30 p.m. at the Hop Meadow Country Club in Simsbury. Other seats are $65 and $45. Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/237992 or 800-838-3006.
Music Is Poetry’s Muse: A program on music’s influence on poetry, featuring poet and librettist Susan Kinsolving, stage and screen actor Jack Gilpin, soprano Ann Hoyt, tenor Tommy Wazelle and Helen Handley Houghton, a board member of the Academy of American Poets and co-editor of “The Music Lover’s Poetry Anthology,” on which the presentation is based, will take place Oct. 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Hill-Stead Museum, 35 Mountain Rd., Farmington. A dessert reception will follow. Admission is $50. Proceeds support the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival. Registration: 860-677-4787, ext. 134 or poetry@hillstead.org.
Wallace Stevens Birthday Bash: The 17th Annual event honoring Wallace Stevens, the famed modernist poet and Hartford insurance executive, will be held Nov. 3 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hartford Public Library, 500 Main St. The guest speaker will be novelist, biographer and poet Jay Parini, of Middlebury College. The event begins with a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception, followed by Parini’s talk, a book signing, birthday cake and champagne. It is presented by Hartford Public Library and the Friends and Enemies of Wallace Stevens. Tickets are $50. Reservations: http://wallacestevens.eventbrite.com, mcrean@hplct.org or 860-695-6360. Information: stevenspoetry.org or 860-508-2810.
Connecticut Children’s Book Fair: The 21st Annual Connecticut Children’s Book Fair will take place Nov. 10 and 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the University of Connecticut campus in Storrs. Singer/songwriter Natalie Merchant and illustrator Barbara McClintock, whose new book and CD of classic poems for children set to music by Merchant is “Leave Your Sleep” (FSG, $24.99) will headline the free event.
Other acclaimed authors and illustrators include Cari Best, Judy Blundell, Harry Bliss, Katie Davis, Bruce Degan, Rita Williams Garcia, Tommy Greenwald, Kim Harrington, Patricia MacLachlan, Kirsty McKay, Sonia Monzano, Lesléa Newman, Matthew Reinhardt, Sergio Ruzzier, Robert Sabuda and Paul O. Zelinsky. Costumed characters, including Clifford the Big Red Dog, will be on hand.
Before the event, on Nov. 5 at 4 p.m., Dave Pilkey, who writes the popular Captain Underpants series for young readers, will sign books at the UConn Co-op. Information: bookfair.uconn.edu or 860-486-5027.
Jewish Book Festival: Etgar Keret, prize-winning Israeli filmmaker and author of “Suddenly, a Knock on The Door” (FS&G;, $14) will open the 20th Annual Mandell JCC Jewish Book Festival on Sunday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. at the center, 335 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford. Keret’s bestselling books have been published in 31 languages and in 35 countries. He will be joined by David Edelstein, Hartford native and film critic for New York Magazine. Free screenings of two of his films, “$9.99” and “Jellyfish,” will be held at the center on Oct. 28 at 1 p.m. The series continues Jan. 23 with debut novelists Anouk Markovits, Jennifer Miller, and Francesca Segal, March 16 with authors Jeff Oliver, Devan Sipher and Dan Zevlin and May 9 with novelist Jonathan Tropper. Tickets are $20 for single talks or $75 for the series. Reservations: 860-231-6316 or http://www.mandelljcc.org.
