The Beauty and Urgency of Nature Writing
As Tom Comitta notes in the Preface to The Nature Book, readers of fiction (too) often gloss over description of nature, but this session invites readers to really pay attention to nature writing, in all its marvelous variety. Comitta's stunningly…
The Art of Life: Writing Autobiography Across the Genres
If, like Whitman, we contain multitudes, the life of every writer should bear no shortage of material. But few of us are getting book deals from our Tweets and TikToks. Writing from real life seems to be the domain of memoirists and writers…
Crossing the Finish Line: New Books from SJSU MFA Faculty, Steinbeck Fellows, and Students
True Stories: Northern California
Northern California is home to countless compelling stories—in this session, three authors of nonfiction books each get twelve minutes to share one with you. The first one tells a tale as old as time, or maybe even older—in Deep Oakland,…
Learning to Listen: on Grief, Friendship, and Spiritual Care
Echoes of Exclusion
In her memoir Orphan Bachelors, Faye Myenne Ng includes a haunting quote from her father: "America didn’t have to kill any Chinese, the Exclusion Act ensured none would be born.” The Chinese exclusion era started in 1882 and ended (at least…
Bridging the Distance: Nicole Chung and A Living Remedy
Nicole Chung's debut memoir, All You Can Ever Know, was a national bestseller and a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, among other honors. Chung follows up her exquisite debut with a wrenching new memoir, A Living Remedy, written…