Critic’s Choice: Three Young 21st Century Writers Rocking the Literary World

Jamel Brinkley, Jane Ciabattari, R.O. Kwon, Namwali Serpell

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Get ready for some serious literary talent, all based in the Bay Area. Writer and books columnist Jane Ciabattari, former president of the National Book Critics Circle, has highlighted three authors for your attention. Jamel Brinkley was a finalist for the National Book Award with “A Lucky Man,” a collection of stories about men and boys that explores race and class. Like Brinkley, our next author, R.O. Kwon, was a finalist for the NBCC’s John Leonard Award for a first book; “The Incendiaries” burns with keen, spare prose that tells the story of a college student caught up in a religious cult. Namwali Serpell, a winner of the Caine Prize for African writing, has penned an electrifying debut, “The Old Drift”—an epic story of a small African nation and a panorama of history, fairytale, romance and science fiction. All three writers will sign your books after the talk!