NYU Creative Writing Program Spring Reading Series Continues in February

The New York University Creative Writing Program Spring 2009 Reading Series continues in February with a number of special readings and events. All events take place in the program’s Greenwich Village home, the Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House, 58 W. 10th Street, unless otherwise noted. The series is free and open to the public. For further information, call 212.998.8816 or visit www.cwp.fas.nyu.edu.

A schedule of events follows:

• Thurs., Feb. 5, 7 p.m. The New Salon: Fiction Writers in Conversation features Judy Budnitz in conversation with novelist and NYU creative writing professor Darin Strauss. Budnitz is the author of the novel If I Told You Once, which won the Edward Lewis Wallant Award and was short-listed for the Orange Prize.
• Wed., Feb. 11, 4 p.m. Reading: Laurie Sheck presents excerpts from A Monster’s Notes (Knopf, May 2009), a hybrid work that re-imagines the unnamed monster in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Sheck is the author of five books of poems, most recently Captivity.
• Thurs., Feb. 12, 7 p.m. Fiction Reading: Novelist Susan Choi will read from her work. Choi’s second novel, American Woman, was a finalist for the 2004 Pulitzer Prize, and her third novel, A Person of Interest, appears this month in paperback. Her first novel, The Foreign Student, won the Asian-American Literary Award for fiction.
• Fri., Feb. 13, 5 p.m. Friday “Happy Hour” Readings Series presents best-selling author Andrew Sean Greer, whose books include The Story of a Marriage and The Confessions of Max Tivoli, which was named a best book of 2004 by the San Francisco Chronicle and the Chicago Tribune.
• Thurs., Feb. 19, 7 p.m. The New Salon: Fiction Writers in Conversation features Hannah Tinti in conversation with novelist and NYU creative writing professor Darin Strauss. Tinti, a 1997 alumna of the NYU Creative Writing Program, is the author of Animal Crackers and The Good Thief, winner of the John Sargent Sr. First Novel Prize and a New York Times Notable Book.
• Fri., Feb. 20, 7 p.m. Emerging Writers Reading Series: This series showcases the graduate student talent of the NYU Creative Writing Program, with an established writer as special guest. Gerald Stern is the author of 15 books of poetry, including This Time: New and Selected Poems, winner of the 1998 National Book Award. His most recent book is Save the Last Dance. Note venue: KGB Bar, 85 E. 4th St.
• Wed., Feb. 25, 4 p.m. Fiction Reading: Authors Kwame Dawes and Uwem Akpan read from their work. Dawes is the author of 13 books of poetry, as well as Bob Marley: Lyrical Genius. His recent novel, She’s Gone, received the 2008 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award for Best First Novel. Akpan’s debut short story collection is Say You’re One of Them. His story “My Parents’ Bedroom” was chosen as a finalist for the Caine Prize for African Writing. They will be introduced by NYU alumna Maaza Mengiste.
• Thurs., Feb. 26, 7 p.m. The New Salon: Poets in Conversation features acclaimed Irish poet Eamon Grennan in conversation with Alice Quinn, executive director of the Poetry Society of America and former poetry editor of The New Yorker. Grennan’s many works include Still Life with Waterfall, The Quick of It, and most recently, Matter of Fact. Co-sponsored by the Poetry Society of America.
• Fri., Feb. 27, 7 p.m. Agha Shahid Ali Memorial Reading: This event honors Agha Shahid Ali, esteemed NYU professor and poet. His posthumous poetry collection, The Veiled Suite, will be published in February 2009. Readings will be given by Nicholas Christopher, Michael Collier, Daniel Hall, Marie Ponsot, Grace Schulman, Tom Sleigh, Jean Valentine, and Chuck Wachtel. Note venue: NYU Silver Center, Hemmerdinger Hall, 100 Washington Square East. Co-sponsored by W.W. Norton.