While—for now—the realities of the ongoing pandemic keep us from gathering in the Parkway Central Library’s Montgomery Auditorium for a new season of Author Events, this month we’re bringing you a host of virtual talks that you can experience and participate in wherever you are.

Join us Tuesday, September 14 at 12:00 p.m. with Colm Tóibín and his new book The Magician, a fictionalized portrait of legendary German author Thomas Mann and his family amidst the violence of early 20th century Europe.

In the following video, Tóibín offers some candid tips for writing:

Later that evening at 7:30 p.m., we’re hosting a free event featuring Sandra Cisneros, in conversation with Chicano literature mainstay Luis Rodriguez. Cisneros will discuss her long-awaited new work of fiction, Martita, I Remember You/Martita, Te Recuerdo, the story of a young woman who leaves her Mexican family in Chicago to find literary success in Paris. 

She discusses the inspiration for her beloved 1984 novel, The House on Mango Street, in the following video.

The next day, Wednesday, September 15 at 1:00 p.m., we’re hosting a daytime event with the star of stage, screen, and a previous packed-house Author Event—Gabrielle Union. The tireless social justice advocate will discuss her new memoir, You Got Anything Stronger?, a revealing journey through some of her life’s greatest challenges and achievements.

Did you also know that she wrote a children’s picture book? It’s titled Welcome to the Party and you can watch and listen to her read it in its entirety!

Tarana Burke, creator of the Me Too movement, will join us on Friday, September 17 at 7:30 p.m. to present Unbound, a memoir of her journey from childhood trauma to the role of empathetic, empowered advocate for worldwide social change. She’ll be in conversation with Imani Perry, an award-winning author, Princeton professor, and frequent Author Events guest.

You can view Burke’s popular TED Talk about the movement she created in this video:

Monday, September 20 will mark the SIXTH appearance of Alice McDermott on our (virtual) stage. The beloved chronicler of family life and the Irish American experience will discuss What About the Baby?, a collection of essays inspired by a lifetime of reading, writing, and teaching literature. In conversation with Johns Hopkins professor and award-winning writer Danielle Evans!

Listen to McDermott in the following video discuss her early work and some of the challenges that face her as a writer.

On Wednesday, September 22 at 7:30 p.m., we’re hosting Richard Powers, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Overstory, a novel he presented on our stage in 2018. This time around he’ll present his latest novel, Bewilderment. The book follows a widower astrobiologist dealing with both the mysteries of the cosmos and the troubles befalling his young son. Powers will be in conversation with Philly native and author Andrew Ervin, also a former guest on our stage.

Hear Powers discuss writing with the late David Foster Wallace.

This is just a sample of the great conversations we have coming up. Visit freelibrary.org/authorevents for our full schedule!