Writers Institute announces 2024 fall season
The New York State Writers Institute returns this fall with a slate of Nobel Prize-, Oscar- and Pulitzer-winners; up-andcoming and veteran authors; and special celebrations, including a second marathon reading with William Kennedy.
In a time of divisiveness fueled by political polarization, Paul Grondahl, Opalka Endowed Director of the institute, said he hopes this literary season can serve as a bridge.
“It’s easy to keep throwing fuel on the fire, but we want to try to acknowledge the fire and find a way to illuminate and support each other,” Grondahl said. “Some of these books are very challenging, but we always present them in a really respectful way. We model that for our students and show people in the community who might come from both sides of the aisle or all sides of issues that there is nothing to fear from listening to other viewpoints.” Among the season highlights are Chris Bohjalian, best-selling author of “Midwives” and “The Flight Attendant,” on Sept. 10; Samhita Mukhopadhya, University at Albany alum and former editor-in-chief of “Teen Vogue,” on Sept. 12; Oscarwinner Chris Cooper and actress Marianne Leone on Sept. 16; John Elder Robison, neurodiversity advocate and special-effects guitar designer for Kiss on Oct. 7; Nobel Prize winning biochemist Thomas Cech on Oct. 24; Pulitzer-winner Joshua Cohen on Nov. 12; and poet Billy Collins on Nov. 25.
The Albany Book Festival, now in its seventh year, will return Sept. 21. This will be the first festival without the local authors tabling due to construction at the Campus Center Ballroom, which is scheduled to run from August through April. Alternative locations, including outdoors were considered but deemed unsuitable due to distance from the festival, more complicated load-ins for authors and exhibitors and the unpredictability of weather. The festival will include a list of local authors, publishers, booksellers and more in place of the in-person event, which will return in 2025. The line-up of authors and special guests will be announced at a later date.
In November, the institute will host two celebrations of hometown celebrities. Eva Marie Saint, presently the oldest living Oscar winner, will be honored at Bethlehem Central Middle School on Nov. 1. Saint will not be in attendance, but the evening will include a tribute hosted by writer and former Bethlehem School District teacher Jack Rightmyer and a screening of “On the Waterfront.” On Nov. 7, following the success of last year’s reading of “Ironweed,” Albany Distilling Company will co-host a
Kevin Winter/Getty Images marathon reading of William Kennedy’s novel “Billy Phelan’s Greatest Game.”
Later that month, the institute will host its annual “Telling the Truth” symposium. The discussion of democracy and the future of the nation’s two major political parties will be held on Nov. 22, two and a half weeks after the presidential election. Panelists will be announced at a later date.
“Free speech is something we don’t take for granted,” Grondahl said. “We really do believe that literature opens more doors and builds more bridges than it does walls.”
The fall season will close with Kendall Crolius, author of “Knitting
With Dog Hair: Better A Sweater From A Dog You Know and Love Than From A Sheep You’ll Never Meet” on Dec. 3. The event will include a meet and greet with therapy dogs and demonstration on how to knit with dog
Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images
Roberto Serra - Iguana Press/Getty Images hair led by Crolius.
Most events are free and held at the UAlbany campus, though select events are ticketed, offcampus or require registration. For a complete schedule of events, visit nyswritersinstitute.org.