The Center for Fiction welcomes Nell Irvin Painter, esteemed historian and the New York Times bestselling author of The History of White People, to celebrate her new essay collection I Just Keep Talking. Named one of Lit Hub’s Most Anticipated Books of 2024, the collection compiles over 40 of the most vibrant and insightful essays from Painter’s illustrious writing career. Her writings span topics of art, politics, racism, and identity, delving deep into figures like Toni Morrison, Malcolm X, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and more. The essay collection is woven together by Painter’s original artwork and framed by a new introduction and coda. With its sharp and complex analysis, I Just Keep Talking is a stunning portrait of America and its failures that could only have been written by one of the most influential and important historians of this century. New Yorker staff writer and MacDowell board chair Doreen St. Félix joins Painter for a rousing conversation on the curation of the new collection and its unique combination of art and essays. After the conversation, Painter will sign books.
After the event, there will be a post-event reception sponsored by the event co-presenter MacDowell.