7 incredible novelists headline the Des Moines Public Library author events
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The Des Moines Public Library’s Authors Visiting in Des Moines (AViD) speaker series returns for its 2023 season with a lineup featuring acclaimed and bestselling authors of both fiction and nonfiction.
Among the authors scheduled to appear are an author originally from Iowa, a finalist for the National Book Award, a Midwest-focused author, and so much more.
Several of the 2023 AViD events will also be livestreamed virtually. The lineup:
Sarah Penner at the DSM Book Festival
When: Saturday, March 25, at 4 p.m.
Where: Capital Square, 400 Locust St., Des Moines
Bestselling novelist Sarah Penner kicks off the 2023 Authors Visiting in Des Moines (AViD) series as headlining author of the DSM Book Festival. Penner’s beloved debut novel, "The Lost Apothecary," was an instant New York Times bestseller, remained on bestseller lists for more than three months and has been translated into more than 40 languages. Her much-anticipated follow-up novel, "The London Séance Society," comes out on March 7. The book is a feminist gothic whodunit story steeped in mystery and suspense, set in 1870s Europe, about two women on the hunt for justice who embrace the art of conjuring the dead.
R.F. Kuang
When: Thursday, April 13, at 7 p.m.
Where: Central Library, 1000 Grand Ave., Des Moines
Rebecca F. Kuang is the award-winning, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed fantasy series, "The Poppy War" trilogy, and 2022’s "Babel: An Arcane History." "Babel" debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list, and is set in an alternate 19th century where the professional work of translation generates magic that fuels and perpetuates an imperialist empire. In a review, The New York Times Book Review said the book “has earned tremendous praise and deserves all of it.” The book was named a top book of 2022 by Amazon, Kirkus Reviews, NPR, The Washington Post, and many more outlets.
Kuang is a Marshall Scholar who has a master's degree in philosophy degree in Chinese studies from Cambridge University, and a master's degree of science in contemporary Chinese studies from Oxford University. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in East Asian languages and literatures from Yale University. Her upcoming novel, "Yellowface," coming out in May, is one of the most anticipated novels of 2023.
J. Ryan Stradal
When: Monday, May 1, at 7 p.m.
Where: Central Library, 1000 Grand Ave., Des Moines
Bestselling author J. Ryan Stradal’s anticipated new novel, "Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club," will be released April 18. The book tells the story of a couple from two very different restaurant families in Minnesota and the legacy of love, tragedy, struggle and hope that unites and divides them. It continues Stradal’s signature style of crafting uniquely Midwest characters and stories. In a starred review, Kirkus said, “Stradal … displays his gift for writing female characters who are fully realized, sometimes unlikable, but always as flawed and compelling as real people.”
His debut novel, 2016’s "Kitchens of the Great Midwest," was called a “sweet and savory treat” by People. He is also the author of the 2019 bestseller, "The Lager Queen of Minnesota, "was named one of the best books of the year by publications such as NPR, USA Today, Booklist, Paste and more.
Emily St. John Mandel
When: Wednesday, May 10, at 7 p.m.
Where: Central Library, 1000 Grand Ave., Des Moines
Canadian author Emily St. John Mandel is an acclaimed and revered storyteller, with her novels spanning genres from post-apocalyptic fiction to literary fiction to mystery thriller. Her 2022 bestseller, "Sea of Tranquility," is a masterpiece of metaphysical and speculative fiction that dives into time travel, the simulation hypothesis, love, and unfurls a story of humanity across centuries. Barack Obama included the novel on his list of favorite books of 2022, and a review in USA Today said the book was “transporting and brilliant and generous… I haven’t read anything quite like it.”
Mandel’s past novels are also praised bestsellers, with "The Glass Hotel" called “a perfect novel” by The Washington Post and being named a best book of 2020 by The AV Club, BBC, Entertainment Weekly, The New Yorker, NPR, Parade, TIME, Washington Post, and many, many more.
Her groundbreaking 2014 novel, "Station Eleven," is a landmark work of post-apocalyptic fiction, winning the prestigious Arthur C. Clarke Award. It was also a finalist for the National Book Award, the PEN/Faulkner Award, and many other accolades. The book was adapted into an award-winning HBO 10-part TV series of the same name, which was nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards.
Jack Carr
When: Wednesday, May 24, at 7 p.m.
Where: Central Library, 1000 Grand Ave., Des Moines
Former U.S. Navy SEAL Jack Carr is the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of tense military and political thrillers. His debut novel, 2018’s "The Terminal List," was adapted into the 2022 No. 1 Amazon Prime Video series starring Hollywood star Chris Pratt as Navy SEAL James Reece. Carr’s new novel, "Only the Dead," will be released in April and continues the James Reece saga, as he is on a mission to take down a global conspiracy that seems ripped from modern headlines. Carr retired from active military duty in 2016, and is also the host of the popular "Danger Close" podcast.
Paul Kix
When: Tuesday, June 6, at 7 p.m.
Where: Central Library, 1000 Grand Ave., Des Moines
Author and journalist Paul Kix’s work has appeared in The New Yorker, GQ, ESPN, The Wall Street Journal and more. His first book, "The Saboteur," was a nonfiction bestseller about the thrilling true-life story of Robert de La Rochefoucauld, a member of the French aristocracy who became a resistance fighter during World War II. The 2023 film, "The Accidental Getaway Driver," is based on Kix’s thrilling 2017 feature article for GQ about a man abducted by three prison escapees.
His newest book, "You Have to Be Prepared to Die Before You Can Begin to Live," will be released May 2. The deeply researched book takes readers, in ways never explored before, behind the scenes of the momentous 1963 Birmingham Campaign — 10 weeks that shaped the course of the Civil Rights Movement and the future of America. In a starred review, Publisher’s Weekly said of the book: “Kix makes a persuasive case that Birmingham saved a floundering organization and galvanized the Kennedy administration to commit to civil rights. Readers will be riveted from the first page to the last.”
Kix grew up on a farm in Iowa, graduated from Iowa State University, and now lives in Connecticut with his wife and three children.
Taylor Harris
When: Thursday, June 15, at 7 p.m.
Where: Central Library, 1000 Grand Ave., Des Moines
Virginia-based writer Taylor Harris’s 2022 debut memoir, "This Boy We Made," received critical acclaim. The book is an emotional examination of Harris’s relentless quest to discover why her young son was experiencing a frustrating assortment of health challenges. The book explores the bond between mother and child, the real-world frustrations Black mothers can experience when questioning and navigating the health and education systems, and how her beliefs and faith guided her through the journey.
Scientific American called the book “gripping … with tender, evocative prose” on the “intersection of two ‘burdens’ — Black and undiagnosed — in a world that is comfortable with neither.” The book is a finalist for the 2023 Southern Book Prize, was named a best book of the year by The Washington Post and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
For full details about the 2023 Authors Visiting in Des Moines series, go to dmpl.org/AViD.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: The Authors Visiting in Des Moines program returns with 7 writers in 2023
