GPL Author Talks
We're excited to offer a range of talks from bestselling authors and thought leaders. All Author Talks are streamed live allowing for engagement with the authors. While most are virtual-only events, we will offer some group viewings.
Register for an upcoming Author Talk
Upcoming Virtual Author Talks
Virtual Author Talk with Vanesa Riley
Thurs | Feb 5 | 7pm
Join us for an unforgettable experience as we chat online with Vanessa Riley about her newest book, Fire Sword and Sea, based on the folk story of the female pirate Jacquotte Delahaye.
Virtual Author Talk with Dr. Lindsey Stewart
Thurs | Feb 12 | 2pm
Feminist philosopher Dr. Lindsey Stewart’s book, The Conjuring of America: Mojos, Mermaids, Medicine, and 400 Years of Black Women’s Magic, tells the stories of Negro Mammies of slavery; the Voodoo Queens and Blues Women of Reconstruction; and the Granny Midwives and textile weavers of the Jim Crow era. These women, in secrecy and subterfuge, courageously and devotedly continued their practices and worship for centuries and passed down their traditions.
Virtual Author Talk with Smithsonian Curator Emeritus Tom Crouch
Tues | Feb 24 | 2pm
Follow the fascinating growth and development of the world's largest museum and research complex during its first 60 years. Told in rich detail, Smithson's Gamble reveals how, as it defined a role rooted in curiosity and exploration, the Smithsonian helped to shape the nation's developing identity.
Virtual Author Talk with Jenn Lueke
Thurs | March 5 | 2pm
In her new cookbook Don’t Think About Dinner, Jenn Lueke offers a framework to save time, money, and energy with strategic meal planning, grocery lists, and kitchen prep.
Virtual Author Talk with Kate Quinn
Thurs | March 12 | 7pm
You’re invited to join us for a virtual conversation with acclaimed author Kate Quinn about her latest fantastical work, The Astral Library, which poses the question: Have you ever wished you could live inside a book? Welcome to the Astral Library, where books are not just objects, but doors to new worlds, new lives, and new futures.
Virtual Author Talk with Shoshana Walter
Tues | March 24 | 2pm
Join us for a special conversation between award-winning journalist Shoshana Walter and bestselling and award-winning author Barbara Kingsolver as they chat about Walter’s book Rehab: An American Scandal. In this work, Walter, a Pulitzer finalist, exposes the country’s failed response to the opioid crisis, and the malfeasance, corruption, and snake oil which blight the drug rehabilitation industry.
Virtual Author Talk with Smithsonian Curator Emerita Valerie Neal
Thurs | April 2 | 2pm
Join us for an exhilarating journey through the history of US women astronauts with Valerie Neal, emerita curator from the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and expert on human spaceflight.
Virtual Author Talk with Brad Taylor
Tues | April 14 | 7pm
Join us in conversation with acclaimed author Brad Taylor on his latest work, Shadow Strike, book 20 (yes, you read that right!) of the bestselling Pike Logan series.
Virtual Author Talk with Thalia Ho
Thurs | April 23 | 7pm
Thalia Ho, creator of the award-winning blog Butter and Brioche and author of Wild Sweetness, explores the five tastes of dessert and beyond in her new book, Bittersweet.
Virtual Author Talk with Jason Reynolds
Thurs | April 30 | 7pm
Join us in conversation with bestselling author Jason Reynolds as we discuss his latest work, Coach, the fifth–and last–entry in the highly popular Track series. Following the immersive stories of Ghost, Lu, Patina, and Sunny, it’s finally time for Coach to shine in his own book as we discover: Who was Coach before he became an inspiring leader?