Debbie Horsfield: Head Writer and Executive Producer of The Forsytes | Readers Club Episode 303
2026-03-25 20:00 - 21:00 (America/Detroit)
This March, the PBS Books Readers Club takes on John Galsworthy’s classic novel series The Forsyte Saga, a historical drama series and the inspiration for the highly anticipated PBS Masterpiece program, The Forsytes.
In this special episode, the PBS Books Readers Club welcomes one of Britain’s most celebrated television writers, Debbie Horsfield, Head Writer of The Forsytes. The episode premieres on March 25th at 8PM ET as a PBS Books Facebook Live event, on the PBS Books YouTube channel, pbsbooks.org, and the PBS app.
The Forsytes is a sweeping drama about a powerful Victorian family bound by wealth, tradition, and social expectations. Drama ensues as family members are tested by love, ambition, and betrayal. As fortunes rise and fall, one question echoes across generations: Do you adhere to duty…or do you follow your heart?
Debbie reflects, “I think one of the themes of the of the series is… do you follow your head, or do you follow your heart? Even if you follow your heart, does it guarantee that it’s the right decision? If you follow your head, does it guarantee it’s the wrong decision?
Join PBS Books Readers Club hosts Fred Nahhat and Lauren Smith as they talk with The Forsytes series Head Writer and Executive Producer, Debbie Horsfield on how she approached this stunning reimagining of John Galsworthy’s classic Forsyte Saga novels to offer a fresh entry point and a deeper look into the world of the Forsyte family. Part prequel, part re-examination, the series expands the story by bringing the women of the family to the forefront, revealing the personal costs of privilege in late-Victorian England. It’s a lush, emotionally rich epic filled with romance, conflict, and unforgettable characters.

PBS Watch-Alike: The ForsytesDesire, ambition and betrayal simmer at the heart of the sumptuous costume drama, The Forsytes. Don’t miss the US premiere of this highly-anticipated drama on Sunday, March 22, 2026, 9/8c only on MASTERPIECE on PBS.
The Forsytes chronicles the trials and triumphs of a wealthy Victorian stockbroking family, whose generations find themselves torn between tradition and the personal pursuit of happiness. Inspired by John Galsworthy’s celebrated Forsyte Saga novels, The Forsytes portrays events that take place before those covered in Galsworthy’s books.

Sheida Soleimani | Penny Stamps Speaker Series
2026-03-28 20:00 - 21:00
What a Revolutionary Must Know
Sheida Soleimani is an Iranian-American artist, educator, and activist. The daughter of political refugees who escaped Iran in the early 1980s, Soleimani makes work that excavates the histories of violence linking Iran, the United States, and the Greater Middle East. In working across form and medium — especially photography, sculpture, collage, and film — she often appropriates source images from popular/​digital media and resituates them within defamiliarizing tableaux.

The composition depends on the question at hand. For example, how can one do justice to survivor testimony and to the survivors themselves (To Oblivion)? What are the connections between oil, corruption, and human rights abuses among OPEC nations (Medium of Exchange)? How do nations work out reparations deals that often turn the ethics of historical injustice into playing fields for their own economic interests (Reparations Packages)? How may the layering of memory and familial history both report fact, and produce a reckoning with the intimate resonances of a geopolitics of violence (Ghostwriter)? In contrast to Western news, which rarely covers these problems, Soleimani makes work that persuades spectators to address them directly and effectively.
Soleimani’s work is held in permanent collections including the Guggenheim Museum, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, MIT List Visual Art Center, and Kadist Paris. Her work has been recognized internationally in both exhibitions and publications such as The New York Times, Financial Times, Art in America, and Interview Magazine, among many others. Based in Providence, Rhode Island, Soleimani is also an assistant professor of Studio Art at Brandeis University and a federally licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
Presented in partnership with the Institute for the Humanities.
This project was made possible by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan.
Series presenting partners: Detroit PBS, ALL ARTS, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public.

Shana Moulton | Penny Stamps Speaker Series
2026-04-04 20:00 - 21:00
Whispering Pines
Shana Moulton is an artist who works in video and performance. Her work blends feminist sensibilities with surrealist imagery and sound to probe the complexities of the contemporary psyche.

Her ongoing Whispering Pines series investigates self-help culture, the pursuit of spiritual fulfillment, and the often comical absurdities of personal wellness rituals. Across performances, videos, and installations, Moulton uses her alter ego, Cynthia, to craft narratives that are both deeply personal and widely relatable, exploring the shifting boundaries between the mundane and the mystical in an era of global digital capitalism. Cynthia is in constant pursuit of fulfillment through new-age kitsch, self-help paraphernalia, and cosmetic rituals. The series takes its name from the mobile home park where Moulton grew up, located between Fresno, California, and Yosemite National Park.
Through these works, Moulton transforms ordinary objects, domestic rituals, and everyday spaces into intimate, surreal landscapes that reflect on anxiety, consumerism, and the search for meaning in contemporary life.
Her work invites audiences into a playful yet contemplative world, where humor and vulnerability coexist, encouraging reflection on the ways we navigate self-care, technology, and personal transformation in the modern age.
Moulton’s videos have appeared in exhibitions and screenings around the world, with presentations at venues and festivals such as The Armory Show Art Fair, New York; Smack Mellon, Brooklyn; Loop ​’05 Video Festival, Barcelona; Rencontres internationales Paris/​Berlin, Paris; Aurora, Edinburgh; Dark Light Festival, Dublin; Impakt Festival, Utrecht; Internationale Kurzfilmtage, Oberhausen; Canada Gallery, New York; and Bellwether, New York.
In Partnership with the Ann Arbor Film Festival.
This project was made possible by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan.
Series presenting partners: Detroit PBS, ALL ARTS, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public.

The CAALS Bauder Lecture with Marlon James
2026-04-08 20:00 - 21:30
PBS Books is thrilled to partner with the Marygrove Conservancy’s Contemporary American Authors Lecture Series (CAALS) to welcome Marlon James, winner of the 2015 Man Booker Prize as the featured speaker for the 2026 Bauder Lecture live streaming event.
Marlon James is a critically acclaimed Jamaican author whose work blends rich storytelling, historical insight, and imaginative scope. He is the recipient of the 2015 Man Booker Prize for his novel A Brief History of Seven Killings, which was hailed for its epic narrative and unflinching exploration of Jamaica’s history. His other novels, including Black Leopard, Red Wolf and Moon Witch, Spider King, have cemented his reputation as a master of contemporary literature, known for his bold narratives, complex characters, and lyrical prose.
James’s writing traverses genres—from historical fiction to fantasy—while always illuminating profound questions of identity, power, and human experience. His work has garnered international recognition and has been celebrated for its fearless creativity and depth.
Join us for an inspiring evening as Marlon James shares his insights, experiences, and reflections on the craft of writing as part of this signature Marygrove Conservancy lecture series.
This event is made possible by major sponsors, including the Lillian and Don Bauder Endowment, The Kresge Foundation, the CME Group Foundation and Detroit PBS.

Ismail Einashe | Penny Stamps Speaker Series
2026-04-10 20:00 - 21:00
Migration as Imagination
Join Ismail Einashe, award-winning British-Somali writer and 2025 – 2026 Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellow, for a deeply personal presentation exploring how art can reclaim the humanity of migrants and their stories, too often lost in the headlines of global displacement.

Drawing on a decade of reporting on migration, his work alongside artists including Mona Hatoum, Arshile Gorky, Tania Bruguera, and his recent book Strangers by Tate Publishing — as well as his own journey from Somalia to Britain — Einashe will recontextualize the migrant experience as an act of imagination, showing how art has the ability to challenge our dominant cultural narratives and bring us closer to the struggles and humanity of people we too easily categorise as ​“strangers.”
Ismail Einashe is an award-winning journalist and author whose work on migration and refugee issues has appeared in numerous publications – including Foreign Policy, The Guardian, BBC News, The Nation, The Sunday Times, The New York Times, NPR, Frieze, and ArtReview. He is the author of Strangers (2023), a book by Tate Publishing that explores migration through the lens of art, and he co-edited Lost in Media: Migrant Perspectives and the Public Sphere (2019), a collection of critical essays examining how migrants are represented in European media. Einashe is a member of the editorial board of Tate Etc., the magazine of the Tate Galleries in the UK. He is also part of a team of journalists working on a cross-border journalism collaborative called Lost in Europe, which investigates the disappearance of child migrants.

Series presenting partners: Detroit PBS, ALL ARTS, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public.

Lisa Hanawalt | Penny Stamps Speaker Series
2026-04-17 20:00 - 21:00
Creating in the Age of Everything
Lisa Hanawalt is an artist and writer, best known for her work in animation. She’s the production designer and producer of BoJack Horseman, the acclaimed animated series on Netflix. She’s the creator and executive producer of Tuca & Bertie, a vibrant and surreal animated show on Netflix and Adult Swim. And most recently, she’s the producer and production designer of Long Story Short, an adult animated comedy about family, spanning many decades.

A graduate of UCLA, Hanawalt grew up in Palo Alto, California, and works across comics, animation, and illustration. Her projects range from TV shows and books to apparel, murals, music videos, and gallery exhibitions, each marked by her playful humor, emotional honesty, and keen observation of the natural and human worlds. Her books with Drawn & Quarterly include My Dirty Dumb Eyes, Hot Dog Taste Test, and Coyote Doggirl, which showcase her distinctive blend of wit, surrealism, and deeply personal storytelling.
Lisa’s art and writing have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Bloomberg Businessweek, Lucky Peach, Vice, Glamour, and McSweeney’s. She lives in Los Angeles and is represented by Artists First and UTA.
Presented in partnership with the Ann Arbor District Library.
This project was made possible by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan.
Series presenting partners: Detroit PBS, ALL ARTS, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public.

PBS Books National Library Week: Celebrating Libraries & Librarians
2026-04-22 20:00 - 21:00
Join PBS Books & Librarian, Heather-Marie Montilla for a timely and thoughtful conversation with Daniel Montgomery, Executive Director of the American Library Association (ALA), as they explore the enduring importance of libraries and librarians in shaping American society, culture, and civic life.
Together, they will discuss the powerful new film The Librarians, streaming on the PBS YouTube channel and PBS app. The documentary examines how librarians across the United States are increasingly finding themselves on the frontlines of public conversations about access to information, education, and community values. Drawing on historical context and current events, the film highlights how librarians navigate challenges surrounding library collections while continuing their mission to serve their communities.
Montilla and Montgomery will also reflect on the previously released documentary Free for All: The Public Library, which traces the inspiring history of the public library movement. From the pioneering women who helped establish the "Free Library Movement" to today's librarians working to keep libraries open, welcoming, and accessible to all, the film celebrates the individuals who helped build one of America's most enduring civic institutions.
The conversation will also highlight PBS Books' Filmmaker Talks, featuring insights from Kim A. Snyder, director and producer of The Librarians, and Dawn Logsdon and Lucie Faulknor, creators of Free for All: The Public Library. Through these discussions, audiences will gain a deeper understanding of the vision behind these films and why their stories resonate so strongly today.
This conversation highlights the vital role libraries continue to play as community anchors—places where knowledge, curiosity, and opportunity remain open to everyone.
PBS BOOKS WATCH-ALIKE:
Independent Lens | The Librarians
When lawmakers seek to review a list of books, librarians find themselves on the frontlines of a national battle. Across the U.S., librarians face the impact of uniting against library collection standards that include restrictions on race-related and LGBTQIA+ content. Drawing on historical context, The Librarians explores the broader implications for education and public life.
Watch Program NowWatch PBS Books Conversation Independent Lens | Free for All: The Public Library
Learn how a simple idea shaped a nation and the quiet revolutionaries who made it happen. From pioneering women behind the “Free Library Movement” to today’s librarians who service the public despite working in a contentious age of closures. Free for All shows how libraries have always been a sanctuary for generations of Americans.
Watch Program with PBS PassportWatch PBS Books Conversation

Jonathan Adler | Penny Stamps Speaker Series
2026-04-24 20:00 - 21:00
Finding Your Voice
Jonathan Adler’s brain is a cultural blender. His influences are vast. High, low, and everything in between, from Isamu Noguchi’s organic Modern Sculptures to raunchy 1970s bumper stickers. The end result? A design brand — pottery, furniture, and more — which marries chic design with irreverent references. Adler has built an international reputation for his innovative approach to design, which deftly combines humor, impeccable style, and skilled craftsmanship. In his talk, Adler will shed light on how he synthesizes disparate inspirations into a varied yet distinctive voice and offer advice on how young designers and artists can develop their own signature styles in a chaotic visual landscape.

Adler launched his namesake brand in 1993 when Barneys New York purchased his first pottery collection, and by 1998 he had opened his flagship store in Soho. Since then, Adler has expanded his studio into a global design company rooted in craftsmanship and playful luxury. Pottery remains at the heart of his work, while the brand now encompasses furniture, lighting, décor, and textiles — all united by his signature vision of ​“Modern American Glamour.” Through both his retail stores and collaborations worldwide, Adler continues to champion bold design infused with wit, optimism, and artistry.
Adler appeared as a judge for two seasons of Bravo’s Top Design and later served as a judge on HGTV’s Design Star: Next Gen. In 2019, Adler received the Brand Heritage Award at The Fashion Group International’s annual Night of Stars gala in New York City and has received many accolades, including the MAD Visionary Award from the Museum of Arts and Design in 2025.
Presented in partnership with Design Core Detroit.
This project was made possible by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan.
Series presenting partners: Detroit PBS, ALL ARTS, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public.

Wilding by Isabella Tree | PBS Books Readers Club
2026-04-29 20:00 - 21:00
PBS Books Readers Club welcomes British author and conservationist Isabella Tree to discuss her inspirational non-fiction book Wilding: Returning Nature to Our Farm. The episode premieres on April 29th at 8PM ET as a PBS Books Facebook Live event, on the PBS Books YouTube channel, pbsbooks.org, and the PBS app.
Wilding: Returning Nature to Our Farm chronicles the real-life experiences of Isabella Tree and her husband Charlie Burrell as they take on rewilding their 3,500-acre Knepp Castle Estate in Sussex, England. A land ravaged by centuries of farming, it was starting to fail, and along with it, the family’s sense of security. Inspired by a visit from an arboriculturist looking to save their old oak trees, Burrell and Tree decided to take a chance and change everything they were doing with the land. Through the reintroduction of native species both flora and fauna, this striking case of land revitalization proves there is way to allow the wild to thrive again.
As Tree reflects, “I think the only answer to eco anxiety is to get your hands dirty and do something. And the joy that can come from even transforming a window box… so that you’re now attracting night flying moths and hoverflies and all the forgotten pollinators, you’re making a difference. And that feels just so fantastic.”
Part personal memoir, part history lesson, and part biology lesson, Wilding is an uplifting and rare eco-success story. Isabella Tree does a magnificent job weaving together the many aspects of what it means to rewild. From the littlest bugs in the ground to large grazing animals, each species plays a vital role in bring balance to the environment. It is the true story of nature’s resilience when given a chance.
PBS Watch-Alike: Wilding Wilding tells the story of a young couple that bets on nature for the future of their failing, four-hundred-year-old estate. The young couple battles entrenched tradition, and dares to place the fate of their farm in the hands of nature. Ripping down the fences, they set the land back to the wild and entrust its recovery to a motley mix of animals both tame and wild. It is the beginning of a grand experiment that will become one of the most significant rewilding experiments in Europe.

Author Talk With John Garrison Marks: "Thy Will Be Done"
2026-05-09 14:00 - 15:00
This is an in-person event taking place at the Anderson Theatre at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. This event is free to attend, but registration is required.
As we reflect on 250 years of America’s history, we invite you to join us for an impactful and important conversation with historian and author John Garrison Marks.
Marks will discuss his newest work, Thy Will Be Done: George Washington’s Legacy of Slavery and the Fight for American Memory (2026), where he tells the story of Americans’ long, fraught struggle to come to terms with Washington’s legacy of slavery.
The program will lead with a question Americans have reflected on for nearly 250 years: How should we remember George Washington’s entanglement in slavery?
Using research foundational to Thy Will Be Done, Marks will speak to Washington’s ties to slavery, and how the actions seen in his life’s work have shaped and reshaped Americans’ collective memory of Washington and slavery — along with their understanding of the nation.
The program will include a discussion with Heather Bruegl (Oneida/Stockbridge-Munsee), Curator of Political and Civic Engagement at The Henry Ford, and be followed by a brief audience Q&A and book signing, with the opportunity to purchase a copy of Thy Will Be Done.
The Henry Ford is committed to being a welcoming place for curiosity, learning and the open exchange of ideas. Programs featuring guest speakers are intended to encourage thoughtful conversation and exploration. The views shared at these events do not necessarily reflect those of The Henry Ford.
Register HereAbout The Book
In Thy Will Be Done: George Washington’s Legacy of Slavery and the Fight for American Memory, historian John Garrison Marks tells the story of Americans’ long, fraught struggle to come to terms with Washington’s legacy of slavery. He traces how politicians, abolitionists, educators, activists, Washington’s former slaves and their descendants, and others have remembered, forgotten, and manipulated slavery’s place in Washington’s story, and how they have wielded versions of that story in the political and cultural fights of their time. Marks shows how generational struggles over our collective memory of Washington and slavery have always been part of a bigger conversation about defining the United States and its people. As debates about the founders’ participation in the system of slavery continue to roil public discourse, Marks shows with new clarity that Americans have never collectively reconciled Washington’s conflicted legacy. By truly grappling with Washington’s role as enslaver and emancipator, we may come to better understand the nation and ourselves.
Registration Information:
The event is free to the public, but registration is required. Seats are limited.
There is a maximum of six registrants per entry. Registrants will receive confirmation and event reminders via email. Please show these confirmations upon entry to the event.
Registration will close if capacity is reached.
Register HereAbout The Author:
John Garrison Marks is a historian and writer whose work explores race, slavery, memory, and public history in the United States. He is the author or editor of three books, most recently Thy Will Be Done: George Washington’s Legacy of Slavery and the Fight for American Memory. His writing has appeared in TIME, Washington Post, and Smithsonian Magazine. Marks also serves as the Director of the Public History Research Lab at the American Association for State and Local History leading research, leadership initiatives, and special projects. He earned his Ph.D. in History from Rice University. He is a native of New Jersey and currently lives outside of Washington, D.C.

Dual Identities - An Author Conversation with Arthur Myron Horwitz
2026-05-20 20:00 - 21:00
PBS Books is pleased to partner with The Zekelman Holocaust Center for an Author Conversation with Arthur Myron Horwitz to discuss his new book Dual Identities: Living in Meier’s Shadow.
In this program, Arthur will explore the making of his memoir, sharing the challenges he faced in navigating his coming-of-age story in America. He will offer insights into the impact of inherited trauma, the path to coping, and the journey toward reconciliation.
About Dual Identities: Living in Meier’s Shadow
A photograph. A hidden truth. A lifetime of responsibility. Arthur Horwitz, the son of a Holocaust survivor, grew up hearing stories of loss and resilience. His powerful new memoir explores inherited trauma, identity, and healing. Join Arthur at The HC for the official launch of his book and a deeply personal conversation about his family’s legacy.
Pick up your copy of Dual Identities: Living in Meier’s Shadow while supporting PBS Books:
About The Author:
Arthur Horwitz is a nationally respected journalist, publisher, and civic leader. His career has been recognized through his induction into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame, the establishment of the Arthur M. Horwitz Collection at the University of Michigan, and his designation as publisher emeritus of the Detroit Jewish News, where he served as publisher and executive editor for over thirty years. Arthur also shares his story with students at The HC as a Next Generation Speaker.
Support for this program provided by:

Pennsylvania | American Stories: A Reading Road Trip Episode 113
2026-05-26 20:00 - 21:00 | Facebook Live
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Download the Pennsylvania BooklistWinding from Pittsburgh through the Appalachian Mountains to Philadelphia and every town in between, Pennsylvania’s story is steeped in history. From Benjamin Franklin’s contributions to our young nation, including publishing Poor Richard’s Almanack and founding the Library Company of Philadelphia, he helped establish the idea that community access to knowledge is a true public treasure. Through the years, this state has also been home to trailblazers such as Nellie Bly (Around the World in Seventy-Two Days), whose investigative reporting helped redefine how journalists uncover the truth, and Bayard Rustin (Time on Two Crosses), who advanced peaceful protest during the Civil Rights. August Wilson (Fences) brought the life of his community to the stage, while Fred Rogers (It’s You I Like) inspired generations to be compassionate neighbors.
The Keystone State continues to shape today’s literary landscape. Poets Marjorie Maddox (Seeing Things) and Dr. Raina J. León (Black God Mother This Body) use the power of language to illuminate life’s unseen struggles. Jennifer Weiner (Good in Bed) redefines so-called “chick lit” with bold, empowering stories, while Eric Smith guides the next generation through change with YA novels like With or Without You.
Discover Pennsylvania’s rich literary landmarks across this surprisingly expansive state. Browse the shelves of historic libraries like the Athenaeum in Philadelphia and the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, explore distinctive bookstores such as City of Asylum and Giovanni’s Room, and visit remarkable museums like the Mütter Museum, which highlights Philadelphia’s long history of medical innovation and writing.

About American Stories: A Reading Road Trip
Pack your curiosity —PBS Books is hitting the road! In partnership with the Library of Congress Centers for the Book, American Stories: A Reading Road Trip shines a spotlight on individual U.S. states and select territories to uncover their one-of-a-kind literary treasures.
From iconic authors and unforgettable books to hidden-gem bookstores, amazing libraries, and the real-life locations that inspired great works, this cross-country adventure celebrates the stories that have shaped our shared identity. Along the way, we’ll meet bestselling authors, passionate booksellers, and local storytellers —plus share highlights from local programs and events hosted by each state’s Center for the Book —revealing how their corner of America has left its mark on the nation’s imagination. Aligned with America’s 250th birthday, each episode invites viewers to explore the heart, history, and creative spirit of the United States —all through the lens of books and storytelling.
New episodes will stream on select Wednesdays at 8pm EST as PBS Books Facebook Live event, and on the PBS Books YouTube channel, pbsbooks.org, and the PBS app.
About the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States –and extensive materials from around the world –both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.
About PBS Books
PBS Books is a multi-platform initiative celebrating the love of reading. PBS Books is dedicated to connecting books with audiences by engaging them in unique experiences to spark their curiosity and encourage a life-long love of reading and learning. Through social and digital engagement and live coverage of important literary events across the country, PBS Books celebrates books and writers and works to foster a passion for reading among public media viewers and listeners.Visit pbsbooks.org, subscribe to the PBS Books YouTube channel, and follow PBS Books on social media to learn more.

This Is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman | PBS Books Readers Club
2026-05-27 20:00 - 21:00
.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }PBS Books Readers Club welcomes New York Times bestselling author Allegra Goodman of Sam and Isola to discuss her brand-new novel This Is Not About Us. The episode premieres on May 27th at 8PM ET as a PBS Books Facebook Live event, on the PBS Books YouTube channel, pbsbooks.org, and the PBS app.
This is Not About Us opens as the youngest of the three Rubenstein sisters passes away, and a petty dispute at her funeral over an apple cake splits the remaining sisters apart. What follows is a family saga spanning three generations, unfolding life into vignettes that drop in on long marriages and divorces, teenage milestones and middle-age reckonings. Each chapter adds another layer to a family portrait that’s complicated, constantly shifting, and never quite complete.
Witty, wise, and emotional, this novel moves through the messy, tender rhythms of a modern Jewish American family, including sisters who irritate and sustain each other, parents who mean well but fall short, and children who grow up and away. Goodman writes with clear-eyed warmth about the bonds we fracture and the ones we can’t quite let go, finding humor and heartbreak in equal measure.
Allegra reflects, “Showing these different perspectives— being an 11-year-old girl, and being a woman in her 70s who’s dying of cancer, and being the aggravated middle-aged sons who are trying to figure out how to celebrate her life when she doesn’t want to be celebrated in the way that they do – That’s really my art and that’s my job… to get inside of people.”
PBS Watch-AlikeExplore other stories of Jewish American history and culture with PBS. From Black and Jewish America, the latest film by Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., to Ken Burns’ The U.S. and the Holocaust, to Great Performances: Broadway Musicals, A Jewish Legacy, the PBS app and pbs.org bring together some of the most compelling stories of the Jewish American experience.

Delaware | American Stories: A Reading Road Trip Episode 114
2026-06-17 20:00 - 21:00 | Facebook Live
.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }Climb aboard with the PBS Books and the Library of Congress as we visit Delaware on our next stop in American Stories: A Reading Road Trip. Join us on June 17th at 8pm ET for the live premiere on the PBS Books YouTube channel, or watch on the PBS Books Facebook page, the PBS app, or pbs.org. Visit pbsbooks.org/readingroadtrip to learn more.
Download the Delaware BooklistDelaware, the second smallest state known as the “Small Wonder,” has a literary history far larger than its borders suggest. John Dickinson, the “Penman of the Revolution,” stirred the colonies to action through his Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania and helped shape the founding documents of our nation. Howard Pyle reimagined classic legends in vivid prose and illustration, including Merry Adventures of Robin Hood shaping how these stories are still visualized today. Poet and diarist Alice Dunbar-Nelson (Violets), along with her niece Pauline Young, broke racial barriers from the Harlem Renaissance through the Civil Rights Movement, leaving a legacy that extends far beyond the state’s geography. And Carol Hoffecker chronicled Delaware’s growth alongside the nation’s in works like Delaware: A Bicentennial History, grounding the state’s story in the sweep of American history.
From the wetlands of southern Delaware to its modern northern cities, writers across the state continue to shape today’s literary conversation. Al Mills and Nnamdi Chukwuocha, known as the Twin Poets and Delaware’s 17th Poet Laureates, use verse to help communities process trauma and build resilience. Newbery honoree, Erin Entrada Kelly has earned multiple honors for her middle grade novels, including The First State of Being, which brings Delaware’s own landscape to life for young readers. Cristina Henríquez highlights underrepresented communities in The Book of Unknown Americans, while author and illustrator Jay Cooper (Styx and Scones) crafts engaging stories for readers of all ages. And Valerie Biden Owens offers a personal perspective on one of America’s most prominent families in her poignant memoir Growing Up Biden.
It’s easy to see that books and beaches are two of Delaware’s greatest offerings, and the state embraces both. Along the coast, independent shops Bethany Beach Books and Browseabout Books welcome readers year-round. Traveling north, a thriving independent bookstore scene is matched by a strong library network, from Seaford to Hockessin, connecting authors and ideas to communities across the state. Delaware’s literary landmarks extend beyond the shelves. The historic streets of New Castle, and taverns with whispered ties to Edgar Allan Poe, remind us that in this small state, history and storytelling are waiting around every corner.

About American Stories: A Reading Road Trip
Pack your curiosity —PBS Books is hitting the road! In partnership with the Library of Congress Centers for the Book, American Stories: A Reading Road Trip shines a spotlight on individual U.S. states and select territories to uncover their one-of-a-kind literary treasures.
From iconic authors and unforgettable books to hidden-gem bookstores, amazing libraries, and the real-life locations that inspired great works, this cross-country adventure celebrates the stories that have shaped our shared identity. Along the way, we’ll meet bestselling authors, passionate booksellers, and local storytellers —plus share highlights from local programs and events hosted by each state’s Center for the Book —revealing how their corner of America has left its mark on the nation’s imagination. Aligned with America’s 250th birthday, each episode invites viewers to explore the heart, history, and creative spirit of the United States —all through the lens of books and storytelling.
New episodes will stream on select Wednesdays at 8pm EST as PBS Books Facebook Live event, and on the PBS Books YouTube channel, pbsbooks.org, and the PBS app.
About the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States –and extensive materials from around the world –both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.
About PBS Books
PBS Books is a multi-platform initiative celebrating the love of reading. PBS Books is dedicated to connecting books with audiences by engaging them in unique experiences to spark their curiosity and encourage a life-long love of reading and learning. Through social and digital engagement and live coverage of important literary events across the country, PBS Books celebrates books and writers and works to foster a passion for reading among public media viewers and listeners.Visit pbsbooks.org, subscribe to the PBS Books YouTube channel, and follow PBS Books on social media to learn more.

Our Favorite Books for Summer | PBS Books Readers Club
2026-06-24 20:00 - 21:00
In this special episode of PBS Books Readers Club, hosts Lauren Smith, Princess Weekes, and Heather-Marie Montilla share their perfect picks to binge beachside this summer. Join our hosts on June 24th at 8PM ET for a PBS Books Facebook Live event, on the PBS Books YouTube channel, pbsbooks.org, and the PBS app.
There’s something special about finding the perfect book to bring along on your summer adventures. Discover your next great read with the PBS Books Readers Club. Whether you’re in the mood for a cozy mystery, historical fiction, a richly layered family drama, or a gripping tale of revenge, our hosts have picks perfect for your beach bag, carry-on, or favorite patio chair.
A sneak peek into one of Lauren’s picks: “It’s set in the 1920s era Detroit amongst the wealthy, powerful auto families… It’s this twisty historical mystery about ambition, power and the dangerous secrets hidden behind one wealthy family’s glittering facade. Take The Great Gatsby and mix it with Mexican Gothic… and you have a serious page turner in Fortune of Sand.”
Explore this featured pick and the rest of the hosts’ favorite summer selections. Plus, come prepared to share your personal picks for this summer in the chat! We’d love to hear what you plan on reading!
