Shaka Senghor | Penny Stamps Speaker Series
2026-03-20 20:00 - 21:00 (America/Detroit)
How To Be Free
Shaka Senghor is an inspirational speaker, entrepreneur, and author of the bestselling books How To Be Free, Writing My Wrongs, and Letters to the Sons of Society. A sought-after resilience expert and recognized ​“Soul Igniter” in Oprah’s inaugural SuperSoul 100, Senghor captivates and transforms audiences worldwide with his extraordinary journey from incarceration to influence. Through raw authenticity and profound insight, he shares not only his story but also the resilience practices that fueled his own remarkable transformation, showing that reinvention is not just possible — it is within everyone’s reach.

In How To Be Free, Senghor offers a roadmap for breaking free from the self-doubt, past narratives, and fear of failure he calls ​“Hidden Prisons.” Drawing from lessons he learned during his 19 years in prison — including seven in solitary — he reveals the mindset and daily practices that transformed his life and can help anyone build their own foundation of freedom. Through journaling, meditation, mindfulness, and creative expression, he shows how to turn vision into action and step into full potential, from deepening relationships to achieving career success.
Listening to How To Be Free, audiences learn to transform setbacks into comebacks, discover sustainable joy, cultivate composure under pressure, turn vulnerability into strength, break cycles of grief and shame, protect their energy while supporting others, and create a personal blueprint to true freedom. Senghor provides both inspiration and practical steps, making real change feel possible, proving that freedom starts now.
With support from the Prison Creative Arts Project.
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.

Debbie Horsfield: Head Writer and Executive Producer of The Forsytes | Readers Club Episode 303
2026-03-25 20:00 - 21:00
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.

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 Haawalt | 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.

Arthur Horwitz, Author Talk from The Zekelman Holocaust Center
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:
