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Creative Writing program hosts poets Didi Jackson and Patrick Paridee Samuel
Dec. 4, 2025—Vanderbilt’s Creative Writing Program hosted a salon on November 13 with assistant professor Didi Jackson and fellow poet Patrick Sharidee Samuel. They discussed their recent collections, My Infinity and And Another Thing. Following the salon, graduate and undergraduate students participated in a book-making workshop and produced their own work. For upcoming events, visit the...
Vanderbilt Reading Series welcomes novelist Rita Bullwinkel – December 4
Dec. 3, 2025—Thursday, December 4 Book-signing, 6:30 PM Reading, 7:00 PM Vanderbilt Special Collections Library 1101 19th Ave South Nashville, TN 37212 Rita Bullwinkel is the author of the novels Headshot (2024) and Belly Up (2018). Headshot was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, and Gordon Burn Prize. It...
Marie-Helene Bertino joins Gertrude C. & Harold S. Vanderbilt Reading Series
Nov. 14, 2025—Novelist and short story writer Marie-Helene Bertino joined the Gertrude C. & Harold S. Vanderbilt Reading Series on November 6 with her novel Beautyland, an American Book Award winner and National Book Critics Circle finalist, which follows Adina Giorno, born with unusual perception to a single mother in Philadelphia. The arrival of a fax machine enables her...
2025 Creative Writing newsletter now available
Nov. 13, 2025—The newsletter can be viewed by clicking here. PDF Version
Poet and anthropologist Nomi Stone features as H. S. Vanderbilt speaker – November 14
Nov. 3, 2025—Friday, November 14th 12:30 – 2:30 PM Kissam C216 Lunch will be provided, and a selection of Nomi Stone’s book will be available for attendees. Nomi Stone is an award-winning poet and anthropologist. She is the author of two full-length poetry collections, Stranger’s Notebook (TriQuarterly 2008) and Kill Class (Tupelo 2019), which was a finalist...
Amy Quan Barry joins Gertrude C. & Harold S. Vanderbilt Reading Series
Oct. 31, 2025—Novelist and poet Amy Quan Barry joined the Gertrude C. & Harold S. Vanderbilt Reading Series on October 16 with her new novel The Unveiling, which chronicles the struggles of Striker, a Black film scout, who, along with a group of wealthy white tourists, becomes stranded on a remote island in the Antarctic Peninsula during a...
Fiction reading with Marie-Helene Bertino – Thursday, November 6
Oct. 28, 2025—Thursday, November 6 Book-signing: 6:30 PM Reading: 7:00 PM Special Collections Library 1101 19th Ave South, Nashville, TN 37212 At the moment when Voyager 1 is launched into space carrying its famous golden record, a baby of unusual perception is born to a single mother in Philadelphia. Adina Giorno is tiny and jaundiced, but...
Taylor Swift scholar to join Vanderbilt Reading Series – Thursday, October 30
Oct. 24, 2025—Harvard Professor Stephanie Burt will discuss the poetical & musical genius of Taylor Swift on Thursday, October 30 in the Special Collections Library at 7pm. The book signing will begin shortly before the reading at 6:30. Click to read the full press release [pdf]. Stephanie Burt is a poet, literary critic, and professor with nine...
MFA poets perform at Southern Festival of Books
Oct. 23, 2025—Several students in the MFA Creative Writing program appeared on October 19th at the Southern Festival of Books. Poets Ayesha Asad, Kinsale Drake, Alexandra Green, Athena Nassar, Lana Reeves, and Kanchi Sharma read from their latest works, joining more than 175 regionally and nationally recognized authors at the festival. This year’s event was titled “Vanderbilt...
Join us for English trivia and Fresh Mex – October 22
Oct. 21, 2025—