Arts
Literature
The stories we hear about migrants trying to escape difficult circumstances tend to focus on hardship, conflict, statistics and policy. We rarely get a deep look at any of the people risking their lives to cross the U.S. border or take a boat to Europe, and we don’t get to know or understand them as fellow humans. Writer Javier Zamora came to the U.S. when he was nine year...
Shakespeare is ubiquitous in literature classes and theater, but the avenues of relating to his work are not always clear to young people and modern audiences. Some, such as Shakespeare scholar and professor Ayanna Thompson, argue that his plays make sense as living, breathing, adaptable instruments that can be shaped to fit the times. Playwright, director and professor Ja...
October is National Book Month, and we’re celebrating by looking back at some of our favorite conversations about reading and writing from the Aspen Ideas Festival and Aspen Ideas: Health. Hear from National Book Award winner Imani Perry, poet and memoirist Javier Zamora, bestselling novelist Amor Towles, Pulitzer Prize winner Geraldine Brooks, nonfiction master Tracy Kidd...
“Self-care” is the buzzword of the moment. But far before face masks and digital detoxes, ancient philosophers were thinking of ways to enhance human flourishing. How do their ideas match up to today? Yale philosophy professor Tamar Gendler sits down with author Bruce Feiler, who traveled across the U.S. collecting stories on how we deal with life’s transitions. From mille...
The search for meaning is at the crux of the human condition and the basis of Life Worth Living, a new book emulating one of Yale’s most popular courses. In this lively “hot seat” discussion, professor Miroslav Volf discusses the book’s framework with host Kelly Corrigan. Afterwards, distinguished guests join in contemplating key questions such as: what’s worth doing, who...
Jenna Bush Hager sits down with best-selling author Amor Towles to discuss his latest book, The Lincoln Highway, and the winding road that led him to writing. (Book signing to follow.)
From “The Office” to being cheerleader for spirituality, comedic actor, writer, and producer Rainn Wilson is on a mission to show the world how embracing spirituality can help us navigate increasingly challenging times. NBC’s Jenna Bush Hager sits down with Wilson to discuss his new book and travel show. (Book signing to follow.)
Javier Zamora’s migration journey took him from El Salvador to the United States by foot at age nine, while Jamie Ford’s great-grandfather emigrated from China to Nevada to mine. Both authors reflect on the ways in which migration has shaped them, unpacking what it means to be American and exploring the meaning of home.
Join best-selling author Amor Towles, moderator Don Katz, and fellow readers for an engaging discussion of Towles’s Audible original story: a stylish and alluring tale of art, money, and a precious family heirloom.
In her new memoir, Mary Louise Kelly candidly explores the delicate balance between career and motherhood, sharing her insights as the host of NPR’s “All Things Considered” in the year leading up to her son’s departure for college. She and Kelly Corrigan, host of PBS’s “Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan,” sit down for a lively and honest conversation about the challenges of...
Two Jacksonians — and lifelong friends with very different perspectives — discuss their hopes for the future of their city. Join acclaimed author Kiese Laymon and the youngest mayor in Jackson’s history, Chokwe Lumumba, as they discuss their personal relationships to the city, its deeply rooted inequities, its rich cultural heritage, and the importance of civic and artisti...
A look back at what we've read, watched, and listened this year.
Tara Westover's childhood was distinct. Raised by survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she encoun
Born into slavery, Frederick Douglass learned to read against the odds, succeeded in a harrowing escape from bondage, and went on to bear witness to its evils across the country. By the outbreak of the Civil War, he had become perhaps the most famous orator in the nation — charismatic, eloquent, and a unique combination of fierce critic of his country and radical patriot....
Kate Bowler, a young scholar of Christianity, had just written a book called Blessed, about the Christian idea that good things happen to good people, when she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer at the age of 35. Suddenly confronted with this devastating news, and people’s well-meaning but often lacking responses to it, Bowler wrote a book, launched a podcast, and became a...
How do you preserve a legacy? How do you make it thrive? For over a decade, August Wilson’s landmark ten-play Century Cycle has been the basis for not only award-winning productions and adaptations but an inspirational competition for young people across the nation. Acclaimed playwright, actress, and Aspen Institute Trustee Anna Deavere Smith discusses the profound impact...
During a personal low point of loneliness and pain, David Brooks wanted to write his way to a better life. For five years, he did just that, researching and writing about people who’ve lived joyous and committed lives, exploring the wisdom they offer on finding purpose and living well. The result is his latest book, The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life. Brooks s...
We argue about politics and economics constantly, but rarely do we speak openly about the most important thing in life: love. Arthur Brooks believes America is experiencing a crisis of love. Using a blend of cutting-edge behavioral science, art, and ancient wisdom, he will expose the roots of this crisis and offer solutions. This transformative lecture will empower the aud...
Two authors of acclaimed but thoroughly different memoirs of growing up in rural American communities dive into their experiences growing up in the heartland, what they think urban Americans get wrong about our rural people and places, and how they are using their platforms to address some of the most complex challenges that rural communities face today.
In her latest New York Times bestselling book, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, psychotherapist and Atlantic “Dear Therapist” columnist Lori Gottlieb explores the human condition through the lives of four of her patients—and a fifth one, herself. Through this disarmingly funny, thought-provoking, and boldly revealing memoir, Gottlieb reveals our collective blind spots. Ta...