AUDACIOUS BOOKCLUB HAPPENINGS
Our March book club selection is Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange. We will be in conversation with Tommy March 21st at 8 pm EST/5 pm PST. Registration is now open. I hope you can join us! And speaking of Tommy, here he is being a real mensch.
THE NEWSLETTER WEEK IN REVIEW
PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL NEWS
On Saturday, March 23rd, I will be at the Virginia Festival of the Book, in conversation with Jamelle Bouie, at the Paramount Theatre in Charlottesville, VA. Tickets are available!
On April 15th, Soho Rep will be hosting their fun annual Spring Fete, which is the theater's most important fundraiser of the year. I am on their board and would love to see you there!
June 7-9, I will be participating in The Loft’s 50th anniversary weekend, with intensive classes, a conversation with me and three Roxane Gay Books authors, and agent/editor consultations and pitches. Minneapolis is quite lovely in June.
I’m excited to share that Ani Kayode’s And Then He Sang a Lullaby is a finalist for the Publishing Triangle’s “Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction.” Congratulations, Kayode!
In this week’s Work Friend, a manager with boundary issues, how to manage the use of AI, whether to collaborate with a former boss who had an affair with a colleague and learning how to train others. If you have a burning professional query, please do reach out to workfriend@nytimes.com.
My essay series, Roxane Gay Presents, with Everand has launched. First up: Julia Turshen with Built For This: The Quiet Strength of Powerlifting. The second essay in this series is: You Are a Teen Mom: Instructions by Randa Jarrar.
Megan Pillow and I wrote a little book about power called Do The Work: A Guide About Power and Creating Change. It will be out in June of this year. Pre-order, now!
Sally Rooney on the war in Gaza and what complicity looks like among “good friends.”
A majority of the staff at Guernica resigned over an essay that was published. (That is a very simplified version of what happened.)
Drag Race star Shangela has been accused of sexual assault.
Don Lemon was going to have a show on Twitter and then he interviewed Elon Musty and the baby billionaire was so irked he canceled Lemon’s show. Not sure why Lemon ever thought this was going to work out for him.
The unique nature of hyperpolyglots. What a great word!
Raising the kids right. The children will lead us!
Let Smokey cook! In a slow cooker!
A sweet essay about why a mother takes selfies with her young daughter.
This article is about how pop stars age and the challenges therein buuut I think it’s missing some glaringly obvious realities.
Meghan THEE Markle is enjoying her time on the American Riviera. Or she’s starting a new project.
This interview with Billy Porter is… something. He seems hell bent on putting his foot in his mouth as often as possible.
Evictions are not just a city problem.
The royal drama continues. They are not good at managing their drama.
Because some people don’t know their history, yes, trans people were persecuted during the Holocaust.
There is always someone paying a very high price for luxury goods.
Writers are withdrawing from the PEN World Voices Festival because of PEN’s relative inaction on Gaza and the writers being killed there.
Regina King speaks about her beloved son and his passing.
Hmmm… what do these people have in common?
Maternity pay would be life-changing for most women in the WTA.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph is ready for this moment.
An excerpt from Emily Raboteau’s Lessons for Survival. And a review of the book in The Times. A profile of Ayo Edebiri. A conversation with Kelly Link.
Great American Novels?
Trump, still terrible and incoherent and dangerous. And to be clear, Republicans are fascists. Like I said!
Naomi Klein on The Zone of Interest and what it represents.
Lady Gag reminds us, bigotry is not backlash. It is just bigotry. The medical examiner says Nex Benedict died by suicide.
Divorce is having a moment! I love being married, but I always encourage people to get out of terminally unhappy relationships. You deserve to be happy! It’s okay if your partner is a good person but not the right person for who you are or who you are becoming. And I believe this because I find marriage to be awesome! Every day I get to hang out with this brilliant, disturbingly hot woman, and do activities! I want that for everyone.
A ghostwriter speaks.
The Boeing whistleblower has been found dead. That’s not at all suspicious.
College athletes? Don’t go to school in Florida!
There is someone named Mr. Beast. He makes videos and a lot of money and is probably going to burn himself out.
Olivia Rodrigo handed out some emergency contraception at her concert.
Crudités are getting fancy!
"Every day I get to hang out with this brilliant, disturbingly hot woman, and do activities! I want that for everyone."
I love this so much and yes. I get to hang out with a brilliant, disturbingly handsome woman who genuinely loves my company and do activities together, and it is just...the best.
I’m reading Book of Love by Kelly Link right now. She’s one of my favorite authors and this book is so good!