This year's festival kicked off on Sunday and continues today with two events, including a presentation by former park ranger Steve Kemp about John D. Rockefeller Jr's work to save America's natural wonders. At the Iowa City Public Library at 7 tonight. www.iowacityofliterature.org/event/steve-...

LitHub says Teresa Dzieglewicz's "Something Small of How to See a River" is a new poetry collection to watch for in October. In it, she recounts her time at the Standing Rock Reservation. See Dzieglewicz at PorchLight at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 9, as part of the festival. lithub.com/inhabiting-t...

Art Cullen is headed to Iowa City next week for the Iowa City Book Festival, appearing at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Iowa City Public Library. For a sneak preview, check out this excellent interview with IPR's Charity Nebbe. www.iowapublicradio.org/podcast/talk...

We can't wait to host Donika Kelly as she launches her wonderful new collection, "The Natural Order of Things"!

Art Cullen's new book, "Marty, We Crapped Our Nest," is getting considerable attention, including this great review from Little Village. See Cullen at 1 p.m. on Oct. 11 at the Iowa City Public Library at the Iowa City Book Festival! littlevillagemag.com/book-review-...

Happy publication week to Patricia Lockwood's new novel, "Will There Ever Be Another You." Lockwood will read from and discuss the book at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11, at Prairie Lights Books as part of the Iowa City Book Festival. lithub.com/patricia-loc...

We're excited to share the lineup for the 2025 Iowa City Book Festival, a schedule of 40 free events from Oct. 5-12, including plenty of fiction, poetry, environmental issues, science fiction and much more. See the full schedule at www.iowacitybookfestival.org

The City of Literature is producing a wonderful performance of the song cycle "Penelope" on April 26 at the James Theatre as part of its MusicIC festival. Watch this segment from this morning's "Everyday Iowa" show on KCRG for more info. Tickets at www.MusicIC.org. www.kcrg.com/video/2025/0...

We are excited for the return of our MusicIC festival, celebrating intersections between music and literature. This year we feature a performance of "Penelope" by Sarah Kirkland Snider, with vocals by Shara Nova (My Brightest Diamond), on April 26 at the James Theater. Tickets at www.MusicIC.org.

An insightful piece that places the cuts to the International Writing Program (@uiiwp.bsky.social) in the larger context of a lamentable move away from U.S. "soft power." english.elpais.com/usa/2025-03-...

We're excited that the Iowa City Public Library's nominated book, Daniel Mason's "North Woods," made the shortlist for the 2025 Dublin Literary Award!

Read our full statement at www.iowacityofliterature.org/a-statement-...

Belated congratulations to all the authors longlisted for the 2025 Joyce Carol Oates Prize by New Literary Project, including Abby Geni, Cristina Henríquez, Sarah Manguso, Andrew Porter, and Regina Porter! www.newliteraryproject.org/whats-new/jo...

"Publishing 32 books over the course of his life, he wasn’t simply prolific, as far as former presidents go. His output also displayed an extraordinary range that included historical fiction, poetry and meditations on the meaning of faith and the splendor of nature."

For SDG 17: Partnerships read Clubfoot by Thomas M. Cook which addresses collaboration between those carrying out the work of Dr. Ignacio Ponseti and the Iowa City Noon Rotary Club to promote clubfoot treatment. #17BooksFor17SDGs

For SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Instinutions read "Mother: by m.s. RedCherries. Mother is a poetry collection which explores Indigenous identity and.resilience through the lens of personal and collective history. #17BooksFor17SDGs

For SDG 15: Life on Land read Tallgrass Conversations by Cindy Crosby and Thomas Dean which discusses the importance of prairie ecosystems and our role in conserving them. #17BooksFor17SDGs

For SDG 14: Life Below Water read the River Knows by Neil D. Hamilton, which explores the intricate relationship between humans and waterways, emphasizing the importance of protecting aquatic ecosystems for the health and sustainability of our planet. #17BooksFor17SDGs

For SDG 13: Climate Action, read We Hold Our Breath: A Journey to Texas Between Storms by Micah Fields, graduate of the University of Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program. #17BooksFor17SDGs

For SDG 12: Responsible Production, read A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley. A Thousand Acres explores the environmental and social impacts of modern agriculture. #17BooksFor17SDGs

For SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, read Co-Crafting the Just City by James A. Throgmorton, which received the John Friedmann Book Award from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning. #17Booksfor17SDGs

For SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, read "Co-Crafting the Just City" by former Iowa City Mayor James A. Throgmorton, which recently received the John Friedmann Book Award from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning. #17BooksFor17SDGs

Follow our friends at the IWP!

For SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities read Unexplained Presence by TIsa Bryant. Unexplained Presence reinterprets the experiences of marginalized figures, especially black individuals within historical and cultural frameworks. #17BooksFor17SDGs

For Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, explore The Dawn of Industrial Agriculture in Iowa by E. Durrenberger. This book discusses the transformation of agriculture through innovation and infrastructure development. #17BooksFor17SDGs

For SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, read On Behalf of the Family Farm: Iowa Farm Women's Activism since 1945, which explores women in agriculture and their responses to economic and technological changes. #17BooksFor17SDGs

For SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, read Tending Iowa's Land: Pathways to a Sustainable Future by Cornelia Mutel, which explores sustainable land management and renewable practices, highlighting the critical role of clean energy in building a resilient, eco-friendly future. #17BooksFor17SDGs

For SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation read "Trophic Cascade" by Camille Dungy. Which is a collection of poems about motherhood, ecology, and the interconnectedness of life, highlighting the impact of human and environmental relationships. #17BooksFor17SDGs

For SDG 5: Gender Equality read "The Body Alone" by Nina Lohman critiques gender inequality by revealing systematic biases which dismiss womens pain and limit their access to equitable healthcare. #17BooksFor17SDGs

For SDG 4: Quality Education, read "Susie Clark: The Bravest Girl You've Ever Seen: Desegregating Iowa Schools in 1868" by Joshalyn Hickey-Johnson. It tells of 13-year-old Susie Clark, who became the first Black student to integrate a U.S. public school by court order. #17booksfor17sdgs

For #SDG3 Good Health and Well Being read "Roughsleepers" by Tracy Kidder, in which this UI grad follows Dr. Jim O'Connell for five years as he cares for the unhoused. #17booksfor17sdgs

For #SDG2: Zero Hunger read Barons: Money, Power and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry by Austin Frerick of Cedar Rapids. A stark portrait of the consequences of corporate consolidation, and hope for a different path. #17booksfor17sdgs

For SDG1 No Poverty, read “This Other Eden” by Paul Harding. This Iowa Writers’ Workshop graduate’s novel was inspired by the story of Malaga Island where the racially integrated population faces extreme poverty. #17booksfor17sdgs Visit sdgs.un.org/goals/goal1 for more information.

From Dec. 2 to 18, UNESCO Cities of Literature will spotlight the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. We'll share book recommendations for each SDG using #17Booksfor17SDGs. This project seeks to raise awareness of the SDGs through books and highlight writers from the Cities of Literature.

Celebrating Iowa City-related writers on year-end lists! NPR’s list includes Deborah Jackson Taffa, Gail Godwin, Kiley Reid, Jennifer Croft, Tony Tulathimutte, Claire Lombardo, Lucas Mann, Garth Greenwell, and Kaveh Akbar. NYT Notables features Akbar, Tulathimutte, Diane Oliver, and Leslie Jamison.

Our director will be leading a discussion about literary Iowa City on Wednesday from 5-6:30 pm at the Tuesday Agency, 404 E. College St., suite 404 (at the Chauncey). Join us!

Camille Dungy, our 2024 Paul Engle Prize winner, talks with the Gazette about how her high school years in Iowa City showed her she could be a writer. “You can’t not meet a living writer in Iowa City. It didn’t feel like I had to be Steph Curry.” www.thegazette.com/people-place...

West High graduate Camille Dungy returns to the area on Thursday to receive the Paul Engle Prize. Ceremony at 7 p.m. at the Coralville Public Library.

One of our favorite collaborations is SlamoVision, a Cities of Lit slam poetry take off on the Eurovision Song Contest. Here is our Sept. 22 event where Sabur "C?ue" Muhammad was selected as Iowa City's representative. The overall winner will be revealed Dec. 12. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlXp...

Camille Dungy has been named the 13th recipient of the Paul Engle Prize, presented by the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature organization. She will receive the award at a ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. at the Coralville Public Library. It is free and open to the public.