The PRH Speakers Bureau is proud to represent speakers who keep us connected and make powerful progress toward change. As we continue to have conversations about challenging the status quo, actively fighting for justice in BIPOC communities, and grappling with COVID-19, we’ve compiled these recent articles, media, and essays from our speakers about the changing personal, political, and cultural landscapes.
We are also happy to include a roundup for you here of virtual events that are open to the public from our speakers for the upcoming week.
Virtual Events with Our Speakers
Tune in to these virtual Penguin Random House speakers’ book events, author Q&As and more that are happening this week.
Monday, November 2
- Rick Bragg speaks at FoxTale Book Shoppe (6:00PM EST)
Wednesday, November 4
- Tommy Orange is in-conversation at Cuyahoga Community College (1:00PM EST)
- Emily Bernard speaks at the L.A. Times Festival of Books (9:00PM EST)
Thursday, November 5
- Nic Stone joins Loyalty Bookstores for a talk (7:00PM EST)
- Dr. Michele Harper discusses her memoir at the Portland Book Festival (7:00PM EST)
- Casey Cep speaks at Magic City Books (8:00PM EST)
Friday, November 6
- Brit Bennett talks about THE VANISHING HALF at the Portland Book Festival (6:00PM EST)
- Tommy Orange joins the University of Michigan for The 5th Annual Robert J. Berkhofer Jr. Lecture on Native American Studies (7:00PM EST)
Sunday, November 8
- Yaa Gyasi speaks at the Well Read Black Girl Festival (1:00PM EST)
- Elizabeth Strout discusses OLIVE AGAIN at Book Passage (7PM EST)
Check out #BooksConnectUsLive for more live virtual events.
News and Media from PRHSB Speakers
Politics
Our speakers provide clarity and shrewd analysis of today’s issues to help make sense of our current and future political landscape.
- Democracy in distress? | MIT News: Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt join other experts to analyze a global trend: democratic governments that collapse from within while maintaining a veneer of legitimacy.
- These Trans Candidates Could Make History This Election | Vice: Sarah McBride and 20 openly trans candidates are now running for state and local office in races across the country.
- At End of Bitter Campaign, Joe Biden Anguishes Over ‘My Only Surviving Son’ | The New York Times: Mark Leibovich comments on the complicated father-son relationship.
- FAQs About Trump, Biden, and the 2020 Election | Newsweek: Robert B. Reich answers questions about the upcoming election.
- So, Russia, You Want to Mess With Our Voting Machines? | The New York Times: Tim Wu provides his opinions on the worry about Russian interference in our election.
COVID-19
These articles from our speakers highlight practical advice and news about the current pandemic.
- Infectious disease doctor on US coronavirus surge: This is still the first wave | Fox Business News: Dr. Matt McCarthy argues the U.S. will see ‘micro shutdowns’ instead of a country-wide lockdown as coronavirus cases rise.
- Death Rates Have Dropped for Seriously Ill Covid Patients | The New York Times: Howard Markel, M.D. provides his thoughts on the death rates.
- Food Issues That Should’ve Been Front and Center in the 2020 Presidential Election | Reason: Jayson Lusk comments on the vulnerabilities in the food supply chain revealed by the pandemic.
- Lululemon And Penguin Random House’s Pandemic Partnership Is A Soul-Soothing Book Club | Forbes: Lululemon has pivoted its happenings to digital and its book club pick Dr. Michele Harper talks about her experience as an ER doctor.
- The pandemic and the economy top voter concerns, but there’s a bigger issue | Los Angeles Times: Steve Lopez provides his opinions on pressing issues for the election.
Black Lives Matter Movement
Below are some recent dialogues from our speakers on systemic racism and the Black Lives Matter movement.
- Ibram X Kendi: “The Status Quo Is Racism” | Esquire: Dr. Ibram X. Kendi explains why being not racist isn’t enough.
- US must reckon with ‘long shadow’ of caste system | Cornell News: Isabel Wilkerson delivers the Cornell Center for Social Sciences’ annual Distinguished Lecture.
- A Black Lives Matter Q+A For Young People | GBH: Jacqueline Woodson joins follow authors in answering questions from young readers.
- Toyin Ojih Odutola and Yaa Gyasi Talk Making Art and Opening Doors | Harpers Bazaar: Yaa Gyasi and Toyin Ojih Odutola discuss the freedom and fraughtness of being firsts in their fields.
Books Connect Us
With their imaginative, impactful pieces of literature, our speakers provide incredibly valuable perspectives to be read by all.
- 2020 National Book Awards finalists mark multiple firsts | NBC News: The 25 National Book Awards finalists, such as Charles Yu’s INTERIOR CHINATOWN, are books that in some ways reflect the themes of diversity, social justice, and equality that have defined 2020.
- ALA Announces Longlist for 2021 Andrew Carnegie Medals | Publishers Weekly: Elliot Ackerman, Brit Bennett, Yaa Gyasi, Megha Majumdar, Emily St. John Mandel, Charles Yu, Bryan Washington, Dr. Michele Harper, and Isabel Wilkerson are on the longlist.
- Memorial by Bryan Washington is the GMA November 2020 Book Club pick | Good Morning America: Bryan Washington’s MEMORIAL is the November pick.
- Our Q&A with Rick Bragg Went About as You’d Expect | Garden and Gun: Over a phone call from the road, Rick Bragg talks about his new essay collection, books that inspire him, the unhealthiest scrambled eggs in history, and his spooky Halloween plans.
- Elizabeth Strout Reads William Trevor | The New Yorker: Elizabeth Strout reads and discusses William Trevor’s Bravado.