1 Mai Der Vang (Poetry Foundation) Mai Der Vang’s “Afterland” about the Hmong exodus from Laos won the Walt Whitman Award of the Academy of American Poets. February 13, 7pm
2 On Madeleine L’Engle (American Writers Museum) Charlotte Jones Voiklis and Léna Roy present “Becoming Madeleine: A Biography of the Author of ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ by Her Granddaughters,” in time for Ava DuVernay’s widescreen film adaptation of “A Wrinkle in Time.” February 11, 2pm
3 What Happens When Nothing Happens? (StoryStudio Chicago) Sarah Manguso, the author of seven books including “300 Arguments,” “Ongoingness,” “The Guardians” and “The Two Kinds of Decay,” teaches a master class addressing the autobiographer’s problems of scant plot and dull documentation. February 21, 6:30pm
4 “You Can’t Fire the Bad Ones!” (Seminary Co-op Bookstore) Educators William Ayers and Crystal Laura discuss “You Can’t Fire the Bad Ones!” debunking misconceptions about teachers, unions, school choice, standardized tests and charter schools. February 10, 3pm
5 “Apocalypse, Darling” (Women and Children First Bookstore) Barrie Jean Borich, author of “Body Geographic” and “My Lesbian Husband,” launches “Apocalypse, Darling,” set in the steel mill region of Chicago and Indiana. February 28, 7:30pm
Toni Nealie is the Literary Editor of Newcity and the author of the essay collection “The Miles Between Me.” A Pushcart Prize nominee, her essays have appeared in Guernica Magazine, Rust Belt: Chicago, The Rumpus, The Offing, Essay Daily, Chicago Quarterly Review, Hobart, Entropy and elsewhere. She worked in magazine journalism, politics and PR in her native New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Singapore and now edits, writes and teaches in Chicago. Find her at toninealie.com and on Twitter @tnealie. She can be reached at toni@newcity.com.
