Guild of Book Workers Showcase & Market

Graduate by Hilton Iowa City 210 South Dubuque St, Iowa City, IA

Step into the world of book arts! The Guild of Book Workers is in Iowa City this week for their annual conference, and their Showcase & Market is open to everyone. October 9, noon - 5 p.m. October 10, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. October 11, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Browse bookbinding tools, unique

Tree Tour: Literary Grove at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop

Dey House 102 Dey House, Iowa City, IA

Explore the Literary Grove with University of Iowa Arborist Andy DahlTake a guided stroll through the Literary Grove, where each tree has a story to tell. Arborist Andy Dahl will share the unique histories and literary connections of these remarkable trees, many linked to celebrated authors from the world-renowned Iowa Writers’ Workshop.

Teresa Dzieglewicz: Something Small of How to See a River

PorchLight Literary Arts Center 1019 E Washington St, Iowa City

Something Small of How to See a River interrogates the idea of narrative. Who gets to tell a story and what does it mean when the official story, the story told by the governor, the police, or the local media, is a fundamentally dishonest one? The poems collected here meditate on failure: how systems fail us

Waters of the United States: A Conversation with Royal C. Gardner and Silvia Secchi

Prairie Lights Books 15 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City, IA

Join author Royal C. Gardner, Professor of Law, Hugh F. Culverhouse Chair, and Director of the Stetson Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy at Stetson Law, at Prairie Lights for a reading from Waters of the United States, his groundbreaking exploration of the legal and political battles that have shaped water protection in America. In conversation

International Writing Program Panel: Trials and Tribulations of Literary Translation

Iowa City Public Library 123 S. Linn St., Iowa City, IA

A panel featuring International Writing Program participants Tomás Downey (Argentina) and Florencia del Campo (Spain), with guest author Kazim Ali.  The International Writing Program (IWP) is a unique conduit for the world’s literatures, connecting well-established writers from around the globe, bringing international literature into classrooms, introducing American writers to other cultures through reading tours, and

SlamoVision Watch & Judge Party

Iowa City Public Library 123 S. Linn St., Iowa City, IA

Join us for a special SlamoVision judging night! Attendees will watch performances from slam poets representing 17 UNESCO Cities of Literature around the world and help decide the outcome by scoring each one. Enjoy free pizza while you cast your votes—the scores from Iowa City will be combined with those from other cities to help

Laura Julier – Off Izaak Walton Road: The Grace That Comes Through Loss

Iowa City Public Library 123 S. Linn St., Iowa City, IA

Loss and sorrow can overwhelm even the strongest person, forcing them to reckon with their emotions whether they want to or not. In this extraordinary debut, Laura Julier recounts her reckoning, which took place in an old cabin tucked away on a hidden and forgotten gravel road along the Iowa River. In company with silence

Friends Foundation Pop-up Used Book Sale

Iowa City Public Library 123 S. Linn St., Iowa City, IA

Stop by the lobby of the Iowa City Public Library between festival events to browse for a new (to you) book.

Book Fair

MERGE 136 S Dubuque St, Iowa City, IA

A diverse collection of titles, journals, magazines, and book arts from local and regional publishers and literary organizations. A unique opportunity for book lovers to discover new authors and genres. 508 Press | Gray Hawks Writers | Guild Writers | Fools Magazine | Ice Cube Press | Porch Light Literary Arts Center | The Iowa Review |

ICON Vendor Hall

Iowa City Masonic Building 312 E College St, Iowa City, IA

The ICON Science fiction convention returns to downtown Iowa City during the Iowa City Book Festival! Browse booksellers, authors, and others at the ICON Vendor Hall, Iowa City Masonic Lodge Social Hall, 312 E College St. Free admission and open to the public.

Ted Geltner: Flagrant, Self-Destructive Gestures

Iowa City Public Library 123 S. Linn St., Iowa City, IA

The year was 1988, and Denis Johnson was at a low point. He caught malaria on a reporting trip into the jungles of the Philippines and was nearly pronounced dead. The disease left him unable to write. His second wife left him. He didn’t have enough money to pay his taxes. His publisher was waiting

Gregory Galloway: All We Trust and Scott Phillips: The Devil Raises His Own

Prairie Lights Books 15 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City, IA

    In All We Trust, what starts out as a family squabble turns into an international battle between competing crime organizations, moving from small town New England to San Francisco to Mexico. Along the way the brothers encounter betrayal, double-dealing, kidnapping, and ultimately, revenge. The Devil Raises His Own, meanwhile, picks up the story of