Talks & Entertainment

Adeena Sussman

In Conversation with Michael Twitty

The author of Sababa returns with Shabbat: Recipes and Rituals from My Table to Yours. Woven throughout recipes like fig and pomegranate brisket and bubbe’s extra-crispy potato kugel is a rich portrait of Shabbat in Israel, taking us inside the kitchens of local cooks who have shared their most beloved recipes.

NEW VENUE: Life with the Afterlife

True Tales of the Paranormal with Ghost Hunter Amy Bruni

The paranormal investigator, author, podcaster and star of “Kindred Spirits” and “Ghost Hunters” shares hair-raising tales from her countless hours hunting ghosts at America’s most haunted locations.

Cody Rigsby

In Conversation with Andrew Chappelle

In XOXO, Cody: An Opinionated Homosexual’s Guide to Self-Love, Relationships, and Tactful Pettiness, the Peloton instructor chronicles his journey from growing up gay and poor in small-town North Carolina to becoming a fitness icon in New York City in an empowering story that reveals his secret to success: not taking yourself—or life—too seriously. 

Leslie Jones

In Conversation with Tiffany Cross

In her audacious memoir, Leslie F*cking Jones, the comedian and former “SNL” cast member opens up for the first time about how she faltered and triumphed on the road to success and, in doing so, encourages others to let go of the fear and self-doubt that holds them back.

If Books are Banned: Reading Between the Lines

Ahead of Banned Books Week, hear about the movement to restrict books, what’s at stake, and the effort to fight back. Panelists include PEN America Washington Managing Director Nadine Farid Johnson, author and journalist James Kirchick, and DC Public Library Executive Director Richard Reyes-Gavilan, in conversation with Laura Meckler, national education writer for The Washington Post. Following, award-winning drag queen Tara Hoot will read from a banned children’s book.

José Andrés

In Conversation with Mehdi Hasan

The World Central Kitchen Cookbook: Feeding Humanity, Feeding Hope is a collection of recipes inspired by the many places around the world the organization has cooked following disasters, as well as inspiring narratives from the chefs and volunteers on the front lines.  

Keegan-Michael Key and Elle Key

In Conversation with Helena Andrews-Dyer

Building on the success of their Webby award–winning hit podcast “The History of Sketch Comedy,” the creative powerhouse team of Elle Key and Keegan-Michael Key present an inventive and informative examination of comedy through the ages in The History of Sketch Comedy: A Journey Through the Art and Craft of Humor. 

JFK: One Day In America

Screening and Conversation

To mark the 60th anniversary of former President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, the Emmy Award-winning National Geographic franchise “One Day in America” returns with its second installment, “JFK: One Day in America.” Ahead of the series premiere in November, experience a special screening of the first episode followed by a conversation with director Ella Wright and former reporter Peggy Simpson.

Molly Baz

In Conversation with Carla Lalli Music and Andy Baraghani

In More is More: Get Loose in the Kitchen, the recipe developer and video host teaches cooks how to embrace more risk-taking, better intuition, fewer exact measurements, and a “don’t stop ‘til it tastes delicious” mentality.  

Roxane Gay

In Conversation with Juanita Tolliver

In Opinions: A Decade of Arguments, Criticism, and Minding Other People’s Business, the bestselling author and cultural critic offers a collection of her best nonfiction pieces from the past ten years, covering a wide range of topics—politics, feminism, the culture wars, civil rights, online disinformation, and more—with a new introduction reflecting on the past decade in America.