One of the great things about living in Nashville is that we have a robust community of writers and readers. And independent bookstores! Whether you’re a reader looking for author events or a writer looking for classes and community, Nashville has a lot to offer. On a budget? Many of these events are free.
Below is a sampling of events happening this fall. For a complete list of events, check the websites of Parnassus Books, The Bookshop, Novelette Booksellers, The Porch — and of course, the Southern Festival of Books.
Sunday, Sept. 10: Nashville Black Storytellers, virtual welcome meetup hosted by Tonya Abari via The Porch, 11 a.m. via Zoom
Tuesday, Sept. 12: Brianna Wiest, author of The Pivot Year, signing-line-only event, 4-7 p.m. at The Bookshop, 1043 West Eastland Ave.
Wednesday, Sept. 13: Lorrie Moore, author of I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home, 6:30 p.m. at Parnassus Books, 3900 Hillsboro Pike
Thursday, Sept. 14: Lauren Groff, author of The Vaster Wilds, in conversation with Lindsay Lynch, 6:30 p.m. at Parnassus Books
Saturday, Sept. 16: Willie Edward Taylor Carver Jr., author of Gay Poems for Red States, in conversation with Mercy Bell, 5 p.m. at The Bookshop
Tuesday, Sept. 19: Jennifer Chesak, author of The Psilocybin Handbook for Women, in conversation with Susannah Felts for The Porch’s Birthing the Book series, 5:30 p.m. via Zoom
Thursday, Sept. 21: Emily Habeck, author of Shark Heart, in conversation with Bookshop bookseller Rachel, 6:30 p.m. at The Bookshop
Sunday, Sept. 24: Nashville AAPI Writers Meetup, moderated by Yurina Yoshikawa and Tomiko Peirano via The Porch, 2 p.m. at The Porch, 2811 Dogwood Place
Tuesday, Sept. 26: Rea Frey, author of The Other Year, 7 p.m. at Novelette Booksellers, 1101 Chapel Ave., Suite 108
Tuesday, Sept. 26: Mona Awad, author of Rouge, in conversation with Aly Plasterer, 6:30 p.m. at Parnassus Books
Wednesday, Oct. 4: C Pam Zhang, author of Land of Milk and Honey, in conversation with Steve Haruch, 6:30 p.m. at Parnassus Books
Monday, Oct. 9: Kosoko Jackson, author of The Forest Demands Its Due, in conversation with Hannah Whitten, 7 p.m. at Novelette Booksellers
Thursday, Oct. 12: Janaka Bowman Lewis, author of Light and Legacies: Stories of Black Girlhood and Liberation, in conversation with Tonya Abari for The Porch’s Birthing the Book series, 5:30 p.m. via Zoom
Sunday Oct. 15: Queer Writers Meetup, hosted by Eliana Ramage, 2 p.m. at The Porch
Oct. 15-22: The Southern Festival of Books at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, the Tennessee State Museum and various other locations. Visit sofestofbooks.org for details.
Wednesday, Oct. 18: Nick Cave, author of Faith, Hope, and Carnage, signing-line-only event, noon at Parnassus Books
Thursday, Oct. 19: SWING magazine launch, featuring readings from local contributors and a musical performance from Paul Burch, 5:30 p.m. at Analog at Hutton Hotel, 1808 West End Ave.
Thursday, Oct. 19: John Scalzi, author of Starter Villain, as part of the 35th annual Southern Festival of Books, 6:30 p.m. at Parnassus Books
Tuesday, Oct. 24: Margaret Renkl, author of The Comfort of Crows, with Billy Renkl and Ann Patchett, 6:30 p.m. at Harpeth Hall School’s Frances Bond Davis Theatre, 3801 Hobbs Road
Tuesday, Oct. 24: Meredith Lyons, author of Ghost Tamer, 7 p.m. at Novelette Booksellers
Wednesday, Oct. 25: Literary Trivia With The Bookshop, a collaboration with The Porch, 6:30 p.m. at East Nashville Beer Works, 320 E. Trinity Lane
Thursday, Oct. 26: Stephanie Garber, author of A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart #3), in conversation with Jeff Zentner, 6:30 p.m. at Parnassus Books
Friday, Nov. 3: Let’s Make Friends!, a panel on networking as a writer, hosted by Lisa Bubert, Jennifer Chesak and Ciona Rouse, 5:30 p.m. at The Porch
Wednesday, Nov. 8: The Porch Presents Mirror House, with a special focus on Kurdish artists and a screening of a short film by Beizar Aradini, 7 p.m. at Tempo Nashville, 2179 Nolensville Pike
Wednesday, Nov. 8: Erin Hoover, Ciona Rouse and Cara Dees, poetry reading, 6 p.m. at The Bookshop
Thursday, Nov. 9: Mercury Stardust, author of Safe and Sound: A Renter-Friendly Guide to Home Repair, hosted by Novelette Booksellers, 10 a.m. at the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St.
Thursday, Nov. 9: Minda Honey, author of The Heartbreak Years: A Memoir (October 2023) in conversation with Destiny O. Birdsong for The Porch’s Birthing the Book series, 5:30 p.m. via Zoom
Nov. 9-12: Rivendell fall retreat via The Porch, at Rivendell Spiritual Center, on top of the Cumberland Plateau in Sewanee, Tenn.
From the Frist’s ‘Multiplicity’ to concerts, theater, films and more, here are the most promising events of the season
