Delayed Starts: Adults Coming-of-Age

All PEN World Voices Festival tickets are non-refundable. Please confirm the time and location of your event before finalizing your purchase.

“Coming-of-age”—both the expression and the literary genre— traditionally refers to the transition from adolescence to adulthood. However, in recent years—as material struggles have altered the timelines of younger generations’ lives—narratives of personal development have applied the genre to later stages in life. Whether stalled by economic hardship, higher education, or life-altering traumas, characters attempt to move toward hopes of attaining prominence, respectability, or maturity. Featuring New York Times bestselling author Jessica Knoll (Bright Young Women), Vinson Cunningham (Great Expectations), Kyle Dillion Hertz (The Lookback Window), and New Yorker critic and moderator Alexandra Schwartz, the conversation will address what “coming-of-age” means in today’s literature.

The 2024 PEN World Voices Festival, the 20th anniversary of the festival, will be a celebration of world literature and free expression. Over four days, over 100 writers from nearly 30 countries will be featured in engaging talks, panels, readings, and performances in New York City and greater Los Angeles.

Visit for more information about the entire festival, as well as PEN America.

Joe's Pub is a fully ADA accessible space.

ASL interpretation is available for this event by request only. Please reach out to our Box Office team at [email protected] by April 21st to request.

Please ask a Box Office Attendant or festival representative upon arrival for directions to accessible seating if preferred.

For further information on accessibility in this space, or to make a request, please contact [email protected]

While not required, per public health official guidelines, the World Voices Festival recommends being fully vaccinated, and wearing masks in all public indoor settings as a precaution against the spread of Covid-19, as well as around crowds.

If you are feeling unwell, please do not come to the event. Reach out to [email protected] for assistance if you have already purchased a ticket.

We thank you for ensuring our speakers, guests and venue workers feel safe and comfortable at all World Voices Festival events. If you have questions or concerns please contact [email protected]

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Joe's Pub @ The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street, New York, United States