About this Event
Event guidelines:
— All guests must be vaccinated to attend, and must provide proof of vaccination in order to enter event.
— All attendees must wear a face mask at all times.
— Tickets are limited to restrict capacity at our store, and each ticket will include either a copy of the featured book or a $10 Books Are Magic gift card.
— Additional copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event.
— A signing will follow the talk.
— Home address is collected for contact tracing purposes; it will not be used otherwise.
— The event will also be broadcast online here:
— As a reminder: If you are not feeling well, please do not come to the event, even if you have a ticket; email us and we'll work it out.
If you have any questions regarding these guidelines or to request accessibility accommodations, please contact [email protected].
Farah Ali's debut collection of thirteen stories, People Want to Live features stories of togetherness and reckless faith in the face of a world that's built to break us. Her characters battle with loneliness - and in their fight, reveal surprising vulnerabilities and an astonishing measure of hope.
Set primarily in Pakistan, these award-winning stories follow people living on the brink of abandonment - in their personal relationships and their place in the world:
- A mother, coping with the sudden death of her son, uncovers long buried secrets in his absence.
- An anguished girl grabs a chance for a life beyond the orphanage walls where she lives and discovers the price of freedom.
- A young couple tries to keep their fraught relationship steady as a heat wave engulfs their city.
- A son returns to visit his ageing parents while beset with memories of a troubled childhood.
- Two thieves find themselves in a situation more precarious by the minute, and more dangerous than their original mission.
Farah Ali is from Pakistan. Her work has been anthologized in the 2020 Pushcart Prize as well as received special mention in the 2018 Pushcart anthology. Her stories have appeared in Shenandoah, The Arkansas International, The Southern Review, Kenyon Review online, Copper Nickel, Ecotone, The Colorado Review, and elsewhere. People Want to Live is her first collection.
Jakob Guanzon is the author of Abundance (Graywolf Press), which was longlisted for the National Book Award 2021. His writing has been nominated twice for the Pushcart Prize, and appeared in The New York Times Book Review, Soft Punk Magazine, Juked, Breakwater Review, and elsewhere. He holds an MFA from Columbia University and lives in Harlem.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Books Are Magic, 225 Smith Street, Brooklyn, United States
USD 10.00 to USD 24.00