Introducing the Algonquin Book Club! Live events & live webcasts with notable writers

Welcome to the Algonquin Book Club! Each year we’ll be featuring four Algonquin Book Club selections at literary events held around the country and simultaneously webcast on our site. For each event, an Algonquin author will be interviewed by a notable writer. The line-up for 2011 includes:

3/21: Julia Alvarez (In the Time of the Butterflies) interviewed by Edwidge Danticat, author of Brother, I’m Dying

4/26: Sara Gruen (Water for Elephants) interviewed by Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help

8/18: Heidi Durrow (The Girl Who Fell from the Sky) interviewed by Terry McMillan, author of Getting to Happy

10/20: Robert Goolrick (A Reliable Wife) interviewed by Patricia Cornwell, author of Port Mortuary

And already scheduled for March 2012: Lauren Grodstein (A Friend of the Family) interviewed by Stephen King, author of Full Dark, No Stars

For our first event, on March 21, 7:00pm  EST, Algonquin author Julia Alvarez will be interviewed about her beloved classic, In the Time of the Butterflies, by the critically acclaimed author Edwidge Danticat. You can tune in to the live webcast here. And the best part? At the same time you can also chat with others who are tuned in to the webcast. And if you live in Miami, you can catch the event live at Books & Books in Coral Gables.

Have you already read In the Time of the Butterflies? We’d love to hear what you think. Or is this your first time being introduced to the book? If so, pick up a copy and read along with us!

Be sure to check out our Algonquin Book Club site, which currently features an original essay from Julia Alvarez about the novel, along with a description of the book, author bios for Julia and Edwidge Danticat, a reading group guide, book club tips and ideas, and wine and recipe pairings centered around the book–including some recipes from Julia herself, as well as some recipes that were favorites of the three Mirabal Sisters, the main characters portrayed in the book.

We’ll be giving away autographed copies of In the Time of the Butterflies and Algonquin Book Club tote bags over the next three weeks. To be entered to win them all you have to do is leave a comment on our Algonquin Book Club blog posts, or tweet about it on Twitter using #AlgBookClub, or tell us your thoughts in the Discussion section on our Facebook page.

And most importantly, if you have any questions for Julia Alvarez, post them in any of the aforementioned places and we’ll submit them to the moderator to potentially be asked at the live event.

Happy reading!

Tags: A Friend of the Family, A Reliable Wife, Algonquin Book Club, Edwidge Danticat, Heidi Durrow, In the Time of the Butterflies, Julia Alvarez, Kathryn Stockett, Lauren Grodstein, Patricia Cornwell, Robert Goolrick, Sara Gruen, Stephen King, Terry McMillan, The Girl Who Fell From the Sky, Water for Elephants, webcasts