Part of our Voices of Today Series

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” -Mark Twain

Bestselling author and humorist Gary Shteyngart returns for a lively exploration of his latest book: Vera, or Faith, a sharp-eyed, deeply moving novel that follows ten-year-old Vera’s clear, tender, and hilarious observations as her mixed-heritage family frays under the pressures of a rapidly unraveling America. Hear Shteyngart discuss Vera’s unforgettable narrative voice, the novel’s blend of biting satire and heartfelt tenderness, and his creative process in imagining a fractured yet hopeful future—and discover why Vera, or Faith is already one of 2025’s most anticipated and unforgettable reads.

REGISTER HERE. Books are available for purchase, and the author will sign copies following the discussion.

The Voices of Today Series invites some of the most celebrated and diverse voices in contemporary literature to engage with our audience.

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About the Author:

Gary Shteyngart was born in Leningrad in 1972 and came to the United States seven years later. His debut novel, The Russian Debutante’s Handbook, won the Stephen Crane Award for First Fiction and the National Jewish Book Award for Fiction. His second novel, Absurdistan, was one of the New York Times Book Review‘s 10 Best Books of the Year. His novel Super Sad True Love Story won the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize and became one of the most iconic novels of the decade. His memoir, Little Failure, was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. His most recent novel is the New York Times bestseller Our Country Friends. His books have been published in thirty countries.

About the Moderator:

Amy Brady is the author of Ice: From Mixed Drinks to Skating Rinks–a Cool History of a Hot Commodity, named a best book of 2023 by NPR and Scientific American. She is also the former executive director and publisher of Orion magazine, a contributing editor for Scientific American, and coeditor of the anthology The World as We Knew It: Dispatches from a Changing Climate. Brady has made appearances on the BBC, NPR, and PBS. She holds a PhD in literature and American studies and has won writing and research awards from the National Science Foundation, the Bread Loaf Environmental Writers’ Conference, and the Library of Congress.