Tiffany Gibert

Whether you want to write the next murder mystery and hope it gets picked up by Hollywood directors, or you want to ensure that your work emails and reports are concise, grammatically correct and rhetorically sound, these writing classes in NYC will help you put those ideas onto paper. And hopefully into some of the best independent bookstores and NYC libraries (fingers crossed!). The remarkable literary institutions employ authors-cum-teachers to teach courses in everything from personal essays to poetry, so you’re sure to find a discipline that suits you. And if you need inspiration, re-reading the best books about New York should do the trick. Enjoy. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to classes in NYCRECOMMENDED: The best BYOB painting classes in NYC This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

New York’s one of the most literary cities in the world, and that’s never more evident than when wandering in its brilliant independent bookstores and specialty bookshops. And because Amazon’s recommendations have got nothing on a face-to-face chat with a professional bookseller, find the best bookstore NYC has to offer for browsing new fiction or picking up the year’s best books. Here's a list of our favorites—listed alphabetically, of course. RECOMMENDED: The Best Bookstore Cafés in NYC

Though E.L. James’s erotic books about BDSM and sex continue to captivate the world, meriting a 2015 movie, a musical parody and the Marlon Wayans sarcastic send-up Fifty Shades of Black, we’re still not sure why. The book series itself is filled with awkward metaphors and unconvincing melodrama, and there are movies with more innovative and groundbreaking sex scenes—and real-life dominatrixes, of course. But sexy books can be smart, too, and these 16 deliciously naughty alternatives to Fifty Shades of Grey are both better and riskier. You’ll be inspired to start planning a romantic night out yourself.  Do you want more great stories about things to do, where to eat, what to watch, and where to party? Obviously you do, follow Time Out New York on Facebook for the good stuff. RECOMMENDED: Our list of the 100 best movie sex scenes ever made

Though best known as a poet (and a damn good one), Tracy K. Smith never felt that her chosen medium fully allowed her to reflect on her family life, her upbringing and the loss of her mother just after she finished college. So she turned to the memoir, the genre best suited for thought-provoking nonfiction. In Ordinary Light, another one of the most-anticipated books of 2015, Smith unsurprisingly reveals tremendous grace and eloquence through her honest, unyielding consideration of the past. Be sure to catch her in the coming weeks as she launches the new work at New York’s best bookstores. Why write a memoir now? For years following the death of my mother, I wanted to write about her. I started writing what I thought of as personal essays about growing up as her child, but I never could finish any of them. I think I was too close to that loss, and too eager to try and resolve things, to make her death make sense. It took me many years before I could confront that material with the willingness to let it be what it was. I also lacked someone holding me accountable for those essays; it was a secret file on my computer that only I knew about. Basically, I needed to grow up a little bit, to live longer with that loss and to discover what I really needed to ask of it. Of course, we, readers, know you almost exclusively as a poet. What made you decide to write out your experience in prose, instead of verse? I wanted to push myself to arrive at different kinds of answers. I had writ

Time Out Rating: 4/5 stars By Keija Parssinen. HarperCollins; $26 In a small refinery town on the Gulf Coast of Texas, Mercy Louis beams hope through the bayou. She’s the star high-school basketball player, a sure shot blessed by the hand of God, living on discipline and stories of the imminent Rapture. But when a dead, premature infant is discovered in a Dumpster and the local girls begin to twitch and groan from an unidentifiable illness, not even Mercy is safe from the ravages of suspicion in Keija Parssinen’s all-consuming second novel. The author’s skill radiates most luminously when she conjures a particular landscape and culture. In her first novel, that talent lent itself to Saudi Arabia; in her latest, Parssinen transports us to a place of sticky heat and burning cayenne, where selfishness and superstition obscure necessary truths: Only a woman bred on fear would turn to a Dumpster. Mercy and her classmate Illa take turns telling how their town shudders under the weight of infanticide, and in a manner some may call heavy-handed but which actually seems true to the universe’s mad methods, everything unfolds at once. As Mercy struggles with basketball perfection and readying her spirit for the end of days, her absent mother reappears. The mass sickness strikes, and a shadowy refinery explosion, years earlier, looms in the background. As the inflamed town casts sidelong glances of doubt at its girls, Parssinen unveils centuries-old dread of women’s bodies and feminine

Though E.L. James’s story of BDSM continues to captivate the world, we’re still not sure why. There are movies with more innovative and groundbreaking sex scenes, and the book series itself is filled with awkward metaphors and unconvincing melodrama. But sexy books can be smart too—and these 10 deliciously naughty alternatives to Fifty Shades of Grey are riskier and, simply, better.

Though E.L. James’s story of BDSM continues to captivate the world, we’re still not sure why. There are movies with more innovative and groundbreaking sex scenes, and the book series itself is filled with awkward metaphors and unconvincing melodrama. But sexy books can be smart too—and these 10 deliciously naughty alternatives to Fifty Shades of Grey are riskier and, simply, better.

Exploring niche book genres can be overwhelming—where to begin, and why are so many books part of an endless series? But don’t let the colorful sci-fi and fantasy shelves at your favorite bookstores in New York intimidate you! Like beloved cross-genre writers Margaret Atwood and Neil Gaiman, lots of brilliant authors are writing stand-alone books and short trilogies ripe with other-worldly mystery and great feats of imagination. And as stories of dystopian futures, mythic fairy tales and alien visitors become more mainstream, it gets difficult to pigeonhole books in such broad categories. So we’ve rounded up some new books that explode the idea of classification, because who needs labels anyway?

Best known for playing eccentric characters on The X-Files and Californication (which are both streaming on Netflix), it’s no surprise David Duchovny has a quirky side. But who knew that the star actually studied English literature and began a Ph.D. program before focusing on acting? Now he’s returned to his literary roots by publishing his first book, Holy Cow, a hilarious allegorical tale about a doomed American dairy cow named Elsie who decides to move to India. As if you needed another reason to swing by the bookstore to pick up a copy, we caught up with Duchovny to talk about his writing inspirations and adding “novelist” to his résumé. What first sparked the concept for the novel? I had this flash of an idea: If I were a cow, I'd want to go to India. And then I tried to figure out where other animals might go to be safe, and I came up with a pig going to Israel and turkey to Turkey. I pitched it as an animated film to a couple places; when they passed, I just put it in a drawer. But I always liked the idea. Then one day last year, I woke up remembering it and thought, Why don't I write it out?Now that it’s out on paper, do you think an adaptation might happen? That would be the height of beautiful irony. But animated films have to reach such a large audience, they generally don't touch on any issues that might be controversial, like religion, drugs, politics. There's some of that in the book, so I'm skeptical. But even with those facets of the story, you do describe it

From the Women of Letters storytelling show to the much-anticipated new collection of Langston Hughes’s letters, epistles seem to be all the rage right now. And one of the best places to find them is Shaun Usher’s online trove, Letters of Note, where he collects some of the most remarkable correspondence ever penned. Now, Usher has published the crème de la crème of his finds in an incomparable print collection (which happens to make a perfect gift book for just about anyone). We spoke with Usher before his selected shorts event next week about that daunting project and what first sparked his letter love. How and when did you start the Letters to Note site? Was there one letter that began it all? About 12 years ago, I met my now-wife. A couple of weeks after we started dating, she moved to Spain for a year, and for some reason, we decided to keep in touch mainly by letter. The result was that we fell in love through handwritten correspondence. At that point, I became acutely aware of the power of letter writing and knew one day I'd look into the whole concept further. Then in 2009, while I was working as a copywriter, a client project led me to letters again, and I decided to start the website. Since then it's snowballed. The first letter I put on the site was a rejection letter from Walt Disney to a young woman who wanted to become an animator. That’s such a wonderful, personal story! Now, since that first Disney letter, how many have you published on the site, roughly? I've

Time Out Ratings: 5/5 starsBy Laura van den Berg. Farrar, Straus and Giroux; $26 What is memory but the telling of a story?” This could easily be the epigraph for Laura van den Berg’s debut novel but is, instead, a line found in her own book. In some future time, a pandemic of forgetting, followed by death, has gripped the United States. It’s not the end of the world—the sickness is contained within the U.S. and kills many but not all—yet it’s certainly the end of something, and the beginning of new ways to assemble one’s own life story, particularly for Van den Berg’s narrator, Joy Jones. Pre-plague, Joy was a grocery store employee, perpetually getting high on cough syrup and riddled with residual anxieties after being abandoned as an infant and floating through foster homes. Post-pandemic, Joy lives in the mysterious Hospital, where a doctor and nurses try to find a cure via a group of apparently immune patients. But though the disease and the Hospital initially seem critical to the fictional world, they are actually, slyly, the backdrop for a much more poignant narrative about memory, family and the construct of self. Literary dystopian novels are all the rage, but why? What seems to be at the heart of this ubiquitous genre is the desire to strip away contemporary life’s complications, leaving an essence of what constitutes personhood. And that’s where Van den Berg, with her sharply honed skills as a short-story author and her sense for the strangeness of life, creates

There are still 47 days of summer, and with its new pop-up reading room, the New York Public Library is making it even easier to enjoy those days of sunshine. From August 5–22, visitors can kick back in “The Library Inside Out,” an open space on the plaza outside the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building—combining one of the world’s greatest book nerd destinations with trees and fresh air. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to things to do outside in NYC Need a chair and tabletop to finish that work report? No problem, the reading room has free public Wi-Fi. Just want to relax with a novel? There is a small, curated selection of books available, and NYPL volunteers will be around to answer any questions. The opening of the new space is especially timely since the Rose Reading Room, one of the 42nd Street building’s most spectacular features, remains closed for repairs. “The Library Inside Out” also coincides with the NYPL’s social media campaign #ireadeverywhere; the just-launched effort encourages people to post photos of their favorite reading spots (the stranger, the better) as a celebration of the transformational power of books. So now you have no excuse: if midtown is getting you down, the welcoming outdoor venue is the perfect escape.

You only have a few more chances to get a tan while having someone read to you. We don’t want to admit that summer is almost over either, but its approaching end just means we have to revel in these warm days. So ride your bike, drink a lemonade, wear your favorite crop top and cut-offs and head to these sunshine-infused lit events.  RECOMMENDED: Full guide to things to do in the summer in NYC Fort Greene Park Literary Festival; Sat Aug 23, 2pm, Fort Greene ParkNeighborhood teens who have been part of this summer's New York Writers Coalition workshop read alongside lit stars, like Vanessa Gabb and Sapphire, as part of the tenth annual summer fest. Word for Word Poetry; Tue Aug 26, 7pm, Bryant Park Reading RoomA special evening of poetry in the park, featuring the verses of Amber Atiya, Peter Gizzi, Cathy Park Hong and—one of our favorites—Dorothea Lasky.  Poets in the Garden; Sun Aug 31, 5:30pm, Elizabeth Street GardenThis summertime series, hosted by McNally Jackson Books, ends its season with a blowout reading by five talented women writers: Corina Copp, Leopoldine Core, Sarah Gerard, Jocelyn Spaar, Jacqueline Waters. BOA Editions Reading; Tue Sep 2, 7pm; Bryant Park Reading RoomThe nonprofit publisher brings some of its own authors to the great outdoors; relax under a tree as Aracelis Girmay, Katy Lederer and Anthony Tognazzini take the mike. Poets & Writers in the Park; Tue Sept 9, 7pm; Bryant Park Reading RoomBeloved lit organization and magazine Poets & Writers highlig

One of the city’s most prestigious and, simply, best talk and reading series returns for another brilliant season. LIVE from the NYPL, the New York Public Library’s flagship event series, has never disappointed since its launch in 2005, under the leadership of curator and host Paul Holdengräber. Every season, Holdengräber and his team welcome luminaries from literature, the arts and beyond, like beloved author and memoirist Joan Didion, music phenomenon Jay-Z and notorious filmmaker John Waters (and many of these past conversations are available online; go crazy) The 2015 Spring Season continues LIVE’s respected tradition of welcoming diverse voices and tastemakers from many fields and cultures. Here’s the full line-up—and get your tickets early because this series is no secret. All events are $25, or $15 for Friends of the Library, seniors and students. David Blaine with Paul Holdengräber; Monday March 16, 7pmThe magician who continually tests the boundaries of reality and surprises even the most staunch skeptics talks about his feats. RuPaul with Paul Holdengräber; Friday March 20, 7pmThe Queen of Manhattan shares insight into his diverse work, from his books to his hit TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race. Jeffrey Deitch with Massimiliano Gioni; Wednesday March 25, 7pmNew York’s one-time art king (who currently lives in L.A.) returns to discuss his gorgeous new retrospective book, Live the Art, with the artistic director of The New Museum. Stephen Kotkin with Slavoj Zizek; Tuesday M

In what may be the biggest literary news of the 21st century so far, beloved one-hit wonder Harper Lee announced today that she will publish a second novel this summer, starring Scout Finch 20 years later. Lee's first novel, of course, has been a classroom staple for generations and inspired one of the greatest book-to-film adaptations of all-time (hello, Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch). According to a press release from her publisher, Lee actually wrote her second book, Go Set A Watchman, before To Kill a Mockingbird, but her editor was so taken by Scout's fictional flashbacks that she convinced Lee to write an entirely different book (the one that became a best-selling Pulitzer Prize winner). About her second novel, Lee says, "I hadn't realized it had survived, so was surprised and delighted when my dear friend and lawyer Tonja Carter discovered it. [...] I am humbled and amazed that this will now be published after all these years."  Of course, nothing is ever that simple. As Madeleine Davies points out at Jezebel, Lee's sister, Alice, who protected the author's estate, passed away last year. Now, who's to say if the publishers and public actually have Lee's best interest and wishes in mind and if the author—at 88 years old and in reported poor health—actually wants to publish this book she seems, from her statement, barely to remember. It's complicated, much-mined territory, but we sure hope Lee is as thrilled as we are about the new publication because we can't wait to re

What's better than hearing a brilliant author read and converse? Having a yummy dinner in the middle of that reading. That's exactly why we love the Brooklyn Academy of Music's book-centric program, which is one of the best reading series in NYC; the organizers pair some of the world's most gifted writers with brilliant moderators, while guests enjoy a buffet dinner (complete with wine and dessert because BAM sure knows how to please us). Each event in the BAMcafé begins with a presentation of the author's most recent work, followed by an insightful discussion about the creative process, audience Q&A and book signing. Eat, Drink & Be Literary has just gotten better every year, and its 11th season promises to be one of the most fascinating, focusing on culturally and stylistically diverse writers and featuring Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winners. Tickets are $60, including tax and tip, which, let's be honest, is a damn good deal. Check out the full lineup, January through June, below, and get your tickets early because they always sell out. New Yorkers love good literature, after all. Wed January 27: Dinaw Mengestu The Ethiopian-born author and MacArthur "Genius" grant recipient discusses his work, including, most recently, All Our Names, with The New Yorker fiction editor Deborah Treisman. Tue March 3: Tiphanie Yanique Debut novelist and St. Thomas-native Yanique recently received the Center for Fiction's prestigious Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize for The Land o

Literary agency WME will open a holiday bookstore filled with festivities from Fri Dec 12 to Sun Dec 14. At the season’s only pop-up shop staffed by literary agents (i.e. serious publishing tastemakers), you can find some of the best books of 2014, original paper goods designed by style icon Garance Doré for the delightful stationery store Rifle Paper Company and an exclusive line of t-shirts and bags from PRINKSHOP. ‘Tis the season for gifting, after all, and this sounds like the perfect spot to cross a few names off your list. Garance Doré stationery for Rifle Paper Company And to keep shoppers entertained all weekend, WME will also welcome many of their renowned writers to drop by the shop. Here’s the schedule of appearances—we are definitely going to see what the intuitive Laura Day says about our holiday futures. Fri Dec 12, 5pm–7pm Two of our favorite local writers, Meg Wolitzer (The Interestings) and Emma Straub (The Vacationers) toast the season and sign books.  Sat Dec 13, 3pm Laura Day (The Circle) gives psychic readings. Sun Dec 14, 11am–1pm James Frey talks about his new YA book and game, Endgame. Sun Dec 14, 2–4pm Join brilliant comedian and writer Amy Sedaris for holiday crafting!   GIMME Books pop-up bookstore 2 Rivington St between Bowery and Chrystie St Fri Dec 12 1pm–7pm Sat Dec 13–Sun Dec 14 11am–7pm

Australian literary salon phenomenon Women of Letters continues its New York offshoot at Joe’s Pub. The premise, like all the best storytelling events, is simple: Invite people to read original writing onstage, and see what humorous and heart-warming moments happen. As opposed to the infamous Moth StorySLAM!, where anyone with a story can participate, Women of Letters invites the best and brightest talent from diverse fields—including writers, musicians, politicians, comedians—and, yes, they’re all women. In addition to showcasing female talent, the series also highlights the lost art of letter-writing. In other words, the name “Women of Letters” is pretty literal. Guests are given a theme and then share their freshly penned letters, guaranteeing that each installment is original and moving. Women of Letters' NYC producer Trish Nelson says, "I've been a performer, producer—and a woman—all of my life, and I've never seen anything like Women of Letters before. To witness these strong, intelligent, brilliant ladies coming together onstage and openly sharing their personal intimate experiences, struggles, and humor is a powerful, unifying, and uplifting experience. New York needs a show like this. Women need a show like this." At the second New York event on December 9, co-curators Michaela McGuire and Marieke Hardy welcome Kristin Hersh, Meg Wolitzer, Sara Benincasa, Adrienne Truscott, Aparna Nancherla and Rachel Antonoff; they’ll each present “a letter to my broken rule." Ticke

The ultimate two-day convention for readers comes to New York’s Javits Center May 30–31, 2015. An extension of the publishing industry’s Book Expo America, BookCon gives you the chance to interact with some of your favorite New York authors, check out upcoming books from the world’s most influential publishers and basically just spend two days wandering around a shrine to the written word. Last year’s inaugural convention drew in 10,000 guests, so be sure to get your tickets early (VIP tickets are already sold out!); they’re available on the BookCon website at $35 for Saturday tickets and $30 for Sunday. Kids get in for the bargain price of $5 each day. And what can you expect from this extravagantly literary weekend? Glad you asked. More information will be announced in the coming weeks, but we know over 250 exhibitors, like ABRAMS, HarperCollins and Penguin Random House, will showcase their goods, and the stage will feature Q&As and trivia on books and pop culture. The incomparably talented and dreamy Taye Diggs will be around on Saturday with illustrator Shane W. Evans to discuss their new children’s book, Mixed Me, and other panels and talks will feature Meg Cabot (The Princess Diaries), Marissa Meyer (The Lunar Chronicles series) and Jen Doll (Save the Date). A BookCon 2014 panel So what are you waiting for? Time to get bookish.

Book vendors from around the borough will gather rare and vintage books galore, perfect for seasonal inspiration. At the third annual fair, which will be held Saturday Dec 6 at Park Slope's Old Stone House 11am–5pm, you can get ahead on your holiday shopping or just admire all the first editions, signed copies and little-known out-of-print tomes. The participating booksellers include Columbia Street's favorite used bookshop Freebird Books & Goods, rare book purveyor Honey & Wax Booksellers and Dumbo's home to all things science fiction, fantasy and pulp, Singularity & Co. But, fair warning, don't come looking for this season's best-sellers or even our 10 best books of the year; the fair emphasizes rare books, encouraging you to pick up reads you didn't even know you (or your loved ones) wanted. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucher: Special Edition for Young Readers. From Honey & Wax Booksellers, $75. Assignment in Eternity by Robert A. Heinlein. From Singularity & Co, $15. In addition to the undoubtedly impeccable book selection, Cara Schlesinger, an editor and the custom bookbinder behind Faenwyl Bindery, will also offer handcrafted journals and keepsake boxes. At 12pm, she will lead a hands-on demonstration of origami book structures—a perfect way to keep the kids busy while you pick up unusual classic books for them. Best of all, the author of one of our favorite gifts books this year, Maira Kalman, makes an appearance at 2pm to sign copies of My Favorite Things.

The legendary New York author literally wrote on the book on the Brooklyn–Staten Island suspension bridge. It’s called The Bridge, natch, and to honor the anniversary of this massive achievement of human engineering, Gay Talese talks with journalist Clyde Haberman at the Museum of the City of New York tonight, Nov 20 at 6:30pm, about all the drama, political intrigue and loss that went into the bridge’s construction. And he should know: Talese was there to watch the Verrazano’s 9,865 feet go up in 1964. To coincide with the occasion, an updated reissue of The Bridge was recently released; don’t miss tonight’s conversation, and, in the mean time, check out these stunning images from the bridge’s history.   An aerial shot of the Verrazano   At the very bottom of the bridge building hierarchy are the "punks," like this guy.     Bob Anderson, last day on the job.  All images courtesy of Bloomsbury

Head to Washington Square Park on the morning of Nov 19 to nab books by the National Book Award Finalists! Beginning at 8:30 on Wednesday morning, Daniel Handler, of Lemony Snicket fame and 2014 National Book Awards host extraordinaire, and author and reading evangelist Neil Gaiman will compete to see who can give away the most books to passersby. In other words, you have a good chance of having a armful of guaranteed-to-be-amazing books shoved at you by two of our most well-known writers, if you just don't mind getting up early and braving the cold morning. Handler and Gaiman will be joined by a portable reading room from the Uni Project, a brilliant endeavor that emphasizes the importance of literature by bringing the books to the readers. In Washington Square's Garibaldi Plaza, the two authors will dole out donated copies of their own books in addition to the National Book Award-nominated publications. Pro tip: Before the giveaway, you can see a bunch of the NBA finalists read tonight at The New School. And here are the nominated books you can expect to add to your own personal library tomorrow morning: Fiction Rabih Alameddine, An Unnecessary Woman Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See Phil Klay, Redeployment Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven Marilynne Robinson, Lila (and don't miss our interview with the Putlizer Prize-winning author!) Nonfiction Roz Chast, Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? Anand Gopal, No Good Men Among the Living: America, the Ta

Three days, 24 hours of free readings. That’s a lot of whale. The Moby-Dick Marathon NYC begins on Fri, Nov 14, and runs through Sun, Nov 16, at the Ace Hotel, the South Street Seaport Museum and Housing Works Bookstore Cafe. Here are a few tips so you can make the most of the biennial reading.  Plan ahead: Each reader has only about 10 minutes to step into the roles of Ishmael, Ahab and Queequeg, so be sure to check the lineup on mobydickmarathonnyc.org, and take notes! A few names not to miss (note, the times are a bit variable): - Writer and journalist Touré, Sun around 11am- Girls star Alex Karpovsky, Fri around 8pm- Poet Eileen Myles, Fri around 6pm- Comedian Dave Hill, Fri around 7pm- Plus a bunch of authors who recently wrote some of the best new fiction in NYC for us: Sasha Fletcher (Fri, 9pm), Alexander Chee (Sun, 10am) and Marie-Helene Bertino (Fri, 10pm) <img id="4a5eaa4d-5388-22d9-8a20-bac869f2fd9f" data-caption="BuzzFeed's Issac Fitzgerald and journalist Touré. Photo: Joshua Simpson." data-credit="" data-width-class="100" type="image/jpeg" total="1096956" loaded="1096956" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/101794503/image.jpg" class="photo lazy inline"> BuzzFeed's Issac Fitzgerald and journalist Touré. Photo: Joshua Simpson. Don't miss the music: It’s not all harpoons and cetology! On Friday evening, author Rakesh Satyal trades in his pen for his pipes and sings the hymn “The Ribs and Terrors in the Whale.” Midday Saturday, Amy