Ampersand: The Poets & Writers Podcast

Poets Kaveh Akbar, Eve Ewing, and Layli Long Soldier read from their debut books; Jane Hirshfield on reconnecting to your writing; Steve Almond on unlikable characters; Jay Baron Nicorvo on writing and post-traumatic stress disorder; and more.

David Sedaris reads from Theft by Finding; Clint Smith reads from his profile of Kevin Young; Kiki Petrosino reads from her poetry collection Witch Wife; Victoria Chang reads from her poetry collection Barbie Chang; and more.

Salman Rushdie in conversation with Porochista Khakpour; readings by poets Dawn Lundy Martin and Nicole Sealey and essayist Lina Maria Ferreira Cabeza-Vanegas; and more.

Whitman, Alabama; debut fiction writers Jess Arndt and Zinzi Clemmons read from their new books; Sherman Alexie reads from his new memoir; Erika L. Sanchez reads from her debut poetry collection.

Lidia Yuknavitch on her new novel, The Book of Joan; Gwendolyn Brooks reads "We Real Cool" in 1983; writers, editors, and teachers resist.

George Saunders on his novel, Lincoln in the Bardo; U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera on the importance of poetry in the current political climate; Patricia Smith and Elena Passarello read from their new books.

Colson Whitehead on his National Book Award–winning novel, The Underground Railroad, and writing after the election. Plus readings by Roxane Gay, Ocean Vuong, Safiya Sinclair, and Tommy Pico.

Michael Chabon on his new novel, Moonglow; readings by Brit Bennett and devorah major; Shakespearean Sonnets in the streets of NYC; and more.

Dear President: A Message for the Next Commander in Chief From Fifty American Poets and Writers, including Junot Diaz, Tina Chang, Anthony Doerr, Evie Shockley, and others. Plus advice from MFA students at AWP, Amistad Press editorial director Tracy Sherrod, a report from the softball field, and more.

Advice from literary agents, readings from debut novelists Yaa Gyasi, Imbolo Mbue, Rumaan Alam, and more.

Adam Haslett on his new novel, Imagine Me Gone; Leigh Stein on BinderCon; readings by poets Tyehimba Jess and Brenda Shaughnessy.

Jhumpa Lahiri in conversation with translator Ann Goldstein; John Freeman on Annie Dillard; a poem by the late C.D. Wright; a reading by Melissa Broder from So Sad Today; and a performance by slam champion Ebony Stewart. Ampersand: The Poets & Writers Podcast is a production of Poets & Writers, Inc., and is edited by Melissa Faliveno with assistance from Jonathan Walsh.

BuzzFeed's Saeed Jones on diversity in publishing; a reading by poet Morgan Parker; Barry Lopez on the origins of storytelling; Call Me Ishmael; and more.

Poems by Liu Xia, as read by translator Ming Di in Chinese and English; poetry from Camille Rankine, Donald Hall, and Li-Young Lee; an interview with Copper Canyon Press editor in chief Michael Wiegers.

An interview with Ann Beattie; Ken Waldman, Alaska's Fiddling Poet; a performance by Parneshia Jones; and more.