This week in New York the PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature, Cartoonists battle at FISTICUFFS at the 92Y Tribeca, How I Learned It’s Not Me, It’s You (Or Maybe It’s Me), Girls Write Now Chapters Reading with Anna North, and the Tribeca Film Festival.
MONDAY 4/25: Today is the start of the Seventh Annual PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature, which runs until Sunday. The opening night event is “Written on Water,” featuring the Festival Chair Salman Rushdie, Malcolm Gladwell, and readings from the PEN Prison Writing Program. The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers, Pier 61. 7:30 p.m. $30, $20 PEN Members, students with valid ID.
TUESDAY 4/26: Matt Gallagher will be at Strand Books to talk about his book, Kaboom: Embracing the Suck in a Savage Little War, which started out as a blog that detailed his experiences supporting counterinsurgency efforts in Iraq. 6:30 p.m. Free.
WEDNESDAY 4/27: Cartoonists are going to battle tonight at FISTICUFFS! The Nib & Pick Society will present a sort of cartoonist improv: drawings will be done on the spot based on audience provided topics. Featuring New Yorker cartoonists Matt Diffee, David Sipress, Zach Kanin and David Borchart. Hosted by David Rees. 92YTribeca. 7 p.m. $15.00
This month’s How I Learned Series is titled, “How I Learned It’s Not Me, It’s You (Or Maybe It’s Me).” Featuring Sam Lipsyte, The Ask; comic, writer, and actor Andrea Rosen; The Rumpus’ resident funny woman Elissa Bassist, and Jim O’Grady, WNYC reporter and Moth storyslam winner. Hosted by Blaise Allysen Kearsley. Happy Ending. 8 p.m. Free.
THURSDAY 4/28: Music and literature lovers unite at “The Soundtrack Series,” hosted by Dana Rossi. Featuring Ben Lerman, Adam Wade, Amanda Duarte, Lauren O’Connor, and Rick Sorkin, telling stories that they associate with songs from the past. The Gallery at (Le) Poisson Rouge. 7 p.m. Free.
FRIDAY 4/29: Girls Write Now presents the second installment in its Chapters reading series, featuring selections from the high school girls in the program. Featured reader is Anna North, author of America Pacifica. The John Street Church. 6 p.m. $20 donation, free for teens.
SATURDAY 4/30: The Moth teams up with PEN World Voices Festival for “What Went Wrong?” Featuring stories from Jonathan Franzen, Warren Macdonald, Jenny Allen, Edgar Oliver, and Elif Shafak. Hosted by Salman Rushdie. The Cooper Union, The Great Hall. 7:30 p.m. $30.
SUNDAY 5/01: Close out the Tribeca Film Festival by seeing Scott Rettberg’s documentary New York Says Thank You, that follows people as they commemorate the anniversary of 9/11 every year by participating in public service initiatives throughout the country. AMC Loews Village 7 – 3. 2:30 p.m. $16.
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