Iowa City of Literature
@iowacityoflit.bsky.social
We build and support communities of writers and audiences through the transformative power of story. https://linktr.ee/iowacityoflit
We're excited to share the lineup for the 2025 Iowa City Book Festival, a schedule of 40 free events from Oct. 5-12, including plenty of fiction, poetry, environmental issues, science fiction and much more. See the full schedule at www.iowacitybookfestival.org
September 23, 2025 at 4:33 PM
We're excited to share the lineup for the 2025 Iowa City Book Festival, a schedule of 40 free events from Oct. 5-12, including plenty of fiction, poetry, environmental issues, science fiction and much more. See the full schedule at www.iowacitybookfestival.org
We are excited for the return of our MusicIC festival, celebrating intersections between music and literature. This year we feature a performance of "Penelope" by Sarah Kirkland Snider, with vocals by Shara Nova (My Brightest Diamond), on April 26 at the James Theater. Tickets at www.MusicIC.org.
April 4, 2025 at 4:56 PM
We are excited for the return of our MusicIC festival, celebrating intersections between music and literature. This year we feature a performance of "Penelope" by Sarah Kirkland Snider, with vocals by Shara Nova (My Brightest Diamond), on April 26 at the James Theater. Tickets at www.MusicIC.org.
Read our full statement at www.iowacityofliterature.org/a-statement-...
February 23, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Read our full statement at www.iowacityofliterature.org/a-statement-...
For SDG 17: Partnerships read Clubfoot by Thomas M. Cook which addresses collaboration between those carrying out the work of Dr. Ignacio Ponseti and the Iowa City Noon Rotary Club to promote clubfoot treatment. #17BooksFor17SDGs
December 19, 2024 at 5:57 AM
For SDG 17: Partnerships read Clubfoot by Thomas M. Cook which addresses collaboration between those carrying out the work of Dr. Ignacio Ponseti and the Iowa City Noon Rotary Club to promote clubfoot treatment. #17BooksFor17SDGs
For SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Instinutions read "Mother: by m.s. RedCherries. Mother is a poetry collection which explores Indigenous identity and.resilience through the lens of personal and collective history. #17BooksFor17SDGs
December 18, 2024 at 6:02 AM
For SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Instinutions read "Mother: by m.s. RedCherries. Mother is a poetry collection which explores Indigenous identity and.resilience through the lens of personal and collective history. #17BooksFor17SDGs
For SDG 15: Life on Land read Tallgrass Conversations by Cindy Crosby and Thomas Dean which discusses the importance of prairie ecosystems and our role in conserving them. #17BooksFor17SDGs
December 18, 2024 at 6:01 AM
For SDG 15: Life on Land read Tallgrass Conversations by Cindy Crosby and Thomas Dean which discusses the importance of prairie ecosystems and our role in conserving them. #17BooksFor17SDGs
For SDG 14: Life Below Water read the River Knows by Neil D. Hamilton, which explores the intricate relationship between humans and waterways, emphasizing the importance of protecting aquatic ecosystems for the health and sustainability of our planet. #17BooksFor17SDGs
December 16, 2024 at 5:59 AM
For SDG 14: Life Below Water read the River Knows by Neil D. Hamilton, which explores the intricate relationship between humans and waterways, emphasizing the importance of protecting aquatic ecosystems for the health and sustainability of our planet. #17BooksFor17SDGs
For SDG 13: Climate Action, read We Hold Our Breath: A Journey to Texas Between Storms by Micah Fields, graduate of the University of Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program. #17BooksFor17SDGs
December 16, 2024 at 5:56 AM
For SDG 13: Climate Action, read We Hold Our Breath: A Journey to Texas Between Storms by Micah Fields, graduate of the University of Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program. #17BooksFor17SDGs
For SDG 12: Responsible Production, read A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley. A Thousand Acres explores the environmental and social impacts of modern agriculture. #17BooksFor17SDGs
December 13, 2024 at 3:53 PM
For SDG 12: Responsible Production, read A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley. A Thousand Acres explores the environmental and social impacts of modern agriculture. #17BooksFor17SDGs
For SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, read Co-Crafting the Just City by James A. Throgmorton, which received the John Friedmann Book Award from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning.
#17Booksfor17SDGs
#17Booksfor17SDGs
December 13, 2024 at 5:57 AM
For SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, read Co-Crafting the Just City by James A. Throgmorton, which received the John Friedmann Book Award from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning.
#17Booksfor17SDGs
#17Booksfor17SDGs
For SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, read "Co-Crafting the Just City" by former Iowa City Mayor James A. Throgmorton, which recently received the John Friedmann Book Award from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning. #17BooksFor17SDGs
December 12, 2024 at 9:57 PM
For SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, read "Co-Crafting the Just City" by former Iowa City Mayor James A. Throgmorton, which recently received the John Friedmann Book Award from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning. #17BooksFor17SDGs
For SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities read Unexplained Presence by TIsa Bryant. Unexplained Presence reinterprets the experiences of marginalized figures, especially black individuals within historical and cultural frameworks. #17BooksFor17SDGs
December 11, 2024 at 3:53 PM
For SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities read Unexplained Presence by TIsa Bryant. Unexplained Presence reinterprets the experiences of marginalized figures, especially black individuals within historical and cultural frameworks. #17BooksFor17SDGs
For Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, explore The Dawn of Industrial Agriculture in Iowa by E. Durrenberger. This book discusses the transformation of agriculture through innovation and infrastructure development. #17BooksFor17SDGs
December 11, 2024 at 5:44 AM
For Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, explore The Dawn of Industrial Agriculture in Iowa by E. Durrenberger. This book discusses the transformation of agriculture through innovation and infrastructure development. #17BooksFor17SDGs
For SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, read On Behalf of the Family Farm: Iowa Farm Women's Activism since 1945, which explores women in agriculture and their responses to economic and technological changes. #17BooksFor17SDGs
December 11, 2024 at 5:43 AM
For SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, read On Behalf of the Family Farm: Iowa Farm Women's Activism since 1945, which explores women in agriculture and their responses to economic and technological changes. #17BooksFor17SDGs
For SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, read Tending Iowa's Land: Pathways to a Sustainable Future by Cornelia Mutel, which explores sustainable land management and renewable practices, highlighting the critical role of clean energy in building a resilient, eco-friendly future. #17BooksFor17SDGs
December 9, 2024 at 5:49 AM
For SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, read Tending Iowa's Land: Pathways to a Sustainable Future by Cornelia Mutel, which explores sustainable land management and renewable practices, highlighting the critical role of clean energy in building a resilient, eco-friendly future. #17BooksFor17SDGs
For SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation read "Trophic Cascade" by Camille Dungy. Which is a collection of poems about motherhood, ecology, and the interconnectedness of life, highlighting the impact of human and environmental relationships. #17BooksFor17SDGs
December 7, 2024 at 4:37 PM
For SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation read "Trophic Cascade" by Camille Dungy. Which is a collection of poems about motherhood, ecology, and the interconnectedness of life, highlighting the impact of human and environmental relationships. #17BooksFor17SDGs
For SDG 5: Gender Equality read "The Body Alone" by Nina Lohman critiques gender inequality by revealing systematic biases which dismiss womens pain and limit their access to equitable healthcare. #17BooksFor17SDGs
December 6, 2024 at 3:52 PM
For SDG 5: Gender Equality read "The Body Alone" by Nina Lohman critiques gender inequality by revealing systematic biases which dismiss womens pain and limit their access to equitable healthcare. #17BooksFor17SDGs
For SDG 4: Quality Education, read "Susie Clark: The Bravest Girl You've Ever Seen: Desegregating Iowa Schools in 1868" by Joshalyn Hickey-Johnson. It tells of 13-year-old Susie Clark, who became the first Black student to integrate a U.S. public school by court order. #17booksfor17sdgs
December 5, 2024 at 5:28 PM
For SDG 4: Quality Education, read "Susie Clark: The Bravest Girl You've Ever Seen: Desegregating Iowa Schools in 1868" by Joshalyn Hickey-Johnson. It tells of 13-year-old Susie Clark, who became the first Black student to integrate a U.S. public school by court order. #17booksfor17sdgs
For #SDG3 Good Health and Well Being read "Roughsleepers" by Tracy Kidder, in which this UI grad follows Dr. Jim O'Connell for five years as he cares for the unhoused. #17booksfor17sdgs
December 5, 2024 at 5:26 PM
For #SDG3 Good Health and Well Being read "Roughsleepers" by Tracy Kidder, in which this UI grad follows Dr. Jim O'Connell for five years as he cares for the unhoused. #17booksfor17sdgs
For #SDG2: Zero Hunger read Barons: Money, Power and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry by Austin Frerick of Cedar Rapids. A stark portrait of the consequences of corporate consolidation, and hope for a different path. #17booksfor17sdgs
December 3, 2024 at 7:52 PM
For #SDG2: Zero Hunger read Barons: Money, Power and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry by Austin Frerick of Cedar Rapids. A stark portrait of the consequences of corporate consolidation, and hope for a different path. #17booksfor17sdgs
For SDG1 No Poverty, read “This Other Eden” by Paul Harding. This Iowa Writers’ Workshop graduate’s novel was inspired by the story of Malaga Island where the racially integrated population faces extreme poverty. #17booksfor17sdgs
Visit sdgs.un.org/goals/goal1 for more information.
Visit sdgs.un.org/goals/goal1 for more information.
December 2, 2024 at 5:20 PM
For SDG1 No Poverty, read “This Other Eden” by Paul Harding. This Iowa Writers’ Workshop graduate’s novel was inspired by the story of Malaga Island where the racially integrated population faces extreme poverty. #17booksfor17sdgs
Visit sdgs.un.org/goals/goal1 for more information.
Visit sdgs.un.org/goals/goal1 for more information.
From Dec. 2 to 18, UNESCO Cities of Literature will spotlight the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. We'll share book recommendations for each SDG using #17Booksfor17SDGs.
This project seeks to raise awareness of the SDGs through books and highlight writers from the Cities of Literature.
This project seeks to raise awareness of the SDGs through books and highlight writers from the Cities of Literature.
December 2, 2024 at 5:15 PM
From Dec. 2 to 18, UNESCO Cities of Literature will spotlight the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. We'll share book recommendations for each SDG using #17Booksfor17SDGs.
This project seeks to raise awareness of the SDGs through books and highlight writers from the Cities of Literature.
This project seeks to raise awareness of the SDGs through books and highlight writers from the Cities of Literature.
Celebrating Iowa City-related writers on year-end lists! NPR’s list includes Deborah Jackson Taffa, Gail Godwin, Kiley Reid, Jennifer Croft, Tony Tulathimutte, Claire Lombardo, Lucas Mann, Garth Greenwell, and Kaveh Akbar. NYT Notables features Akbar, Tulathimutte, Diane Oliver, and Leslie Jamison.
November 26, 2024 at 10:35 PM
Celebrating Iowa City-related writers on year-end lists! NPR’s list includes Deborah Jackson Taffa, Gail Godwin, Kiley Reid, Jennifer Croft, Tony Tulathimutte, Claire Lombardo, Lucas Mann, Garth Greenwell, and Kaveh Akbar. NYT Notables features Akbar, Tulathimutte, Diane Oliver, and Leslie Jamison.
Camille Dungy has been named the 13th recipient of the Paul Engle Prize, presented by the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature organization. She will receive the award at a ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. at the Coralville Public Library. It is free and open to the public.
November 12, 2024 at 9:15 PM
Camille Dungy has been named the 13th recipient of the Paul Engle Prize, presented by the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature organization. She will receive the award at a ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. at the Coralville Public Library. It is free and open to the public.