Euclid Public Library Reader Series: The Essential James Baldwin
Join Michelle R. Smith, instructor for Literary Cleveland, Lake Erie Ink, and the Case Western Reserve University Siegal Center, for this three-part examination of iconic author James Baldwin's contribution to American literature through reading and discussing his most well-known books: Giovanni's Room, Notes of a Native Son, and The Fire Next Time. Presented by Euclid Public Library in partnership with Literary Cleveland.
Schedule
June 24 from 6:30-8:30pm - Giovanni's Room
July 15 from 6:30-8:30pm - Notes of a Native Son
August 19 from 6:30-8:30pm - The Fire Next Time
About Reader Series: Reader series classes take you on a deep dive into specific topic or author to gain a more advanced understanding of literature and the world. Experienced instructors will provide history, context, and analysis, and guide in-depth discussion that will help make you an instant expert in a single subject or author’s body of work.
Each participant can decide how they choose to engage with the classes. For the best experience, read the books in advance of each discussion. If you are not able to finish the book in time we still encourage you to attend. No matter your level of prior knowledge, you will receive a wealth of materials and insights in a condensed period, like a master class or a great course, only right here in Cleveland.
Instructor: Michelle R. Smith is a writer, blogger, educator, and cultural facilitator, living and working out of Twinsburg, Ohio. She is the author of the poetry collection Ariel in Black (Guide to Kulchur Press) and an upcoming chapbook tentatively titled The Real Jazz Wives of Twentieth Century America (Outlandish Press). She has been published in poemmemoirstory, Meridians: feminism, race, transnationalism, and The Normal School. She has been a featured reader and performer at The Lakewood Public Library, The Cleveland Museum of Arts, Cleveland Drafts – Brews + Prose, and Story Club Cleveland East Side. She has presented writing workshops at the East Cleveland Public Library and PNC Fairfax Connection. She is also the creator, producer, and director of BLAX MUSEUM, an annual performance showcase open to all forms and dedicated to honoring notable black figures in American history and culture.
