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***While the COVID-19 pandemic continues, all of our events are taking place virtually. Please email us at events@astoriabookshop.com with questions.***  
Ali Araghi and Nasim Marashi for THE IMMORTALS OF TEHRAN
Sunday May 16, 2021 | 2:30PM - 3:30PM
Join us for a conversation with author Ali Araghi and Nasim Marashi (I'll Be Strong For You) for THE IMMORTALS OF TEHRAN.
This event will be streamed on Crowdcast. RSVP here! About THE IMMORTALS OF TEHRAN In this sweeping, multigenerational novel that can be described as Min Jin Lee's Pachinko meets Mohsin Hamid's Exit West, debut author Ali Araghi’s THE IMMORTALS OF TEHRAN (Melville House; April 13, 2021; Trade Paperback) heralds the arrival of a unique new literary voice. A generation-spanning novel infused with magical realism, THE IMMORTALS OF TEHRAN follows an Iranian family through the decades, up to the Iranian Revolution.
As a child living in his family’s apple orchard, Ahmad Torkash-Vand treasures his great-great-great grandfather’s every word. On the day of his father’s death, Ahmad listens closely as the seemingly immortal elder tells him the tale of a centuries-old family curse, and the boy’s own fated role in the story.
Araghi has expertly interwoven the family history with the history of Iran, a complex history that comes to life through the protagonists as they struggle through decades of famine, loss, and political turmoil. As the story of the men and women of the Torkash-Vand family unfolds, the family's curse hovers above their stories and intervenes in their lives, resulting in a breathtaking story about the power of words and the revolutionary sparks of love, family, and poetry. An Iranian One Hundred Years of Solitude, THE IMMORTALS OF TEHRAN is a breakout debut from a promising young Iranian writer, now living in the United States and writing in English. About the Authors Ali Araghi (he/him) is an Iranian writer and translator. He won the 2017 Prairie Schooner Virginia Faulkner Award for Excellence in Writing, and has published stories and translations in Prairie Schooner, Fifth Wednesday Journal, Asymptote, and Hayden’s Ferry Review, among others. He lives in St. Louis. Nasim Marashi (she/her) was born in Tehran, Iran in 1984. She started her career in journalism in 2007 and became a screenwriter in 2013. She won the Premier Prix in Bayhaqi Story Prize (2014) for the short story, “Nakhjir,” and the Premier Prix in Tehran Story Prize (2015) for the short story, “Rood.” Her debut novel, I’LL BE STRONG FOR YOU (Cheshmeh Publications, 2015) was selected as the Best Novel of the Year in the 8th Jalal-e Al-e-Ahmad Prize and is in its 40th printing. The book was translated into Italian and Kurdish and received great acclaim. Marashi’s second novel, HARAS (Cheshmeh Publications, 2016) is in its 20th printing and has been translated into Turkish and Kurdish. Marashi is the co-writer of the feature film, “Avalanche” (2015), and the documentary “20th Circuit Suspects” (2017). 
Jordyn Taylor and Stacey Leasca for DON'T BREATHE A WORD
Tuesday May 18, 2021 | 6:30PM - 7:30PM
Join us for the release of Jordyn Taylor's newest YA novel DON'T BREATHE A WORD. In conversation with Stacey Leasca, the two will discuss Jordyn Taylor's second novel.
This event will be hosted on Crowdcast. RSVP here! Be sure to order your SIGNED copy. About DON'T BREATHE A WORD Eva has never felt like she belonged . . . not in her own family or with her friends in New York City, and certainly not at a fancy boarding school like Hardwick Preparatory Academy. So, when she is invited to join the Fives, an elite secret society, she jumps at the opportunity to finally be a part of something. But what if the Fives are about more than just having the best parties and receiving special privileges from the school? What if they are also responsible for keeping some of Hardwick’s biggest secrets buried? 1962: There is only one reason why Connie would volunteer to be one of the six students to participate in testing Hardwick’s nuclear fallout shelter: Craig Allenby. While the thought of nuclear war sends her into a panic, she can’t pass up the opportunity to spend four days locked in with the school’s golden boy. However, Connie and the other students quickly discover that there is more to this “test” than they previously thought. As they are forced to follow an escalating series of commands, Connie realizes that one wrong move could have dangerous consequences. Separated by sixty years, Eva and Connie’s stories become inextricably intertwined as Eva unravels the mystery of how six students went into the fallout shelter all those years ago . . . but only five came out. About the Author Jordyn Taylor (she/her) is a Canadian writer and editor based in New York City. She's the deputy editor of content at Men's Health magazine and the author of two young adult novels, THE PAPER GIRL OF PARIS and DON'T BREATHE A WORD. About the Moderator Stacey Leasca (she/her) is a journalist from Rhode Island. Her words, photos, and videos have appeared in print or online for The Los Angeles Times, Travel+Leisure, Departures, Men’s Health, Women’s Health, TIME, and more. 
Lauryn Chamberlain, Cristina Arreola, and Kayleen Schaefer for FRIENDS FROM HOME
Thursday May 20, 2021 | 7:00PM - 8:00PM
Join us for the release of Lauryn Chamberlain's novel FRIENDS FROM HOME. In conversation with Kayleen Schaefer (But You're Still So Young), the two will discuss this debut novel.
This event will be hosted on Crowdcast. RSVP here! About FRIENDS FROM HOME Jules O'Brien and Michelle Davis have been best friends since third grade, when Jules and her single mother moved from Cleveland to the small Alabama town where Michelle's family has lived for generations. Now in their midtwenties, the childhood friends live miles and worlds apart. When Jules agrees to be the maid of honor in Michelle's wedding, she quickly realizes just how different the two have become. Over the years, their passions and politics have diverged, and in the middle of wedding-planning squabbles, they feel more like strangers than the sisters they once were. When their friendship reaches a breaking point, Jules will have to decide if the bond they once had as girls is strong enough to reunite the women they are now. Is shared history enough to carry their friendship through a lifetime? Disarming and wildly relatable, this novel is perfect for anyone who knows the complex love we have for our friends from home. It will have you calling the Michelle to your Jules immediately to discuss. About the Author Lauryn Chamberlain (she/her) was born and raised in Michigan. She studied journalism and French at Northwestern University and then moved to New York City, where she worked for several years as a journalist, freelance writer, and content strategist (sometimes simultaneously). She currently lives in Toronto. About the Moderators Kayleen Schaefer(she/her) is a journalist and author of But You’re Still So Young, Text Me When You Get Home, and the bestselling Kindle Single memoir Fade Out. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, Vogue, and many other publications. She lives in New York City. Cristina Arreola (she/her) is a reader and writer based in New York City. Formerly the books editor at Bustle, Cristina now works in book publishing in marketing and publicity. Her book recommendations have been featured in Vogue, Elle, Latina, Wall Street Journal, and more. 
Alyssa Cole and Rebekah Weatherspoon for HOW TO FIND A PRINCESS
Tuesday May 25, 2021 | 7:00PM - 8:00PM
Join us for the release of Alyssa Cole's newest novel HOW TO FIND A PRINCESS in conversation with Rebekah Weatherspoon.
This event will be hosted on Zoom. The purchase of a book includes a ticket to this event. A copy of HOW TO FIND A PRINCESS is your ticket to the event and must be ordered by May 25th at noon. Tickets will be sent out via email from the publisher via Zoom All books include a SIGNED bookplate. About HOW TO FIND A PRINCESS Makeda Hicks has lost her job and her girlfriend in one fell swoop. The last thing she’s in the mood for is to rehash the story of her grandmother’s infamous summer fling with a runaway prince from Ibarania, or the investigator from the World Federation of Monarchies tasked with searching for Ibarania’s missing heir. Yet when Beznaria Chetchevaliere crashes into her life, the sleek and sexy investigator exudes exactly the kind of chaos that organized and efficient Makeda finds irresistible, even if Bez is determined to drag her into a world of royal duty Makeda wants nothing to do with. When a threat to her grandmother’s livelihood pushes Makeda to agree to return to Ibarania, Bez takes her on a transatlantic adventure with a crew of lovable weirdos, a fake marriage, and one-bed hijinks on the high seas. When they finally make it to Ibarania, they realize there’s more at stake than just cash and crown, and Makeda must learn what it means to fight for what she desires and not what she feels bound to by duty. About the Author Alyssa Cole (she/her) is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of romance (historical, contemporary, and sci-fi) and thrillers. Her Civil War-set espionage romance An Extraordinary Union was the American Library Association’s RUSA Best Romance for 2018, and A Princess in Theory was one of the New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2018. She’s contributed to publications including Bustle, Shondaland, The Toast, Vulture, RT Book Reviews, and Heroes and Heartbreakers, and her books have received critical acclaim from The New York Times, Library Journal, BuzzFeed, Kirkus, Booklist, Jezebel, Vulture, Book Riot, Entertainment Weekly, and various other outlets. When she’s not working, she can usually be found watching anime or wrangling her pets. Rebekah Weatherspoon (she/her) is an American author of humor, romance and contemporary books known for extremely erotic stories. Weatherspoon started writing when she decided it was a better fix than meddling in her friends’ life. To date, the author has published more than 20 books, and more are in the works, ready for publishing anytime soon. Weatherspoon has also received several awards for her writing, starting with the Golden Crown Literary Award for the At Her Feet novella and the Romantic Times Book Reviews Best Erotic Novella for the Sated novella. The Southern New Hampshire raised author currently resides in Southern California. 
Rob McKay and Carl Bellenas for HISTORIC HOUSES OF QUEENS.
Thursday May 27, 2021 | 7:00PM - 8:00PM
Join us for a conversation between Rob McKay and Carl Bellenas for HISTORIC HOUSES OF QUEENS. Featuring stunning photos, this discussion will cover the rich history of the homes in our neighborhood
This event will be streamed on Crowdcast. RSVP here About HISTORIC HOUSES OF QUEENS Queens, New York, boasts a rich history that includes dozens of poorly publicized but historically impressive houses. A mix of farmsteads, mansions, seaside escapes, and architecturally significant community dwellings, these homes were owned by America’s forefathers, nouveau riche industrialists, Wall Street tycoons, and prominent African American entertainers from the Jazz Age. Rufus King, a senator and the youngest signer of the US Constitution, operated a large family farm in Jamaica, while piano manufacturer extraordinaire William Steinway lived in a 27-room, granite and bluestone Italianate villa in Astoria. Local musicians include Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, and Lena Horne. Through more than 200 photographs, Historic Houses of Queens explores the borough’s most notable residences—their architecture, owners, surrounding neighborhoods, peculiarities, and even their fates as some vanished due to financial problems or fires. About the Author Rob MacKay (he/him) is a longtime, award-winning community journalist who currently works for the Queens Economic Development Corporation. As part of his job, he operates various social media channels that promote the borough’s restaurants, shops, and tourism attractions. His interest in writing this book grew organically—and intensely—after he became a trustee of the Queens Historical Society. About the Conversation Partner Carl Ballenas (he/him) is a retired school teacher, having taught for 40 years in the Brooklyn /Queens Diocese of New York School system, mainly in fields of Social Studies and Science. He has helped his Aquinas students to write three books on local history, published by Arcadia Publishing Co., Images of America: Jamaica Estates(2010) and Images of America: Jamaica (2011), and Images of America: Kew Gardens (2014). Outside of the classroom, Carl is listed with the Queens Borough Office as a lecturer for Queens County and has authored two books, Images of America: Richmond Hill and Images of America: Maple Grove Cemetery. He is the historian for the town of Richmond Hill and the Maple Grove Cemetery. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Richmond Hill Historical Society and is President of the Friends of Maple Grove Cemetery. Carl is currently working at Maple Grove Cemetery working with the Friends of Maple Grove creating new historical community programs. 
Laura Khoudari's Workshop and Launch for LIFTING HEAVY THINGS
Thursday June 10, 2021 | 7:00PM - 8:30PM
Join us for the launch of LIFTING HEAVY THINGS with Laura Khoudari. This event will be run as a workshop, hosted by Maggie Langrick, CEO and Publisher of Wonderwell, and featuring a conversation between the author and Lisa Weinert of the Narrative Healing program as well as an experiential activity drawn from the book.
Your purchase of a SIGNED copy of the book includes a care package courtesy of Laura Khoudari as well as entry to the event. This event is TICKETED through pre-orders or the virtual ticket link below. The password for entry to the Crowdcast livestream will be emailed the day of the event. About LIFTING HEAVY THINGS In this innovative title, celebrated trainer and trauma practitioner Laura Khoudari brings a fresh approach to healing after trauma, using strength training as an embodied movement practice. Compassionate, witty, and fastidiously researched, Khoudari’s debut Lifting Heavy Things is a breakthrough title that will empower and inspire readers to develop resilience and build emotional and physical strength through working out with weights, while mindful of the ways that trauma can compromise the well-being of the mind and body. About the Author Laura Khoudari (she/her) is passionate about giving people the tools they need to heal from trauma and cultivate mental health and wellness. Her approach to strength training restores nervous system health, fosters a sense of safety in the body, and gives people the tools they need to process trauma so they may move beyond surviving and begin thriving. Her work has been widely recognized by the trauma and fitness community, and she has been featured on Buzzfeed, Upworthy, Outside Online, Medium, Tonic, and Girls Gone Strong. She is a certified trauma practitioner and personal trainer. Her holistic educational programs draw from body-based trauma healing modalities, neuropsychological models, psychodynamic theory, mindfulness practices, and exercise science. |