Parisa Burton 
For bookworms looking for a week filled with stories and conversation, the Montclair Literary Festival returns for its 10th year from May 2nd through May 11th, 2026. This event brings together hands-on writing workshops, poetry readings, author discussions, book pitches, and so much more. Read on for more about the 2026 Montclair Literary Festival hosted by Succeed2gether.
The 2026 Literary Festival
Montclair Literary Festival is an annual event hosted by Succeed2gether, a nonprofit volunteer-run organization dedicated to providing free educational services to students in need and helping close the achievement gap. Through its programs, it provides individualized school tutoring for students in grades K-12, held four days a week in core subjects such as math, language arts, social studies, and science.
Succeed2gether launched the Montclair Literary Festival in 2017 to bring the community together and celebrate Montclair’s literary scene through a diverse lineup of events. The majority of events are free, and ticketed events help to benefit the organization’s programs. Below is a lineup of all of the events throughout the week. You can also download the 2026 festival schedule here.
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Montclair Literary Weekend 2026 Events Lineup
May 2nd
Poetry Cafe
9AM | Mill’s Auditorium, 60 South Fullerton Avenue
The poetry segment of the festival brings together co-hosts Christine Adams and John J. Trause, along with poets Frank Rubino, Barbara O’Dair, Susanna Rich, Alison Ruth, and Josh English, among others connected to Montclair and the wider region. The program features readings followed by a discussion over coffee and bagels, with attendees given time to engage with participating poets and buy their books.
How to Get Published
10AM | First Congressional Church, Guild Room, 40 South Fullerton Avenue
This session features local authors and publishing professionals discussing pathways to publication and industry challenges. Panelists include Judith Lindbergh, Eva Lesko Natiello, and Susan Weinberg, focusing on publishing advice, common pitfalls, and building a writing community.
Separation of Church + Hate
11:15AM | Mill’s Auditorium, 60 South Fullerton Avenue
Comedian and broadcaster John Fugelsang will discuss his book The Separation of Church and Hate in conversation with author and journalist Eric Roston. The talk will explore the intersection of religion and politics, drawing on Fugelsang’s personal background and offering commentary on faith, ideology, and the use of religion in public life.preview
Art Isn’t Easy
11:15AM | Montclair Public Library Auditorium, 50 South Fullerton Avenue
Journalist and author Daniel Okrent will join book critic Alexandra Jacobs for a discussion on the life and legacy of composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. The conversation will explore Sondheim’s early life, mentorship with Oscar Hammerstein II, and his rise as a defining figure in American musical theater, as well as how his personal experiences shaped his work.
AUTHOR TALK: Eugene Robinson’s Freedom Lost, Freedom Won (ticketed)
12:15PM | First Congressional Church, Sanctuary, 40 South Fullerton Avenue
Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Eugene Robinson will discuss his book Freedom Lost, Freedom Won, which traces America’s racial history through his family’s experiences from slavery to the present day, including the era of Black Lives Matter. In conversation with former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, the talk will examine questions of progress and change in the United States. Tickets are $35 and include a copy of the book, with a signing to follow.
Lean on Me
12:30PM | Montclair Public Library Auditorium, 50 South Fullerton Avenue
Author Laurie Lico Albanese will present a discussion of two novels centered on friendship and connection during hard times. Amy Jo Burns’s Wait for Me follows two female folk singers whose intertwined love stories and music shape their lives, while Emily Nemens’s Clutch traces five longtime friends as they navigate major life challenges and shifting relationships.
Joyce Carol Oates
1:45PM | First Congressional Church, Guild Room, 40 South Fullerton Avenue
Six-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Joyce Carol Oates will be in conversation with author and artist Jonathan Santlofer about a collection of psychological suspense works originally published under the name Rosamond Smith. The discussion will explore themes of hidden identities, betrayal, and murder.
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Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame
1:45PM | Montclair Public Library Auditorium, 50 South Fullerton Avenue
Jim Windolf will discuss Where the Music Had to Go, a dual biography examining the relationship between Bob Dylan and the Beatles and their mutual influence during a pivotal era in popular music. In conversation with author Warren Zanes, the discussion will explore themes of camaraderie, rivalry, and artistic evolution that shaped the careers of both musical icons.
Journey Through Time
3PM | Montclair Public Library Auditorium, 50 South Fullerton Avenue
Valerie Wilson Wesley’s book, The Mysterious Death of Junetta Plum follows a jazz age murder mystery set during the Harlem Renaissance, while Morgan Jerkins’s novel Zeal spans over 150 years, tracing interconnected love stories shaped by slavery’s legacy.
AUTHOR TALK: Colm Tóibín The News from Dublin (ticketed)
3PM | First Congressional Church, Sanctuary, 40 South Fullerton Avenue
Colm Tóibín will discuss his new short story collection The News from Dublin, set across Ireland, Spain, and the United States. In conversation with author Garth Risk Hallberg, he will explore themes of war’s aftermath, forbidden love, and everyday life. Tickets are $35 and include a book, with a signing to follow.
Women Under Fire
4:15PM | Montclair Public Library Auditorium, 50 South Fullerton Avenue
Julia Cooke’s book, Starry and Restless highlights journalists Martha Gellhorn, Emily “Mickey” Hahn, and Rebecca West and their impact on twentieth-century war reporting. Loubna Mrie’s book Defiance recounts her experience as a Syrian photojournalist, from Aleppo to exile in New York, reflecting on resistance and authoritarianism.
Eye-Opening Debuts
4:15PM | Mill’s Auditorium, 60 South Fullerton Avenue
Three debut fiction works explore family, identity, and connection. Reena Shah’s Every Happiness spans decades of shifting relationships, Vincent Yu’s Seek Immediate Shelter follows a community during a false missile alert, and Jill Rosenberg’s Now I’m Photogenic and Other Stories I Tell Myself reflects on alienation and connection. This event is moderated by Janis Hubschman.
Tom Perrotta Ghost Town BOOK LAUNCH WEEK (ticketed)
5:30PM | First Congressional Church, Sanctuary, 40 South Fullerton Avenue
Tom Perrotta will discuss his new novel Ghost Town, set in suburban New Jersey during a turbulent summer in the 1970s and centered on a writer reflecting on life-changing events. In conversation with Warren Zanes, the talk is co-presented with Watchung Booksellers. Tickets are $35 and include a book, with a signing to follow.
May 5th
Kathryn Stockett: The Calamity Club with Ann Burt (ticketed)
7PM | Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Sanctuary
Kathryn Stockett will launch The Calamity Club, a novel set in 1933 Oxford, Mississippi, following three women and an unlikely sisterhood formed amid hardship and survival. In conversation with Anne Burt, the discussion will explore themes of resilience, class, and female solidarity in the Depression era. Tickets are $35 and include a signed copy of the book.
May 6th
Adriana Trigiani: The View From Lake Como with Mark Rotella (ticketed)
7PM | Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Sanctuary
Adriana Trigiani will discuss her novel The View from Lake Como, which follows a newly divorced woman who travels from New Jersey to Italy to rebuild her life after a personal loss. In conversation with Mark Rotella, the event will explore themes of self-discovery, family, and starting over, and will be co-presented with the Coccia Institute for the Italian Experience in America. Tickets are $25 and include a paperback copy of the novel.
May 7th
Pitchapalooza with Arielle Eckstut + David Henry Sterry, The Book Doctors
6:30PM | Mill’s Auditorium, 60 South Fullerton Avenue, Montclair
Pitchapalooza is a free, live pitching event where writers are randomly selected to present a one-minute book pitch. Co-founders Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry of The Book Doctors provide real-time feedback on ideas, style, and market potential, while offering insights into the publishing industry. One winner will receive an introduction to a literary agent or publisher. Sign up here.
Live Podcast with Alice Elliott Dark + Dagmara Dominczyk (ticketed)
7PM | Watchung Booksellers, 44 Fairfield Street
Watchung Booksellers will host a live podcast recording featuring authors Alice Elliott Dark and Dagmara Domińczyk in conversation about Elena Ferrante’s The Lost Daughter. The event will also include a toast marking the 10th anniversary of the Montclair Literary Festival. Tickets are $25 and include a copy of the book.
May 9th
Al: Asking the Big Questions: Mark Peres with David Galef
10AM | Montclair State University, University Hall #1030
Montclair State University Professor and author David Galef and author Mark Peres discuss Peres’s novel The Accord, a near-future story that explores human-AI relations and questions of moral responsibility toward artificial intelligence.
Poetry Reading: BJ Ward, Anne E. Wallace, Michael T. Young
11:15AM | Montclair State University, University Hall #1030
Three New Jersey poets will share readings and discuss their work: Ann E. Wallace of Keeping Room) on illness, grief, and urban life, Michael T. Young of Mountain Climbing a River on violence and loss, and BJ Ward of Jackleg Opera on memory and human experience.
Xochitl Gonzalez: Last Night in Brooklyn with Cleyvis Natera (ticketed)
12:30PM | Montclair State University, Student Ballroom Center
Xochitl Gonzalez discusses her novel Last Night in Brooklyn, set in 2007 Fort Greene and centered on a young woman drawn into her neighbor’s hidden past. The story explores class, gentrification, and ambition. The event will be moderated by Cleyvis Natera, author of The Grand Paloma Resort. Tickets are $35 and include a book, with a signing afterwards.
Bon Appétit: Luke Barr, Sylvie Bigar, with Mark Rotella
12:30PM | Montclair State University, University Hall #1010
Mark Rotella introduces a conversation pairing Luke Barr’s The Secret History of French Cooking, about the rise of nouvelle cuisine, with Sylvie Bigar’s memoir Cassoulet Confessions, which follows a personal culinary journey.
Literary Odd Couple: Francine Prose with Kate Tuttle
1:45PM | Montclair State University, University Hall #1010
Francine Prose will discuss Five Weeks in the Country, a novel inspired by the summer 1857 meeting between Charles Dickens and Hans Christian Andersen, imagining their time living together as Dickens’s family life unraveled. In conversation with Kate Tuttle, the talk explores the contrast between the two literary figures and their complex personalities.
Voices of Tomorrow: Readings from High School students with Cleyvis Natera
1:45PM | Montclair State University, Hall #1020
Students from Montclair Kimberley Academy, Glen Ridge High School, Montclair High School, and Nutley High School will present selected works of creative writing, chosen by each school’s review committee. The reading is hosted by Montclair State University professor Mark Rotella and is open to the public.
Thrill Ride: lona Bannister, Tracy Clark, Victor Suthammanot with Laura Sims
1:45PM | Montclair State University, University Hall #1030
Three thriller authors join a moderated discussion on their novels: Ilona Bannister’s Five, about strangers caught in a deadly countdown on a London train platform, Tracy Clark’s Edge, following a Chicago detective investigating a lethal drug outbreak, and Victor Suthammanont’s Hollow Spaces, which centers on siblings reopening a case tied to their father’s alleged corporate crime. The session is moderated by Laura Sims.
Enduring Love: Rachel Eliza Griffiths, Siri Hustvedt, with Benilde Little
3PM | Montclair State University, University Hall #1010
Siri Hustvedt’s Ghost Stories and Rachel Eliza Griffiths’ The Flower Bearers explore love, grief, and lasting relationships. Hustvedt reflects on the loss of her husband, writer Paul Auster, while Griffiths traces intertwined stories of marriage and friendship. The discussion is in conversation with Benilde Little.
Spiraling Toward: Jaquira Díaz, Natalie Guerrero, with Cleyvis Natera
3PM | Montclair State University, University Hall #1030
Novelists Jaquira Díaz and Natalie Guerrero discuss their first novels, which follow complex protagonists navigating grief, identity, and the search for belonging. The conversation explores resilience and self-determination within the communities that shape their lives. This event will be moderated by Cleyvis Natera.
Days of Love and Rage: Anand Gopal with Zain E. Asher
4:15PM | Montclair State University, University Hall #1010
Pulitzer and National Book Award finalist Anand Gopal discusses Days of Love and Rage, an account of six Syrians navigating war and the struggle for democracy. The book connects personal stories of survival and resistance to broader themes of authoritarianism and political upheaval. He will be in conversation with CNN International anchor Zain E. Asher.
Forbidden Desire: Bonnie Friedman, Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, with Alice Elliott Dark
4:15PM | Montclair State University, University Hall #1030
Alice Elliott Dark will moderate a conversation with two novelists exploring the complexities of forbidden desire. Bonnie Friedman’s Don’t Stop follows a married woman whose impulsive kiss leads to an emotional unraveling, while Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s Lake Effect centers on an affair between neighbors that threatens families and reputations.
Maria Semple: Go Gentle (Ticketed)
5:30PM | Montclair State University, Student Center Ballroom
Maria Semple will discuss Go Gentle, a novel about a woman whose carefully ordered life is disrupted after a chance encounter leads to unexpected desire, international intrigue, and personal transformation. In conversation with Marcy Dermansky, the event will explore themes of reinvention, ambition, and midlife change. Tickets cost $35 and include a copy of Go Gentle.
May 11th
Christina Baker Cline: The Foursome with Alice Elliott Dark (Ticketed)
7PM | Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Sanctuary
Christina Baker Kline will discuss her novel The Foursome, a historical reimagining of two North Carolina sisters who marry conjoined twins Eng and Chang Bunker in the 19th century. In conversation with Alice Elliott Dark, the event will explore themes of identity, scandal, and social constraints against the backdrop of a nation approaching the Civil War. Tickets are $35 and include a copy of the book.
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