Jamel Brinkley to read with Princeton creative writing seniors

Award-winning author Jamel Brinkley will read from his work alongside several creative writing seniors at Princeton University, offering a platform for emerging talent within the C.K. Williams Reading Series.

Brinkley's Acclaimed Literary Works

Brinkley, a recipient of the Maya Angelou Book Award and a Guggenheim Fellowship, brings a distinguished literary background to the series. His 2023 collection, Witness: Stories , secured the Maya Angelou Book Award and was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award. His earlier work, A Lucky Man: Stories (2018), garnered a PEN Oakland Award and the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence, in addition to being a National Book Award finalist.

Extensive Publication History

Brinkley's writing has appeared in numerous literary journals, including The Paris Review , The Yale Review , and The Threepenny Review . His short stories have been anthologized three times in The Best American Short Stories . He has also held fellowships at the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing and Stanford University.

Event Details and Accessibility

The reading is free and open to the public, requiring no tickets for admission. It will take place at Labyrinth Books, located at 122 Nassau Street in Princeton. The venue is accessible, and guests needing accommodations can contact the Lewis Center for the Arts at 609-258-5262 or via email at LewisCenter@princeton.edu at least one week prior to the event.

Cosponsorship and Book Availability

The Lewis Center for the Arts and Labyrinth Books are cosponsoring the event. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase Brinkley's books and have them signed by the author.

Fostering Emerging Writers

The C.K. Williams Reading Series provides a platform for senior thesis students in the Program in Creative Writing to present their work. This structure allows emerging writers to share their prose alongside accomplished authors like Brinkley, who teaches at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.

Literary Community Engagement

This event underscores Princeton's commitment to fostering literary talent and engaging the wider community. The inclusion of both established and student writers creates a dynamic environment for literary exchange and mentorship, reinforcing the university's role in contemporary literature.