Highlights from LitFest

Check out these highlights from masterclasses offered by poet Tommye Blount, and novelists Charles Yu and Edward Farmer ’05 during LItFest 2021.

Emily Dickinson’s Amherst College

Portrait of Abby Wood Bliss and Daniel Bliss from Amherst College Archives

LitFest 2021

In partnership with Amherst College’s LitFest, join Museum staff for a talk about the impact of the College on the life of poet Emily Dickinson.

Watch the Video

NBA Poetry Award Winner: Tommye Blount

Saturday, February 26

A Conversation with 2020 National Book Award Winner for Poetry Tommye Blount. Host: John Hennessy (58:17)

Readings by The Common's Literary Publishing Interns:

Saturday, February 27

Amherst Students Share Their Own Creative Work. Host: Jennifer Acker ’00. Readings by Olive Amdur '23, Sofia Belimova '22, Eliza Brewer '22, Whitney Bruno '21, Elly Hong ’21 and Isabel Meyers ’20. (25:05)

The Poet’s Prose: Rereading Joseph Brodsky’s Essays Today

Sunday, February 28

Hosts: Professors Polina Barskova and Catherine Ciepiela ’83, in conversation with Christopher Benfey, Sven Birkerts and Jonathan Galassi. (58:56)

Pulitzer Prize Winner Anne Applebaum

Sunday, February 28

A Conversation with Pulitzer Prize Winner Anne Applebaum. Host: Cullen Murphy ’74 H’19 (1:00:35)

Jason Nuñez ’24 read Tommye Blount

Jason Nuñez ’24 reads Tommye Blount's poem “Fantasia for the Man in Blue.”

Ayo Lewis ’21 reads Megha Majumdar.

Ayo Lewis ’21 reads from "A Burning" by 2020 NBA fiction nominee Megha Majumdar.

Olive Amdur ’23 reads Charles Yu

Olive Amdur ’23 reads an excerpt from Charle Yu's novel, “Interior Chinatown.”

Elly Hong ’21 reads Anne Applebaum

Elly Hong ’21 reads an excerpt from "Twilight of Democracy," the latest book by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Anne Applebaum.