Midwestern depth, global ambition.
Discover carefully curated public lectures, author talks, debates and intellectual events in Chicago, USA — selected by The Mindful City editorial team.
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Mary Roach · Seminary Co-op Bookstore (Hyde Park) · August 18, 2026
Mary Roach reads from her latest book and explores the strange, laugh-out-loud corners of science writing. A short moderated discussion and book signing will follow the reading.
Rebecca Solnit · Newberry Library — Seminar Room · August 19, 2026
Essayist Rebecca Solnit reads from new work and reflects on storytelling as a tool for civic imagination. The talk will weave personal reflection with investigations into social mo…
Rebecca Solnit · Chicago Public Library — Harold Washington Library Center · August 20, 2026
Writer Rebecca Solnit considers the intersections of geography, social movements, and storytelling in contemporary activist work. The program will include a guided conversation and…
Ta-Nehisi Coates · Seminary Co-op Bookstore · August 20, 2026
Ta-Nehisi Coates presents selections from his forthcoming book and discusses storytelling, race, and American policy. The program includes a moderated conversation and a signing af…
Michelle Alexander · Seminary Co-op Bookstores · August 20, 2026
Legal scholar Michelle Alexander discusses reforms to the criminal justice system and the relationship between incarceration and democratic participation. The event will feature a …
Jill Lepore · Newberry Library · August 20, 2026
Historian Jill Lepore discusses her latest research on urban life and public records in early America. She will consider how archival practices shaped citizens' rights and the form…
Atul Gawande · University of Chicago — Logan Center for the Arts · August 20, 2026
Surgeon and public-health researcher Atul Gawande explores innovations in care delivery and the systemic changes needed to support clinicians and patients. The talk will include ca…
Mary Beard · Newberry Library · August 20, 2026
Classics scholar Mary Beard explores how ancient texts and artifacts continue to shape civic life and public debate in modern cities. The talk will consider new readings of classic…
Jill Lepore · Newberry Library · August 20, 2026
Historian Jill Lepore explores how narrative shapes our understanding of American history and public memory. She will read from her recent work and take audience questions about hi…
Ta-Nehisi Coates · Seminary Co-op Bookstores · August 20, 2026
Ta-Nehisi Coates discusses his latest book and the role of memory in shaping public conversations about race and policy. The event will include a moderated Q&A and a short book sig…
Maria Konnikova · Seminary Co-op Bookstore · August 20, 2026
Psychologist and writer Maria Konnikova explores why people fall for scams and how understanding deception can make us more resilient. Her talk combines storytelling with practical…
Nikole Hannah-Jones · Chicago Public Library — Harold Washington Library Center · August 20, 2026
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones discusses the craft of investigative reporting and the contested histories that inform the present. The program includes a mod…
Roxane Gay · Seminary Co-op Bookstores · August 20, 2026
Roxane Gay reads from her forthcoming essay collection and discusses the craft of personal and cultural critique. She will take audience questions and sign books after the program.
Rebecca Solnit · Seminary Co-op Bookstores · August 20, 2026
Rebecca Solnit reads from her latest book and discusses the intersections of geography, memory, and narrative. The event includes a moderated Q&A and book signing following the rea…
Elizabeth Kolbert · Art Institute of Chicago · August 21, 2026
Pulitzer Prize–winning environmental reporter Elizabeth Kolbert presents recent research on species loss and the human-driven changes reshaping ecosystems. The lecture pairs slides…
Colson Whitehead · Printers Row Lit Fest · August 22, 2026
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead reads from his latest novel and discusses narrative, race, and the craft of reinvention. The session includes a moderated conversatio…
Rebecca Solnit · Newberry Library · August 25, 2026
Essayist and historian Rebecca Solnit reads from her new collection and explores how landscapes shape political imagination. The program includes a short reading followed by a scho…
Elizabeth Kolbert · Chicago Public Library — Sulzer Regional Library · August 25, 2026
Environmental journalist Elizabeth Kolbert talks about humanity's interventions in nature and critical moments that have reshaped ecosystems. The talk will be followed by a communi…
Esther Duflo · University of Chicago - Hutchins Hall · August 28, 2026
Nobel laureate Esther Duflo presents evidence-based approaches to poverty alleviation and what rigorous social science means for urban policy. She will reflect on recent randomized…
Walter Isaacson · Art Institute of Chicago · August 30, 2026
Biographer Walter Isaacson discusses storytelling in the age of rapidly changing technology and profiles of innovators. The talk examines how individual lives shape broader technol…