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“There goes Kevin Young again, giving us books we greatly need, cleverly disguised as books we merely want. Unexpectedly essential.” — Marlon James
Kevin Young, director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and Poetry editor of The New Yorker, joins us for a timely conversation about his latest book, Bunk: The Rise of Hoaxes, Humbug, Plagiarists, Phonies, Post–Facts, and Fake News, which traces a peculiarly American history, woven from stereotype and suspicion, with race as the most insidious hoax of all. From Joice Heth, a black woman whom P.T. Barnum presented as George Washington’s 161–year–old nursemaid, to the made–up memoirs of James Frey, to the identity theft of Rachel Dolezal, Young reveals how forgers and frauds sell us lies. 
Nathan Runkle, author and founder of Mercy for Animals - Animal welfare and factory farming in United States.
Nathan Runkle is an American animal rights advocate. He is the founder and executive director of Mercy For Animals. Since founding Mercy For Animals over a decade ago, Runkle has overseen the organization's growth into a leading national force in the prevention of cruelty to farmed animals and promotion of compassionate food choices and policies.
He is a nationally recognized speaker on animal advocacy, factory farming, and veganism, Runkle has presented at colleges, conferences, and many other forums from coast to coast.
Runkle works closely with MFA's diverse group of members, supporters, and employees to oversee, develop, and fulfill objectives within the organization's four areas of focus: education, legal advocacy, corporate outreach, and undercover investigations.
He has worked alongside elected officials, corporate executives, heads of international organizations, professors, farmers, celebrities, and film producers to pass landmark farmed animal protection legislation, raise public awareness about vegetarianism, and implement animal welfare policy changes.
This new book looks at animal welfare and factory farming in the United States from the leading international force in preventing cruelty to farmed animals and promoting compassionate food choices and policies. Elizabeth Alexander, Tyehimba Jess, Yusef Komunyakaa, Quraysh Ali Lansana, Marilyn Nelson, Sharon Olds, Atsuro Riley, Sapphire, Solmaz Sharif and Patricia Smith get together for an evening of readings to celebrate the centenary of Gwendolyn Brooks — part of a year-long, nationwide tribute to one of America’s most influential poets whose career offers an example of an artist always responsive to the dramatic historical, political and aesthetic changes and challenges she lived through. Co-sponsored by Our Miss Brooks: A Centennial Celebration, the Academy of American Poets, Cave Canem Foundation, the NYU Creative Writing Program, the Poetry Society of America, Poets House and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (NYPL).
Recorded on Monday, November 13 at 92nd Street Y.
