A Who’s Who of Literature
Since the BABEL series was founded in 2007, we’ve brought authors from around the world—Pulitzer Prize winners, Man Booker recipients and Nobel laureates—including:
2019-2021
N. Scott Momaday
Valeria Luiselli
Marilynne Robinson
Ta-Nehisi Coates
2018–2019
Mohsin Hamid
Jesmyn Ward
Min Jin Lee
George Saunders
2017–2018
Terry Tempest Williams
Toni Morrison
Viet Thanh Nguyen
Junot Díaz
2016–2017
Marlon James
Laila Lalami
Edna O’Brien
Dave Eggers
2015–2016
Claudia Rankine
Dinaw Mengestu
Louise Erdrich
Karl Ove Knausgaard
2014–2015
Colum McCann
David Henry Hwang
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Patti Smith
2013–2014
Richard Blanco
Amy Tan
Suzan-Lori Parks
Abraham Verghese
2012–2013
Russell Banks
Nuruddin Farah
Alexandra Fuller
Julia Alvarez
2011–2012
Amoz Oz
Naomi Shihab Nye
Zadie Smith
Alexander McCall Smith
2010–2011
VS Naipaul
Maxine Hong-Kingston
Edwidge Danticat
Chris Abani
2009–2010
A.S. Byatt
Ha Jin
Azar Nafisi
Salman Rushdie
2008–2009
Chinua Achebe
Michael Ondaatje
Marjane Satrapi
Isabel Allende
2007–2008
Orhan Pamuk
Ariel Dorfman
Derek Walcott
Kiran Desai
BABEL Photos by Bruce Jackson
Check out photographs of our past BABEL series, taken by Bruce Jackson.
Take a look at our complete BABEL archive on the timeline below.
BABEL: Richard Blanco
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
BABEL: Suzan-Lori Parks
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
BABEL: Abraham Verghese
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
BABEL: David Henry Hwang
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
BABEL: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Thursday, March 26, 2015
BABEL & The Big Read
Friday, October 2, 2015The Kick-off Celebration Where: Grant Street Neighborhood Center 271 Grant Street Buffalo, NY 14213 Date: October 2, 2015 Time: 6:00 p.m.
More InfoBABEL: Claudia Rankine
Friday, October 23, 2015
Where:
Kleinhans Symphony Hall
3 Symphony Circle
Buffalo, NY 14201
Date: October 23, 2015
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Patron VIP Reception: 7:00 p.m.
BABEL @ Betty’s
Monday, November 9, 2015
Book Discussion: Dinaw Mengestu’s The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears
Where:
Betty’s Restaurant
370 Virginia Street
Buffalo, NY 14201
Date: November 9, 2015
Time: 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m. | Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
BABEL Community Nights
Wednesday, November 18, 2015Where:
Karpeles Manuscript Library
453 Porter Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14201
Date: November 18, 2015
Time: 6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Presented in conjunction with International Institute of Buffalo, a celebration of Ethiopian culture featuring authentic cuisine, local artists and family-friendly arts and crafts.
BABEL: Dinaw Mengestu
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Where:
Kleinhans Symphony Hall
3 Symphony Circle
Buffalo, NY 14201
Date: November 18, 2015
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Patron VIP Reception: 7:00 p.m.
BABEL @ Betty’s
Monday, February 29, 2016
Book Discussion: Louise Erdrich’s The Round House
Where:
Betty’s Restaurant
370 Virginia Street
Buffalo, NY 14201
Date: February 29, 2016
Time: 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m. | Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
BABEL Community Nights
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Where:
Karpeles Manuscript Library
453 Porter Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14201
Date: March 10, 2016
Time: 6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Cost: Free & $8 food tickets
Presented in conjunction with International Institute of Buffalo, a celebration of Native American culture featuring local artists and family-friendly arts and crafts.
BABEL @ Betty’s
Monday, April 11, 2016
Book Discussion: Karl Ove Knausgaard’s My Struggle, Book One
Where:
Betty’s Restaurant
370 Virginia Street
Buffalo, NY 14201
Date: April 11, 2016
Time: 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m. | Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
BABEL: Karl Ove Knausgård
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Where:
Kleinhans Music Hall
3 Symphony Circle
Buffalo, NY 14201
Date: April 21, 2016
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Patron VIP Reception: 7:00 p.m.
BABEL at Betty’s Led by Faizan Haq
Monday, October 24, 2016Where: Betty’s 730 Virginia St Buffalo, NY 14201 Date: October 24, 2016 Time: 7:00 p.m.
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BABEL@Betty’s: Edna O’Brien
Monday, March 13, 2017Where: Betty’s 370 Virginia St Buffalo, NY 14201 Date: March 13, 2017 Time: 7:00 p.m.
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BABEL@Betty’s: Dave Eggers
Monday, April 3, 2017Where: Betty’s 370 Virginia St Buffalo, NY 14201 Date: April 3, 2017 Time: 7:00 p.m.
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BABEL@Betty’s: Terry Tempest Williams
Monday, October 2, 2017Where: Betty’s Restaurant 370 Virginia St Buffalo, NY 14203 Date: October 2, 2017 Time: 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m. | Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
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BABEL@Betty’s: Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”
Monday, October 30, 2017Where: Betty’s 370 Virginia St Buffalo, NY 142031 Date: October 30, 2017 Time: 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m. | Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
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BABEL@Betty’s led by Lorna Pérez
Monday, April 9, 2018Where: Betty’s Restaurant 370 Virginia St Buffalo, NY 14201 Date: April 9, 2018 Time: 7:00 p.m.
More InfoWhose Stories? A Conversation with Artists of Color
Wednesday, April 11, 2018Where: El Museo 91 Allen St. Buffalo, NY 14202 Date: April 11, 2018 Time: 6-8:00 p.m.
More Info
BABEL@Betty’s
Monday, September 17, 2018Where: Betty’s Restaurant 370 Virginia Street Buffalo, NY 14201 Date: September 17, 2018 Time: 7:00 p.m.
More Info
BABEL@Betty’s
Monday, November 5, 2018Where: Betty’s 370 Virginia St. Buffalo, NY 14201 Date: November 5, 2018 Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
More Info
BABEL: Min Jin Lee
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Where:
Kleinhans Music Hall
3 Symphony Circle
Buffalo, NY 14201
Date: Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Patron VIP Reception: 7:00 p.m.
BABEL: George Saunders
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Where:
Kleinhans Music Hall
3 Symphony Circle
Buffalo, NY 14201
Date: Thursday, April 18, 2019
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Patron VIP Reception: 7:00 p.m.
BABEL at Betty’s led by Pete Hill
Monday, October 7, 2019
Where:
Betty’s Restaurant
370 Virginia St
Buffalo, NY 14201
Date: October 7, 2019
Time: 7:00 p.m.
BABEL: N. Scott Momaday
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Where:
Kleinhans Music Hall
3 Symphony Circle
Buffalo, NY 14201
Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Doors: 7:00 p.m.
Event: 8:00 p.m.
Patron VIP Reception: 7:00 p.m.
BABEL: Valeria Luiselli
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Where:
Kleinhans Music Hall
3 Symphony Circle
Buffalo, NY 14201
Date: Thursday, November 14, 2019
Doors: 7:00 p.m.
Event: 8:00 p.m.
Patron VIP Reception: 7:00 p.m.
Virtual BABEL: Marilynne Robinson Reading Groups (03.10.2021 – 03.31.2021) – SOLD OUT
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Join Stacy Hubbard for four BABEL Virtual Reading Groups covering the works of Marilynne Robinson.
Dates:
Wednesday, February 10, 2021 (Gilead)
Wednesday, February 24, 2021 (Home)
Wednesday, March 10, 2021 (Lila)
Wednesday, March 31, 2021 (Jack) session full
Time: 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m. EST
Location: Virtual (via Zoom)
Prices:
- $10 for single session
- $35 for all 4 sessions More Info
Virtual BABEL: Ta-Nehisi Coates Reading Groups – SOLD OUT (03.16.2021 – 04.13.2021)
Tuesday, March 16, 2021
Join Steven Peraza for three BABEL Virtual Reading Groups covering the works of Ta-Nehisi Coates.
Dates:
Tuesday, March 16, 2021 (Between the World and Me) session full
Tuesday, April 13, 2021 (The Water Dancer) session full
Time: 7:30 p.m.–9:00 p.m. EST
Location: Virtual (via Zoom)
Prices:
- $10 for single session
Limited Availability! Only 20 seats are available for each session, so register today!
Virtual BABEL: Marilynne Robinson (03.18.2021)
Thursday, March 18, 2021
Where: Online (via Crowdcast)
Dates: Thursday, March 18, 2021
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Price: $25
Spring 2020 ticketholders will be able to convert their tickets to virtual tickets at no additional cost.
Virtual BABEL: Ta-Nehisi Coates (04.22.2021)
Thursday, April 22, 2021
Where: Online (via Crowdcast)
Dates: Thursday, April 22, 2021
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Price: $25
Spring 2020 ticketholders will be able to convert their tickets to virtual tickets at no additional cost.