# Event Details - **Event Name**: Namwali Serpell at the Cambridge Public Library - **Event Start and End Date**: Mon, 16 Feb, 2026 at 06:00 pm – Mon, 16 Feb, 2026 at 07:00 pm - **Event Description**: presenting On Morrison in conversation with Tracy K. SmithAbout this EventHarvard Book Store and the Cambridge Public Library welcome Namwali Serpell—professor of English at Harvard University and acclaimed author of The Old Drift and The Furrows—for a discussion of her highly anticipated new book, On Morrison, an extraordinary assessment of Toi Morrison. She will be joined in conversation by Tracy K. Smith—the Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard University, former Poet Laureate of the United States, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the poetry collection Life on Mars.TicketingRSVP for free to this event or choose the "Book-Included" ticket to reserve a copy of On Morrison and pick it up at the event. Namwali Serpell will sign copies of her book after the presentation.Note: Books bundled with tickets may only be picked up at the venue the night of the event, and cannot be picked up in-store beforehand. Ticket holders who purchased a book-included ticket and are unable to attend the event will be able to pick up their book at Harvard Book Store up to 30 days following the event. This offer expires after 30 days. Please note we cannot guarantee signed copies will be available to ticket holders who do not attend the event.About On MorrisonAn illuminating, electrifying exploration of the work of Toni Morrison by an award-winning novelist and Harvard professor.Toni Morrison, Nobel Laureate and one of our most beloved writers, has inspired generations of readers. But her artistic genius is often overshadowed by her monumental public persona, perhaps because, as Namwali Serpell puts it, “she is our only truly canonical black, female writer—and her work is highly complex.” In On Morrison, Serpell brings her unique experience as both an award-winning writer and professor who teaches a course on Morrison to illuminate her masterful experiments with literary form.This is Morrison as you’ve never encountered her before, a journey through her oeuvre—her fiction and criticism, as well as her lesser-known dramatic works and poetry—with contextual guidance and original close readings. At once accessible and uncompromisingly rigorous, On Morrison is a primer not only on how to read one of the most significant American authors of all time, but also on how to read great works of literature in general. This dialogue on the page between two black women artist-readers is stylish, edifying, and thrilling in its scope and intelligence.BiosNamwali Serpell was born in Lusaka and lives in New York. Her debut novel, The Old Drift, won an Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Science Fiction, and the Los Angeles Times’s Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction. Her second novel, The Furrows, was a finalist for a National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction and was selected as one of The New York Times Ten Best Books of the Year. Her book of essays, Stranger Faces, was a finalist for a National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism. She is a recipient of the Windham-Campbell Prize for Fiction, the Caine Prize for African Writing, and a Rona Jaffe Foundation Award. She is a professor of English at Harvard University.Tracy K. Smith is the Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard University. She served as the 22nd Poet Laureate of the United States and is the author of five poetry collections, including the Pulitzer Prize–winning Life on Mars.Masking PolicyMasks are encouraged but not required for this event.Masking PolicyMasks are encouraged but not required for this event.Co-SponsorThe Cambridge Public Library serves as a doorway to opportunity, self-development, and recreation for all its residents, and as a forum where they may share ideas, cultures, and resources among themselves and with people around the globe. Learn more at cambridgema.gov/cpl. - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/cambridge/namwali-serpell-at-the-cambridge-public-library/100001978178508169 - **Event Categories**: art, literary-art, business, workshops, performances, theatre, entertainment - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 36.69, currency: USD ## Event venue details - **city**: Cambridge - **state**: MA - **country**: United States - **location**: Cambridge Public Library - **lat**: 42.373721 - **long**: -71.11094800000001 - **full address**: Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, United States ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Namwali Serpell at the Cambridge Public Library - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/ea7b9e446f3e8beefb0e88a68ae1cf4c9794a91ec253dff4b8898d1fc6fdf238-rimg-w1200-h600-dc16191b-gmir.jpg?v=1766086272 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Namwali Serpell at the Cambridge Public Library being held? - **A:** Namwali Serpell at the Cambridge Public Library takes place on Mon, 16 Feb, 2026 at 06:00 pm to Mon, 16 Feb, 2026 at 07:00 pm at Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, United States. - **Q**: How much do tickets cost for Namwali Serpell at the Cambridge Public Library? - **A:** Tickets for Namwali Serpell at the Cambridge Public Library are priced at USD 37 per person. Here's a full breakdown of available ticket types:Ticket TypePriceAvailabilityFree RSVP Ticket (admission only)FreeAvailableBook-included TicketUSD 37 + USD 3 feeAvailable - **Q**: Who is organizing Namwali Serpell at the Cambridge Public Library? - **A:** Namwali Serpell at the Cambridge Public Library is organized by Harvard Book Store. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Namwali Serpell at the Cambridge Public Library is ideal for art lovers, collectors, creatives, and anyone inspired by visual arts, installations, and exhibitions. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Cambridge, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. 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We are known for our award-winning author event series and extraordinary selection of books. Browse our complete upcomingauthor events calendarat harvard.com, and check out our upcoming ticketed events here on Eventbrite. Be sure to sign up for ourweekly e-mail newsletterfor updates on readings, signings, sales, and featured books.Refund Policy:Please note that event ticket purchases are non-refundable and non-returnable.General Info: (617) 661-1515 |info@harvard.comEvent Accessibility Inquiries:access@harvard.com" } ] } ] ```