# Event Details - **Event Name**: Lena Khalaf Tuffaha with Gabrielle Bates — 'Something About Living: Poems' - **Event Start and End Date**: Mon, 12 May, 2025 at 07:00 pm - **Event Description**: Tuffaha's poems interweave Palestine’s historic suffering, the challenges of living in this world full of violence and ill will, and the gentle delights we embrace to survive that violence Third Place Books is honored to welcome Lena Khalaf Tuffaha to our Lake Forest Park store for a reading and discussion about Something About Living, winner of the 2024 National Book Award for Poetry. Tuffaha will be joined in conversation by poet Gabrielle Bates, author of Judas Goat. This event is free and open to the public. “Something About Living opens with a single bird and ends in a dazzling meteor shower, and in between lies something of a marvel—an electric and sobering song crackling with possibilities for a homeland fractured and besieged by Empire. Lena Khalaf Tuffaha writes, ‘Love is paying attention,’ and this impressive collection serves as a powerful exemplar of devotion—brilliantly rendered in surprising forms—and profoundly teaches us 'a million ways to love.’” —Judges’ citation, National Book Award for Poetry For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! This event is in partnership with MENA Heritage Month. Join us in coming together with the Middle Eastern & North Africa community to celebrate and share our various cultures, in April 2025 and beyond About Something About Living. . . Winner of the 2024 National Book Award for Poetry Winner of the 2022 Akron Poetry Prize 2025 ALA Notable Book It’s nearly impossible to write poetry that holds the human desire for joy and the insistent agitations of protest at the same time, but Lena Khalaf Tuffaha’s gorgeous and wide-ranging new collection Something About Living does just that. Her poems interweave Palestine’s historic suffering, the challenges of living in this world full of violence and ill will, and the gentle delights we embrace to survive that violence. Khalaf Tuffaha’s elegant poems sing the fractured songs of Diaspora while remaining clear-eyed to the cause of the fracturing: the multinational hubris of colonialism and greed. This collection is her witness to our collective unraveling, vowel by vowel, syllable by syllable. “Let the plural be a return of us” the speaker of “On the Thirtieth Friday We Consider Plurals” says and this plurality is our tenuous humanity and the deep need to hang on to kindness in our communities. In these poems, Khalaf Tuffaha reminds us that love isn’t an idea; it is a radical act. Especially for those who, like this poet, travel through the world vigilantly, but steadfastly remain heart first. —Adrian Matejka, author of Somebody Else Sold the World Praise for Something About Living. . . “Tuffaha’s most recent collection is essential reading. Something About Living should be in every classroom, every library. This is a rallying cry at its most lyrical, most poignant. I can’t say it enough: you need to read this book.” —The Poetry Question “This superb volume sings of those determined to fight for a fairer future.” —Publishers Weekly “Something About Living opens with a single bird and ends in a dazzling meteor shower, and in between lies something of a marvel—an electric and sobering song crackling with possibilities for a homeland fractured and besieged by Empire. Lena Khalaf Tuffaha writes, ‘Love is paying attention,’ and this impressive collection serves as a powerful exemplar of devotion—brilliantly rendered in surprising forms—and profoundly teaches us 'a million ways to love.’” —Judges’ citation, National Book Award for Poetry Lena Khalaf Tuffaha is a poet, essayist, and translator. She is the author of three books of poetry: Something About Living (UAkron, 2024), winner of the 2024 National Book Award and winner of the 2022 Akron Prize for Poetry; Kaan & Her Sisters (Trio House Press, 2023), finalist for the 2024 Firecracker Award and honorable mention for the 2024 Arab American Book Award; and Water & Salt (Red Hen, 2017), winner of the 2018 Washington State Book Award and honorable mention for the 2018 Arab American Award. Her writing has appeared in journals including Los Angeles Review of Books, Michigan Quarterly Review, the Nation, Poets.org, Protean, Prairie Schooner, and many others. Tuffaha’s work has also been anthologized widely, including in The Long Devotion (Georgia Press), We Call to the Eye and the Night (Persea Press), and Gaza Unsilenced (Just World Books). She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature from the University of Washington and an MFA from Pacific Lutheran University’s Rainier Writing Workshop. Tuffaha lives with her family in Redmond, Washington. Gabrielle Bates is the author of the poetry collection Judas Goat (Tin House, 2023), a New York TimesBook Review 'The Shortlist' pick and a Chicago Review of Books 'must-read' book of 2023. Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Bates currently lives in Seattle, where she works for Open Books: A Poem Emporium, co-hosts the podcast The Poet Salon, and teaches occasionally through universities and arts organizations. A Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowship finalist, her work has been featured in the New Yorker, Poem-a-Day, Ploughshares, The Slowdown show, and elsewhere. On Twitter: @GabrielleBates. Want a signed edition of the featured book, but can't make it to the event? Order through our website or over the phone, and write your request for a signature or personalization in the comments field at checkout. Please call the hosting store if you're placing your order within 24 hours of the event. Third Place Books Events Code of Conduct: Third Place Books is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of event attendees and guest authors, during both online and in-store events. By registering for this event, you are agreeing to refrain from engaging in inappropriate behavior and harassment of any kind throughout the course of this event (i.e. racial slurs, profanity, hate speech, spam comments, etc.). Please note that any participants who engage in inappropriate behavior or harassment of any kind will be immediately ejected from the event. For media or access inquiries, please email events@thirdplacebooks.com or call our Lake Forest Park store at (206) 366-3311. - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/lake-forest-park/lena-khalaf-tuffaha-with-gabrielle-bates-—-something-about-living-poems/200028102530401 - **Event Categories**: art, literary-art, workshops, nonprofit - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 3 ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: USD ## Event venue details - **city**: Lake Forest Park - **state**: WA - **country**: United States - **location**: 17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park, WA, United States, Washington 98155 - **lat**: 47.75286 - **long**: -122.2805 - **full address**: 17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park, WA, United States, Washington 98155 ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Lena Khalaf Tuffaha with Gabrielle Bates — 'Something About Living: Poems' - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events1/banners/dda06e1add4718a2048140cd093561a2f47d314c9b92f9f80ada51ab92641ee4-rimg-w1200-h628-dce0e5e8-gmir?v=1746611065 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Lena Khalaf Tuffaha with Gabrielle Bates — 'Something About Living: Poems' being held? - **A:** Lena Khalaf Tuffaha with Gabrielle Bates — 'Something About Living: Poems' takes place on Mon, 12 May, 2025 at 07:00 pm to Mon, 12 May, 2025 at 07:00 pm at 17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park, WA, United States, Washington 98155. - **Q**: Who is organizing Lena Khalaf Tuffaha with Gabrielle Bates — 'Something About Living: Poems'? - **A:** Lena Khalaf Tuffaha with Gabrielle Bates — 'Something About Living: Poems' is organized by Third Place Books Lake Forest Park. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Lena Khalaf Tuffaha with Gabrielle Bates — 'Something About Living: Poems' is ideal for learners, working professionals, and skill-builders looking to gain hands-on knowledge and practical expertise in a focused, interactive setting. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Lake Forest Park, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Lena Khalaf Tuffaha with Gabrielle Bates — 'Something About Living: Poems' sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "Lena Khalaf Tuffaha with Gabrielle Bates — 'Something About Living: Poems'", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events1/banners/dda06e1add4718a2048140cd093561a2f47d314c9b92f9f80ada51ab92641ee4-rimg-w1200-h628-dce0e5e8-gmir?v=1746611065", "startDate": "2025-05-12", "url": "https://allevents.in/lake-forest-park/lena-khalaf-tuffaha-with-gabrielle-bates-—-something-about-living-poems/200028102530401", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park, WA, United States, Washington 98155", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park, WA 98155-4204, United States,Lake Forest Park, Washington", "addressLocality": "Lake Forest Park", "addressRegion": "WA", "addressCountry": "US" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "47.75286", "longitude": "-122.2805" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "Tuffaha's poems interweave Palestine’s historic suffering, the challenges of living in this world full of violence and ill will, and the gentle delights we embrace to survive that violence\n\nThird Place Books is honored to welcome Lena Khalaf Tuffaha to our Lake Forest Park store for a reading and di", "offers": [ { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-04-06", "availabilityEnds": "2025-05-12", "validFrom": "2026-04-06", "lowPrice": "0.00", "highPrice": "0.00", "price": "0.00", "url": "https://allevents.in/lake-forest-park/lena-khalaf-tuffaha-with-gabrielle-bates-—-something-about-living-poems/200028102530401" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-04-06", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-04-06", "url": "https://allevents.in/lake-forest-park/lena-khalaf-tuffaha-with-gabrielle-bates-—-something-about-living-poems/200028102530401", "price": 0, "name": "General Admission" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-04-06", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-04-06", "url": "https://allevents.in/lake-forest-park/lena-khalaf-tuffaha-with-gabrielle-bates-—-something-about-living-poems/200028102530401", "price": 0, "name": "Donate to our Books To Students Fund!" } ], "organizer": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Third Place Books Lake Forest Park", "url": "https://allevents.in/org/third-place-books-lake-forest-park/5774305", "description": "We are a large Indie bookstore, carrying a large selection of new & used books. 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