11:00 AM | Reception
11:30 AM | Author Program
12:30 PM | Lunch and Book Signing
“Senna’s mastery of writing shines throughout Colored Television. Critical categories insist that farce is a lower form of humor than satire, but that’s just another form of the kind of artificial gate-keeping whose tensions run through Colored Television. Senna’s humor mixes with her deep understanding of cultural foibles and the human heart to produce a novel that is simultaneously a laugh-out-loud cultural comedy and a riveting novel of ideas.” — Los Angeles Times
Danzy Senna’s novel, Colored Television, has received significant acclaim and has been featured on several prestigious lists:
- Los Angeles Public Library’s Best of 2024: Fiction & Literature: Selected by LAPL staff as one of the year’s best books.
- The New York Times Notable Books of 2024: Recognized as one of the year’s standout publications.
- The Washington Post’s Top 10 Books of the Year: Included among the top selections for 2024.
- TIME’s 100 Must-Read Books of 2024: Featured as a recommended read.
- New York Post’s 30 Best Books of 2024: Highlighted as a notable work.
Additionally, Colored Television was chosen as a Good Morning America Book Club Pick for September 2024, further underscoring its impact and popularity.
Our Guest Writer and Interlocutor:
Danzy Senna
Danzy Senna is the internationally bestselling author of four novels, including Caucasia, Symptomatic, and New People, as well as a memoir, Where Did You Sleep Last Night?, and a story collection, You Are Free. Caucasia, her debut novel, made her one of today’s most respected literary voices, challenging cultural norms around race, class, and gender. The novel won the Stephen Crane Award for Best New Fiction and the American Library Association’s Alex Award, and has been translated into over a dozen languages. Senna’s work has earned numerous awards, including a Whiting Writers Award. She teaches writing at the University of Southern California.
Jessica Strand
Jessica Strand is the Senior Director of Programming and Strategic Engagement at the Library Foundation of Los Angeles. Previously, she has worked in programming for the Alexandria House, The Strand Bookstore, and The New York Public Library. Most recently, she founded the cultural initiative, “Dear America.” Strand has contributed to many publications including the Los Angeles Times, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, and more. She is an editor and an author of over a dozen cookbooks and literary anthologies.
