| Associate professor of English at the University of Pittsburgh (as well as City of Asylum friend and fan favorite) Angie Cruz, visits us on launch day for her fourth novel How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water. Inspired by a woman on a subway platform in NYC in 2017, Angie Cruz created the character Cara Romero who has been described as irresistible, tender, empowering, and according to Cristina Garcia, author of Dreaming in Cuban, "should have her own talk show!" Don't miss learning more about this character and new book from the equally poignant Cruz. Moderated by Cleyvis Natera, author of Neruda on the Park, an anticipated book of 2022 by TIME, the Today Show, Good Morning America's Zibby Owens, ELLE, Ms Magazine, Bustle, Goodreads, Book Riot, Entertainment Weekly, The Millions, Electric Literature, Lit Hub and The Rumpus.
About your visit: The in-house restaurant 40 North will be closed but a cash bar will be available. | |  About the novel: Cara Romero thought she would work at the factory of little lamps for the rest of her life. But when, in her mid-50s, she loses her job in the Great Recession, she is forced back into the job market for the first time in decades. Set up with a job counselor, Cara uses sessions to narrate the story of her life. Over the course of twelve sessions, Cara recounts her relationships and friendships, her struggles with debt, gentrification and loss, and, eventually, what really happened with her estranged son. As Cara confronts her darkest secrets and regrets, we see a woman buffeted by life but still full of fight. This is an indelible new novel about a woman who has lost everything but the chance to finally tell her story. | | 
"With wit and warmth, author Cruz explores Cara's [life]. The potency of Cara's first-person voice as she speaks to the job counselor is undeniable…A poignant portrait of one fallible, wise woman and a corner of one of New York's most vibrant immigrant communities."
—Kirkus Reviews | | | - Proof of vaccination will no longer be required.
- Use of masks during programs will be encouraged but optional if the COVID-19 community level is low or medium in Allegheny County, as determined by the CDC.
- Use of masks will be mandatory if the COVID-19 community level is high in Allegheny County.
| | |  Angie Cruz is a novelist and editor. Her novel, Dominicana, was the inaugural book pick for Good Morning America book club and chosen as the 2019/2020 Wordup Uptown Reads. It was shortlisted for The Women's Prize, longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction, The Aspen Words Literary Prize, a RUSA Notable book and the winner of the ALA/YALSA Alex Award in fiction. It was named most anticipated/ best book in 2019 by Time, Newsweek, People, Oprah Magazine, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Esquire. She's published shorter works in The Paris Review, VQR, Callaloo, Gulf Coast and other journals. She's the founder and Editor-in-chief of the award winning literary journal, Aster(ix) and is currently an Associate Professor at University of Pittsburgh. She divides her time between Pittsburgh, New York, and Turin. | |  The Pittsburgh International Literary Festival (LitFest '22) is a 10-day festival (starting on Saturday, September 10) that considers themes of identity and marginalization with an emphasis on literature in translation. City of Asylum is committed to producing literary programs that encourage cross-cultural exchange and this festival continues that work and the work to protect and celebrate freedom of creative expression. This literary month features a diverse array of writers and artists from 15 countries and speaking more than 11 languages. It is a true hybrid festival, with programs connecting audiences and artists in Pittsburgh and around the world, both in person at Alphabet City and online. | | | LitFest '22 is made possible by the generous support from the Allegheny Health Network, Allegheny Regional Asset District, FISA Foundation, First National Bank, Juliet Lea Hillman Simonds Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, Opportunity Fund, PA Humanities, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh, The Fine Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, The Pittsburgh Foundation, Staunton Farm Foundation, and UPMC Health Plan. | | | | | | | | |
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