December 7, 7 pm: Born in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, Chef Vishwesh Bhatt has made his home in Oxford, Mississippi, for two decades. There he is executive chef at the famous Snackbar restaurant, where his cooking has won him honors such as Best Chef: South (2019 James Beard Awards) and induction into the Fellowship of Southern Farmers, Artisans, and Chefs. In his new cookbook, I Am From Here: Stories and Recipes from a Southern Chef, Bhatt writes about his favorite recipes, highlighting seasonal ingredients that are as popular in India as they are in the South: summer okra, tomatoes, corn, and peas; winter sweet potatoes and varied greens. I’m looking forward to reading this book, since I love fusion recipes that bring new innovation and flavor to the local favorites I grew up on. (If you like this one—and especially if you like Korean food—check out Louisville chef Edward Lee’s books Smoke & Pickles and Buttermilk Graffiti too.) Free event at Joseph-Beth in Lexington Green.
December 8, 7 pm: Business leader Matthew Barzun served as US ambassador to the United Kingdom during the Obama administration; he’s now owner and publisher of Louisville Magazine. Now, in an event presented by Carmichael’s Bookstore, Barzun will be in conversation with Louisville mayor Greg Fischer to share his new book, The Power of Giving Away Power: How the Best Leaders Learn to Let Go. From the event page: “A few rare leaders have learned to embrace a new organizational shape and mindset: Constellations. Organizations designed as constellations are dynamic and flexible networks of distinct yet interwoven individuals. Each member of the team feels like a singular star and is also connected to others to form something greater. That is how Visa reimagined how we pay for things, how Wikipedia beat the richest company in the world, and how Barack Obama and his grassroots team revolutionized political campaigning. These leaders did what most leaders dread: they gave away power.” This event at Carmichael’s on York Street in Louisville is free and open to the public; registration is requested.
December 17, 2 pm: Ohio author Tricia Springstubb has written many great books for young readers, including The Most Perfect Thing in the Universe, What Happened on Fox Street, and Every Single Second, which received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews. At this virtual event courtesy of Joseph-Beth, she’ll present her new book, Looking for True. The novel tells the story of eleven-year-olds Gladys and Jude, who begin as polar opposites but who bond over a plan to rescue a mistreated neighborhood dog. Springstubb will be in conversation at this event with Jennifer Ziegler, author of books for middle-graders including How Not to Be Popular and the hilariously named Revenge of the Flower Girls. Please RSVP for this event (again, it's virtual only).
December 28, 7 pm: Did you know there is a Dog Writers Association of America? I didn’t until I read that Kentucky writer Laurien Berenson, also an Agatha and Macavity Awards nominee, is a four-time recipient of their Maxwell Award. And no wonder, because she’s the author of the popular Melanie Travis series, whose heroine solves crimes with the help of her husband, Sam, and their two pedigreed poodles. The latest in the series, Killer Cupid, tells the story of a romantic Valentine’s weekend trip to the Berkshires that’s derailed by a murder—and soon, Melanie is on the case. The author will appear at Joseph-Beth in Lexington at this free event. RSVPs are requested but not required.
December 28, 7 pm: Poet Courtney Faye Taylor, winner of several distinguished poetry prizes including the 2021 Cave Canem Poetry Prize, has been published in Poetry, The Nation, and Best New Poets 2020. She will present her debut collection, Concentrate, at Joseph-Beth Cincinnati at this free event.Concentrate recounts and expands on the true story of Latasha Harlins, a fifteen-year-old Black girl killed by a Korean shop owner, Soon Ja Du, after being falsely accused of shoplifting a bottle of orange juice. The resulting trial, which resulted in no prison time for Du, was another catalyst, along with the better-known Rodney King beating, for the 1992 Los Angeles uprising. Taylor uses a variety of poetic techniques, including found texts and visual poems, to explore how Black women navigate society and how they can—and must—join together and refuse to be abused, dismissed, or unseen.