Elizabeth Alexander

discusses

The Light of the World:
A Memoir

Co-sponsored by the Cambridge Public Library and Mass Poetry

with an introduction by FLORENCE LADD

This event is free, but RSVPs are requested

This event includes a book signing

Date

Apr
30
Thursday
April 30, 2015
7:00 PM ET
(Doors at 6:30)

Location

Cambridge Public Library
449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138

Tickets

Free - $5 contribution suggested at registration

Harvard Book Store and the Cambridge Public Library welcome Pulitzer Prize finalist and inaugural poet ELIZABETH ALEXANDER for a reading of her memoir, The Light of the World, featuring an introduction by renowned scholar and writer FLORENCE LADD.

In The Light of the World, Elizabeth Alexander finds herself at an existential crossroads after the sudden death of her husband. Reflecting with gratitude on the exquisite beauty of her married life that was, grappling with the resulting void, and finding solace in caring for her two teenage sons, Alexander channels her poetic sensibilities into a rich, lucid prose that universalizes a very personal quest for meaning and acceptance in the wake of loss.

The Light of the World is both an endlessly compelling memoir and a deeply felt meditation on the blessings of love, family, art, and community. It is also a lyrical celebration of a life well lived and a paean to the priceless gift of human companionship. For those who have loved and lost, or for anyone who cares about what matters most, The Light of the World is required reading.

"This is a beautifully written, heartrendingly candid account of the abrupt loss of her husband by the distinguished poet Elizabeth Alexander. It is a vivid, intensely rendered elegy of a remarkable man--husband, father, artist, chef. Both a memoir and a portrait of a marriage, The Light of the World is, as its title suggests, a bittersweet testament to love and the memory of love, one of the most compelling memoirs of loss that I have ever read." —Joyce Carol Oates 

Elizabeth Alexander
Elizabeth Alexander

Elizabeth Alexander

Elizabeth Alexander is a prize-winning and New York Times bestselling author, renowned American poet, educator, scholar, and cultural advocate. Her memoir, The Light of the World, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Critics Circle Awards. She composed and recited “Praise Song for the Day” for President Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration and is currently president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the nation’s largest funder in the arts, culture, and humanities.

Photo Credit: Djeneba Aduayom

Florence Ladd
Florence Ladd

Florence Ladd

Florence Ladd, writer, psychologist, and social critic, is the director of Radcliffe College's Bunting Institute, renowned as the largest and most unique multidisciplinary center of advanced studies for women scholars, artists, and activists. For many years she has studied gender and social issues, housing and urban development, and conditions that influence the status of black women in the United States and abroad. Ladd served as the associate executive director for Oxfam American prior to joining Radcliffe. She has taught at Simmons College, Robert College, the American College of Girls in Istanbul, and Harvard University's Graduate School of Education and Graduate School of Design. She was associate dean of M.I.T.'s School of Architecture and Planning and later Dean of Students at Wellesley College. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Admission is free but registration is requested. If capacity is reached, priority will go to those who have RSVP’d. RSVPs only guarantee a seat until 5 minutes before the event begins.

Cambridge Public Library
449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138

Unable to attend a Harvard Book Store author event? You can still pre-order a signed book by one of our visiting authors.

While we can't guarantee fulfillment of a signed book pre-order, our authors are almost always able to sign extra books to fulfill such orders.

Ordering a signed book on harvard.com:

  • Add the book to your shopping cart and then click Checkout.
  • Specify in Order Comments that you want a signed copy of the book.
  • Please note: online orders for signed copies must be placed at least one business day before the event. If you are ordering the day of, please call us instead.

Ordering a signed book by phone:

  • Call us at (617) 661-1515 and one of our booksellers will take your order. Specify you'd like a signed copy.
  • If you are requesting a personalized inscription and/or requesting your book be shipped, we'll need to take down credit card information. If you are planning to pick up the signed book in the store, you can pay on pick-up.

FAQ:

Can I request a personalized inscription?
Unless otherwise noted, we are happy to take requests for the author to sign your book to a specific person, but we can't guarantee it. If you do get a personalized inscription, the book will be non-returnable. We will require credit card information when you place the order.

Do signed books cost more?
There is no extra fee for a signed book!

Do I have to pick it up in the store, or can you deliver my signed book?
As with all web or phone orders, we can hold your book for in-store pickup, or ship it anywhere in the country.

I am planning to attend an author event. Do I need to pre-order a book?
No need. We'll be selling books at the event, and nearly all of our events include a signing at the end of the talk.

More questions? Give us a call!

Event Co-Sponsor(s)

Cambridge Public Library: http://www.cambridgema.gov/cpl.aspx

Mass Poetry: http://www.masspoetry.org/

Purchase the Book
Featured event books will be for sale at the event for 20% off. Thank you for supporting this author series with your purchases.
General Info
(617) 661-1515
info@harvard.com

Media Inquiries
mediainquiries@harvard.com

Accessibility Inquiries
access@harvard.com

Classic Totes

Tote bags and pouches
in a variety of styles,
sizes, and designs
, plus mugs, bookmarks, and more!

Learn More »

Shipping & Pickup

We ship anywhere in the U.S. and orders of $75+ ship free via media mail!

Learn More »

Noteworthy Signed Books: Join the Club!

Join our Signed First Edition Club (or give a gift subscription) for a signed book of great literary merit, delivered to you monthly.

Learn More »