Speaking / Engagements

Baltimore County, Maryland

March 17, 2021, online presentation, from 7 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.

Discussion of Separate with the History Book Group of Baltimore County.

Ann Arbor/Detroit/Lansing, Michigan

March 31, 2021, online presentation, noon EST

Discussion of Steve’s first book, Annie’s Ghosts, selected by news outlet Bridge Michigan (bridgemi.com) for its monthly Book Club. Annie’s Ghosts takes place in Michigan. It was chosen as the 2013-2014 Great Michigan Read, and as a 2010 Michigan Notable Book.

Registration details here.

Separate

Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Live event via Zoom, sponsored by four organizations: the Ambassador Club International, the Association of Black Ambassadors, Black Professionals in International Affairs, and DACOR.

Panel discussion on “The Dissenter: Justice John Marshall Harlan,” with Theodore Shaw, University of North Carolina law professor and director of the law school’s Center for Civil Rights, moderated by Michael Krenn, professor of history at Appalachian State University.

Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Live event via Zoom, hosted by Cosmos Club of Washington.
A discussion of Separate, focusing on the Supreme Court.

Thursday, February 18, 2021
Live event via Zoom, hosted by the Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans, La.
Steve discussed Separate through the lens of Homer Plessy and the New Orleans Citizens Committee, which engineered the Plessy test case to challenge Louisiana’s 1890 Separate Car Act, which mandated separation of white and black passengers on railroads operating in the state.

Tuesday, February 16, 2021
Live event via Zoom, hosted by Northern Kentucky University and the Southgate Street School, sponsored by several other organizations in Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio

As part of the Six@Six speaker series, Steve gave a talk that focused on Supreme Court Justice John Marshall Harlan, his Kentucky roots and his evolution from supporting slavery to advocating for equal rights through his dissents, including his stirring objections to the majority’s ruling in the 1896 Plessy case.

Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Live event via Zoom, hosted by the American College of Trial Lawyers, in collaboration with the Supreme Court Historical Society

Steve’s presentation was followed by a panel discussion with two other presenters, former solicitor general Seth Waxman and Washington lawyer Carter Phillips.

Saturday, September 12, 2020
Live event via Zoom, hosted by the Montclair Literary Festival, Montclair, NJ

Steve and Rutgers professor Melissa Cooper participated in a discussion of their books, moderated by author and writer Dionne Ford.

Monday, May 18, 2020
Live event via Zoom, hosted by the National Constitution Center, Philadelphia

On the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Plessy ruling, Steve joined Risa Goluboff, dean of the University of Virginia’s law school, and Ted Shaw, law professor at the University of North Carolina, for an online discussion moderated by the Center’s president, Jeffrey Rosen.

Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Pikesville, MD

A Speakers’ Series at the local branch of the Baltimore County Public Library, sponsored by the Friends of the Pikesville Library.

Tuesday, February 11, 2020
Katonah, NY

At the John Jay Homestead, Steve was a guest speaker for 2020 Scholars Lecture Series. John Jay was the first Chief Justice of the United States, serving from 1789-1795.

Thursday, February 6, 2020
Traverse City, MI

At the National Writers Series, Dan Wanschura of Interlochen Public Radio interviewed Steve about Separate at the Traverse City Opera House.

Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Washington, DC

Steve led a discussion of Separate at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, held at American University.

Thursday, January 23, 2020
Grand Rapids, MI

As part of Grand Valley State University’s week-long series of events surrounding Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, Steve gave a keynote address at Loosemore Auditorium. Sponsored by the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies and the University’s Division for Inclusion and Equity. Click here to listen.

Saturday, November 23, 2019
Miami, FL

Steve spoke at the Miami Book Fair.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Baltimore, MD
A lunch-time talk at the Hamilton Street Women’s Club.

Sunday, November 17, 2019
Baltimore, MD
Steve’s talk was the final event for the Jewish Festival of Literature.

Saturday, November 16, 2019
Lexington, KY
At the Kentucky Book Festival, Steve was interviewed by Dr. Melynda Price,  director of the Gaines Center for the Humanities and professor of law, both at the University of Kentucky.

Friday, November 15, 2019
Louisville, KY
The renowned Filson Historical Society hosted Steve as part of its popular speakers’ series.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Corte Madera, CA
An evening talk and Q&A at the popular Book Passage bookstore.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019
San Francisco, CA
The Commonwealth Club, a premier venue for authors and ideas, hosted Steve for an evening discussion.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Ann Arbor, MI
The Ann Arbor District Library hosted Steve for an evening talk.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Livonia, MI
Steve spoke at Schoolcraft College’s Meet the Author noontime series, hosted by the Pageturners Book Club and made possible by a grant from the Michigan Humanities Council.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Detroit, MI
The Detroit Public Library hosted Steve for a talk sponsored by the University of Detroit Mercy Law School and moderated by U.S. Judge Denise Page Hood, the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Monday, November 4, 2019
Troy, MI
The Troy Public Library featured Steve as part of its speakers series.

Monday, November 4, 2019
Ann Arbor, MI
At the University of Michigan, a lunch-time talk sponsored by the History Club, the Department of History, and the Department of American Culture.

Friday/Saturday, November 1-2, 2019
Baton Rouge, LA
At the Louisiana Book Festival, Steve’s session took place in the House of Representatives chamber of the State Capitol. It was a fitting venue for a talk about his book, which centers on a law passed by the Louisiana legislature in 1890. Steve also led a seminar on writing as part of the Festival’s WordShop program.

Thursday, October 31, 2019
New Orleans, LA
At Tulane University, Steve spoke to students in the Law and U.S. History course taught by Professors Walter Isaacson and Blakeslee Gilpin.

Friday/Saturday, October 11-12, 2019
Nashville, TN
Steve participated in two sessions at the Southern Festival of Books, held at the Nashville Public Library.

Monday, October 7, 2019
Middletown, CT
At R.J. Julia’s Wesleyan Bookstore, owner Roxane Coady interviewed Steve. It was recorded for her “Just the Right Book” podcast on LitHub. Click here to listen.

Sunday, October 6, 2019
Stockbridge, MA

The Stockbridge Museum and Library featured Steve as part of its author series.

Sunday, October 6, 2019
Norfolk, CT

Earlier that day, at the second annual Haystack Book Talks, Roxanne Coady interviewed Steve.

Friday, October 4, 2019
Manchester, VT

Northshire Books hosted Steve as part of its author series.

Friday, September 13, 2019
Dallas, TX
Interabang Books hosted Steve as part of its author series.

Thursday, September 12, 2019
Fort Worth, TX
A talk to the Tarrant County Bar Association.

Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Louisville, KY
Steve spoke at the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law, which holds one of two major collections of Justice John Marshall Harlan’s papers. Important research for Separate came from that collection. The talk was sponsored by the law school’s diversity committee, the Black Law Student Association, and the Central High School Law & Government Magnet program.

Saturday, September 7, 2019
Frankfort, KY
The Kentucky Historical Society’s “Food for Thought” luncheon series.

Saturday, August 31, 2019
Washington, DC
At the National Book Festival, Steve joined fellow authors Prof. Henry Louis Gates Jr. and U.S. Judge Richard Gergel for an evening panel, “Race in America,” moderated by NPR’s Eric Deggans. The session was taped by C-SPAN’s Book TV. Click here to watch.

Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Washington, DC
Women’s National Democratic Club, luncheon speakers series

Friday, June 7, 2019
Washington, DC
DACOR Bacon House, luncheon speakers series for foreign service professionals

Sunday, June 2, 2019
Manassas, Virginia
Manassas Museum speakers’ series

Wednesday, June 5, 2019
Baltimore, Maryland
14 W. Hamilton Street Club

Thursday, May 16, 2019
Baltimore, Maryland
Annual lunch, Brandeis University National Committee, Baltimore Chapter

Thursday, May 9, 2019
Annapolis, Maryland
The 7.07 dinner group

Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Washington, D.C.
Tenley-Friendship Public Library

Thursday, May 2, 2019
Baltimore, Maryland
Be the Change meeting

Saturday, April 27, 2019
Washington, D.C.
First annual Antiracist Book Festival, at American University. In conversation with bestselling author and Georgetown professor Michael Eric Dyson, moderated by American University’s law school dean, Camille Nelson.

Thursday, April 25, 2019
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Dickinson College

Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Midtown Scholar Bookstore Authors’ Series. In conversation with book reviewer and critic Harvey Freedenberg.

Saturday, April 6, 2019
San Antonio, Texas
The 7th annual San Antonio Book Festival. In conversation with Helen Thorpe, author of The Newcomers. Moderated by Abi Wright, of the Columbia Journalism School, which co-administers the J. Anthony Lukas Prizes. Both Helen and Steve are Lukas honorees.

Sunday, March 24, 2019
Charlottesville, Virginia
The 16th annual brunch of the Charlottesville chapter of Links Inc., celebrating the African-American literary tradition at the Virginia Festival of the Book.

Saturday, March 23, 2019
Charlottesville, Virginia
The 25th annual Virginia Festival of the Book. In conversation with U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel, author of Unexampled Courage. Moderated by Risa Goluboff, dean of the University of Virginia Law School.

Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Washington, DC
Gonzaga High School

Tuesday, February 26, 2019
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans Public Library, co-sponsored by Octavia Books. In conversation with Susan Larson, host of WWNO-FM’s “The Reading Life,” and Greg Osborn, of the New Orleans Public Library’s research staff

Monday, February 25, 2019
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta History Center

Thursday, February 21, 2019
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Free Library

Wednesday, February 20, 2019
New York, New York
Columbia Journalism School, in conversation with Jelani Cobb, journalism professor and New Yorker staff writer

Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn Historical Society

Monday, February 18, 2019
Boston, Massachusetts
Presidents’ Day talk and Q&A at the Massachusetts Historical Society

Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Baltimore, MD
In conversation with Robert Bell, former chief judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals. Co-sponsored by the Enoch Pratt Free Library and the Open Society Institute of Baltimore, and the Church of the Redeemer. More than 600 attended.

Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Washington, DC
Launch event for Separate at Washington’s premier independent bookstore, Politics & Prose.

 

Annie’s Ghosts

Sunday, October 26, 2014
St. Louis, Missouri
Steve presented one of the keynote talks at the 19th annual conference of the Association of Personal Historians.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Troy, Michigan
Steve spoke as one of three main presenters at the annual Diversity Conference sponsored by Beaumont Health Systems. Annie’s Ghosts was the “One Book, One Beaumont” choice for 2014.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Troy, Michigan
At the Troy Community Center, an overflow crowd of more than 220 heard Steve speak at an event sponsored by the Troy Public Library.

Monday, October 20, 2014
Oakland Community College
Auburn Hills, Michigan
To supplement the book’s selection as the primary text for a college-wide English course on OCC’s five campuses, Steve spoke at the Auburn Hills campus and then led a classroom discussion for creative writing students.

Thursday, October 9, 2014
Sturgis, Michigan
Steve spoke at the Sturges-Young Auditorium in Sturgis. Annie’s Ghosts is this year’s “One Book/One County” selection for St. Joseph County.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Steve delivered the keynote address at the 2014 Recipient Rights conference, at the Amway Grand Hotel.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Lawrence, Michigan
As part of Van Buren County’s “One Book/One County” program, Steve spoke at the Van Buren Conference Center in Lawrence.

Monday, October 6, 2014
Scottville, Michigan

West Shore Community College picked Annie’s Ghosts as its Book of the Semester, and organized discussions and activities to highlight the book’s themes. Steve visited the campus for classroom discussions and a general talk.

Monday, October 6, 2014
Ludington, Michigan
Steve spoke at the Ludington Public Library.

Thursday, July 3, 2014 (via Skype)
Grand Ledge, Michigan
Steve spoke and answered questions, via Skype, as part of the Grand Ledge (Mich.) District Library’s annual “Author in the Garden Room” series.

Friday, May 23, 2014
Beulah, Michigan
Kickoff speaker for the Darcy Library’s annual “Off the Page” author series.

Thursday, May 22, 2014
Ferndale, Michigan

The gala evening finale for the Great Michigan Read, co-hosted by the Ferndale Library as part of its Ferndale Reads (One Book/One Community) program. Held at the Rust Belt Market. Steve would like to give a special thanks to the Michigan Humanities Council and its staff for their support and hard work in putting together the Great Michigan Read author tour. During the past nine months, Steve’s appearances at two dozen events drew more than 3,000 readers and started a statewide conversation about the book’s themes. Thousands more came to book club discussions throughout the state, as well as to events featuring speakers other than Steve.

Thursday, May 22, 2014
Westland, Michigan

Great Michigan Read morning event at Westland Library, near the hospital where Steve’s secret aunt, Annie, spent 31 years.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Farmington Hills, Michigan

A moderated conversation, at the Holocaust Memorial Center, with Steve and Dana Nemeth, director of the Wood County (Ohio) Historical Museum and Center. Co-sponsored by the Great Michigan Read.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014
West Bloomfield, Michigan
A special “Lunch and Learn” event, jointly sponsored by the Jewish Family Service of Metropolitan Detroit and the Great Michigan Read.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Belding, Michigan
An evening presentation co-sponsored by the Ionia County Community Mental Health agency, the Belding Memorial Library and the Great Michigan Read.

Thursday, April 10, 2014
St. Joseph, Michigan
St. Joseph High School
A One Book/One Community event, sponsored by the Maud Preston Palenske Library of St. Joseph with a grant from the Michigan Humanities Council and the Great Michigan Read.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Spring Lake, Michigan

Spring Lake District Library
Great Michigan Read event, sponsored by the Library.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Traverse City, Michigan

Traverse Area District Library
Great Michigan Read event, in collaboration with the Northern Lakes Community Mental Health Authority and the Library.

Tuesday, April 9, 2014
Traverse City, Michigan

Front Street Writers
Steve led a discussion at Front Street Writers, a program that aims to support local high school students and their writing. Proceeds from the National Writers Series events helps to fund Front Street Writers. Doug Stanton, a Traverse City native and bestselling author, is the founder of both the Writers Series and Front Street Writers.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Traverse City, Michigan

The National Writers Series
City Opera House
This event, jointly sponsored by the Great Michigan Read, featured Steve in conversation with Mardi Jo Link, whose latest book is Bootstrapper: From Broke to Badass on a Northern Michigan Farm. Mardi lives in Traverse City.

Monday, April 7, 2014
Gaylord, Michigan

Otsego County Library
The library chose Annie’s Ghosts as its Community Read for this year.

Monday, April 7, 2014
Interlochen, Michigan

Interlochen Center for the Arts
Steve taught a master class on narrative nonfiction to high school students majoring in writing at the Interlochen school.

Thursday, January 30, 2014
Livonia, Michigan

Schoolcraft College
A talk sponsored by the college’s Pageturners Book Club. Earlier in the day, Steve did a guest lecture/workshop with history and English students.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Saginaw, Michigan
Great Michigan Read event at Swan Valley High School, featuring student interviewers and a companion talk from Linda Tilot, of the Saginaw County Community Mental Health Authority.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Two Great Michigan Read events:

Afternoon:
Castle Museum (co-sponsored by the Public Libraries of Saginaw).
Saginaw, Michigan

Evening:
Grace A. Dow Memorial Library          
Midland, Michigan

Thursday, November 14, 2013
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Bayliss Public Library
Two Great Michigan Read events.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Boyne City, Michigan

Performing Arts Center
Annie’s Ghosts was the 2013 selection for “One Book, One Community-Boyne Reads.”
Steve spoke at two events in this northern Michigan town, including an afternoon talk for a student assembly and an evening discussion for a general audience, both sponsored by the Boyne District Library.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

Soaring Eagle Conference Center
Steve delivered the keynote speech at the Michigan Association of Community Mental Health Board’s fall conference.

Friday-Saturday, October 4-5, 2013
Edina, Minnesota

North Star Family History Conference
Steve was the keynote speaker at the 6th annual conference, hosted by the Minnesota Genealogical Society. He also gave several presentations on specific topics.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Chicago, Illinois

The Newberry Library
Steve joined two noted authors for an evening of conversation about the consequences of family secrets: Deborah Cohen, a historian and author of the recently-released Family Secrets: Living With Shame from the Victorians to the Present Day, and Emma Brockes, a journalist and author of the memoir, She Left Me the Gun.

Monday, September 30, 2013
Portage, Michigan

Portage District Library
A Great Michigan Read appearance in western Michigan. Radio host Dave Jaconette, from 1340 KJRW in Kalamazoo, moderated a conversation about the art of writing historical nonfiction and fiction. Steve was joined by D.E. Jackson, author of a series on mystery novels set in Detroit during the early 20th century. Co-sponsored by the Portage Library and Kazoo Books.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Michigan Historical Center
Lansing, Michigan
The kickoff event for the 2013-2014 Great Michigan Read featured a conversation about the writing of personal stories, with Steve and Mardi Jo Link, author of Bootstrapper: From Broke to Badass on a Northern Michigan Farm.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Pinckney, Michigan
Great Michigan Read event at Pinckney Community High School, featuring student interviewers and Jennifer White, local host of All Things Considered on Michigan Public Radio.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania
The Blue Ridge Summit Library’s Meet the Author series

December 4, 2012
Cleveland, Ohio
Keynote speaker, annual meeting of North Coast Community Homes, a nonprofit group in Cleveland that provides housing to people living with developmental disabilities or mental illness.

December 1, 2012
Linthicum, Maryland
Keynote speaker, Maryland Genealogical Society annual lunch.

June 7-9, 2012
Burbank, California
Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel
Steve was a featured speaker at the Family History Writers Conference and the 43rd annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree.

Thursday, April 19, 2012
National Archives, Washington, DC
Steve signed copies of Annie’s Ghosts at the National Archives’s Eighth Annual Genealogy Fair, a two-day event that drew more than 5,000 people for workshops and tours of the Archives.

Friday, January 27, 2012
Towson, Maryland
Speaker, Goucher College, graduate students in the Creative Nonfiction writers’ program

Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Bethesda, Maryland
Speaker, the Wednesday Morning Group lecture series

Saturday, October 22, 2011
Flint, Michigan
Flint Public Library
Sponsored by the Flint Genealogical Society and the Flint Public Library.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Rochester, NY
Steve delivered the 10th annual Jessica Cole Henderson memorial lecture, sponsored by Jessica’s parents and the Rochester chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Vienna, Va.
Fairfax Genealogical Society

Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Alexandria, Virginia
Mount Vernon Genealogical Society

Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Ruxton, Maryland
Speaker, L’Hirondelle Club monthly luncheon

Thursday, May 5, 2011
Toledo, Ohio
Keynote speech at the 8th annual “Celebrating Recovery” dinner of Neighborhood Properties, which provides housing for people who are homeless and living with a mental illness. The dinner is held each May as part of Mental Health Month.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Vero Beach, Florida
For its first “One Community/One Read” event, the Indian River County Public Library chose Annie’s Ghosts. The library sponsored book club discussions and other activities during January and February, culminating with Steve’s personal appearance for a book talk and signing at the Richardson Conference Center on the campus of Indian River State College in Vero Beach.

Monday, December 13, 2010
Lauderhill, Florida
(Mental Health Association of Broward County)

Sunday, December 12, 2010
Hollywood, Florida

Monday, November 1, 2010
Towson, Maryland

Towson Literary Reading Series
Towson University

Friday, October 22, 2010
Catonsville, Maryland

Annual Authors’ Night, “Words & Wine” fundraiser
Catonsville Public Library

Friday, October 22, 2010
Novi, Michigan

Novi High School
Steve spoke at an assembly with 400 students

Thursday, October 21, 2010
Novi, Michigan

Novi Public Library
The Neighborhood Library Association, a consortium of five local libraries serving suburban townships northwest of Detroit, chose Annie’s Ghosts as its first Community Read. Throughout September and October, the Salem-South Lyon, Novi, Northville, Wixom and Lyon Township libraries hosted events and presentations about various aspects of the book. The six weeks of activities concluded with a talk by Steve.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010 
Wayne, Michigan
Wayne Public Library

Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Ann Arbor, Michigan
University of Michigan
Steve delivered the 10th annual Horace W. Davenport Lecture in the Medical Humanities, sponsored by the university’s Center for the History of Medicine. The lecture series honors a renowned professor who was chairman of the medical school’s physiology department for 22 years and did pioneering work on digestion.

Thursday, October 7, 2010 
Orlando, Florida
Luncheon speaker, Mental Illness Awareness Week annual event sponsored by Lakeside Behavioral Healthcare of Orlando.

Friday, September 17, 2010
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Thomas M. Cooley Law School

Thursday, September 16, 2010
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Michigan Supreme Court 2010 Judicial Conference
Steve and Judge Milton Mack of the Wayne County Probate Court in Detroit led a discussion about mental health issues.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Catonsville, Maryland
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Part of the university’s 2010-2011 Humanities Forum, an annual speakers series featuring authors and others. Sponsored by the Dresher Center for the Humanities and the UMBC Retriever, the campus newspaper.

Sunday, September 12, 2010 
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Kerrytown Book Fest at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market

Friday, July 2, 2010
Washington, D.C.
National Alliance on Mental Illness’s 2010 convention

Wednesday, June 30, 2010 
Baltimore, Maryland
The New Mercury Reading Series

Saturday, June 12, 2010 
Washington, DC
Hyatt Regency, Capitol Hill
Mental Health America’s 2010 Annual Conference

Thursday, May 27, 2010
Columbia, Maryland
The Bain Center

Thursday, May 20, 2010
Morenci, Michigan
Stair Public Library
Steve’s final stop on his Michigan Notable Book award tour.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids Public Library
Michigan Notable Book award event

Friday, May 14, 2010 
Flint, Michigan
Mott Children’s Health Center

Thursday, May 13, 2010 
West Bloomfield, Michigan
West Bloomfield Township Public Library

Wednesday, May 12, 2010 
Springfield Township, Michigan
Springfield Township Library
Michigan Notable Book award event

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 
Dearborn, Michigan
Dearborn Inn Conference Center
Closing plenary speech for the Wayne State University Institute of Gerontology’s annual conference, Issues in Aging.

Friday, May 7, 2010 
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Penn State College of Medicine
Hershey Medical Center

Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Baltimore, Maryland
Annual lunch, Brandeis University National Committee, Baltimore Chapter

Thursday, April 22, 2010 
Baltimore, Maryland
Roland Park Country School

Saturday, April 17, 2010
Lansing, Michigan
Reception and awards ceremony for the 2010 Michigan Notable Books winners

Thursday, April 15, 2010 
Royal Oak, Michigan
At the Royal Oak Library, sponsored by the Michigan Notable Book Awards

Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Hereford, Maryland

Sunday, March 28, 2010
Lewes, Delaware

Friday-Sunday, March 26-28, 2010 
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Writers at the Beach: Pure Sea Glass conference,
keynote speaker and workshop leader

Sunday, March 21, 2010 
New York City

Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Orlando, FL

Tuesday, March 16, 2010 
Lake Buena Vista, FL
Walt Disney World
The 40th National Mental Health and Addictions Conference & Expo

Monday, March 15, 2010 
Winter Park, FL

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 
Kensington, MD

Monday, March 8, 2010 
La Jolla, CA

Sunday, March 7, 2010
Thousand Oaks, CA

Thursday, March 4, 2010 
San Francisco, CA

Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Boca Raton, FL

Thursday, February 4, 2010 
Bel Air, MD
Bel Air branch, Harford County Public Library

Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Rockville, MD
Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington

Saturday, December 5, 2009
Washington, DC
St. John’s Georgetown Episcopal Church

Thursday, December 3, 2009
Bel Air, MD
Barnes and Noble Bookstore

Monday, November 23, 2009
Chevy Chase, MD
Village of Friendship Heights Center

Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Baltimore, MD
Brooklyn Branch, Enoch Pratt Library

Sunday, November 15, 2009
Farmington Hills, MI
Sponsored by the Jewish Genealogical Society of Michigan

Thursday, November 12, 2009
West Bloomfield, MI
Detroit Jewish Book Fair

Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Ann Arbor, MI

Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Oak Park, MI

Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Washington, DC
Keynote speaker at the National Alliance on Mental Illness’s 5th annual Washington gala, “Unmasking Mental Illness.”

Sunday, September 27, 2009
Baltimore, MD
14th annual Baltimore Book Festival

Saturday, September 26, 2009
Warrenton, VA
10th annual Narrative Matters conference, sponsored by journal Health Affairs

Saturday, September 19, 2009
Washington, DC
The Newseum

Monday, September 14, 2009
Atlanta, GA
The Carter Center
Keynote speaker at the annual dinner for new and former journalism fellows of the Carter Center’s Mental Health Program.

Saturday, September 12, 2009
Towson, MD
Barnes and Noble

Friday, September 11, 2009
Baltimore, MD
Keynote Speaker at the annual meeting of the Mental Health Association of Maryland.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Birmingham, MI
The Community House

Monday, July 6, 2009
Westland, MI
Public Library of Westland

Sunday, June 14, 2009
Arlington, VA
Shirlington Library

Saturday, June 6, 2009
Cambridge, MA
The Harvard Coop

Tuesday, June 2, 2009
New York City, NY
Lower East Side Tenement Museum

Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Washington, DC
Sixth and I Street Historic Synagogue
Q&A with Bob Woodward, author and Steve’s Washington Post colleague.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Washington, DC
Borders

Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Baltimore, MD
Enoch Pratt Central Library

Tuesday, May 12, 2009
WYPR, 88.1 FM in Baltimore
Midday with Dan Rodricks.

Saturday, May 9, 2009
Baltimore, MD
Red Canoe Bookstore and Café

News

January 2013
Annie’s Ghosts was chosen as the Great Michigan Read for 2013-2014. This “one book, one community” program sent Steve on several speaking tours throughout the state, and the book became the focus of discussions and programs during the year.

August 6, 2010
The Neighborhood Library Association, a consortium of five local libraries serving suburban townships northwest of Detroit, chose Annie’s Ghosts as its first Community Read. Residents of the townships of Salem-South Lyon, Novi, Northville, Wixom and Lyon Township will be encouraged to read and then discuss the book at six sessions hosted by the local libraries. The six weeks of activities concluded with a talk and book signing by Steve on October 21 at the Novi Public Library.

December 23, 2009
The Washington Post picked Annie’s Ghosts for its year-end Best Books of 2009 list. In honoring Annie’s Ghosts as one of the year’s best memoirs, The Post book editors focused on Luxenberg’s grace and care in researching and telling his story, quoting from Barry Werth’s review: “A probing, wise and affecting memoir of family secrets and posthumous absolution.” The Post compiled the Best Books list for its Holiday Gift Guide, offering suggestions to readers hunting for literary presents.

December 11, 2009
The Library of Michigan named Annie’s Ghosts as a Michigan Notable Book for 2010, one of 20 books honored. The Notable Book award goes to nonfiction and fiction books. The citation praised Annie’s Ghosts as a “complex blend of research, cultural mores and a long-past Detroit. . . . [Luxenberg’s] story becomes a story that belongs to all of us.” Throughout 2010, the Library of Michigan sponsors a statewide tour of the books, featuring author talks, book signings and special displays at libraries and bookstores.

November 12, 2009
A sold-out “Brunch With the Authors” brought a crowd of more than 200 to hear Steve and two other authors at the 58th annual Detroit Jewish Book Fair.

October 14, 2009
Steve delivered the keynote speech at the National Alliance on Mental Illness’s 5th annual “Unmasking Mental Illness” gala. The event, emceed by CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux, drew about 400. Steve’s talk, “Losing an Identity, Finding a Voice,” focused on how privacy laws have hurt the effort to decrease the stigma surrounding mental illness.

September 27, 2009
The 14th annual Baltimore Book Festival welcomed Steve for an hour-long conversation and book signing with book critic Susan McCallum-Smith.

September 14, 2009
Steve, as the dinner speaker at the annual meeting for journalism fellows at the Carter Center’s Mental Health Program, spoke on the difficulties posed by confidentiality laws for those researching mental health issues. The Carter Center, in Atlanta, awards ten fellowships a year to support American and international journalists working on projects about mental health. Rosalynn Carter, the former first lady, created the fellowship program in 1996.

September 11, 2009
Steve delivered the keynote speech at the annual meeting of the Maryland Mental Health Association, Baltimore branch. His talk, titled “Every Generation: Evolutions and Echoes in Mental Health,” focused the changing nature of mental health treatment over the past 75 years as the states closed the large asylums that once dominated the system and the courts backed more rights for patients.

July 18, 2009
On the Media,” a weekly show produced by WNYC and broadcast by NPR affiliates, included an eight-minute segment on Annie’s Ghosts.

June 9, 2009
Steve appeared on the Diane Rehm Show. The popular hour-long segment was rebroadcast in November 2009.

May 23, 2009
To bring to life some of the places that Steve visited during his research for Annie’s Ghosts, Kyle Norris of Michigan Public Radio did a walking tour with him through the neighborhood where Steve’s mom lived with Annie in the 1930s, and then through the last remaining building of the 75 that once housed the huge hospital complex known as Eloise, Annie’s home for 31 years. Listen to Kyle Norris’s four-minute story, “Steve Luxenberg’s Quest.”

May 12, 2009
WYPR-FM, the NPR affiliate in Baltimore, broadcast an hour-long interview with Steve on “Midday,” its public affairs show.

May 5, 2009
NPR’s “All Things Considered” aired an eight-minute interview with Steve about Annie’s GhostsListen to co-host Robert Siegel’s interview, and read NPR’s online coverage, headlined “A Journalist Uncovers His Family’s ‘Ghosts’.”

May 1, 2009
Library Journal named Annie’s Ghosts as one of 50 summer memoirs worth reading. “A fascinating detective story that will appeal to anyone who has ever had a family member with mental illness or had their assumptions about family tested by a secret revealed,” wrote Elizabeth Brinkley in her recommendation.

March 15, 2009
The Washington Post Magazine published “The Interpreter,” an excerpt from Annie’s Ghosts. It told the dramatic story of how Anna Oliwek, Steve’s cousin, survived the Holocaust by posing as a German—an experience that shapes her view when she eventually learns of the family secrets at the center of Annie’s Ghosts.