Cultural Events Calendar

Daniel Merritt joins author Megan O'Grady for a discussion of her new book, How It Feels to Be Alive: Encounters with Art and Our Selves.

About the Book:

A vital testament to how art makes us who we are—and offers new ways of seeing our world and our lives.

Barbara Kruger once defined art as “the ability to show and tell, through a kind of eloquent shorthand, how it feels to be alive.” Testing that claim, How It Feels to Be Alive blends criticism with personal narrative to consider art’s intimate effects and how it might help us find clarity in an uncertain world.

Rasputin Swims the Potomac is a biting satire of American politics and a searingly intelligent novel about the cruel absurdities of contemporary life, centering on a world champion professional wrestler with presidential ambitions.

Ben Fountain is the author of several works of fiction and nonfiction including the award winning Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, which won the National Book Critic’ Circle Award for Fiction. Some of his other work include Brief Encounters with Che Guevera, Beautiful Country Burn Again, and Devil Makes Three.

First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing is a literary podcast produced and hosted by Mitzi Rapkin. Each week the podcast features an in-depth interview with a fiction, non-fiction, essay, or poetry writer. The show is equal parts investigation into the craft of writing and conversation about the topics of an author’s work.

Humans have done a lot of damage to the environment, but we can also be a force for good. Some ecosystems need ongoing care and stewardship to thrive, especially in a warming world. This talk will suggest how a perspective shift from saving nature from humans to improving human relationships with other species can enlarge our thinking, make new approaches possible, and create an energizing space for mutual human-nonhuman flourishing.

Transform your life from the inside out with From Attitude to Gratitude—a powerful roadmap to healing, purpose, and unshakable joy through the practice of gratitude and conscious choice.

Heal the past, embrace the present, and awaken to a life of joy!

We are honored to welcome bestselling author Jonathan Franzen as the keynote speaker for Book Ball 2026.

We hope you will join a vibrant and passionate community to celebrate writers and readers, and to connect through the power of stories on July 9, 2026, at Aspen Meadows.

This special evening raises vital funds to support Aspen Words programs, including the Aspen Literary Festival, Writers in the Schools, scholarships for emerging writers, and community talks with Pulitzer Prize–winning authors.

Jonathan Franzen is the author of six novels, most recently “Crossroads” and “Purity,” and five works of nonfiction, including “The Discomfort Zone,” “Farther Away,” and “The End of the End of the Earth.”

First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing is a literary podcast produced and hosted by Mitzi Rapkin. Each week, the podcast features an in-depth interview with a fiction, non-fiction, essay, or poetry writer. The show is equal parts investigation into the craft of writing and conversation about the topics of an author’s work.

Children of the Wild is a gorgeous, haunting love story set in the Virginia mountains and on the battlefields of World War I, France.

Join Sabrina Rudin at Explore Books to celebrate the release of her new cookbook, Healthy with a Side of Happy.

Join us at Explore Books for a night of bites and conversation to celebrate the release of Healthy with a Side of Happy with creator and entrepreneur Sabrina Rudin, the founder and owner of Spring Café Aspen and creator behind @springbysabrina. In the book, Sabrina shares 100 plant-based recipes designed to nourish the whole family—from juices and smoothies to pastas, salads, and simple sweets. Rooted in her belief that food is medicine, the book pairs approachable recipes with pantry guides, meal prep strategies, and thoughtful kitchen practices.

The inspiring, untold story of three incredible women who spearheaded recreation, conservation and resilience in America's most beloved landscapes, for readers of Pam Houston and David Grann

First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing is a literary podcast produced and hosted by Mitzi Rapkin. Each week the podcast features an in-depth interview with a fiction, non-fiction, essay, or poetry writer. The show is equal parts investigation into the craft of writing and conversation about the topics of an author’s work.

The Wreck of the Mentor is the story of the American whaleship Mentor, wrecked in 1832 on a remote reef in the western Pacific.

In conversation with Jon Waterman, Miriam Horn discusses her new book—Homesick for a World Unknown—the first-ever biography of George Schaller, the founding father of wildlife science and conservation.