Kevin Young
Kevin Young is the poetry editor of The New Yorker, where he hosts the Poetry Podcast. He is also the Andrew W. Mellon Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. He previously served as the director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
Young is the author of sixteen books of poetry and prose, including “Stones,” which was short-listed for the T. S. Eliot Prize; “Blue Laws: Selected & Uncollected Poems 1995-2015,” which was long-listed for the National Book Award; “Book of Hours,” the winner of the 2015 Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize from the Academy of American Poets; “Jelly Roll: A Blues,” a finalist for both the National Book Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Poetry; and a children’s book, “Emile and the Field.”
His nonfiction includes “Bunk”—a New York Times Notable Book, which was long-listed for the National Book Award and named a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in criticism—and “The Grey Album,” which won both the Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize and the PEN Open Book Award, was listed as a New York Times Notable Book, and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for criticism.
Young is the editor of nine other volumes, most recently, the acclaimed anthology “African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle & Song.” He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the Society of American Historians. In 2020, he was named a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets.
José Antonio Rodríguez Reads Naomi Shihab Nye
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “World of the future, we thirsted,” by Naomi Shihab Nye, and his own poem “Tender.”
Ada Limón Reads Carrie Fountain
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “You Belong to the World,” by Carrie Fountain, and her own poem “Hell or High Water.”
Donika Kelly Reads Mary Oliver
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “One Hundred White-Sided Dolphins on a Summer Day,” by Mary Oliver, and her own poem “Sixteen Center.”
Richie Hofmann Reads Henri Cole
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “Twilight,” by Henri Cole, and his own poem “French Novel.”
Bianca Stone Reads Franz Wright
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “Learning to Read,” by Franz Wright, and her own poem “What’s Poetry Like?”
Evie Shockley Reads Rita Dove
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “Hattie McDaniel Arrives at the Coconut Grove,” by Rita Dove, and her own poem “the blessings.”
Dorothea Lasky Reads Louise Bogan
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “Three Songs,” by Louise Bogan, and her own poem “The Green Lake.”
Diane Mehta Reads Eavan Boland
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “The Lost Art of Letter Writing,” by Eavan Boland, and her own poem “Landscape with Double Bow.”
Adrienne Su Reads Maxine Kumin
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “The Longing to Be Saved,” by Maxine Kumin, and her own poem “The Days.”
David Baker Reads Stanley Plumly
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “In Passing,” by Stanley Plumly, and his own poem “Six Notes.”
Kate Baer Reads Ellen Bass
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “The Morning After,” by Ellen Bass, and her own poem “Mixup.”
Tributaries: A Conversation with Robin Coste Lewis
The poet joins Kevin Young to read from and discuss her latest book, “To the Realization of Perfect Helplessness.”
Sandra Cisneros Reads José Antonio Rodríguez
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “Shelter,” by José Antonio Rodríguez, and her own poem “Tea Dance, Provincetown, 1982.”
Diane Seuss Reads Jane Huffman
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “Ode,” by Jane Huffman, and her own poem “Gertrude Stein.”
Saeed Jones Reads Deborah Digges
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “The Wind Blows Through the Doors of My Heart,” by Deborah Digges, and his own poem “A Spell to Banish Grief.”
Eileen Myles Reads Joy Harjo
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “Without,” by Joy Harjo, and their own poem “Dissolution.”
Christian Wiman Reads Patrizia Cavalli
The poet joins Kevin Young to discuss “Far from Kingdoms” and “Outside, in Fact, There Wasn’t Any Change,” by Patrizia Cavalli, translated by Judith Baumel, and also his own poem “Eating Grapes Downward.”
Amanda Gorman Reads Tracy K. Smith
Amanda Gorman joins Kevin Young to discuss “Declaration,” by Tracy K. Smith, and her own poem “Ship’s Manifest.”
Aria Aber Reads Frank Bidart
Aria Aber joins Kevin Young to discuss “Half-Light,” by Frank Bidart, and her own poem “Dirt and Light.”
Forrest Gander Reads Ada Limón
Forrest Gander joins Kevin Young to discuss “Privacy,” by Ada Limón, and his own poem “Post-Fire Forest.”
José Antonio Rodríguez Reads Naomi Shihab Nye
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “World of the future, we thirsted,” by Naomi Shihab Nye, and his own poem “Tender.”
Ada Limón Reads Carrie Fountain
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “You Belong to the World,” by Carrie Fountain, and her own poem “Hell or High Water.”
Donika Kelly Reads Mary Oliver
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “One Hundred White-Sided Dolphins on a Summer Day,” by Mary Oliver, and her own poem “Sixteen Center.”
Richie Hofmann Reads Henri Cole
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “Twilight,” by Henri Cole, and his own poem “French Novel.”
Bianca Stone Reads Franz Wright
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “Learning to Read,” by Franz Wright, and her own poem “What’s Poetry Like?”
Evie Shockley Reads Rita Dove
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “Hattie McDaniel Arrives at the Coconut Grove,” by Rita Dove, and her own poem “the blessings.”
Dorothea Lasky Reads Louise Bogan
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “Three Songs,” by Louise Bogan, and her own poem “The Green Lake.”
Diane Mehta Reads Eavan Boland
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “The Lost Art of Letter Writing,” by Eavan Boland, and her own poem “Landscape with Double Bow.”
Adrienne Su Reads Maxine Kumin
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “The Longing to Be Saved,” by Maxine Kumin, and her own poem “The Days.”
David Baker Reads Stanley Plumly
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “In Passing,” by Stanley Plumly, and his own poem “Six Notes.”
Kate Baer Reads Ellen Bass
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “The Morning After,” by Ellen Bass, and her own poem “Mixup.”
Tributaries: A Conversation with Robin Coste Lewis
The poet joins Kevin Young to read from and discuss her latest book, “To the Realization of Perfect Helplessness.”
Sandra Cisneros Reads José Antonio Rodríguez
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “Shelter,” by José Antonio Rodríguez, and her own poem “Tea Dance, Provincetown, 1982.”
Diane Seuss Reads Jane Huffman
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “Ode,” by Jane Huffman, and her own poem “Gertrude Stein.”
Saeed Jones Reads Deborah Digges
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “The Wind Blows Through the Doors of My Heart,” by Deborah Digges, and his own poem “A Spell to Banish Grief.”
Eileen Myles Reads Joy Harjo
The poet joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “Without,” by Joy Harjo, and their own poem “Dissolution.”
Christian Wiman Reads Patrizia Cavalli
The poet joins Kevin Young to discuss “Far from Kingdoms” and “Outside, in Fact, There Wasn’t Any Change,” by Patrizia Cavalli, translated by Judith Baumel, and also his own poem “Eating Grapes Downward.”
Amanda Gorman Reads Tracy K. Smith
Amanda Gorman joins Kevin Young to discuss “Declaration,” by Tracy K. Smith, and her own poem “Ship’s Manifest.”
Aria Aber Reads Frank Bidart
Aria Aber joins Kevin Young to discuss “Half-Light,” by Frank Bidart, and her own poem “Dirt and Light.”
Forrest Gander Reads Ada Limón
Forrest Gander joins Kevin Young to discuss “Privacy,” by Ada Limón, and his own poem “Post-Fire Forest.”