In memoir This Ragged Grace, celebrated writer and broadcaster Octavia Bright follows two events from her life that coincided in the same period: her recovery from addiction and her father’s descent into dementia. With vivid prose and a candid, open-hearted voice, Bright explores the complex interplays between family dynamics, mental health, loss, and resilience. Her work challenges conventional narratives around grief, putting forward a more nuanced understanding that embraces its messy, nonlinear process. In this program, Bright will reflect upon her approach to writing memoir, her multifaceted perspectives on grief and sobriety, and the roles that literature, philosophy, and art have played in her recovery.

About the speaker:

Octavia Bright is a writer and broadcaster. She co-hosts Literary Friction, the literary podcast and NTS Radio show, with Carrie Plitt. Recommended by The New York Times, The Guardian, BBC Culture, Electric Literature, The Sunday Times and others, it has had over 1.4 million downloads. Her writing has been published in a number of magazines including The White Review, Harper’s Bazaar, ELLE, Wasafiri, Somesuch Stories, and the Sunday Times. This Ragged Grace, published by Canongate, is her first book.

Learn more:

You can read an excerpt from This Ragged Grace here.

Bright is the co-host of a popular literary podcast called Literary Friction. You can listen to the podcast here, on NTS Radio, or you can also find it on a podcast app.

Important information: The discussion will be available both online and in person. While the conversation will happen in person (the speakers will appear in the Reading Room), the Library will stream the conversation on Zoom for a live viewing experience. Both in-person and online attendees will be able to pose questions.

Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.

Read along with the Library! If you want to prepare ahead of this event, copies of This Ragged Grace will be on sale one week in advance, as well as after the event. Stop by Member Services to purchase your copy. Books are generously provided by Smith&Son.

Attendees will have the opportunity to have their copy signed following the conversation.