Authors Tommy Orange and Deborah Jackson Taffa talk about their latest works and share stories of identity, addiction, family, and the Native American experience – past and present – with the Library’s Cindy Hohl, president of the American Library Association.

Orange is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel There There, a multigenerational story about the lives of urban Native Americans. A Pulitzer Prize finalist, There There was also named one of the New York Times Book Review’s 10 Best Books of the Year and longlisted for the National Book Award. His follow-up novel, Wandering Stars, was published in February 2024.

Taffa’s memoir, Whiskey Tender, has been named to several 2024 best-of lists, including those in Esquire, Oprah Daily, ELLE, and The Washington Post. The recipient of fellowships and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, PEN America, MacDowell, and the New York State Summer Writers Institute, Taffa directs the MFA CW program at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico.