Brattleboro Literary Festival

06/16/2026

06/09/2026

06/05/2026

It's World Cup Futbol time--"Sibling Rivalry: How Mexico and the U.S. Built the Most Contentious, Co-Dependent Feud in World Soccer."

On Thursday June 11, 5 pm. (Note date/day change), the Brattleboro Literary Festival will host author Hal Philips who will discuss his recent book, "Sibling Rivalry: How Mexico and the U.S. Built the Most Contentious, Co-Dependent Feud in World Soccer."

Register to get your link
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/6017805759778/WN_FD55qCMtST-aohYrLy1jAg

In "Sibling Rivalry," Hal Phillips investigates the intense, complex associations between the two countries, both on and off the field. He examines the complicated border dynamics, the countries' economic and cultural realities, and the evolution of what was once a one-sided rivalry into an intensely equal, ever-escalating athletic confrontation. Phillips also draws on the stories of Mexican-American stars who opted to play for the US and those who chose to play for Mexico. Their perspectives breathe life into the story and show the impact of this rivalry on a personal level.

Hal Phillips is an author, journalist, and media executive based in southern Maine. In January 2026, Bloomsbury will publish his second book-length soccer project, "Sibling Rivalry: How Mexico and the U.S. Built the Most Contentious, Co-Dependent Feud in World Soccer. "

Dickinson-Moses Press published the first, "Generation Zero: Founding Fathers, Hidden Histories and the Making of Soccer in America," in July 2022.

Annual fall festival with award-winning and emerging authors plus many year round events. Free.

06/04/2026

After more than five decades of passengers being relegated to the old baggage area of the former Union Station, now the home of the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, Amtrak will soon have a new stand-alone station right across the tracks.

Amtrak officials and local, regional, and federal leaders will preside over a ceremonial grand opening of the new station on Depot Street on Wednesday, June 24, starting at 11 a.m.

Read more of this story here:
https://www.commonsnews.org/issue/868/868new_train_station

05/04/2026

On Pulitzer Prize Monday, we are naturally reminded of John Updike, one of only 4 writers in history to win more than one Pulitzer Prizes for Fiction. Join us on Wednesday, May 13 with editor and author James Schiff, and John’s son, Michael Updike discussing the Selected Letters of John Updike from James Schiff. Free and online—register here!!

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/8917767698728/WN_nepihSl-SjScJP9BmmtpYw

04/30/2026

The Brattleboro Literary Festival invites you to join us on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 5PM on Zoom with James Schiff and Michael Updike in conversation about Schiff's book, "Selected Letters of John Updike," (Knopf 2025). The book was named a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice and listed as one of The New Yorker’s Best Books of the Year and one of the Wall Street Journal’s Best Books of the Fall.

Sign up here to join us on Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nepihSl-SjScJP9BmmtpYw

John Updike

04/02/2026

Join is for the next Literary Cocktail Hour…free and open to the public!!!

04/01/2026

Register here for April Literary Cocktail Hour

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zQkKUB9WQ_eIGHaPDGws-Q #/

The Brattleboro Literary Festival invites you to join us on Friday, April 10, at 5:00 pm for the Literary Cocktail Hour with author John Glionna in conversation with Italian-American author Vincent Panella. The book is the story of when, in 2023, Glionna experienced a cultural awakening: he travelled to his grandfather's home village to explore the landscape where his roots run centuries-deep.

03/27/2026

We were so saddened to learn of the death of Tracy Kidder. He read at the festival several times, most recently in 2023. A brilliant writer…he will be missed.

You can see his interview with Robbie Gamble here:

When Jim O’Connell graduated from Harvard Medical School and was nearing the end of his residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, the chief of medicine ma...

03/06/2026

Join us online for our next Literary Cocktail Hour, Friday, March 13 at 5:00 pm with author Jane Borden and her book, Cults Like Us. Free and open to the public!

https://bit.ly/BrattLitMar2026