It's the year 2030, and melting permafrost releases an ancient virus that sweeps the planet — those are the events that launch How High We Go In the Dark, a novel by Sequoia Nagamatsu, that has been selected for 2023 All Iowa Reads. The author and Grinnell College graduate joins this episode of Talk of Iowa to discuss publishing a pandemic novel during a pandemic and the themes of grief explored in his work. Nagamatsu is a headlining author at this year’s Des Moines Book Festival. How High We Go in the Dark is also the April pick for the Talk of Iowa book club.
Later in the hour, Amelia Klatt, director of events at the Greater Des Moines Partnership, tells us what else we can expect at this year’s book festival. And Jan Kaiser of Poetry& discusses Poetry Palooza, a celebration of poetry taking place in Des Moines this April.
Guests:
- Sequoia Nagamatsu, author of How High We Go in the Dark
- Amelia Klatt, director of events at the Greater Des Moines Partnership
- Jan Kaiser, marketing and events coordinator for Beaverdale Books, organizer with Iowa-based nonprofit Poetry&
The Greater Des Moines Partnership is a financial supporter of Iowa Public Radio
