Alienation & Ambition: Young Women Fighting to Belong

12:15 PM - 1:00 PM

Sunday, November 17

Kirkus Tent

From extraterrestrial lifeforms to nationally-ranked athletes, the search for belonging is a universal journey that transcends boundaries. Marie-Helene Bertino’s Beautyland celebrates the tenderness and strangeness of human existence as her protagonist, an alien woman, navigates life on earth so she can report back to her other-wordly superiors about humankind. Rita Bullwinkel’s novel Headshot captures an electric portrait of the raw emotions and sacrifices of eight teenage girl boxers fighting for glory. Join these talented authors for a conversation about their novels exploring peripherality, resilience, and adolescence.