Colm Tóibín: Stories of Sanctuary

The Alan Cheuse International Writers Center is hosting its fourth public Lecture of Ideas on April 23rd, 2025 at 7:00 pm at the Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center, 3740 Blenheim Boulevard (formerly Old Lee Hwy). This year’s featured speaker is internationally acclaimed Irish writer Colm Tóibín. The lecture is free and open to the public but RSVP is required.

Program Overview:
6:30 PM – Doors open
7:00 PM – Lecture: “Stories of Sanctuary” (40 minutes)
7:45 PM – Conversation and Q&A with Malte Herwig
8:30 PM – Book signing and pop-up exhibition, The Travel Door Project, by artist Steven Luu

Colm Tóibín, an award-winning novelist, essayist, and critic, is the author of eleven novels, including Brooklyn, The Master, and The Magician, as well as numerous works of nonfiction and criticism. His forthcoming short story collection is The News from Dublin (March 31, 2026).

Hosting this signature event in the City of Fairfax presents a remarkable opportunity to foster connections across our region and beyond. Colm Tóibín’s work explores themes of sanctuary, exile, and identity—from The Magician to his writings on the Irish experience in America. I was captivated by Tóibín’s description of former Washington Post publisher Agnes Meyer’s persuasive ‘rescue’ of Nobel prize winning German writer Thomas Mann from Europe in The Magician. Meyer, who was of German origin, was the mother of newspaper legend Katharine Graham, who is buried in Oak Hill cemetery in Washington. Mann himself, had a Brazilian mother, and grew up in Munich.

Through this lecture, we hope to explore how literature helps us understand goodness, evil, belonging, and the idea of a ‘Republic of Imagination’ that transcends borders.

As we witness ongoing global migrations, literature offers a vital lens through which to understand both history and the present. Tóibín’s engagement with figures like Thomas Mann and James Baldwin invites us to examine exile, citizenship, and creative life across cultures. Tóibín’s breadth and scope of work speaks powerfully to our moment and to audiences in the Washington D.C. region.

Tóibín will be joined in conversation by Malte Herwig, an award-winning German author, journalist, and broadcaster. Herwig is the author of seven books, including Post-War Lies: Germany and Hitler’s Long Shadow, and creator of the acclaimed podcast Faking Hitler. His work spans major international publications and media outlets, including The New York Times, The Guardian, and the BBC. His new film, on his grandfather, who was in one of the first German battalions to enter Poland, in September, will premier with the Cheuse Center the day after the lecture, at the Goethe-Institut Washington.

The events of the Festival are organized and curated by the Cheuse Center. Lecture sponsors include William Miller & Elizabeth Vermilye, the Goethe-Institut Washington, Solasnua, Mason Exhibitions and the Embassy of Ireland; in partnership with the City of Fairfax, ArtsFairfax, and the Fairfax County Public Library. Books will be available through Bards Alley Bookshop on site.

About the Cheuse Lecture Series:

Founded in 2023, the Cheuse Lecture of Ideas series brings leading international writers into conversation with audiences across Northern Virginia and greater Washington, D.C. region. The series highlights literature’s role in shaping civic and cultural dialogue, drawing attendees from more than 22 cities each year. The center previously featured Azar Nafisi, Nikki Giovanni, and Dinaw Mengestu.

Founded in 2016 at George Mason University, the Cheuse Center is a global community of writers, translators, and readers. Its mission is to connect international and American voices through fellowships, residencies, and public programs that foster cultural exchange and civic engagement. The Center has hosted more than 500 writers and supported emerging voices through international travel fellowships.

Named in honor of author and longtime NPR book critic and George Mason Professor, Alan Cheuse, the Center continues his vision of literary engagement across borders, promoting curiosity, empathy, and dialogue through the written word.

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