Fall Literary Festival 2025 with Kaveh Akbar

Great writers, readers and friends will gather for two author visits in September for the University of South Carolina Fall Literary Festival.

The 2025 festival welcomes acclaimed biographer C.M. Kushins and New York Times bestselling author Kaveh Akbar. They join more than 60 award-winning authors who have visited the USC campus for the festival, participating in readings, book signings and other events – all free and open to the community.

The Fall Literary Festival is a partnership between University Libraries and the Department of English, supported by the generous legacy of Libraries friend Dorothy D. Smith. Mrs. Smith was a lifelong book lover who wanted to share her passion with others.

Thursday, September 18, 2025 - Kaveh Akbar

Reading/discussion, Q&A, book signing

Kaveh Akbar is the New York Times bestselling author of the novel Martyr!—a finalist for the National Book Award and one of the New York Times Ten Best Books of the Year—and two books of poetry: Pilgrim Bell and Calling a Wolf a Wolf. He is also editor of The Penguin Book of Spiritual Verse: 110 Poets on the Divine and, with Paige Lewis, co-editor of Another Last Call: Poems on Addiction and Deliverance. His writing appears in the New Yorker, the New York Times, Paris Review, New Republic, GQ, The Atlantic, Best American Poetry, Best American Sportswriting, and elsewhere. Since 2020, he has served as poetry editor for The Nation. Born in Tehran, Iran, he is the Roy J. Carver Professor of English at the University of Iowa. His work has been translated into over thirty languages.

Parking Information:

Parking is generally available in Bull Street Parking Garage. See below for walking directions from the garage to the library. Accessible parking is available behind Thomas Cooper Library.

Walking Directions (from Bull Street Garage to Thomas Cooper Library):Take the Bull Street Parking Garage elevator or stairs to Level 4. Walk through the garage to the wide brick walkway. Walk on this brick walkway toward the concrete steps. At the top of the steps, turn left. The reflecting pool will be on the right. The entrance to Thomas Cooper Library will be on the left.

Host or Publisher University of South Carolina Libraries