Readings & Conversations

About

It’s probably no spoiler that we believe in the power of literature. We also believe the connection between a writer and reader is a sacred bond. For more than 20 years, The Cabin’s Readings & Conversations series has featured literary superstars, bestselling authors, and high-profile thinkers to jumpstart community conversations on critical issues. From MacArthur Fellows to National Book Award winners, some of our past authors include Ta-Nehisi Coates, Ann Patchett, Jesmyn Ward, Jennifer Egan, Reza Aslan, Matthew Desmond, Anthony Doerr, Colson Whitehead, Tara Westover, Gloria Steinem, and David Grann.

A Readings & Conversations lecture is typically an original talk by the author on the subject of their choice. It can be about their current book, upcoming projects, past works, relevant cultural issues, and more. The talk runs for about an hour and is followed by a 20ish minute Q&A from the audience, moderated by Kurt Zwolfer, The Cabin’s Executive Director.

2024-25 Series Lineup

See details for the 2023-24 series lineup here.

Buy Readings & Conversations Tickets

OPTION 1

Buy Series Tickets

Season tickets are sold out but you can now purchase individual tickets to the remaining events in the series.

OPTION 2

Buy Individual Event Tickets

Want to pick and choose which events to attend? You can purchase individual tickets to the following events:

  • Lydia Millet & Richard Powers on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at The Morrison Center

  • Angeline Boulley on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at The Egyptian Theatre (please note: this event is a Readings & Conversations add-on event and is not included in season tickets)

  • Sandeep Jauhar on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at The Egyptian Theatre

  • Luis Alberto Urrea on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at The Egyptian Theatre

  • Tea Obreht on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at The Egyptian Theatre

Seating Chart and Ticket Prices

Timeline to Purchase Series Tickets

Members will receive a link to purchase series tickets by email. Series tickets will not be available for sale online until they go on sale to the general public on May 21, 2024.

May 7, 2024

If you are a Cabin member with a $300+ level membership, you will receive an email to purchase blind (without knowing the season lineup) R&C series tickets on May 7 at 10 AM.


May 14, 2024

The 2024-25 series lineup will be announced at Ed Yong’s R&C lecture.


May 15, 2024

If you are a Cabin member at any level and you have 2023-24 R&C series tickets, you will receive an email to purchase R&C series tickets on May 15 at 10 AM. Note: If you need additional assistance to purchase tickets, please call (208) 331-8000 or stop by The Cabin during our open hours (Tuesday through Thursday, 11 AM - 2 PM).


May 17, 2024

If you are a Cabin member at any level, you will receive an email to purchase R&C series tickets on May 17 at 10 AM.


May 21, 2024

Any remaining series tickets go on sale to the general public on this page (see “Buy Readings & Conversations Tickets” section above.)

FAQs

  • You have several options for picking up your season tickets and three books included with your season ticket:

    • At The Cabin before Ira Glass the week of September 16.

      • Tuesday, September 17, from 9 AM until 5 PM

      • Wednesday, September 18, from 9 AM until 5 PM

      • Thursday, September 19, from 9 AM until 5 PM

      • Friday, September 20, from 9 AM until 5 PM

    • At The Morrison Center the night of Ira Glass. Tickets will be available outside of the Morrison Center and books will be available in the Morrison Center lobby at Ira’s event on Saturday, September 21, at 8 PM.

    • At The Cabin after Ira Glass the week of September 23.

      • Tuesday, September 24, from 9 AM until 5 PM

      • Wednesday, September 25, from 9 AM until 5 PM

      • Thursday, September 26, from 9 AM until 5 PM

      • Friday, September 27, from 9 AM until 5 PM

  • If you are a 2024-25 Readings & Conversations series subscriber, your purchase includes three books from our featured authors:

    • “We Loved It All” by Lydia Millet

    • “Playground” by Richard Powers

    • "My Father's Brain: Life in the Shadow of Alzheimer's" by Sandeep Jauhar

    You have several options for picking up your season tickets and three books included with your season ticket:

    • At The Cabin before Ira Glass the week of September 16.

      • Tuesday, September 17, from 9 AM until 5 PM

      • Wednesday, September 18, from 9 AM until 5 PM

      • Thursday, September 19, from 9 AM until 5 PM

      • Friday, September 20, from 9 AM until 5 PM

    • At The Morrison Center the night of Ira Glass. Tickets will be available outside of the Morrison Center and books will be available in the Morrison Center lobby at Ira’s event on Saturday, September 21, at 8 PM.

    • At The Cabin after Ira Glass the week of September 23.

      • Tuesday, September 24, from 9 AM until 5 PM

      • Wednesday, September 25, from 9 AM until 5 PM

      • Thursday, September 26, from 9 AM until 5 PM

      • Friday, September 27, from 9 AM until 5 PM

  • Yes, someone else can pick up your tickets and/or books. They’ll just need to let us know that they’re picking them up on your behalf.

  • Anyone who would like to receive communications about the current Readings & Conversations series can sign up using the form on this page below the ticket timeline section.

  • A blind renewal means purchasing series tickets without knowing the author lineup.

    If you are a Cabin member with a $300+ level membership, you will receive an email to purchase blind (without knowing the season lineup) R&C series tickets on May 7, 2024, at 10 AM.

  • Click here to see your options for purchasing Readings & Conversations tickets.

  • Starting with the 2024-25 season, you may purchase as many season tickets as you would like.

  • While we cannot guarantee specific seats, The Cabin’s Storyteller members (and higher) get an earlier same-day preview of the following year’s lineup, and can purchase tickets at that time. Additionally, these members have the opportunity to “blind” purchase the series a few days before the lineup is revealed. See our ticketing timeline below on this page.

  • No. The best way to get a chance to purchase series tickets is by becoming a Cabin member. After the renewal window, all remaining series tickets are first-come, first-served to all Cabin members.

  • All membership levels have the opportunity to purchase two Readings & Conversations series tickets, when available. However, Storyteller members (and higher) get an earlier same-day preview of the following year’s lineup and can purchase tickets at that time.

  • Don’t wait. Purchase your series tickets as soon as soon as you receive an email to purchase. See the timeline below for dates.

  • The same seats are not guaranteed. You will need to select your own seats when you purchase tickets every year. We recommend purchasing tickets as soon as you receive the email for best seat selection. Remember, if you want early access to purchase tickets, join or renew at Storyteller level ($300+) or above.

  • Please plan ahead. If you’re traveling or otherwise unavailable to purchase tickets during the renewal window, you can have friends, family, or fellow member purchase series tickets under your account (provided your Cabin membership is active).

  • Your series tickets include one ticket to each of our five standard R&C series lectures and three books from our featured authors.

  • We're here to help! Email Joel at joel@TheCabinIdaho.org by 12 PM the day of the lecture.

  • All Readings & Conversations events will only be held in person because artists and their lectures are proprietary entertainment that becomes diluted with online availability. Currently, authors and their agents are only making accommodations for in-person events to protect the integrity and availability of their artwork.

  • We suggest you give your tickets to someone you know who would enjoy the event. Or, if they are tickets for an R&C event at The Egyptian Theatre, you can donate them back to The Cabin for resale as part of our Rush Tickets program. You will make a student or last-minute lecture fan very happy! The deadline to donate your tickets is 12 PM the day before the lecture. We do not need your physical tickets back.

  • Rush Tickets are tickets given back to us from series ticket holders with schedule conflicts. Seats range anywhere from the front row to the back row. They are $20 for Cabin Members and $25 for the general public. They are sold on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 6:30 PM the night of the event in The Egyptian Theatre lobby. Rush Tickets are not available for events at The Morrison Center.

    If you wish to donate your tickets, contact Joel Wayne by 12 PM the day before the lecture at (208) 331-8000. We do not need your physical tickets back. 

  • Doors open one hour before the event start time.

  • We're here to help! You can reach us at 208-331-8000 or by email at info@thecabinidaho.org.

  • Bestseller tickets are in the front half of the main floor of The Egyptian Theatre.

    First Edition tickets are in the back half of the main floor of The Egyptian Theatre.

    Book Club tickets are in the front half of the balcony of The Egyptian Theatre.

    Paperback tickets are in the back half of the balcony in the Egyptian Theatre.

    All Morrison Center tickets included with your series tickets are on the main floor of The Morrison Center.

Guest Communications

Do you have a guest who attends Readings & Conversations with you? Fill out out the form with their contact information and we’ll make sure they receive all communications about the series.

Individual Ticket Timeline

Please note: individual tickets are subject to venue capacity and post-season ticket sales availability.

Single tickets to individual lectures

Current Members & General Public
Dates to come

For readings held at the Morrison Center, individual tickets are available. Check each event page for purchase links.

For events held at The Egyptian Theatre, The Cabin sells last-minute, returned season tickets in the lobby beginning at 6:30 PM the night of each lecture.

These seats can be anywhere in the theater and are sold on a first-purchase, best availability basis.

Tickets are $25 for members and students and $30 for the general public, and yes, we accept cards.


“I do a lot of book touring and events, but my visit to Boise stands out as one of the best. The evening event on stage at the magnificent Egyptian Theater was...magnificent! The audience was warm and welcoming, and I learned so much about the fascinating history of the city. But the truly memorable part of the trip was my visit to Capital High, and the enthusiasm and excitement of the forty or fifty students who had read my novels and came to the library during their lunch hour to talk about writing. We had a wonderful conversation, and I was so moved by the students' thoughtful questions and by the dedicated efforts of their librarians to cultivate this love of books and nurture this generation of young readers and writers. And, finally, the folks at The Cabin are my heroes, working on the front lines of the culture wars to keep our libraries open, our speech free, and our books in circulation.”

Ruth Ozeki, author of The Book of Form and Emptiness, 2023 Readings & Conversations Guest Lecturer

The 2024-2025 season is sponsored by:

 

Past Guests

2023-2024

Steve Inskeep
Nicholas Kristof
Ayana Mathis
Gabrielle Zevin
Ed Yong
Elizabeth Gilbert

2022-2023

Reza Aslan
Rainn Wilson
Amor Towles
Joy Harjo
Ruth Ozeki
Patrick Radden Keefe

2021-2022

Sandra Cisneros
Louise Erdrich
Anthony Doerr
Josh Ritter in conversation with John Darnielle
Cathy Park Hong
Richard Powers

2020–2021

Barbara Kingsolver
Patti Smith
Madeline Miller
James McBride
Laila Lalami
Mary Roach

2019–2020

Ta-Nehisi Coates
Ann Patchett
Jad Abumrad
Francisco Cantú

2018-2019

Matthew Desmond
Tayari Jones
Tara Westover
David Grann
Jennifer Egan

2017-2018

Reza Aslan
Jesmyn Ward
Colson Whitehead
Viet Thanh Nguyen
Katherine Boo

2016-2017

Gloria Steinem
Colum McCann
Juan Felipe Herrera
Aimee and Karen Bender
Lauren Groff

2015-2016

Anthony Doerr in conversation with Jess Walter
Daniel James Brown
Roz Chast
George Saunders
Jacqueline Woodson

2014-2015

Erik Larson
Chris Abani
Markus Zusak
Sherman Alexie
Karen Russell

2013-2014

Ruth Reichl
Junot Diaz
Susan Orlean
Cheryl Strayed

2012-2013

Abraham Verghese
Anthony Doerr
Firoozah Dumas
Andrew Ross Sorkin

2011-2012

Jonathan Franzen
Chris Abani
Elizabeth Strout
Scott Simon

2010-2011

T.C. Boyle
Maile Meloy, Tony Doerr
Elizabeth Gilbert
W.S. Merwin

2009-2010

Frank Deford
Annie Proulx
Michael Chabon
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

2008-2009

Michael Pollan
Aimee Bender, Tony Doerr
Edward Albee
Alexander McCall Smith

2007-2008

Richard Ford
Mary Oliver
Luis Alberto Urrea
Marjane Satrapi

2006-2007

Amy Tan
Joyce Carol Oates
Andrei Codrescu
Barry Lopez

2005-2006

Walter Mosley
Anne Garrels
Marilynne Robinson
Billy Collins

2004-2005

Anne Lamott
Russell Banks
Scott Momaday
Sarah Vowell

2003-2004

Terry Gross
Dave Eggers
Naomi Shihab Nye
Dr. Oliver Sacks

2002-2003

Ira Glass
Frances Mayes
Sandra Cisneros
David Sedaris