The Riggio Forums are a dynamic new series sponsored by the Leonard and Louise Riggio Writing and Democracy Initiative at The New School. The four-part series is curated and moderated by Distinguished Visiting Professor Greil Marcus, the celebrated writer and critic, and features some of the most engaging writers and artists of our time and highlights the role of the writer/artist in contemporary America.

The series begins on September 16 with legendary science fiction author Samuel Delany; on October 26, Sean Wilentz will read and discuss his new book The Age of Reagan: A History, 1974-2008; November 11 showcases contributors and editors to the anthology A New Literary History of America including Farah Griffin, Greil Marcus, Ann Marlowe, Robert Polito, John Rockwell, Werner Sollors, and Stephanie Zacharek; and on December 2, David Thomas, lead singer and founder of the legendary avant-rock band Pere Ubu, discusses his most recent book, The Shape of Things to Come: Prophecy in the American Voice. In addition Marcus is offering the lecture course,The Old Weird America: Music as Democratic Speech from the Commonplace Song to Bob Dylan, this fall at The New School.