Curated by André Bernard, former Vice President of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, In Conversation features great thinkers and influential voices whose contributions shape our culture today. Crossing the fields of politics, journalism, humanities, and the arts, these conversations will explore fresh perspectives that spark curiosity and ignite new ways of thinking about our most pressing challenges.
Since 1992, Lawrence Wright has been a staff writer at The New Yorker, where his work has earned three National Magazine Awards. He began his career in journalism at The Race Relations Reporter in Nashville in the early 1970s, later writing for Texas Monthly and Rolling Stone. Wright is the author of eleven nonfiction books, most notably The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 (2006), which won the Pulitzer Prize, and Going Clear (2013), a bestselling investigation of Scientology adapted into an Emmy-winning HBO documentary. He has also written four novels, including Noriega: God’s Favorite (2000), The End of October (2020), Mr. Texas (2023), and, most recently, The Human Scale (2025), as well as numerous acclaimed plays and one-man shows, several of which were adapted for film or television. A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Society of American Historians, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Wright also moonlights as a keyboard player in the Austin-based blues band WhoDo.
The Mount wishes to thank Robert Salerno and Margaret Skaggs for supporting this program.
IMPORTANT EVENT INFORMATION:
- This one-hour talk takes place in The Mount’s Event Tent, an open-air, 400-seat tent adjacent to the parking lot. Please be mindful of the weather and plan accordingly.
- In the event of extreme weather, such as excessive heat or severe thunderstorms, this program may be canceled. All ticket holders will be notified by email at least two hours before the scheduled start time if cancellation is necessary. Ticket orders will be automatically canceled, and a full refund will be issued.
- Seating for all programs at The Mount is first-come, first-served. If you have seating preferences, we recommend arriving fifteen minutes early.
- Accessible seating is available. To discuss arrangements, please contact us by phone: 413-551-5111 x5; or email: programs@edithwharton.org. For more information about accessibility, review The Mount’s accessibility webpage.
- A book signing will follow this talk. Books can be purchased at the event from The Mount Gift & Bookstore or in advance via Bookshop.org
- Questions? Email: programs@edithwharton.org; or phone: 413-551-5111 x2
