Narrative Night San Francisco 2019
We celebrated fifteen years of Narrative with a grand party. The May rains were epic, but no matter. For a few precious hours we were safe and dry. We drank and told stories. Friends came from all over, story-makers and supporters. We saluted our youngest writers, brilliant high schoolers, and their amazing teachers. Javier Zamora passed the Narrative Prize baton to Paisley Rekdal, who read from Nightingale, her stunning new book of poems. George Saunders salted a brilliant and hilarious tribute to Tobias Wolff with the suggestion that maybe, just maybe, Toby might lend his moral compass with a run for president. Sure, said Toby. Then he transported us, heart and soul, with pages from his novel in progress. And in the mix, a video of fellow writers saying some very kind things about this modern story ark we call Narrative, owned by no one and everyone, filled to the beams with readers and writers and tales and poems known and yet to be born. I can’t say it’s been a quick or easy fifteen years, but, oh, what a privilege and a ride. Will our stories save us? In these crazy times, we believe they can and must. Gratefully, hopefully, urgently telling stories.
—Carol Edgarian and Tom Jenks
