Given the commitment of highly enthusiastic, intelligent and motivated members in our New York chapter, it was only natural that UNA-NY should offer another opportunity to engage the altruistic aspirations of its local community — by hosting what has become yet another popular program in its many varied events: the BookTalkUNA discussion series.

Since 2010, this bright complement to our FilmTalk presentations features books and their authors whose work is in-depth, politically and ethically engaged, far-sighted and often controversial. We host writers and thinkers who illuminate many complex social and political realities that challenge assumptions, while offering inspiration, ideas and understanding which can create possibilities for a better world. Their valuable presentations complement the far-reaching work of the United Nations and its vital goals.

BookTalkUNA also offers attendees an ideal opportunity to engage with our hosted authors in lively and inspired dialogues while renewing their motivation and commitment to the important work shared by all members of our unique New York chapter. They can also enjoy networking and socializing opportunities at receptions held before and after the presentations. As seating is limited, and because of this special opportunity for dialogue with our guests, we strongly encourage reservations for these events.

BookTalkUNA | Past Events

2024

May 23 |  WOMEN MONEY POWER by Josie Cox

2023

March 16 | WHERE THE CHILDREN TAKE US by Zain Asher

2022

June 29 | LESSONS FROM THE EDGE by Marie Yovanovitch

March 24 | SECRETS OF THE SPRAKKAR by Eliza Reid

February 2 | THERE IS NOTHING FOR YOU HERE by Fiona Hill

January 19 | THE CHANCELLOR by Kati Marton

2021

December 15 | ON ALL FRONTS by Clarissa Ward

June 30 | OF WOMEN AND SALT by Gabriela Garcia

April 29 | HADES, ARGENTINA by Daniel Loedel

March 11 | ENOUGH ABOUT ME by Richard Lui

2020

October 21 | CALL ME AMERICAN by Abdi Nor Iftin

July 21 | TWILIGHT OF DEMOCRACY by Anne Applebaum

2019

June 6 | THE PERFECT WEAPON by David Sanger

January 15 | A PRIVATE WAR by Marie Brenner

2018

April 26 | EDGE OF CHAOS Why Democracy is Failing to Deliver Economic Growth and How to Fix It by Dambisa Moyo

2017

December 5 | THE INTERNATIONALISTS How a Radical Plan to Outlaw War Remade the World by Oona A. Hathaway and Scott J. Shapiro

November 16 | A WORLDLY AFFAIR New York, the United Nations, and the Story Behind Their Unlikely Bond by Pamela Hanlon

September 28 | NOTES ON A FOREIGN COUNTRY An American Abroad in a Post-American World by Suzy Hansen

2016

May 4 | THE MORNING THEY CAME FOR US Dispatches from Syria by Janine di Giovanni

February 11 | OUTPATIENTS The Astonishing New World of Medical Tourism by Sasha Issenberg

2015

October 7 | THE UNITED NATIONS IN THE 21st CENTURY Grappling with the World's Most Challenging Issues by Douglas Roche

July 13 | THE SHARED SOCIETY A Vision for the Global Future of Latin America by Alejandro Toledo

January 14 | THE UNDERGROUND GIRLS OF KABUL by Jenny Nordberg

2013

September 23 | On Saudi Arabia: Its People, Past, Religion, Fault Lines by Karen Elliot House

May 14 | HAMMARSKJÖLD : A Life by Roger Lipsey

May 2 | HOWEVER LONG THE NIGHT by Aimee Molloy

April 3 | ESCAPE FROM CAMP 14 by Blaine Harden

March 6 | SHAHNAMEH The Epic of the Persian Kings

2012

November 29 | IN THE SHADOW OF THE BANYAN by Vaddey Ratner

October 1 | ROCK THE CASBAH Rage and Rebellion across the Islamic World by Robin Wright

February 9 | THE FEAR Robert Mugabe and the Martyrdom of Zimbabwe by Peter Godwin

2011

December 1 | THE UNRAVELING Pakistan in the Age of Jihad by John R. Schmidt

September 28 | GETTING BETTER Why Global Development is Succeeding and How We Can Improve the World Even More by Charles Kenny

April 18 | THE GOLDEN CAGE Three Brothers, Three Choices, One Destiny by Shirin Ebadi

March 10 | HOW THE WEST WAS LOST by Dambisa Moyo

2010

November 30 | THE TENTH PARALLEL Dispatches from the Fault Line Between Christianity and Islam by Eliza Griswold

September 27 | STRENGTH IN WHAT REMAINS by Tracy Kidder