Conversations from the Cullman Center: The End of Drum-Time: Hanna Pylväinen with Julia Phillips
The Whiting Award–winning author discusses her new novel, an epic love story set in the 19th-century Arctic Circle.
In 1851, in a remote Scandinavian village, a Lutheran minister known as Mad Lasse tries in vain to convert the native Sámi reindeer herders to his faith. When one of the most respected herders has a dramatic awakening and dedicates his life to the church, his impetuous son, Ivvár, is left to guard their diminishing herd alone. A chance meeting with Mad Lasse’s daughter, Willa, blossoms into an infatuation that ultimately crosses borders—of cultures, beliefs, and political divides. The End of Drum-Time immerses readers in a world lit by the northern lights, steeped in age-old rituals, and guided by passions that transcend place and time.
Hanna Pylväinen wrote The End of Drum-Time as the 2020-2021 Rona Jaffe Foundation Fellow at the Library's Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers. She will discuss the book with novelist Julia Phillips.
To join in-person | Please register for an In-Person Ticket. Doors will open around 5:30 PM. For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program.
To join the livestream | A livestream of this event will be available on this NYPL event page. To receive an email reminder shortly in advance of the event, please be sure to register! If you encounter any issues, please join us on NYPL's YouTube channel.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Hanna Pylväinen is the author of the novel We Sinners, which received the Whiting Award and the Balcones Fiction Prize. Her work has appeared in Harper’s, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, and The Wall Street Journal, and she is the recipient of residencies at MacDowell, Yaddo, and the Lásságámmi Foundation. She has taught at the University of Michigan, Princeton University, and Virginia Commonwealth University and is currently on the faculty at the Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers.
Julia Phillips is the author of the novel Disappearing Earth, selected as a New York Times 10 Best Books of the Year, and a National Book Award finalist. She has written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Paris Review and teaches at the Randolph College MFA program. She is the founder of the event series Lit Mixer.
Tonight's program and chat are hosted by YouTube. We value your privacy and want you to understand how you and the Library use this service, particularly that by participating you might give data about yourself. The Library does not control that data. We suggest that you read Google’s Privacy Policy and NYPL's Privacy Policy, especially the section “Third-Party Library Services Providers.” To learn more, please visit this FAQ.
- Borrow: NYPL Catalog
- E-Book app: SimplyE, available on iOS and Android
Don't have a New York Public Library card? Get one here!
COVID PROTOCOLS FOR IN-PERSON CONVERSATIONS FROM THE CULLMAN CENTER
The New York Public Library no longer mandates proof of vaccination at indoor public programs. Patrons are strongly encouraged to wear a mask at Conversations from the Cullman Center events.
If you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or suspect you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, please stay home.
In-Person
- Assistive listening devices and/or hearing loops are available at the venue.
- You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) captioning service by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org.
- This venue is fully accessible to wheelchairs. A visual navigation guide is available here.
- Captions and a transcript will be provided.
- Media used over the course of the conversation will be accompanied by alt text and/or audio description.
- You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org.
CONNECT WITH US
Sign up for our e-newsletters to stay up to date on upcoming events and Library offerings.
Please submit all press inquiries to Sara Beth Joren at least 48 hours before the event: email sarabethjoren@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.
For all other questions and inquiries, please email cullmancenter@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.
SUPPORT THE LIBRARY
The New York Public Library's free services and resources are made possible thanks to the support of the Friends of the Library. Join this group of Library lovers and take advantage of special membership benefits, like invitations to members-only virtual events, discounts at the Library Shop, and more. Join now.
The Cullman Center is made possible by a generous endowment from Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman in honor of Brooke Russell Astor, with major support provided by Mrs. John L. Weinberg, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Estate of Charles J. Liebman, The von der Heyden Family Foundation, John and Constance Birkelund, and The Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation, and with additional gifts from Helen and Roger Alcaly, The Rona Jaffe Foundation, The Arts and Letters Foundation Inc., William W. Karatz, Merilee and Roy Bostock, and Cullman Center Fellows.