Friends and Family: Natalie Baszile in conversation with Tayari Jones

Alright, y’all, get ready for a night of real talk because Natalie Baszile is coming to town, and she’s bringing her new book, Friends and Family, for a deep dive into what friendship and loyalty truly mean. She’ll be chatting with our very own Atlanta literary queen, Tayari Jones, so you know it’s gonna be a good one. This isn’t just a book event, it’s a celebration of stories that make you think, set for Tuesday, October 27, 2026.

You’ll be stepping into a piercing examination of how two best friends find themselves at odds over big beliefs on race, identity, and allyship, especially when their teenage kids are involved. Picture this: Babs and Nora, friends for a decade thanks to their kids, sharing everything from lingerie tips to Babs giving Nora, who is white, advice on raising her adopted Black son, Nathan. But when their kids have a traumatic encounter with the police while home alone, their worlds get flipped upside down. Nathan finds refuge with Babs and her family, where race, identity, and culture are always on the table, unlike in his own home. Babs sees Nathan as a young Black man looking for community, and she’s torn between respecting Nora’s boundaries and upholding her own family’s values. The choice Babs makes will change their lives forever.

This whole setup in the Bay Area gives us an eye-opening look at friendship, privilege, race, and community. It really makes you wonder what it truly means to be a good friend and ally. So if you’re looking for a night that sparks conversation and makes you reflect on your own relationships, this is it. It’s perfect for a solo hang if you’re a book lover, or even a thought-provoking girls’ night out.

Natalie Baszile is a force, y’all. She’s not just a writer but also a filmmaker. Her first novel, Queen Sugar, became that amazing TV series co-produced by Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey. And her non-fiction work has been in National Geographic and O, The Oprah Magazine. Then we have Tayari Jones, our local literary legend, whose novel An American Marriage was an Oprah’s Book Club selection and even made it onto Barack Obama’s reading lists. She’s a C.H. Candler Professor at Emory University, and her most recent novel, Kin, just came out in February. So you know these two together will be magic.

This fantastic evening is happening at the Auburn Avenue Research Library, located at 101 Auburn Avenue Northeast in Atlanta. Doors open at 6:00 PM, and the event kicks off promptly at 6:30 PM. The best part? It’s free and open to the public, though they do encourage you to register. You can find out more about tickets and how to register by checking the event’s details.

The Auburn Avenue Research Library is super accessible, with ramps and powered doors at both the front and back entrances, plus wheelchair accessible bathroom stalls. There are also three dedicated wheelchair accessible parking spots. The library has its own parking lot accessible via Courtland Street, and they offer 25 free parking passes on a first-come, first-served basis. Just park in a spot marked Public Parking, head inside to grab your free pass, and place it on your dashboard. They also encourage masks, but they’re not required.