At the University of Iowa, we love our writers, our programs, we love our graduates and our students -- and we love the wealth of literature that they gift us, simply by being here.

We have created "5 Reads for Friday" as an easy, laid-back series, compiling a short list of inspirational, helpful and fun treasures from our family to yours. Enjoy what you find, take what you need, and be well.

 

• From the Iowa Writers Workshop: Books by Workshop Alums C Pam Zhang, Brandon Taylor and Kiley Reid are included on the longlist for the 2020 Booker Prize
  
  Congrtulations to C Pam Zhang's 'How Much of These Hills is Gold', Brandon Taylor s 'Real Life' and Kiley Reid's 'Such a Fun Age'!
   

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  From the Iowa Review archives:  La “Mummia di Grottarossa”, Bennett Sims
  
  "In the basement of the Palazzo Massimo museum in Rome, there is a vault called The Strong Box."
   

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  From Nonfiction Writing Program: Amy Adams, Annapurna Pictures Team On Movie Adaptation of NWP alum Rachel Yoder's Novel ‘Nightbitch’
  
  Exposing the absurd and feral truths of motherhood, Nightbitch is a darkly comedic telling of an unnamed woman and former artist, thrust into stay-at-home domesticity after the birth of her son, who becomes increasingly worried and convinced that she may be turning into a dog. The book will be published by Doubleday in Summer 2021.
   

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• From our Free Online Courses: How Writers Write Poetry II
  
  This MOOC-Pack presents the International Writing Programs's first poetry writing MOOC, designed for beginning and experienced writers.
   

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  From the Iowa Summer Writing Festival: Eleventh Hour podcast re-release: Writing with Death Looking Over Your Shoulder (2018)
  
  In this episode re-release, Writing with Death Looking Over Your Shoulder, Lori Erickson discusses how death has haunted the work of countless authors. Listen here!

And that's it!
We hope you enjoy. And check back each week for a new list.

^{Photo by Dakota Roos on Unsplash}