Books can transport readers to another time, lifestyle, social circle or location—and for the last 37 years, the Corpus Christi Literary Reading Series has transported authors to the city to connect with book lovers in a way that no other community is. The 501(c)3 arts organization truly understands the value of the written word.
In a piece written for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times in 2017, series founder Janis Williams stated, “We believed that people would contribute to our series if we showcased first-rate writers. To that end, I wrote Larry McMurtry that we were starting a series and that we hoped he would be our first reader. Much to our surprise, he agreed.”
Since 1987, when the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Last Picture Show, Lonesome Dove and Terms of Endearment opened the series, more than 60 journalists, poets, short story writers, novelists and essayists have taken part in the weekend-long celebrations of reading and writing. Award winners John Updike, George Plimpton, Horton Foote, Meg Wolitzer, Stephen Harrigan and Junot Diaz have come to Corpus Christi to read from their works, as have 2019 Texas Poet Laureate Carrie Fountain and bestselling authors Justin Cronin, Andre Dubus III, Elizabeth Strout and many others.
Donald Ray Pollock, whose book The Devil All the Time was made into a Netflix film in 2020, was the first reader post-COVID. Corpus Christi native and novelist Bret Anthony Johnston appeared this past September, marking his third time as a guest.
According to Alejandro De Leon, president of the volunteer board, what makes the series so special is that one writer is the focus of a weekend of activities, rather than one evening of readings by multiple authors. In Corpus Christi, the biannual events feature social gatherings as well as an evening reading and Q&A in an intimate setting at the Art Museum of South Texas.
“We try to identify authors who are on the rise before they hit the peak of their careers, but we have welcomed many writers who are already known internationally, nationally and regionally,” said De Leon. “The board is challenged with our selection process to identify guests who reflect a diversity of styles and appeal to a large number of readers.”
Since the series’ inception, a core group of six women has overseen the organization, with new members joining along the way including De Leon in 2019. Funded by patrons, the readings are open to the public with the next scheduled for the spring.
“We want to celebrate prose, phrases, mastery of language and the beauty of the word, and we want to share it with everyone. Reading may be something we do alone, but the series is social and open to all,” said De Leon.
The grassroots reading series has stayed true to its founding principles set over three decades ago: providing local readers and writers the chance to engage with literature on a deeper level; fostering a community where storytelling is celebrated and connections between authors and readers are forged.
