• April 1, 2024
          Finalists reading: Creative Nonfiction, Fiction and Poetry
          April 3, 2024
          One Page Wednesday: APRIL
          April 4, 2024
          Everybody Reads 2024: Gabrielle Zevin
          April 8, 2024
          2024 Oregon Book Awards Ceremony
  • Box Office
  1. Events
  2. Bios
  3. Joshua Wolf Shenk
Joshua Wolf Shenk

Joshua Wolf Shenk

Joshua Wolf Shenk is a curator, essayist, and author. His Atlantic cover stories include “What Makes Us Happy?” about the Harvard happiness study. He has published in Harper’s, The New Yorker, The New York Times, GQ, Riverteeth, and the anthology Unholy Ghost: Writers on Depression. His first book, Lincoln’s Melancholy, was a New York Times Notable book. His most recent book, Powers of Two, on the dynamics of creative intimacy, was a national bestseller. A founding advisor to The Moth, Josh served on the organization’s board of directors, where he played a lead role developing The Moth Radio Hour. He created and directs the Erikson Prize for Mental Health Media and serves on the board of PEN Center USA. Josh is the executive director and writer-in-residence of the Beverly Rogers, Carol C. Harter Black Mountain Institute at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Visit him online at shenk.net.

Events, Classes, and Seminars

Our events, classes, and seminars bring the community together to hear, learn, and discuss the most compelling issues and ideas of our day. We hope you will join us in our downtown Literary Arts space, online, and at partnering venues across Portland and Oregon.