Rebecca Solnit reads tonight at 7 PM at Sixth & I in Washington, D.C., continuing a national tour for her follow-up to Hope in the Dark that has climbed bestseller lists since its release earlier this month [1]. The event is sold out, though standby tickets may be available at the door.

The reading comes at a moment when Solnit's central argument — that hope is not optimism but a commitment to action under uncertainty — has found renewed urgency amid the Iran conflict and domestic political upheaval. Her sequel expands on the 2004 original with essays written between 2020 and 2025, charting grassroots movements she argues the media systematically undercounts [2].

Sixth & I, the historic synagogue-turned-cultural venue near Chinatown, has hosted a string of politically charged literary events this season. Solnit's appearance follows sold-out readings by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Naomi Klein in recent weeks [1].

The Washington stop is the eighth on a twelve-city tour. Solnit told interviewers she chose to prioritize readings in cities where activist communities could gather in person rather than relying solely on virtual events. A book signing follows the reading.

Doors open at 6:15 PM. The venue is at 600 I Street NW.

-- CHARLES ASHFORD, London