Dave Eggers is one of the most notable writers of his generation, recognized for such bestselling and critically acclaimed books as What Is the What and A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. Before embarking on his writing career, Eggers was classically trained as a draftsman and painter and spent many years as an illustrator and graphic designer.
His new novel is titled Contrapposto, an art term that describes a relaxed, lifelike human pose, a groundbreaking development in ancient sculpture. It’s a tale of Cricket Dib, and his childhood friend, Olympia Argyros, a captivating and brilliant force of nature. Early on, she recognizes his artistic talent and convinces him to deface, with profound vulgarity, a popular playground. He does it willingly, already in love, and thus begins a 65-year entwining between Cricket and Olympia, always his champion, but with eyes always seeking something—and someone—else.
Their love changes over the decades, but their commitment to each other, and their search for meaning in the making of art, never wanes. They believe they can change the art world and bring new meaning to it, if only they can start their own movement, dodge charlatans, remain open-eyed and open-hearted, avoid going mad, avoid dying young of rare cancers, stay true to their ideals, and never tire of beauty. Not easy, but not impossible, either.
Dave Eggers will be joined in conversation with the executive director and publisher of McSweeney’s, Amanda Uhle. is the author of Zeitoun, The Circle and The Museum of Rain, among many other books. He founded the human rights nonprofit Voice of Witness, Scholar Match, Art + Water, a nonprofit on San Francisco’s waterfront, and cofounded 826 Valecia, a youth literacy project. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Eggers has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the National Book Critics Circle Award, and is the recipient of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and American Book Award. In 2024, The Eyes and the Impossible was awarded the Newbery Medal.
Doors open at 6:00 p.m. with live music, and the conversation begins at 7:00 p.m.. This event includes a Q&A session and an author signing immediately following in the lobby.
Need help getting to the City Opera House? Directions can be found here.
Ticket Information
Additional City Opera House transaction fees are applied at checkout. A $3 facility fee is charged per ticket to support the City Opera House. Additional service fees are charged for tickets purchased online. To avoid service fees, buy your ticket by phone or at the Box Office, open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday-Friday.
Tier One indicates premium seating options with the best views, available on the main floor closest to the stage along with premium sections of the balcony.
Tier Two indicates standard seating options, available on the main floor and most of the balcony.
Individual Tickets
Tier One: $54
Tier Two: $44
Admits one person to the live event and each ticket comes with one signed copy of Dave Egger’s Contrapposto (retail value $27). Please note: signed books are only available at the in-person event.
Two-Ticket Package
Tier One: $81
Tier Two: $61
This two-ticket option admits two people to the in-person event and comes with one signed copy of Dave Egger’s Contrapposto (retail value $27). Please note: signed books are only available at the in-person event.
Student and Teacher Tickets: $12
No age restriction with a valid school ID, student and teacher tickets admit one person to the live event. Books are not included.
Virtual Tickets
Can’t make it to City Opera House? Enjoy the event live or on-demand from home! You can purchase virtual tickets via the “Virtual Ticket” link above.
Each Virtual Ticket includes access to a private YouTube link beginning at 6:50 p.m ET. Virtual attendees may participate in the Q&A via moderated chat. You must be logged into YouTube via a Google account to chat, or email questions to [email protected].
Pay What You Can
We believe great books and inspiring conversations should be available to everyone. Thanks to our generous donors, you can use the code BookChampion (one word) at checkout for a complimentary book, based on the honor system.
About Our Book Sales
One of the most exciting parts of attending our events is getting a signed copy of the author’s latest book along with the chance to meet the writer and have them personalize it after the show.
Each sale benefits our local partner Horizon Books in downtown Traverse City, Michigan. The bundled price of National Writers Series books is always 20 percent below retail, so you also get a great deal.
If you already own the featured book, the one you receive with your ticket makes a great gift for friends and family. Or you can donate it back to us at the National Writers Series, and we’ll distribute it to libraries and young writers in Northern Michigan.
We think a new book is one of the greatest joys of life, and we thank you for helping us make Traverse City one of the premiere destinations for authors through our book sales.
Content Rating
Unless otherwise noted, NWS events are designed for adult audiences and may not be suitable for children.
Group Tickets
For discounted rates on groups of 20 or more, please contact: [email protected]
Amanda Uhle is executive director and publisher of McSweeney’s, an award-winning quarterly literary journal, humor website, and book publishing program. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Politico Magazine, Newsweek, ThinkProgress,The Boston Globe, and Oprah Daily. Her memoir, Destroy This House, was an Elle magazine best book of 2025.
